Losing the Family Jewels

Christmas eve we went out to Orchard Rd. Not wanting to lug the stroller onto the MRT, I slung Sophie into her pouch and we schlepped on out over to meet her daddy and his family who were here on holiday.

As is her signature style now, Sophie started out attentive and curious. But her curiosity tends to meld into boredom then frustration in a matter of minutes. We weren't out for 1 hour when she started getting fussy, wanting to stand and grab anything and everything in her path. Failing to stand or be allowed to grab, she would descend into ear-splitting theatrics (gawd, what monster have I created?).

We cut short our trip and the three of us took a cab home. On the way to the cab stand, she grabbed my ear, sucked on my arm, pulled my hair, tried to grab my glasses and ate my chin. She wasn't any better in the cab and not only did she not want to sit, she announced her displeasure by wailing and shrieking.

Naturally I was distracted. So it wasn't till we got home and I was taking off my rings and earrings that I realised I'd lost the diamond studs that my mom had given to me as my wedding gift; my left ear was missing the stud that I'd put on before going out of the house. Shit! I couldn't even remember when Sophie might have reached up and pulled them off. This was only the second time I was wearing the earrings after my wedding.

And so I learned the H.A.R.D. way that you shouldn't wear anything remotely of value if carrying a wriggling, squirming, shrieking, grabbing bundle of energy.

Sigh...