In Celebration Of Her Roundness

Nicknames are a common feature in our house, some are kinder than others.  Our youngest has 2 popular nicknames.  The first is Birdy.  It remains a mystery exactly where this came from but I think it may have something to do with the fact that she was quite small when she was born.  Birdy was smaller than her big sister at birth, so much so that the midwife jokingly asked if I had taken up smoking, obviously I hadn’t but can you imagine that joke would have gone down like a lead balloon if I’d had.  The second nickname she has, is the one she is most predominantly called and if you ever get the pleasure of meeting her you will instantly see why – we call her (affectionately I must add) – ChubWubs.

So between being Birdy and then becoming ChubWubs something clearly happened, we’re not quite sure what.  Growth, obviously but mainly outwards and just a little bit upwards.  She has, like Otis our Labrador, got the most amazing capacity for food.  She will hungrily gather all food with both hands and try and stuff the contents into her mouth without shame, cramming each morsel into the pouches of her cheeks.  Before the mouthful has even been swallowed her little hands have gathered yet more delights.

ChubWubs is a delightful child, always (well, most of the time)smiling and happy to indulge us in cuddles and raspberry blowing.  Her tummy is particularly good for blowing raspberries, it has that lovely soft roundness that only a baby’s tummy has.  Her hands and arms look like they have been plugged in at a cute baby factory.  She does, actually look a bit like the Pillsbury Dough Boy but without the jaunty chef’s hat.  We’ve always regarded our youngest’s legs as the ultimate example of how she became ChubWubs, they are, well exceedingly chubby.  She has no bottom definition, its all just bottom, into thigh, into calves.  Her legs are two upside down triangles resting on what must be –ratio wise- two of the tiniest feet you will ever see on such gargantuan legs.  Her feet have always been a source of wonder for me.  It has always struck me a truly amazing that she ever learnt how to walk on such weeny feet, the fact they can carry what must be the equivalent of a 10 tonne truck on top of an egg really is quite remarkable.

Even now it still makes me laugh to watch ChubWubs walk.  She has that slightly wobbly gait that reminds me of an Ewok, lumbering from side to side; occasionally she likes to add some head bobbing into this, rather like a nodding dog so the whole effect is quite hilarious.  ChubWubs, without a doubt makes everyone smile, I’m not sure what nickname she might evolve into next but the ChubWubs stage will be the one I’ll treasure forever.

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