Last night we played with Emily, using jigsaw puzzles and the farm play set she received for her birthday to bring Old McDonald to life. It was quite good and I think Em really benefited from the interactive playing with her mum and dad.
I went to bed feeling we'd really made a breakthrough.
When I picked her up from Helen's tonight, however, the day's events told a more sobering story.
Emily's begun putting her hands down her nappy and walking around with her trousers down by her ankles. Normally this isn't too much cause for alarm, and at least she stays in one place as she's pretty much hog-tied by the clothing around her legs.
Today, however, she had done some business and having removed her hands from her nappy, they were covered in business as well. I can imagine Helen's reaction seeing Emily walking around with hands smeared with poo and I really felt embarrassed to have such an "out of control" child.
All that progress I thought we were making, all the diligence to advance Emily's learning, and she doesn't something like this. If I didn't know any better I'd think she doesn't give a crap... to anyone but Helen.