My niece is five months old now and she’s amazing company. We hang out together most days and I absolutely adore her. It’s amazing watching her grow and develop. But as the months pass I can feel myself getting strangely competitive.

Every time she does something new – rolls onto her front in a controlled way, successfully grabs her favourite toy, drinks without spilling it down herself – I feel a rush of…. annoyance that she’s surpassing me developmentally.

This feeling escalated earlier today when I was hanging out with her and Innes. My niece held onto Innes’s hands and pulled herself up and they both beamed at this new milestone.

Later when Innes held my hands to help me stand up and transfer into my wheelchair I said ‘Who’s better at standing, me or the baby?’ Averting her gaze, and after a significant pause, Innes slowly answered, “Yooouuu?”

We both knew the truth though.