Sunday 18 July 2010

Changes

The UK tourist board don’t mention it much, probably through fear of bigger crowds coming and spoiling it, but along the Hadrian’s Wall path there is a magic door that hurtles you many months into the future.

I came home after just one week to find the baby gone and her much older self sitting upright in her place.

The changes are remarkable.

She waits open mouthed for every spoonful of rice of carrot, and will eat it until she bursts. She will enthusiastically lick or gum attack any kind of fruit you care to present.

She sits in her activity chair, head resting on her fat old woman’s arms, jabbering doe eyed, pausing occasionally to give herself a forearm love bite.

She spots something she wants and goes into a zombie-monkey-like trance, chanting an oddly deep ‘Oooooooh, oooooooh, oooooh’, with stiffened arms outstretched, and eyes quadrupling in circumference.

She talks consistently in some undecipherable bah bah nang nang tongue, decorated with intermittent screeches and throwing back of her head.

She cackles, she covers her mouth and nose with the palms of her hands and breathes a Darth Vader line or two, she pulls her own hair, and she grins.

She grins so wide it looks like it hurts. She smiles so broadly her whole appearance is altered.

She laughs so hard it makes me jealous.

38 comments:

Kim (frogpondsrock) said...

and she is gorgeous..

Marita said...

Awwww she is so sweet :)

I loved that stage, when they are just starting to communicate.

Veronica Foale said...

She is just beautiful.

Catherine said...

Ahhh and Martin it just keeps getting better :D

Great post!

Geri Atric said...

Oh my goodness, just look at that little face...!
She's growning up fast - and as for that wonderful hair.. that's still growing abundantly fast too I see!

Ms. Moon said...

I would say that you and the Mrs. have joined your genes in a most successful venture. What a love! What a gorgeous, happy child!
I am so very happy for you all.

Ro said...

What a delightful young lady she is! :)

Tara R. said...

Absolutely beautiful. She has the sweetest smile.

Sarah said...

Amazing how fast they change...


She is beautiful!

WhatAboutNovember said...

she is just beautiful

James (SeattleDad) said...

It all happens so fast at that age. She is a doll Xbox. So cute.

Anonymous said...

Look at all that hair!!!

All This Trouble... said...

I am also impressed with her curly outcropping. My family stays bald it's entire life. Like Caillou.

She's precious and you already know that. Here's to happy babies!

Irrational Dad said...

I know exactly what you mean. My wife and son came home yesterday, after being gone for seven days. Today, I discovered that he can JUMP! It doesn't sound like a big deal, but just you wait. Damn, they grow so fast.

Rebecca said...

She is absolutely gorgeous and her hair is ...well, I'm jealous!

AnnB said...

There really aren't sufficient words to describe her cuteness. Enjoy her - she's stunning.

darcie said...

I don't know how it's possible but she gets more beautiful with each passing day!

Dora said...

Wow, she really looks like you. Except she's gorgeous! ;-)

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

yeah yeah yeah, whatever... she is kinda cute and stuff.

likemamusedtobake said...

wow, she is beautiful. She is like a perfect little doll in the middle pic. :)

steph said...

Thanks! Xbox

Mango is everything the others have said, and MORE!

She's simply and utterly adorable.

One smile and I bet your blisters paled into insignificance.

Remember this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjpf4h5hK8g

I like the top pic the best as it tells me Mango has you sussed!

Momo Fali said...

The better to steal your heart, my dear.

Ed said...

And in about a week or so she'll be telling you how she thinks boys are cute and will ask to get her ears pierced.

All too fast!

Jane G said...

I love the straight faced photos of her. She just looks so doe eyed and adorable.

tiff(threeringcircus) said...

She is so precious and gorgeous and Oh! how I love her hair.

Aly said...

eeee, so beautiful!
she's such a spunk!

River said...

Oh my God!! She is SO adorable!!!
I want to scoop her up and hold her forever.

Anonymous said...

She's so beautiful and so cheeky!!!

What amazing photos.

I bet you missed her like hell.

You turn away just for a second and I swear they are doing something new...

Tanya

tony said...

what a great post, you describe the wonder of a child's development so well!

AnnD said...

Amazing, isn't it?

It just keeps getting more amazing!

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

thank GOD she looks like her mother, but she does have your legs.

gorgeous.

Heather said...

It's already hard to remember the newborn, isn't it?

Sanne is amazingly beautiful. And I will never get over the hair. She needs some pigtails!

C said...

your lill bubba is growing fast..she is adorable...

Fe said...

Wow!! She is GORGEOUS!! What a face!! I just want to nibble those bubby-cheeks! Can you do it for me? Please? x

Unknown said...

Does she babble in Dutch or Irish? She could create a whole new language!
Best you dont go away too often or she'll be a stroppy teenager before you know it!

callismama said...

It really is criminal how cute your little girl is! Truly criminal! You better start practicing the word, "No!" now as anyone would have a hard time using it when looking at that face!

Martin said...

@Kim (frogpondsrock) - She is that!

@Marita - Yes, it's good fun

@Veronica - No arguments here

@Catherine - Thanks :-)

@Geri Atric - she's thriving!

@Ms. Moon - it didn't turn out so bad now did it!

@Ro - Yes, she certainly is

@Tara R. - Oh she does!

@Sarah - So very very fast

@WhatAboutNovember - :-)

@James (SeattleDad) - so so so fast

@Anonymous - Not bad eh!

@All This Trouble... - Very Betty Boop like!

@Irrational Dad - yep yep!

@Rebecca - hahaha

@AnnB - overload eh?

@darcie - me neither

@Dora - Oy!

@Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo - bite me

@likemamusedtobake - :-)

@steph - Oh 80's flashback! Her mother spent a while singing Alison Moyet songs to her a while back actually.

@Momo Fali - That ship has sailed

@Ed - No. No.

@Jane G - very serious sometimes alright

@tiff(threeringcircus) - she loves having it brushed!

@Alyson - Amusing choice of word, considering ;-)

@River - Awww

@livingrightnow - Yep yep yep

@tony - it's going on right in front of me

@AnnD - I can only imagine

@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] - shut it

@Heather - she's moved onto clips!

@Chhandita - She is that!

@Fe - I have a nibble every day.

@Irritatingly Optimistic - God knows what she will be babbling in a year.

@callismama - Not easy :-)

Anonymous said...

That same smile will come again in ten years time when she's wheedling money out of you for the ice-cream van. She'll have you wrapped.