Gremlin’s Fireside Chat

Got a bit of a fright yesterday when at 14:30 my daughters creche telephoned my and asked me to pick Maeve up because she is ill – repeated Diarrhea and the creche has a “three loose craps and your out” policy. I got the call because my wife (who works by the creche) is away in Germany for a course. I was surprised when I turned up at 15:30 (I work a fair bit away from the creche) Maeve was all happy and smiley – did not look sick at all. But sick she is.

Its been a tiring afternoon and evening: The development group I am a member of has a software drop this evening – which usually involves staying to 8 or 9 in the evening depending on the issues. But I had to combine remote working (thanks guys) with changing nappies every 30 minutes since whatever Maeve easts passes straight though her, and keep an eye on my impish daughters exploits. Fortunately my wife comes home tonight.

Obviously Maeve has appreciated my stress and my help because I looked up late in the evening and saw my my daughter walking over from the door to the kitchen carrying a nice cold beer of the brand (as apposed to her moms) I like in her out-streched arms. Clever and strong girl for 16 months.

Now to get a lock for the fridge….

Maeve’s mental progress has proceeded a pace these last few weeks and she is definitely pushing the boundaries to find out what is right and gets a good response and what gets her scolded. For a while now she has developed this knack of saying the appropriate “yes” or “no” answer to simple questions we ask; You know the kind of question “are you hungry”, “do you want to go to bed”, “Was George Bush a good president” (no was her answer). But we never really knew if she understood the question – or understand the English language at all!!!

This weekend she did a couple of things that prove that her mind is associating words with concepts and actions and also being proactive in show us slow parents what she needs. The first illustration is from my wife who said on Saturday “did you know I was sitting on the sofa when Maeve came into the room with a nappy bag in one hand (to contain soiled nappies) and a nappy in the other!! I said ‘do you want your nappy changed’ and Maeve said ‘yes’ and went and lied down on the changing mat” – Maeve has never carried shown us before she needs her nappy changing other than by crying or becoming grumpy before. But she has often seen us get a nappy and a nappy bag from the changing kit before undertaking a nappy change.

The other story is my own. I was getting some food for breakfast for Maeve consisting of a pot of Yogurt after she had polished off half my bowl of Rice-Crispies. I gave her the spoon and off we went to the sofa. Along the way Maeve got distracted and started playing with some of her toys. Five minutes latter she comes up to me a says “mmmmmmm” by which she means “feed me”; But by this point she has lost the spoon. Showing Maeve the pot I said “Maeve get me the spoon” – upon which she promptly turned around and went over to the area where she was playing and retrieved the discarded spoon.

They say a babies mind is a sponge for new knowledge – that I think is an understatement.

Well my friends and occasional readers here his the latest member of the Leeson (O’Lishane) clan….

My sisters little baby girl born on Saturday June 1st and is called “Aife”.

Isn’t she a cute..