Family Notebook

Dear Ria,

I’ve started combining your monthly letters from time to time so here is what you’ve been up to in your 20th & 21st month.

Last month something very special arrived for you. Daddy was very excited, he went and picked it out and convinced me to take it home for us. What was it? Your very own overly pink little car. It’s a very good thing it came with a remote control because you aren’t so good with the steering yet. You’ve been zooming around the apartment at lightning speed ever since.

Your friend Natalie turned 2 on the 6th of June and we had a great time at her party. I have to admit, I’m a little bit of a neat freak when it comes to you so it pained me to see you ruining your lovely clothes in the sand pit and on the grass. I guess I have to let go at some point anyway, you’re a little girl now and you should be able to run around carefree, and that’s what you did. Natalie had a Spot cake and as usual, you were a huge fan of the icing.

In June was also Daddy’s 27th Birthday. We got up nice and early…well, I should say that YOU decided to get up at the crack of dawn, and we made him a card with some of my left over scrapbooking bits and pieces. You did an excellent job with the stickers as I imagined you would. We had a nice day together, you, Daddy and me. I know you put in extra snuggles and kisses too.

We’ve done lots of crafts and drawing lately and you’re getting very good. I have your little bits of artwork up and you’re so proud of it all. Daddy actually thinks they could be framed and be abstract masterpieces, maybe we could use you as our cash cow?

Another big surprise you got was a package from Grandma and Grandpa in Australia. They sent you all sorts of goodies, Cheese and Bacon Balls being your favorite, your Mr. Happy from Christmas returned, although you have forgotten who he is now, and lots more. You sat with the postal box and dug right in. Daddy was snapping away and I was fishing all the squashed Cheese and Bacon Balls out of our bed.

Unfortunately after Monsoon Season hit, we all got colds. Daddy was “dying” for a couple of weeks and you kept getting the backlash of it all when everyone seemed to have gotten over it. I felt terrible for you with your little runny nose and cough. You spent many nights snuggling in our bed so I could keep an eye on you. Thankfully it passed rather quickly.

In the midst of Daddy’s throat infection saga, you and I managed to go to Stephen’s 4th birthday party. This time I dressed you in clothes you could tear around in and therefore I got to relax. Stephen wasn’t too impressed when you started to poke holes in his cake before he got to cut it but nobody could keep you back once you were in.

After the party we had quite the worried scare. A baby who attended got Chicken Pox and I was worried it would be passed on to you! We went back and forth on getting the immunization for you but at the end of the day we didn’t get it done and touch wood, you’re still chicken pock free.

Now, for some super exciting news…On July 10th, daddy went and fixed the deal on an apartment we were looking at! Its being built brand new and has lots of space for us all. Its on the 6th floor and we are number 602. It’s called Lanco Hills and it will be just around the corner from where we hope to send you to school. You will have a swimming pool, tennis courts, lots of places to run around on, a cinema and so much more. We can see you being very happy in your new home. You’ve already agreed on having a pink bedroom, but I’m sure that will change in the 2 years we’ll be waiting to move in.

While browsing around in the book store last week, I came across your favorite book “Goodnight Moon” with a little toy bunny just like the one in the story. I snatched it up immediately of course and now you can’t get enough of both the book and ‘Benny’ the bunny. You bite his ears and take him for walks and best of all, you make him Hop Hop Hop along. I think you and Benny will be inseparable for a long time.

You are finally getting your bottom 2 year old Molars, leaving just the top 2 to go and we’ll be teething free! But its not all happy…you bumped your tooth on the crib and now your chip on your right front tooth is even bigger. I know these things happen but the more they do, the more I feel like the worst mummy ever. Luckily that tooth will fall out someday.

On the 23rd, your good friend Taylor and his mummy Athena left to go home to America. We had lunch and said our goodbyes which was very hard. I think it will be a long time before you stop asking if you can go and play with Taylor, the two of you had such a great time playing together. Hopefully we can visit him and his baby brother or sister in Seattle sometime.

So now, the countdown to your 2nd birthday begins….