February 9 1953

Monday 9th Feb. 

Dearest Mummy,

It is 11 AM & Linda seems to be quiet upstairs for a minute or two, & Charlie- though not quiet, is just muttering a little – so I thought I would sit for a minute & write you a note.

The first thing I want to tell you is about the little red & white dress – I measured the red tartan one Gunborg sent Lindy for her birthday & from shoulder to hem it is 17”. Linda wears that now & though it is a shade on the long side- or was about a month ago – it is a good fit, so I really feel that maybe it would be a shame to send her your little dress. All the little dresses she wore last summer can be let down I think, & when she is playing I think overalls or a sunsuit will be most sensible. It is funny to think that she will be playing in the sand pile next summer & getting really grubby, isn’t it? At the moment she wears overalls or rompers all the time unless she is dressed up for some occasion and they aren’t many nowadays! I am so sorry to have been such a long time in answering you about the little dress – I am afraid I am a very unsatisfactory correspondent just now, but when I do write I try to tell you our news & then the letter form is full. I promise to get down to answering all your B.P.X.s as soon as life is more settled. I am sorry about the little dress – I am sure it is sweet & Lindy & I would have loved it, but I just feel that she maybe wouldn’t be able to wear it much & that Joan would be thrilled with it for her Sue. I got your nice letter on Sat. (with Bren’s enclosed- I heard from her last week too) & thank you so much for it. In it you mention making overalls for Charlie out of your fawn dress (it was in the parcel, so I just packed it) & I think it would be lovely. I will send a pattern, because the little old blue overalls of Lindy’s are just about falling to bits & anyway I think it might be better to have them a little bigger. I think Charlie is going to be a bigger baby than Linda was- he is long & full of energy! Kicks all his blankets off & wiggles & squirms! He is much better now- has only sicked up one bottle in about 3 days & his cough seems just about gone. He is such a cute little fellow now – he has been smiling & laughing & saying “Coo” ever since he came home & now he is feeling better he is very jolly. He has a little button of a pointed chin with a very deep crease above & it is very “pinchable” & he laughs when you do it!

When he cries, great big tears roll down his cheeks- remember, Lindy never cried real tears? – but he does. Lindy is on the mend too, but very fretty & fractious & wants a lot of attention. She has a real runny cold now, but no temp. & she is eating a few solids though not much. She is quite content to stay in bed with her books (Ba-ba is practically a ruin!) but I have had her up for an hour or so the last 2 days. She must be asleep now – goody! – I am sterilizing the bottles & must make the formula! We got an electric bottle warmer last week – it helps the 2 a.m. feed! Charlie slept till 5 last night tho’ – the first night since his op- he coughed etc. so much last week I was up a lot with him, but that is over- I hope! Lots & lots of love – Cyn.