I have been wondering when The Bean would attach herself to a certain toy, or discard other toys (I was secretly hoping she would hate the bear given to her by someone that annoys me!) And she has finally settled on a soft rag doll she named 'Lula', after her nanny. The Bean takes Lula everywhere with her, on plane journeys, car journeys and to the nursery drop-in mornings. Because of Lula's soft-bodied nature, I'm sure I can wash her in the machine, although her blue afro might turn into dreadlocks in the process. Luckily when her little dress got covered in egg yolk it was easily removed and washed without The Bean noticing anything different except a more Persil-smelling Lula the next morning.
What is fascinating for me is to see my young daughter's maternal instinct at such a young age. At 19 months she makes sure that Lula has sips of milk or juice and Lula certainly eats more food than The Bean. She gets tucked up every night next to a menagerie of bears and never complains! She receives her fair share of cuddles from The Bean, but alas, you have to take the rough with the smooth. As the tantrums are starting to surface so is the frequency Lula gets hurled to the floor in a rage. And there she lies until The Bean is calmed down and decides to love Lula again. The question is, is this maternal instinct built into The Bean, bestowed upon her by nature, or has she just witnessed Mummy having one too many strops and is the world's best mimic? Whatever the case, I feel I am glimpsing a little of what I might experience during The Bean's moody teenage years...
Today on gurgle it's Friday, so we're all preparing for a cold, wet, but family weekend. Our newsletter yesterday should have kept you up-to-date with whatever stage of parenting you find yourself in, but don't forget we're adding articles daily that might interest you. Why not read our articles on
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