forty-two weeks new

Your forty-second week was a very exciting one.

We had taken you on your very first holiday.

We had been concerned about how the change of scenery might affect your sleep,

but we needn't have worried.

You were so exhausted by bedtime

after our busy days

that you would go to bed without a peep,

and slept through all the noise of being in a caravan.

We had taken you swimming in Nanny and Pops' hot tub before

but during our holiday we took you swimming properly

for the very first time.

Your first dip was in an outside pool

and you weren't too keen at first.

It probably just felt a little cold

as it was a really hot day,

but as long as mummy held you close

you were quite content.

We also tested you out in an indoor pool

which you were much more keen on.

You smiled and giggled as we splashed and bounced you,

and you sat happily in your inflated swim seat

and liked being moved around in the water.

You also got to have a play in some soft play

for the first time.

Up until now you had just watched your brother from mummy's arms,

but now that you were off and crawling

you could have a little explore by yourself.

Far and away the thing that interested you most about soft play

was the other children using it

and you were magnetically drawn towards them with a huge smile.

It was hard to believe that in ten weeks time

our baby girl would be turning one year old.

It was flying towards us at a rapid pace,

and much as you were very much still our baby,

you were definitely starting to look more grown up.

Your face and body were slimming down

and losing their chubby baby look.

And you were so incredibly expressive now,

you seemed to understand so much of what went on around you,

and you would pull the cheekiest faces ever

and then laugh with us.

You were hardly recognisable as the newborn we had brought home from hospital.