Queen Maisie and the wagging finger

Well, I think it's probably perfectly obvious from recent events that my two big kids have been attempting to turn this household from a "baby/toddler" zone to "a place where only big kids are allowed!" There are school bags and kinder bags at the front door. There are school shoes and ballet slippers lined up neatly underneath them. There are elaborate games involving super heroes and fairies and Sportacus from Lazy Town, which involve incredibly detailed stories, the nuances of which are completely lost on me!

And throughout this period of transition from a family of 'littlies' to a family of school-going, activity-doing, growing-too-tall-for-our-pants big kids, I have clung to the fact that Maisie Mouse is still little. However. Over the last week or so, the Mouse has clearly decided that enough is enough, and that she wants to join the big kid parade too. There have been several significant changes in our smallest team member, all of which indicate that our baby days are kaput - toddlerhood, here we come!

Firstly, I'd like to know who on earth taught my smiley, easy-going cherub to wag her finger and shout at people imperiously, like some chubby-cheeked monarch? Regardless of whether Maisie is in her high chair, or her pram (even the Baby Bjorn!), she derives great pleasure in admonishing anybody within earshot, complete with a waving pointer finger and a stern face. Now I'll admit that there is more than a touch of 'teacher' in her posture, especially when she raises her voice and stares you down...but I couldn't have had anything to do with that, right? Right? She's just learning to converse...right?

Then, there's the insistence on feeding herself at every single meal. Now I realise that I'm meant to be encouraging self-feeding, offering finger food, etc. etc., but it's just not possible with all foods (and whilst living on rented carpet!!) Maisie is excellent at feeding herself, and relishes selecting bits and pieces to eat from her own tray. But she has also willingly accepted a spoon loaded with mushy Weetbix, or pasta sauce (foods which I flat-out refuse to let her fling around the room willy-nilly) without a problem - until now. Unless the conditions are just right, and you hold your tongue at the correct angle, the spoon will be knocked away as Maisie shouts "Na!" And more fool you if you try to persist. (It just gives her more opportunity to whack food on the floor...and your blouse...and the cat...) She's just learning independence...right?

Now it's not all messy or loud - there's some very cute toddlery characteristics coming through too. The Mouse loves a joke, and will join in with the big kids, laughing when they laugh and babbling happy baby-talk. She will sit with you and 'read' a book, pointing at the pictures and imitating the noises you make (with added squeals for exclamation marks). The moment you remove her nappy, she's off and away, round little botty crawling as quickly as she can while giggling fit to burst, and waiting for you to catch her! She has also worked out what 'patting' is with regards to Ernie, Bella and Daisy (or Er-nah, Ta-ta! and Di-see as she calls them), and chases them at every chance to show her undying affection. Unfortunately for the pets, the 'patting' is still rather vigorous and involves a fair amount of fur-pulling...She can blow a kiss, wave bye-bye and call out to people (but only if your name is Daddy, Narnie, Mumma or Jack!)

If these things weren't enough to show you that my last baby is a bonafide toddler - today Maisie surpassed all previous efforts in terms of getting herself in a pickle. She is definitely our most active baby and gets into things the other two never did. Maisie removes DVDs from their covers; gets inside the fridge as soon as you open the door; crawls into, under, and around any object in her way...until today. Today she learned how to crawl OVER the obstacles in her path - with disastrous consequences. I was up to my elbows in White King in the kitchen when she began to whimper. I called out to Jack (it's open plan so I was about three metres away, but on my hands and knees behind the bench) asking what had happened. "Nothing, Mum" was the reply from the couch, so I kept going. When the whimpers escalated to a cry and then a scream within five seconds, I leapt up to see Maisie head first in a toy bucket full of Thomas the Tank train tracks, bridge pieces and trains...with her brother sitting right next to her, absolutely clueless. She actually looked like a doll face-down in the container, because she's rather little and her legs were underneath her.

She must have pulled up to stand next to the tub, reached in to get a train, and toppled over onto her head. The poor little thing had marks all over her face, but as soon as I picked her up she started grinning and wagging her finger at Jack...seems as though we might have another little actress in the family!! (She's learning quite a lot from her sister, actually) Throughout the rest of the afternoon I watched her climb precariously over several other objects and managed to catch her before she face-planted again. I'm not quite sure how much more baby-proofing I can do in this tiny unit, but I know tomorrow will be a busy day for clearing dangerous articles away from Maisie's reach! Right now she is quietly reading a book on the floor, gently scratching the pictures with her tiny fingernail - but I'm not fooled. She's just trying to work out how to do something reckless with it! But that's all part of becoming a toddler...right?