This beautiful girl was born at fifteen minutes past four on a Wednesday. Exactly two minutes after her gorgeous brother.
They were born a few days earlier than expected.
The hospital staff had no worries about Poppy.
Even when they whisked her off after birth there were no concerns raised.
It was only in the days and weeks that followed that we started to realise she was struggling.
First, she was finding it hard to feed. Then came other delays.
The other day, I found her diary from nursery where we’d write notes on her progress.
At ten months, the diary noted ‘Poppy’s posture is progressing and strengthening which is enabling her to sit with less support.’
‘She has been lifting her head and kicking out at toys’.
Given time and space, she’s managed to reach huge milestones on her own terms.
When Poppy was nine or ten months old, I remember standing at the kitchen window, holding one of the twins, who waved when they saw their teenage brother. For a split second I thought it was Poppy.
Only I soon realised it wasn’t Poppy, I’d put her down for a sleep and picked up her twin brother for a cuddle. We’d celebrated this particular milestone for him some months before.
It took a few years to master waving, but she got there.
When she struggles, she always seems to find this determination from somewhere.
The Māori word for autism is ‘Takiwātanga’, which translates as ‘in his/her own time and space.’
This girl is the very essence of that sentiment.
She’s come a long way.
