April 18, 1974

While I’ve missed entries you’ve changed a lot. You’ve probably grown a foot and gained a little too. You are much more social. You really like having someone in the room with you and you smile and laugh a lot. Last Sunday was Easter. We went to Johnson’s for dinner. There was another family there too with two little girls. One little girl was ten months old. She was interested in you for a while and kept trying to pat you on the head which made you cry. Otherwise, the kids kept you entertained.

Debbie, Doug, Sharon, and Julie all like you and talk to you and give you their fingers to hold when we go over. It is a lovely family -one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

Cathy sent you an Easter bunny she had made. I let you chew on it and the ear faded all over everything – but you really enjoyed it! Grandma and Grandpa Ericson sent you a cut little shorts outfit. It was a 12- month size, but it fits you now!

I’ve been giving you water from a cup, and you like it, but can’t handle it yet, it spills all down your front.

It’s nice not to have to put you in your snowsuit to go out now. You don’t even need a sweater some days. Yesterday you sat in a bucket while I worked in the garden and the day before Daddy took you out while he pulled dandelions.

We bought you a playpen. You don’t really like it yet. It will be handy for taking you outside – but I need to recover the pad on the bottom first. It is sticky plastic now and won’t feel good on a hot day.

I began another “new program” today, running in the morning before breakfast. I thought losing the extra weight I gained with you would be easy, but it hasn’t been.

You are such a beautiful baby – I never could have guessed that you would be so wonderful – so much more than we deserve!