…where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here

Her grin cracks open wide now when she sees one of us. Her gaze is steady. It locks into your eye, your heart, your core with an initial seriousness that is well beyond her weeks on this earth. And then, just when her eyes show their twinkle she grins. Wide. And reaches out to be picked up. There is nothing so heart melting as a baby choosing to look you in the eye and grin. And when it comes after she has studied you with her gaze, you somehow are left to feel you earned it.

We thought she might be a serious, studious little soul when she first joined us. She came with an air of quiet contemplation. When the Sistred rallies around her and close in to breathe in her neck, nibble her sweet cheeks and tickle her toes she initially just looked on. Not scared, not rattled, not with fury or fear. Just quiet baby contemplation. Then in the quiet spaces between her sister’s glee and abandon she started to talk. To  wait till we settled in to gaze at her and tell us in serious tones about herself. You have to hold your words for her to find hers.  You have to give her some space. But if you can’t, if you just have to exclaim and nibble and snuggle into her babyhood, she waits. Quietly.

And when you are ready, her grin opens wide and draws you in even closer.