Twist and Scoop

Do you remember learning to eat spaghetti? I do - I was about 8 when I finally nailed it - using a spoon and a fork. Spaghetti Bolognese it was. My mums (also known as 'the best') to be precise. I remember the twisting, twisting, twisting. The annoyance as the slippery spaghetti unravelled off the fork, dragging the little nuggets of mince and tomatoes off with it. Curses! Another bite of garlic bread for strength, then off we go again for another attempt - the knife quietly laughing at me from the side of my plate.

The lip smacking (literally) delight when, finally, everything stayed on the fork long enough for my basking shark gob to fit round it was out of this world.

I saw that delight on Arlo's face tonight. It wasn't spaghetti bolognese, but it was spaghetti all right and it was saucy and slippery and it was doing his head in that he couldn't get it to work. He couldn't master the fork / spoon combo so he went straight for the fork / plate combo and after a few tractor and digger analogies the boy got it!

Not even 3 1/2 yet I'd like to point out! His face was covered in sauce, his eyes gleaming with delight, his tongue lolling around trying to get all the loose ends in. 'Mmmmm' he said, all chuffed and puffed up, as we all clapped and cheered. 'I'm a big boy now' he declared.

Yup!