LAST week I watched Channel 4's One Born Every Minute, a documentary set in a maternity unit. It certainly brought back some memories of giving birth to Sophie and at one point I caught myself actually pushing as I willed the woman in labour on. The bit that most rang a bell was when the midwife got all bossy with the woman towards the end when she really needed to get the baby out.

But it's amazing that although I remember it being very painful and pretty traumatic, I'm still pretty keen to do it again at some point. Women are obviously designed to get amnesia about childbirth to keep the human race going. After all, if I'd been in that much pain from anything else, I certainly wouldn't be in a hurry to repeat the experience.

But as Sophie's first birthday approaches, I keep looking back fondly on the day she was born. Her actual place of birth – the old maternity unit at North Staffs – no longer exists and so much has changed since that day.

I've moved house and now have a whole new life as a mother doing the circuit of baby groups and soft play venues. Pre-baby, I had never stepped into anywhere with a ball pool, but now I'm almost becoming a regular.

And Sophie has gone from the waxy little baby who lay on my chest like a seal staring at me with her big eyes to a curious and daring explorer who won't stay still for a moment.

Much as I'd like to do it all again at some point, I can't imagine it being any time soon. I loved being able to come straight back from work and go to bed when I was pregnant and exhausted, but I don't think toddlers are that understanding when mummy needs a nap.

And Sophie is more than enough to keep me busy at the moment. Every day she seems to be learning something new or honing an existing skill. The last time she went to her weekly music class I marvelled at how she now played all the instruments so nicely. She was sat up straight banging the drum with her beater and shaking her maracas, and yet just a few weeks ago all she wanted to do was stick all the instruments straight into her mouth and give them a good chew.

And she has even stood up all by herself for 10 whole seconds. But like all these achievements, she won't necessarily repeat it for a while. It's like she is teasing us with a preview of what is to come.

And who knows what she'll surprise us by doing next week – but I can't wait to find out.