Imagine that...

Something I've been wanting to share for some months now is how James is developing. Both Merrilyn and I have noticed that James has been developing his imagination.

There are the obvious signs. Such as when we first wakes up in the morning and tells you his bed has been transformed into a car. He wants to show you its wheels and tells you of the places he's been. Or when he's in the playground and runs around turning imaginary knobs and wheels. Or perhaps making you a coffee (he's always been in to that!).

But of course there is another side to this development. To some degree he's also been developing some anxieties. For example, a few months ago the smoke alarm outside the kitchen sounded off whilst Merrilyn was cooking. It gave James quite a fright. There is also one outside his bedroom. So from time to time he won't pass underneath it unless one of us is with him. My approach has been to talk to him about what he's feeling and to reassure him that there is nothing to worry about. For example, with the detector, I show him the green light and tell him that that means that everything is OK and no alarm will sound.

Its amazing to see him develop. And all this means we, as his parents, enjoy a richer experience when we play with him.