Darling Kay, every day I look at you you seem to be a little older, a little bigger, and a little more independent. You are chattering away, toddling about and trying to climb the stairs. You can open the doors now and regularly disappear up the hall towards the front door, which you just can't quite reach... yet! You totter off to the laundry room, where you will load up the washing machine or the tumble drier with the dirty clothes from the basket, and happily push buttons and turn knobs until you are spotted and carried away. Usually protesting!We have also bought you your own little pair of sunglasses which make you look very sweet but a little too grown up for my liking, as you have re-discovered your fascination with people's glasses (including Mummy and Daddy's!) and in an attempt to de-mystify them we got you a pair for yourself. You were interested in grabbing glasses when you were very tiny, but seemed to grow out of it. When you got your Mr Potato Head (with his own removable glasses!) it rekindled your interest, and you started carrying them about and offering them to people to try on themselves. And then getting very agitated when people weren't as generous at letting you try their glasses on yourself, or Mr Potato Head for that matter!!
Every day you learn more words and ideas. You can say 'shoes' and 'arrow' as plainly as a grown up, and regularly have little conversations with yourself and whoever you are with. You know what noises all your little farm animals make, and even recognise some of your letters - A for Ah-mah, M for Mama, Sssss for S, and you make a loud smacking noise with your mouth for kiss when you see the letter X. You new word is Cap-pah-pah - which is what you call your new best friend. Nanna saw him when we were out for lunch on Friday, and when she showed you what she had found your face lit up and you showered him with hugs and kisses in the shop.
You couldn't quite believe that your favourite friend from your books was right there in the shop. There was no question of not bringing him home with us, so now you have your very own Hungry Caterpillar, or Cap-pah-pah - who you carry around cuddled up to you face and pet him and pat him like he was a real little animal. Hopefully he will do you for a very long time before you decide you want a real little pet!! When we read the story now you wave him about frantically every time we read 'but he was still hungry!' and then go back to tucking him under your chin for a cuddle. Just as well Moo is not the jealous type or He might be having his nose pushed out of joint at the moment!Tomorrow after Jo Jingles we are heading up to Carrick to see Nanna and Granda - and leave Granda's birthday present for him - some US dollars and a guide book for Texas! This time next week they will both be in Nashville at the Grand Old Opry for his 65th birthday, and then on to Texas for a 4 week road trip! It will be funny for you to not see them for such a long time, but at least you have your cap-pah-pah to take your mind of it!
