Sheldon

	Day 29 Monday 9th June Much to everyone's amusement, I have lost half the fluff from my head so it looks like I have receding hair (see photo). She's feeling worse this week so I didn't get taken upstairs for swim but I did have a long cuddle.
	Day 30 Tuesday 10th June I still have them all puzzled about whether I'm a girl or a boy! I have green tinges developing in my head feathers (like my Dad) but I give the occasional noise that sounds like a girly quack so they are none the wiser. I had a great time racing round the dining room today. I get a bit like a kitten in its mad hour from time to time. I just have so much energy that I have to run! Click here to see my wing feathers coming through.
	Day 31 Wednesday 11th June My legs suddenly got much longer overnight. In fact, most of me is growing fast except my head which I am concentrating on getting feathered! I thought you might enjoy this picture of my preening contortions. It has a good view of the underneath of my beak too. You can also clearly see the fluffy patches left on my head and back. She brought a magazine in with her today so I sat on her lap and attacked it with my beak until she put it away and concentrated on cuddling me.
	Day 32 Thursday 12th June This is my new "head on the side" cute look! I can go all out for cute stuff now as I am officially a girl! I quacked today and so left them in no doubt. I still haven't fully mastered it so most of the time I still produce duckling "cheeps" but I think the louder quacking will come in very handy once I get the hang of it!
	Day 33 Friday 13th June Here I am just hanging around! I like this trick as I only have to wriggle and she puts me down, but usually I prefer to stay there for ages having a good look around from a higher vantage point. There was much excitement tonight as my brothers and sisters have started cheeping and tapping on their shells inside the incubator! Click here to see me in my favourite place!
	Day 34 Saturday 14th June I like striding out and showing off my new legs! My wings are getting more feathers by the day, including lots of pure white ones. Tonight, I watched as they checked on my brothers and sisters and helped a few of them with their shells. Click here to see my tongue!
	Day 35 Sunday 15th June What a day! It started with my first trip into the garden at about 12 noon. I was fascinated by all the bird song and I saw my mum and dad for the first time. It wasn't as idyllic as the photo suggests however, since they don't know who I am. At one point, I got separated from Caroline and panicked a bit but mostly I just followed her around. There are two big ponds but I didn't much fancy swimming today. Click here to learn about my garden adventure. This afternoon my first sibling, Marty, hatched and later there were lots more. I sat on her lap and watched the first few through the glass window in the top of the incubator. Click here to read all about the hatch! This evening she took me up the garden and put me in my new bedroom.
	Day 36 Monday 16th June Look at me posing like a real duck in the flower bed! My day started a lot less calmly though, as she opened the side door of my run this morning and made me jump and hide in the straw. Next, I managed to get trapped behind the other duck house and the hens were trying to peck at me through the wire. Then, when we went outside, I lost sight of Caroline. I panicked and ran off down the garden, hiding behind a shed. She had no choice but to get me out, although it was at great cost as her legs suffered and she had to take things very steadily after that. We sat in the garden for forty minutes and then she let me follow her down the garden and took me back into the dining room for the day! Click to see the feline hunter!
	Day 37 Tuesday 17th June I spent today in the dining room again! She fetched me this morning and I was allowed to clamber all over her while she watched my brothers and sisters in their brooder. Little Jasmine visited me today and I went upstairs for a swim in the baby bath. She was telling me to get in and out of the water and, just for fun, I did as she said, which caused much amusement.
	Day 38 Wednesday 18th June This morning she fetched me at 10.30 and we went down to the dining room. I was curious about the other ducklings and their cheeping so she lifted one out for me to meet it. I wasn't impressed, as you will see if you follow the link below. I enjoyed messing about in the dining room today and this evening, when she took me up the garden to bed, I met Perdi the cat. She seemed a little scared of me but we weren't sure as Caroline kept a close eye on her. Click here to see me meeting the ducklings!
	Day 39 Thursday 19th June I spent the whole day in the run today! Caroline let me out of my house this morning but didn't stay . Liz and Mel visited me later in the day but for the rest of the time I foraged around the run and swam in my washing up bowl!
	Day 40 Friday 20th June I spent the whole day in the garden today! Most of the time I was in the run, but Caroline came up twice and so I had a wander round the garden. As you can see, I enjoy foraging in the grass! The other ducks didn't take much notice of me today but they did try to steal my duckling food and Daddy duck chased me a bit. Cathy and Robbie visited me today. I took grass from Robbie and enjoyed pecking at Cathy's T-shirt. Becky also visited me and was surprised how much I had grown!
	Day 41 Saturday 21st June David let me out of my house and into the run this morning but Caroline came to visit me later with Matt, Nath and Tom. I sat in the Calm Corner on Caroline's lap! Later, I played in the garden and got close enough to Perdi the cat to peck her tail. Caroline thinks I might upset her but I don't think Perdi will eat me. She just sits next to Caroline, right near me! I enjoyed listening to the birds! I also had a swim in the rill and followed Caroline around whenever she got up. I also sat on her and had a good preen, as you can see in today's photo!
	Day 42 6 weeks old! Sunday 22nd June I spent today in my run again. Caroline couldn't get up the garden today because she was particularly unwell and her joints were very bad. I didn't think I would see her at all but, after tea, David arrived, picked me up and carried me down to the house! I had almost an hour in the dining room with her. I ate, drank and preened but then I settled down and spent most of the time sitting on Caroline and looking at her with my head on the side!