Gremlin’s Fireside Chat

Maeve is 16 months old and she has turned into a bright cheerful little girl with a “real” personality – happy, independent, inquisitive and does not complain much. We have been blessed. Maeves current favourite past time is climbing: climbing on the blanket box and uses one little climb to progress onto other places – for example using one of her toys as a steeping stone to get onto the blanket box, the blanket box links to the window sill and so on and so forth. Had a couple of heartattacks when I have been in the room and not concentrating on what she is doing only to realize  she is jumping up and down on the window sill – one false move and there could be injuries.

She still melts the hearts of everyone she meets – I hope she retains that trait.

Maeve has two more word/phrases in vocab – “Thank you” (rather than “Ta”) and “Toast”. First heard this morning.

- First time I heard Maeve utter this word was today

Maeve has been trying to speak and is doing a lot of baby babble – probably trying to generate sequences of sounds that she hears from adults around her. She has mastered “Mama” and “Papa” and “dada”, Last week some of this babble started to make some sense and gel with what Maeve was feeling inside. Maeves first meaningful comment came as a result of her teething which must be painful. Maeve said “teeth oww” – and we got the bongella out.

Today she managed “bye bye” and waving her arms as Bernie carried her out to the car.

Over the last few weeks a more discernable trend in Maeve’s musical tastes an behaviour has become apparent. I am a “folkie” – nothing to be ashamed of, but someone who likes traditional music of most nations but with a particular emphasis on my on Celtic race of Ireland/Scotland and England. One of my favourite groups is “Fairport Convention” and I recently bought a new album which had a track called “Si Tu Dois Partir” and it really excites Maeve. Its a catchy tune, even though my French is rusty I like it and for Maeve its gets her bouncing up and down in the car seat and swaying from side to side in harmony with her hands in the air and legs bouncing up and down with joy. It makes your heart warm just watching her with a big smile on her face enjoying the simple things in life.

For a while now Maeve has been trying to clap, but without success; Either her hands don’t make contact or not in a way that causes a sound to be generated. Today that changed and with “Si Tu Dois Partir” Maeve (to her own joy) started to clap in time to the tune…

Life’s simple pleasures are by far the best.