Gremlin’s Fireside Chat

Its summer and tonight for our Daughter Maeve’s bedtime story it was the turn of that classic “Rapunzel” – Maeve listening raptly to her Mother reading the story with Dad listening discreetly. The story was at the point where the wicked witch imprisoned Rapunzel in the tall tower without a door and shouts “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair” when Maeve asks the all important question – “But mommy how DID Rapunzel get into the tower if it had no door”.. Mommy replied “That is a good question Maeve – maybe she had a ladder on the first day”.

Yep an incisive question indeed.

Its been four months since my last post ! and not a lot things have happened and a lot of things have changed. Confused? Well its official Ireland is well in the dumpster at the moment – well what do you expect with a Fianna Fail government and their “whats in it for me and my mates”; But a least we got rid of them and their poodles the green party in the recent election. Fortunately at the moment I am still working – although like many I don’t know how long for.

Maeve is blooming. She had her 3rd birthday in January and because of her love of star-wars her English, Maeve’s English is excellent if a bit eclectic. A three year old using the phrase “Yes my dear” is a bit disconcerting. Maeve is also quite tall for her age and is into 4-5 year old clothes which is quite something for someone who has just turned three.

I took Maeve swimming yesterday in the National Aquatic Pool in Blanchardtown and we have a fantastic time. It was the first time Maeve used water wings and the first time she “swam solo”. Her face was a picture of such excitement, joy and pride and she swam towards me again and again to her squeals of delight. Her smile said everything.

Maeve’s creches nativity play was today – and Maeve had the plum part of “mary”. The best I ever got at the Nativity was one of the three kings with the “Joseph” part going to my arch Nemesis Paul Russell and as you can tell that after 40 years it still rankles me somewhat. Needless to say I took the afternoon off work to attend the play and do a bit of festive shopping too.

At the anointed hour all the proud parents bustled into the room where the play was being held all elbowing for the best position to see their “little star” perform their part in the traditional Christmas play. I have to admit all the kids looked great in the usual towel “Arab” headdress, but the poor little mites were totally confused and frightened by the mob of “paparazzi parents” all elbowing and taking up one end of the room. Needless to say some of the mights (my daughter included) were overcome by the crowd, the low lighting and frequent flashes of camera’s and started to cry – what do you expect with 2-3 year olds.

Maeve started to cry for her daddy and eventually I made my way into the children and gave her a cuddle and sat on a baby chair which helped her somewhat and the play started with carols being sung by the children and the traditional nativity story told – punctuated by frequent sobs and crying.

All in all we all enjoyed it and Maeve enjoyed the dressing up and singing. The creche staff said she knew the whole play – words, songs and “the role” perfectly and I am sure that is the truth. Maeve even continued singing “Jingle Bells” all the way home.

I had intended when I started out this blog to talk about more “professional” and technical things about life as an independent software developer contractor, but as my wife pointed out recently my blog is more of an adoration site about our daughter Maeve and her growing up. This is of course true, and I make no apologies for this turn of events. I just love being a father. I know its “not manly” and seems to go against modern “post feminist” thinking, but the truth is I love my daughter and feel no shame about showing it.

Well today we will be off to visit my mom and sister in Meath. Mom has just been released from hospital after a nasty chest infection – TBTG – and its time we made a visit. No doubt Maeve will show them her new verbal skills (more and longer sentences), her ability to put on her own shoes and something which has struck me as odd. Maeve has been trying to write. OK all kids like trying to scribble with a pen on any piece of paper (or surface) she can find. Maeve this week has obviously been writing along the lines of a note pad (just above like when you write) with squiggles small enough not to cross the line above and in groups with space between them. The squiggles are just that – no written words – but they obviously are Maeve’s attempts in that a lot of the “words” in the squiggles are circular joined up shapes and look like some foreign language if you did not know better. The other odd thing is she is writing all this in a right-to-left fashion. Don’t know what that means, but I do remember as a child when I was learning to “write proper” thinking that writing right-to-left was so much more natural and easier than left-to-right.

Okay its time to sign off and enjoy a love hot mug of coffee and a slice of meat loaf I made last night.

It had to come. We both knew it; but we were hoping for a few more years before it manifested itself. Maeve has started singing the odd phrase from a song or two lately – words from the Corries “Skye boat song” or Petula Clarkes “Cannot live without your love”; but today we were watching “Ratatouille” the cartoon movie about a cuisine loving rat when Maeve said the ominous phrase – point to the main rat lead she said “Mickey Mouse”. Americanisation has started.