Today Heidi’s Gran and Grampy came over for some lunch as Gran been on holiday for the week over in Northern and then Southern Ireland. Gran saw some big changes in Heidi after a week or more away and Heidi was pleased to see a familiar face.

Over the last few days I have been watching Heidi closely, as I have been for the last few weeks I suppose, as she now begins to develop her character very rapidly. When born babies do little other than lie there and jerk their arms and legs about in a random and chaotic way. Heidi discovered her hands some weeks ago and these are now becoming useful tools for her, in her journey of exploration. After our Sunday lunch I gave her a piece of kitchen towel rolled up for a second, and she clamped her hand around it very firmly and immediately brought it to her mouth to suck or chew. Realising that sucking paper towels was asking for trouble I tried to prise it from her grip, but this just enraged her immensely, and she went from a laughing bubbly tot to a real howler. Thinking it was a coincidence I let her have it, and she immediately put it to her mouth to suck. On a number of occasions I repeated trying to free her grip and each time she started to shriek most noisily, and going red in the face refusing to release her grip. It dawned on me that she was doing this purposely, and that she did not want to let go of her object. It was very funny to watch, each time (almost teasing her) to repeat the spectacle and which she continued to oblige with her new found rage.

It was funny at the time but gave me an indication that she is now thinking for herself a little more.

In the last week or so she has started to lean forward, or at least try to. Whether in her little bouncer chair or sitting on someone’s lap she tries to lean forward again using her hands to clumsily grab things. Her back muscles are not that strong but she’s plodding on. It amazes me how she can develop using her instincts.

In the last ten days we have also watched her try to roll over on to her front, but realise the previous attempts were just practising and having fun as she smiled a lot and was easily distracted. Today, at just over four months old we saw her desperately trying to roll. For the first time I saw that she pulled her head and spine right back, so she was backward-banana shaped, and twist her top half to the right position, keeping her arm underneath out of the way. Thereafter it was her right leg that just needed to swing over a bit to transfer the weight, and she would have rolled. No longer was it fun for her, but she became very focussed and quite angry at failing each time, although we encouraged her to keep going. It was a bit like cheering a horse that is about to win, though she put all her effort in to it, plus more. She became red in the face and I thought she would tire but she kept at it for half an hour on and off before getting a bit sleepy. She needs to shift the weight right over, as she has big nappies on which may give her the disadvantage over an infant with disposables which are more streamlined.

I wonder what goes on inside her head and body that makes nature force her to do these things. She has no need to roll as she is fed and moved around by us, but of course she needs to roll to get on her front. After that she can use her legs to lever herself along, and then I assume to progress to walking….

She tried it again when we are back at home and is encouraged by Rachel and Emily this time. Her energy levels are flagging by now but she knows she must do it. No success today though as she soon realises it’s getting dark outside, she’s had her bath and she is back in her slightly restrictive Moses basket. Again instinct tells her the day is approaching an end for her

On the changing station in the bathroom she tries again and leaves us with a real reminder that she can no longer be left even for a second on the mat even though it has raised sides. Not that we did, but the days of finding Heidi where we left her have almost disappeared now. I have noticed that her tongue plays a vital part in this activity in that its always out. When I concentrate my tongue pops out – or used to – especially when I used to be at the drawing board. I never noticed it but everyone else did.

I also noticed, as did Rachel that she now repeatedly brings the blanket over her head for a few seconds, covering her face completely, and then pulls it back to look out again. I did not think that it was done on purpose but she repeatedly did this this evening, even when purposely distracted and the blanket tidied up for her. In a second she’d tugged it free and covered her head for a few seconds.

She can pass things from one hand to another now rather primitively and keep things in one place. She is also very observant for things she has not noticed before and today stared in fascination at a plant. Move her and she keeps her eyes fixed on it. Give her a mirror and she is not that fussed. Give her a fork like I did at lunch time for a split second and she wants it to wave it vigorously and rather dangerously in front of her eyes. A spoon maybe next time but not a fork…….