Gremlin’s Fireside Chat

I thought that I had a decade or two until my daughter (now 23 months old) discovered boys. As a father I now understand the perils of men – we only after one thing, but I had thought that I had a decade or two before all I became was “the taxi service”. This was shattered this evening when my wife mentioned in passing that when she went to pick up Maeve from the creche on Friday it was mentioned our Daughter was “very friendly and affectionate” and even “had a boyfriend” since one of the staff had seen her hugging and kissing some other boy in the creche.

I know that girls mature fast these days…. but Lord let them learn to speak a language first!!!

- New words of the day “Penguin, Sword and Tower”.

Maeve has shown some new skill’s and traits in the last couple of days she did not have before. Firstly she has started to sing – unfortunately it is the song “I love you, you love me, were one big family” .. by that purple horror Barney the Dinosaur; But she can sing. Also Maeve understand how keys work and that if you turn them clock-wise the door is locked and if you turn it anti-clockwise you unlock the door. This means of course we have to hide all the keys where Maeve cannot get them. I have this nasty mental picture of locking us out of a room and not allowing us in.

Finally on another linguistic/world-model level Maeve started yesterday to use the words “my” and “me” for the first time – and in the right context; For example: when grabbing a toy panda back from me she said “my panda”, and when shown some photo’s of herself and asked “who is that” she said “me”.

Finally Maeve’s bright ginger hair has started growing and thickening. No longer does Maeve look like her bald father.

Maeve is coming along nicely in most respects – she can answer simple questions like “who are we waiting for” (mommy is the answer) and make observations like “Mommy’s gone” “BoBo Apple Please” (Bottle of apple juice please). Although “No” is he favourite answer to most things she is a real treasure.

On the downside, driving home from the creche yesterday I saw in the rear view mirror Maeve pickling her nose and eating the snot – gross.

Maeve was 21 months old last Friday… and what an independent mischievous little lady she has become. She can walk and run; Always seems to have a ready smile and a giggle for anyone. This morning she surprised us by counting from 2 till 8 when she walked down the stairs with me guarding the way. The reason Maeve started with 2 was when she made the first step I said “one” … the rest was all her own doing. He mom was a witness Very much proud parents.

Anyway here is a picture I took in the car when she finally fell asleep.

… I do wish we could get rid of the “doody” (as they are called in Dublin) from her mouth. Apart from that I like the whole strong shadow look.

The following week is going to be tough since I will be in Romania on a business trip and it will be the first time I will have spent any time away from my Daughter..

Yesterday after a visit to the excellent National Museum of Country Life I had a while to wait for my wife to finish so – it being a lovely sunny day – Maeve and myself retired outside for some fun. Maeve sat down beside me and we watched people for a while. The museum is based in some lovely countryside (and not in a town) and in the background I heard a cow bellowing and this gave me an idea for a game.

“Maeve” I said “cows go….” and then nothing. Maeve looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Cows go mooo” I said and to my delight Maeve copied me saying “moo”. I repeated the phrase and “cows go” and Maeve replies “moo” – she’s learning and not bad for 20 months of age. I repeated the “cows go” and “moo” replies a couple of times. Then I switched to … “Maeve, sheep go baaaa”; Rapidly Maeve replied “baa” every time I said “sheep go”.

I can now say “cows go” or “sheep go” in any order and Maeve will reply with the right sound…. time for some more animals i think.