Ice cream cones at the public gardens This year I vowed to go through the huge box of photos from the past and scan them. It has been fascinating to go through the phases of my children's lives remembering them at different ages. Putting them together I began to see the threads of their future personalities take shape over time. One always seems to stand with his feet apart with a 'I just dare' you look, another shares shy smiles, another is frequently exhuberant, and the youngest has an open friendly smile.

My youngest grandson's mother keeps a running blog of his progress and antics. If the past portends the future - he is going to be an amazing handful. I think he has the best from each parent.