Monday 22 July 2013

A letter to Sofia Faith (part 3)

Sofia sweetheart, you had suddenly found a contented serenity at Christmas which was to calm us all. But shortly after that, you had vaccinations, and they were the start of your being unwell in other ways. In short, we had two further months of screaming.

You really didn’t settle into yourself until you were six months old. And suddenly you arrived. Your placid little sunny self was here. And by God, it was a revelation... we all love(d) you so.



Esme, by then you would climb into Sofia's cot every morning to play with her. Daddy and I would lay in our bed listening to the two of you laugh. It dawned on us that we were home and dry. (Or so we thought).

Fia, you earned many nicknames over the next few months including Ray – down to your sunny nature, and Chumba Wumba, down to the sheer amount of pounds you piled on thanks to your expensive Neocate Prescription milk - £25 a tin. (Thank God for the NHS). Squidge was another favourite as you were just so, um, squidgeable. Esme found her own nickname for you very early on: Fia-ree-up-ee. This always made me smile as it rhymed with cheery-up-ee, something I would ask of you constantly.

Esme and I would sing 'You are my sunshine,' to you, and you would both love ‘Row, row, row your boat,’ sung hand in hands together. Sharing a bath was another favourite. Esme, you'd ask to go in most nights with Fia, who was like a mermaid and very excited from the moment the taps were turned, kicking out her little legs. She actually inspired you Esme, to enjoy your bath a whole lot more.

Sofia, you loved your jungle gym and then your door bouncer and walker. Esme, you loved to join in playing with her, laying under the gym beside her and pushing her around and about in the other. 

It has to be said though Sofia, you were lazy to do anything other than sit up. This you did right on five months. No doubt early thanks to the silent reflux. Yes, you were definitely happiest upright. 

Fia, your first tooth appeared at seven months, the same time you rolled over. You made no attempt to crawl at all, but still I went through a period of time when I left you in one spot to return to you in another. I had no idea how you had moved between the two! (And that was when Esme was at nursery).

Your personality although sunny at this point, was also forthright. You knew when you wanted something doing, and were soon able to converse your needs. Whether it was to put your head on my shoulder – telling me you wanted a bottle and bed, or whether you'd grumble because your nappy needed changing, you were a remarkable little communicator from the word go. 

You said ‘dada’ at eight months and ‘mama’ at nine months. I’m sure you said ‘more’ around that time; in the highchair – food - that’ll be right, as well as ‘no’ – did you utter the negative at me too? Mmm, I wait to see how things progress for I wonder •how you will be further down the line when it comes to talking, for surely your big sister is the record holder of all things chatterbox?

You have always been a tall girl. At nine months, you wore 12-18 month size clothes. And at 18 months; 2-3years. Yes my girl, you are big for your age, Lovely, long and lean. And oh so solid my Mabel.

After mama and dada, your first word was duck, closely followed by quack. Our favourite of yours was balloon, which you babbled over in the most wonderful fashion, so that it came out, bbblaballoon. You loved all the 'b's actually... ball and bubble featured a lot. You called Esme, 'Mesmee', and you had a whole host of animal noises; our favourite of which was dog, for you simply spat!

•I'd like to take this time to add - that at not quite two Sofia, you are giving Esme a real run for her money on the talking front! •Groan* for by 21 months, you began talking in sentences, and at 22 months, you opened your mouth and out tumbled seven words together, with you both dominating, and, instigating a game: "Esme, lay down with me, play sleeping." 

At nine months, you learnt to clap. You learnt to crawl just after. Although it has to be said, it wasn't really a crawl. You put one hand out, two hands out, leant forward and then swooped your bottom along, shuffling on your side. You became rather good at it very quickly, dragging one leg under you. Granny said you were like the lad from ‘My left foot,’ and Daddy called you ‘Quasimodo.’

Your new-found freedom allowed you to get everywhere. It meant you could now eat the rubble of the crumbling fireplace stone, you could pull yourself upto a sofa stand, and, you could play with doors. 

Doors, drawers, cupboards •sigh• Esme never bothered with any of them – ever. Fia, you were into the lot in a very big way! You still are to be honest. 

And so Sofia Faith, by nine and a half months, you were already becoming a determined little minx. There was much less of a baby about you, more of a mischievous toddler...



To continue reading about Fia's development as a mischievous toddler, head to 
A little more detail (9)





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