sixteen weeks new

You seemed to have transformed before our eyes.

You had become so awake, so alert, so interested,

and baring in mind those three words had been used about you since birth

it was amazing to see you becoming more aware.

You had found and become obsessed with your hands.

You watched your own fingers wriggle in amazement.

You tasted your fingers

chewed your knuckles

and generally entertained both your mouth and your hands with the other.

It seemed like you were going to be either a thumb or finger sucker

although it wasn't entirely clear which just yet,

but you just loved to have something in your mouth.

You were so, so, so incredibly close to rolling.

If we put you on your tummy you would kick and push up

but just gradually get frustrated.

However if we put you down on the floor on your tummy

you would quickly roll up onto your side

and crane your neck trying to look around further.

But you seemed to be desperate to roll from from your back onto your tummy

rather than trying out the easier tummy onto back roll first.

This kind of "doing it your own way" attitude seemed pretty typical of you now.

You were not going to follow the road most travelled,

or do as the books suggested

or be anything like your big brother.

You were simply going to be you

and we adored that about you.

Your surprises kept us on our toes,

kept us wondering,

and made you feel like an unknown package to be unwrapped.

You were such a fascinating little girl

and we couldn't wait to see what you would be up to next.