1978 Catherine's Letter too MV -April 24

Monday morning

April 24, 1978

Dear Mary,

If you are going to write us more than nine letters this year then I guess it is up to me to answer the letters that you do write so you will have a chance to write again, so here is the answer to the last letter that you sent to us, and now (after you have finished reading this, of course) it is your turn to write.

Wendy is sitting in her walker right now – occasionally jumping up and down but mostly chewing on an empty toilet paper roll which I just gave her.  One of her favorite toys is an empty wax paper roll.  She talks (if you want to call her vocalizations talking) into it which makes her voice sound funny.  If we say hi to her she says hiiii back and when she is really upset and crying she says "mamamamama."  Nothing else too distinctive yet.

I met a woman last week who had just moved to Gilroy and has a little boy who is the same age as Wendy (three days older to be exact).  He is crawling over everything and pulling himself up to stand and doing all sorts of athletic things which Wendy hasn't even started thinking about yet.  I guess boys are supposed to develop a little faster physically than girls.  Anyway, this woman was all excited because the Welcome Wagon lady was going to come and visit her today.  I told her not to get her hopes up too high as it really wasn't all that much to get excited about.

Your friend the paper boy came to collect for the newspaper last Friday.  I asked him if he wanted the money for April and he said "Oh, no, I'm only collecting for March."  I guess it gets into high finance when more than one month is involved.  It costs $1.35 per month.

Since this stationery says it is from Wendy I should let her write a note but she isn't too good at handling a pen yet.  She would probably try to eat it.  In a few months I'll get her some crayons and then she can draw you a picture!

I did get some nursery rhyme books out of the library and I read them to her.  I have to keep the book out of her reach though as she tried to either tear or eat the pages or both.  We were going to go to the library today but it is raining so we will probably wait until tomorrow.  I have been reading books by Jane Duncan.  She has a whole series of books titled MY FRIEND __________.  So far I've ready My Friend Sashie, My Friend Madame Zora, and My Friends Tom & George.  From the titles they sound like books for babies but they are really good.  According to the jacket she has also written books for "younger readers."  Have you ever heard of her?  Ask mother if she has.

We'll be waiting for #3 letter.

Love, Catherine, Gerry & Wendy