Alex has been saying “I love you” (usually when prompted) for a week or two now. I reckon it’s about time – we’ve been saying it to him for almost 2 1/2 years (plus intrauterine time).

But today he said it in a new and special way.

He and I were walking to the bus, with a sharp wind blowing. I put his jean jacket on him. For some reason, he thought it should have a hood, and began to tug at the collar, saying “Hat, hat!” I told him there was no hat.

After a good half a minute of this, I spoke sharply to him. “Look, Alex, there is no hat on the jacket!” His face crumpled, as it often does when he suffers any form of reverse. He struggled to regain his composure for a few minutes, but was clearly devastated at the thought that I was irritated with him.

Finally he looked up at me with big eyes and a quivering lip and asked for a cuddle. I crouched down and he came into my arms. He clutched me tightly for a moment, burying his head in my shoulder, and said, “I love you, Mama.”

And everything was better.