Dear Abigail Pearl (the beautiful girl),

Now that we are not writing monthly letters to you I am worried all the adorable things you do will be lost. So here is a letter to you aged 28 months, nearly two and a half!

Mostly what you do now is talk. Talk talk talk to Daddy and I, telling us all kinds of interesting things about everything that is happening around you. You love to commentate on what your friends are doing, especially when you go to music class with Freya; when I ask you what happened at music you say "My friend Freya run, run, run. Freya mummy chase Freya, Freya fall down!" Freya loves having such an appreciative audience. You still love your friends Hamish ('Oooh') and Dylan ('Diya') too and you refer to your other playgroup friends as "other people", but I think you like them a little bit at least.

It is especially lovely when you talk about how much you love Mummy and Daddy. You often say to mummy, "I love my mummy, very much. Mummy loves her Abi very much." Of course, it sounds a bit more like "I uv my mummy ve'hy mu." but I always know what you mean. You like to remark on the fact that you are my daughter now too, and you often have loving things to say about Harry.

Sometimes you talk about things you did last night or yesterday, which I think is very clever. One of the things you often talk about doing is jumping on the bed ("Abi do ittle bit jumping. Abi do ittle bit jumping las' nigh').

Another game you enjoy is the funny name game. You like to say "my name Abororo" or something similar and we all laugh and laugh. Then you say that Mummy's name is "Vrororo" or "Ababoabo". After a little while though you look a bit concerned and remind us that really my name is your Mummy.

This term you started doing Mini Maestros on a Wednesday with Daddy when Mummy is at work and you love going every week. You are getting very good at clapping and shaking instruments in a rhythm and last week you got the chance to play with the big colourful parachute, which was great fun. You loved going to music from the very first lesson and I know Daddy loves taking you and watching you have so much fun. I haven't been able to see your music lesson yet, but I am hoping to one day.

We took your little trolley to the supermarket the other day and you were very proud to be pushing it around collecting up groceries. It was a big help and everyone who saw you smiled adoringly at you because you looked so serious and sweet. Every fortnight you and Mummy go to the supermarket together and we have a very nice time. I think now we will be taking your trolley with us each visit, I just wish the shelves weren't so high.

I will say goodbye now my darling one. You are my treasure and my joy, I watch you with amazement as you grow and change.

Lots of love

Mummy

Letter from Daddy

To my darling Abi,

Today you turn 20 months old. In my last letter I talked about what a big girl you seemed, and since then you have continued to leave your baby self behind. Your hair is getting long (it’s just down to between your shoulders) and Mummy and I have started putting it in a ponytail sometimes. You look very cute with your hair up: older but also more cute.

You’ve continued to add more words to your vocabulary, although you also like to say, ‘Dwai, dwai, dwai,’ sometimes. Sometimes you say it happily, sometimes sadly. You also like to tell Mummy and me stories about things you’ve done. Because you don’t know grammar, yet, your stories can only be things like pointing to your top with a whale on it and saying ‘Nanny’, or saying ‘ma’’, then ‘puppy’, then ‘ba’’, then ‘ta’’. But Mummy and I can understand that you’re remembering how we bought that top at Red Hill market with Nanny Didi, and how you and Daddy saw a man throwing a ball for his dog at the park, and then later they left in the man’s car. I’m glad Mummy and I can talk to you even though you still can’t say a lot of things; you seem to like telling us things, and I’m sure when you can say more you’ll tell us all sorts of stories.

You’re also very affectionate, now. Considering how miserly you used to be with your kisses, Mummy and I are spoiled now. You give us lots of cuddles and kisses, and always kiss us when one of us is leaving the house. You also give lots of kisses to Harry and your toys. You also always eat dinner at the table with us, now, which you have more patience for than at breakfast. You like to make Mummy and me do things, like shake and nod our heads and wave our arms, so that you’re entertained. Probably your favourite word at the moment is ‘mo’’, whenever Mummy or I do anything even remotely entertaining, you keep telling us to do it more, over and over. You also like the candles we light for dinner, and are getting pretty good at blowing them out when we’re finished.

You also like your shoes, now. For a long time, you refused to wear anything but your poor, old, worn-out (second) pair of black Dunlop volleys, but then one day you started wanting to wear your slippers, your blue gumboots, and even your red squeaky shoes. Now you choose which shoes you’ll wear, saying ‘boo’’ for your gumboots, or ‘noi’’ for your noisy squeaky shoes. You’re also very interested in Mummy and Daddy’s shoes, and like to put them on and try walking around in them. You also often take shoes out of the wardrobe and put them in the bed while Daddy’s trying to get you to go to sleep in the evening; you especially like some thongs with a hyacinth pattern on them, and often hold them up, saying ‘ma’’ and laughing a lot. I’m afraid I’ve never been able to work out what you’re saying, or why it’s so funny.

In any event, you’re always laughing a lot, and always making Mummy and me laugh with the things you say and do, and you especially like to entertain us by running around naked when we’re trying to give you your evening massage, or by shaking your bottom when there’s music playing. Mummy and I are very lucky to have you.

All my love,

Daddy.

A very belated 19 month letter

Darling Pearly Girl,

This letter is very late, in fact I am only just sneaking in a few days before it is time for your daddy to write a 20 month letter.

This month we have had lots of fun together because Mummy had a holiday from work. We went to the Tulip Festival in Monbulk together with some of your friends and you had lots of fun in among the flowers. You and your friend Dylan also enjoyed discovering an interesting bench, the back of the toilets and an old gas cylinder. You weren't so keen on the baby animal farm, although you didn't mind looking at the animals from the other side of the fence. The animal you liked the most was the duck that had a drink of water; you told Daddy all about that duck when we got home by saying 'wa wa' and then making your funny duck noise that he taught you.



Another thing we did was to visit the library for a Teddy Bears' Picnic. You took Mimi, your favourite soft toy cat and had quite a good time, although there were a lot of other children there. You were happy to see your friends Freya and Ryan when they arrived, and you listened to the Bear Hunt story and enjoyed the songs. Mimi participated in a blanket toss game which you allowed for a while but then you became concerned, and wanted to take her out again.

Recently we have been reading some longer books to you and you especially enjoy 'Shoes From Grandpa', 'Peepo' and the Hairy Maclary books. You like the dog in 'Shoes from Grandpa' and the baby in 'Peepo' as well as the lovely rhyming words. Daddy still reads you a story every night and we often read books together during the day, it is one of your favourite things to do.

On a very wet and windy day this month, you and I bravely ventured out to the newsagent to buy some crayons and a sketch book for you. You have done a lot of drawings so far and stuck the stickers that you got at Dylan's second birthday in as well. Play dough is another fun wet-day thing to do; you call it 'Biiisshhhh' (squish), and make sure we get the point by squeezing your hands into fists and screwing your face up as you say it. Daddy says we should make you a sign that says "Gone Bishing" to use when you are busy making balls and squishing them flat again.

As ever, you are a treasure and a joy always. We love you so much, precious one.

Love

Mummy