Modern diversions ...

Olivia has had her first cold. A not entirely momentous event, largely constricted as the experience is to startled snuffling, long periods of quizzical introspection and the occasional bout of highly indignant squawking.

The latest episode of which, two nights ago, was in full swing as I returned from another day in Brussels. A scheduled feed had led not to the normal brief period of burping and bubbling on Mummy's chest, but instead to a long, red-faced and increasingly mournful stint of wailing. So unusual was this, that both parents were slightly at a loss and no amount of silly songs, walks around the flat or periods of rubbing, patting and cuddling had the desired effect.

Until I threw on the television and we happened upon England playing Uruguay at Anfield.
The result was as instantaneous as it was surprising, as total as it was welcome. It looked a little bit like this:

Note spellbound daughter. Note vexed Mother. Football! Of all things ... football!

To compound matters, yesterday I repeated the experiment with that other great favourite of Ticki's - The Simpsons. Results were identical. Mother not impressed. The two things I like watching the most - and she the least - and both appear to be instant hits with our daughter in times of distress and high dudgeon.

S'funny, life.

Naturally, we are being good, right-on parents and expressing the correct amount of concern about letting the television become Olivia's intellectual dummy of choice. Yesterday's experiment completed, I popped her back in to her Moses basket and turned the Idiot Tube off, but rest assured that the outcome of this experience has been firmly stored in the archives for when teeth start appearing ...