1. A lot of housekeeping advice seems to centre on one tip: "Get up 15 minutes before everyone else." I could once, but it is almost impossible for me to achieve now: Nick and Alec both like a cuddle in the morning and I can't work out how to wake myself without waking Alec. This morning I didn't manage to get up before Nick but Alec slept right through until almost half past eight and I got my 15 minutes.
2. Laura says she doesn't much like life drawing and being forced to produce something less than perfect. She battles on just the same, marking up her sketchbook pages with shadows and glimpses of the ever-moving Alec.
3. As Laura is leaving Alec pops up with "Thank you much my cakey." I hadn't yet said my thank yous for the dozen chocolate fairy cakes she'd brought with her. We were both very impressed by his memory and by his manners. (It's strange because only yesterday I got into an email conversation about why I don't think this is a gratitude blog; and then today I was struck by this post about authentic gratitude over at Codename Mama.)
