Today, and over the weekend, Milo has fallen in love with a white plastic spoon.

This post is not entitled ‘The Spoon’, rather ‘A Spoon’, because there is nothing particularly special about the spoon. It is a plastic semi-disposable spoon, part of a barbecue cutlery set; we have about 12 of them. Milo cares not for the mediocrity of the spoon, to him it is very special. He loves it.

Milo has been dragging the spoon around with him for three or four days now; clenched between his teeth like a pirate’s cutlass while he crawls, or more usually clasped in one hand which slows him down and causes him to crawl as if he has a peg leg; swinging his right hand around in a wide arc while grinning like a lunatic, so pleased with what he has found.

At meal times Milo likes to grasp the spoon in his fist, not as an eating implement, simply as a companion. He stabs it repeatedly into his tray whilst panting and giggling, occasionally tossing it over the edge so he can peer at it on the ground. When it is returned to him Milo shakes the spoon around victoriously in the air before tossing it once more over the edge.

Milo has also incorporated the spoon into his play routines with the cats. He grabs big fists of fur with one hand while playing rhythmically on Huckleberry’s back with the spoon. Needless to say the cats are not in love with the spoon.

It remains to be seen how long this infatuation will last, but certainly for now my shoelaces, the cardboard box, the plastic bottle, the red tennis ball, the weird cube that talks German at Milo, and of course poor Elefun have dropped drastically down the list of favoured toys.

Spoon

Spoon again

This is the first post since last Wednesday as Thursday was family fun-day and Friday I was in Canberra.

This morning was uneventful, Milo playing happily by himself (with the spoon) and with the cats (with the spoon). A couple of new developments to report; Milo has over the weekend finally figured out how to sit up which he now does regularly with a great look of satisfaction. He has also already adapted his new skill to incorporate a half seated pose, with his left leg up in the air, left foot held tightly in his left hand. It is rather hard to describe but it is very yoga-like, I think most similar to a side plank pose, left hand grab. I am yet to obtain a reasonable photograph of this move but it looks quite a lot like this:

Milo’s version is a little more languid

While Milo napped his uncle, aunt and cousin came to visit; Milo’s slightly older cousin enjoyed some Weetbix and was far more proficient with the Elefun than Milo has been. Unfortunately Milo napped right through their visit and missed out on seeing his cousin.

Upon awaking Milo was in great spirits so we whipped on the bear suit (miserable day today) and headed out in the pram, with no real objective in mind. I took the opportunity to ring our new internet provider to ask why, after more than a month, we don’t have a modem and therefore no internet. This was a lengthy and very frustrating conversation, and I fear for the first time Milo has heard me raise my voice. I was mindful of all the judgey literature which warns that little brains are far more astute and aware than you think, constantly absorbing everything and filing away in the ‘positive’ or ‘anti-social’ personality trait folders, so kept my cool as much as possible. I was only marginally successful in this objective but did manage to avoid expletives. However, I did use a sternish voice and phrases such as “I am wasting my life talking to you” and “No Natasha that offer is worth less than zero to me” and “I am your CUS-TO-MER, without me you are nothing!”. This whole experience made both Milo and I feel rather deflated, and we still have no modem.

We soothed our nerves with Kuepps’ patented ‘make your own’ quinoa salad for lunch, which Milo (and his spoon) enjoyed greatly. I discovered that quinoa is very difficult to remove from small nostrils. After lunch we treated ourselves with coffee and a chocolate muffin from our nearest cafe. Unsure of the rules (as previously documented) I shared the muffin with Milo. He seemed to maintain his cool for the most part, but did immediately discard his cucumber baton with disdain and grasped my wrist insistently with both hands, guiding it back to the muffin and then, with a small morsel in my fingers, back to his mouth. I hope I have not condemned him to a life of massive weight gain, yo-yo dieting and of course petty crime. Time will tell.

Milo then nestled in for his afternoon sleep and upon awaking his mum was almost home. Today we had our reunion in the lift lobby and Milo was really very pleased with himself. Today’s grin was more satisfaction and pride, akin to “look what I’ve got” as he sat up on mum’s hip.

We all cooked dinner together; Milo chasing a bowl, plastic bottle, some Tupperware, and of course his plastic spoon around the kitchen tiles, before bath and bed.

• Progress made on Milo’s ‘sensory garden’ – 0%
• Current favourite West Wing character – CJ
• Minutes of garden pruning – 15
• Number of white plastic spoons currently in the dishwasher – 3