Recently, Lucy has decided she no longer wants to be spoonfed. Instead, bite-sized pieces of food must be placed on the high chair tray in front of her so that she can graze at her leisure.
Naturally some items, such as yoghurt, still require the use of a spoon, but even then Lucy reaches out to grab it, determined she be the one to place it in her mouth.
Watching this happen is a little like watching one of those arcade games where you try and guide a crane until it’s hovering over a stuffed toy. You hope and hope it will descend, hit the mark and pluck out a prize. More often than not, it misses.
Accordingly, at the conclusion of each meal, Lucy’s tray looks like a piece of impressionist art and her face a canvas on which various foodstuffs have been stuck.
The increasing size of her belly is the only real proof we have that anything is actually making its way to her stomach. And given her belly would currently put ET’s to shame, it seems we have no worries in that department.
Excitingly, Lucy now has three-and-a-half teeth with which to chomp on her food, our phones, the remote control and anything else she deems edible.
Even better, she has now started to walk – with assistance. Imagine, if you will, Frankenstein taking his first steps. Or a deer when it emerges from its mother’s womb and immediately starts trying to move.
Limbs fly out in different directions, toes grab at the floor trying to gain traction and Lucy jerkily propels herself forward, a broad smile spreading across her face. The first time this happened ranks as one of my fondest parenting moments to date.
Conversely, two weeks ago I witnessed a first which broke my heart. Lucy was crawling on a piece of playground equipment at the park when it became overrun by a small group of older kids.
It soon became their pirate ship, and Lucy wasn’t allowed to set sail. One young girl in particular took to shouting at Lucy, who thought it was all a bit of a game and started smiling.
But while Lucy brushed it off and made for the slippery slide, I felt a twinge of sadness. Part of me was annoyed that anyone should speak to my daughter like that, no matter how mild the confrontation.
Ultimately though, I was sad because, whether or not she recognised it, this was the first time anyone had been intentionally mean to Lucy.
Of course, I know she’ll encounter far worse than this as she grows up. Not only will she be aware of what’s happening, but I won’t always be there to hold her hand and give her a hug. Now that’s a first I am not looking forward to.
DAD & DAUGHTER MOMENTS
This month Lucy has taught me… that I need to get fitter to keep up with her!
My parenting high-five moment… was watching Lucy take her first (assisted) steps.
This month I couldn’t live without… Daylight Savings Time. Taking Lucy for walks after her dinner gets us out of the house during the witching hour.
Right now Lucy’s loving… spending the hot days in the backyard playing with a bucket of water and a hose.
Lucy’s biggest meltdown was… when she saw the bucket of water but wasn’t allowed to play with it!
