Embarrassing

At some point on the way to school every morning, Phoebe suddenly says "Let's run dad!". Which is my cue to hold each child tightly by the hand, stretch out my arms, lean forward, and start accelerating forward, making my best aeroplane-taxiing-along-the-runway noise. When the time came this morning, however, I suddenly felt Emily let go of my left hand. I turned and raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She shifted her weight from one foot to another. "It's the way you're running, Dad. The noise you're making. It's *embarrassing*!"

Ah. I've embarrassed her in public. What can I say? I suppose no words can describe the feeling. Except perhaps...

Yippeee!!!

I can't say how much I've been looking forward to this day! I just never imagined it would come so soon! I suppose if I'd been more alert I would have read the signs better: the rolling of the eyes when I start to speak, the heavy sighs, pretending not to hear me, and so on. That all suggested that I was starting to become a bit of a burden, and I was quite content with the progress I was making, but I never in my wildest dreams expected so much so soon.

So now it's on with the thinking cap to see how I can make myself even more of a liability!