"Yes, Mum(s)"

Alice is a child of many Aunties - being a good half-northerner and a nicely brought up young lady, she calls any woman that I have any contact with by that appellation. But she has only one Grannie and one Nanna (and one Super-Gran). The former are full of genuinely helpful and appreciated suggestions as to how to encourage Alice to walk.

Lest either should think that a) I just sit around on Facebook or blogging or b) we haven't tried everything, I gathered some evidence.

Exhibit A: Grannie says, "Don't you try to walk her, Stuart?"



Excuse the footage - camera was propped up to discourage passing swans from knocking it over and the angle is not great, to say the least.

Exhibit B: Nanna says, "You should buy her a walker"



She's not a very good driver. By that I mean Alice, not Nanna.

The older generation are not alone in having ideas. Our gymbaroo teacher shook her head ruefully and said, "I bet she had a Jumperoo, didn't she?" and then tried to get her to climb a ladder to strengthen her legs. (Alice: "No, no....Waaaaah") . The Physio at 14 months said that she was very smart and strengthening each muscle group, one by one - according to Google, it takes 200 muscles to walk and I think Alice is quite literally developing each one individually - and that she would get there in her own time. The lady at the shoe shop suggested that her feet were so dainty that it might be their diminutive size which is holding her back. A couple of mothers at the playground (following a loud exchange of, "Oh look, that's the baby I was telling you about who walks on her knees") suggested gymbaroo and so it continues... I just cry Uncle...(or should that be Auntie).