2.5: Picking Up The Pieces

Chapter 2: First words.

Ten weeks later, Alexander is no better but Sera is growing fast. He can scarcely believe that she is eight months old. She is so bright and very advanced already, that she is almost always crawling around now and sitting up by herself. He can barely keep her occupied as she seems to need almost permanent stimulation otherwise she gets bored very quickly.

They are still staying with Seb and Hadriana, Alexander has become even closer friends with both of them as well as being family, this has made him feel a bit better about things. They all have a day off today and Sera is everywhere at once, Alexander is chasing her around almost constantly, trying to stop her from crashing into everything.
"Ah. Ah. No Sera... No- come back here- Agh, little bugger..."

He smiles proudly to himself and bends down to pick her up, she wriggles in his arms and starts playing with and pulling his hair.
"What are you like? You little madame... Ow! Let go- Sera..."
Seb walks through from the kitchen having just finished cooking dinner.
"You wanting any dinner Alex? I could try mashing some of it up for her if you like?"
Alexander looks over at him.
"What is for dinner?"
Seb takes a moment to reply "Mashed potatoes, Salmon fillets, broccoli and with cream cheese and watercress sauce..."

Alexander thinks on it for a moment and decides that it couldn't hurt her to try it.
"That is perfect actually, yes can you mash some up? I can see if she will try it."
Seb agrees.
"Alright, I will do."
Sera is still wriggling about so Alexander puts her back on the floor, she crawls off somewhere else straight away.
"I do not envy you two when Luis is crawling..."

Hadriana giggles.
"Hah, I know... I cannot keep up with her... She is fast! So I dread to think what he will be like..."
Alexander looks at little Luis.
"Ah yes... He is going to be tall Hadriana, I can tell... he already has lanky little legs! I bet he will be running away from you as soon as he can walk... Whereas this little madame is doing that now... And she cannot even walk yet... Sera-"
He pauses and looks over at Sera, trying to find her.
"Sera... Come back here pl- ah it is pointless..."
Seb then walks through to the living room.
"Grubs up folks... Alex, Sera's dish is still in the kitchen, it's cooling down... I took the meat tenderiser to it, it's perfectly blended... It was oddly quite satisfying."
Alexander sighs with relief.
"Hah, it is... Thank you Seb... I will eat mine first then I will get hers."

They eat their dinner first, Sera is still crawling around like a little madwoman and is in to everything she can get her hands on or that she can fit in her mouth, Seb takes the plates through to the kitchen and almost trips over her.
"Alex? Can you pick her up please?! I just about tripped over her and broke my neck! I'll get her food though..."
Alexander chuckles.
"Hah yes alright, hang on..."

Alexander picks her up and rocks her a little, she finally seems to be getting tired and starts to grumble a little. Seb walks through with a little bowl full of mashed up peas, salmon and potato and a teaspoon. He hands it to Alexander while he takes Sera and holds her on his lap.
"Here, I'll try to keep her still, you try to feed her, see if she'll take it."
Alexander takes the spoon "Alright, here goes."
He half fills the little spoon and drives it towards Sera's mouth, amazingly enough, she seems to know what he is doing and attempts to open her mouth, she takes a little from the spoon and makes a funny face as if to say 'What the shit is this daddy?!' She then swallows it quite the thing and seems to want more.
"I... Think she likes it... Her little face just there was brilliant... It looked like she was wondering where the nipple is or why it is now silver and attached to daddy's hand..."

Seb continues the joke.
"Hahah probably... Like 'What is this... Solid muck dad?!' Try another spoon..."
He tries another spoonful and this time, she takes it much better. She makes the same little face but then swallows it again. She opens her mouth again.
"This... Is going better than I thought... Who is being a good girl? You want another one Sera?"
She smiles a positively angelic little smile at the praise, claps her little hands together and points at her mouth.
"I assume that means yes?"
Sera squeals and then giggles, a little dimple appears on her left cheek.
"Ah that's what I wanted to see! Who is my beautiful, clever girl? Is it you? Is it you?"