Dear Alice,
My calendar tells me you are 22 week’s old and you are beginning to sit, unaided, mighty fine. Your big sisters think it’s hilarious to watch you wibble wobble and topple, but they are very proud of you too. It’s quite amazing to think only 5 month’s ago you could barely turn your head to our voices.
Now you reach out for everything around you with such avid interest. As I cart you around the house in my arms I notice the eagerness with which you observe my every action. I see you clocking the location of every object and making a mental note of it for when you are mobile. My make-up bag in the bathroom drawer shall have to be moved. The magnets on the fridge will have to go. The cat will have to eat quickly and outside. The fish food will have to be moved out of reach.
You naturally want to explore everything with your mouth, as well as your hands. And books hold a special intrigue, as you are frequently read to by your sisters and always drift off to sleep at night listening to the sound of my voice reading with Sophie or Charlotte.
You haven’t had the chance of a bedtime routine of your own, but are so far happy to be involved with your sisters and love to play in the bath with them. You coo like a crazy dove at Charlotte’s blue paper light shade and go delirious over the horse and princess posters on the ceiling of Sophie’s bedroom. Normally you conk out on Mummy’s milk and have a strong ‘suck to sleep’ association (terrible sleep habit some books would tell you – but we’re not concerned at the moment).
You are certainly very happy on life and barely ever cry, except for two week’s ago when you got a virus, combined with teething and I could have sworn you said, ‘Maaaa, Ma!’ as your bottom lip quivered.
You have two pearly milk-teeth already, which hurt when you suck on my fingers! Thankfully I haven’t been bitten whilst you feed… yet! Both your sisters accidentally bit me – but only once or twice. I quickly removed them in a state of eye watering shock and think the sound of my yelps put them off biting again! I managed to feed Charlotte till she was two, when she self-weaned with a final kiss and the words of, ‘Bye-bye ba-boo’ and Sophie would never have stopped… but finally did just after turning four!
But milk isn’t the only thing to have crossed your lips now, as it has become impossible to keep food from you at the dining table. In the past couple of weeks you have sucked on banana, sucked on cold water melon, wrapped in protective netting to avoid any large pieces chocking you, and enjoyed peas and peaches (not together) too. You haven’t had much, just tiny tastes, but they keep you happy. You smile at us with great pride at joining the big folk.
You love to sip at a little water from an egg cup too. It’s hard to hold you in my arms and drink a glass of water without you reaching out to knock it from my grasp.
And your hands love to explore textures.
It’s wonderful to see you reaching out to everyone and everything. Each week there’s something new. Charlotte & Sophie are loving the journey of watching you grow and learn.
Today you looked amazed as your hands touched the keys of the piano and produced a sound.
You are such a happy bubba and a keen observer. And when the world gets too much you simply zone out and drift off to sleep like a little bird on a perch; except you’re usually on my shoulder 🙂 And when we’re out and about, racing around, like we were on Friday – from the swimming pool to the library, from the playground and lunch on to Charlotte’s dancing, you simply snuggle up in the buggy and catch some shut eye, whilst the world spins around you.
We all love you so much Alice. Thank you for blessing us with your happy spirit and showing us the world anew through your eyes.
