Sunday, on our trip to Brooklyn, Robin and I got to know one another. She doesn’t quite speak in full sentences, but she doesn’t miss much either, so we talked via games, winks, noises, blinks and gestures.

On a walkway at Fort green park, she stood above me and made faces, and I made faces back, the very silly sounds kids love and adults look so silly doing. I hate talking baby talk to babies,but this how Robin and I were talking to each other, seeing each other, trusting each other.We

We went out to eat at a hip Ramen restaurant in Brooklyn, Robin ate peas and we made more faces at one another. Maria started a kind of Simon Says game, making faces, I picked up on it and Robin and I had fun.

Toddlers love tames like that, I know Emma did, although I told her she was a much more serious child than Robin, she mostly wanted to read books, she wasn’t quite so demonic.

I think the challenge for me – for anyone – is finding a mutual language, a way of communicating, laughing and connecting. We had a good time, I doubt Robin and I will forget one another anytime soon. Come and see.