Yep, its not uncommon for wave to develop with length.  I, too was a curly kid with different hair color.  At birth I looked like I had no hair the color was so fair.  Then my hair became a beautiful dark auburn.  Then it became light blonde and I am now a dark blond.

I wore my hair layered for a long time 'cause no one around me knew how to treat curly hair.  I have a really strong wave now on all of my hair except the top layer.  For many years I have been told that the top layer is straight as an arrow-turns out that's not true.  At my current length I have fair wave on top, which I encourage with the curly girl routine, gel and scrunching.