Dear Isa,
Just a quickie note - I'm at work and don't have too much time. I've been wanting to write you a long letter and send these pictures off but time just hasn't permitted. These are pictures from Jillie's birthday party. She got some really great gifts. The easel she received from Rhonda and Mark with markers, paints and pads of paper and crayons. We'll have to show you everything when you come in December.
We had a three day weekend this last weekend. We went down to Alan and Susan's in Santa Cruz. Remember when we went there for a Christmas gathering when Jillie was little? Anyway, they have built a guest house that is out of this world. Completely secluded, the master bedroom bed sits in front of two huge windows looking out on the garden and valley beyond. The house has a small living room and a full kitchen with dining area surrounded by glass and a bath and a half. It is just perfect. We went down on Friday evening, had dinner on the Wharf and went to the boardwalk and Jillie rode rides for about 2 hours (she absolutely loves rides and she's not the least bit fearful). Saturday we went to the beach and played in the sand and surf and then went to a Spa with Alan and Susan where there was a pool Jillie played there for about 1 1/2 hours. Sunday, we just hung out all day then went out to dinner with Alan and Susan and their daughter Amy (Jillie is crazy about her) then went back to the boardwalk. They have a really friendly calico cat which Jillie played with constantly and a big horse named Ginger that she had fun feeding. We left on Monday about 10:30a.m. but we stopped at a great kitchen store before leaving town. We bought a big pasta bowl with matching serving bowls; a set of three mixing bowls (I suppose you'll be happy about that since I never have any bowls to mix in!); two cruets; 8 clear glass bowls to use for green or fruit salads or desserts; and a pink glass serving dish. Gordon bought a co-web duster! Such a housekeeper. He's taken to doing the laundry for me on Fridays. It's a touchy topic. I try to remember to separate the clothes but sometimes I forget. Gordon washes them anyway. I've asked him repeatedly that if he sees something that's the least bit questionable to please not wash it. He warm water machine washed a cold water hand wash inside-out 100% hand painted cotton outfit of Jillie's. Not only that, he washed it with a gold tee-shirt. So now it's kind of a off-white-ish drab color. We're working on him!
Marie's birthday party was fun (not as good as Jillian's first birthday party!). Rhonda made the same food that I did for Jillie's first birthday. Well, I take that back. I went over on Saturday morning and made the quiches and the salad dressing and an apple pie for dessert! I don't know how Rhonda suckers me so. We got Marie a big plastic picnic table and benches, a box of Lego's (ha, ha...now Rhonda can pick up all those pieces!) and a push musical toy.
That's all for now. I'll write more when I can. We're looking forward to seeing you soon.
Love from Sharon.
PS Shorty had a heart attack and stroke 2 weeks ago. He's home now and doing well. He was in the hospital for about 10 days. His vision is blurry but he's up and around.
PSS Did Gordon tell you I'm a blond now?
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Dear Isa,
Gordon said you had left a message on Saturday morning which he didn't tell me about till late in the weekend. Sorry I didn't return your call. To answer your question, I don't see the Doctor until October 15 so I will not be sure on a date, etc. until then. But I did take a test and it was definitely positive! My family is very fertile and Gordon, old "sure-shot".
Well I know you never thought you'd have a grandchild, but did you even think you'd have two? I'll bet you've already called your mom and told Izzy right? However, Jimmy has not let on to Gordon that he knows. Am I correct in thinking that you did not tell Jimmy? If so, thanks. We haven't really wanted the news to spread too far until I've seen the doctor. I did tell Katie and Shorty. I kind of hope it helps Shorty, you know, something to live for aside from Jillie. And since I told Katie, I told Jim, because I wanted him to hear it from me, not his mom. Anyway, they are all discreet., Other than my older sister (yes, I do have somewhat of a big mouth!) who swears she won't tell anyone, nobody else knows and we're trying to keep it that way. It's pretty hard though because we are both excited. I can't believe Gordon. This was really his idea and he had to work on me for over a month (actually 3) before I would consent. You say I'm brave? Maybe I am, it's not without being scared. Not scared of birth or anything, not that I'm looking forward to weighing more than my husband, it's just that we have so much freedom now just the three of us. But the new baby will be good for all of us, particularly Jillie. We've told her and talked about it several times. Jillie's says "I was born at the hospital"....."but the baby won't sleep in my bed"....."I want a girl named Kenzie."
I really hope that you can come to help out like when Jillie was 4 months. I'd like the baby to stay home the first year as much as Jillie did. Except for about 2 months, Jillian was home from the time you came until Jackie left, that was pretty much one year. I plan to take 4 months off work and, hopefully, return to 25 to 30 hours a week instead of 40 hours. I think Joe will go for it, I'm just worried that Gordon may not have a job yet so I may have to keep plugging away until he does. That's OK too, just as long as there is an end in sight.
Gordon just picked up two more applications for jobs, one in Santa Cruz and one in Navato. Navato is about 1 1/2 hours away to the northwest and Santa Cruz is about 1 hour. Tomorrow he goes to Santa Cruz to turn in the application and take a strenuous physical practice test. He thinks he'll be okay with all the physical tests except climbing a 100' ladder. Can't say that I blame him. 100 feet is pretty damn high, I don't think I'd like it either. He is ranking 7th in his class of about 55 right now.
So Marina has been after me for a year to color my hair and I finally let her do it. My hair isn't really blond, it's more like light brown now - kind of light chestnut. It's a pretty color. Saturday I go in to have it cut and touched up, but his time she wants to lighten it even more. Everyone thinks I should do it....so I think I will, what the heck. In about 7 or 8 more months it will be the only attractive thing about me anyway! Did I tell you that Jillie got her hair cut too? It's really cute at ear length and quite a bit more manageable.
Jillian is going as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz this Halloween. She has her ruby slippers, Toto, her little basket and I'm making her a little blue checked jumper. She insists that we call her Dorothy now, unless she puts on her little white slip you sent her or her granny nighty, then she says she becomes Wendy from Peter Pan. Weird. Sometimes I worry about her. She's so much like Gordon! Thanks so much for all the wonderful clothes. You've got to stop spending your money on her. She needed new panties and tee-shirts and the slip is her first. She'll wear it under her Dorothy dress. The sweater is beautiful. The slippers are too small, so we'll send them back with Jimmy. She was disappointed that they didn't fit. And the other green and purple pants will fit fine. She likes the little pull apart dolls too.
Gordon and I are so uptight about dinner with Jimmy and Marsha. Actually Jimmy we could handle fine but Marsha neither of us are too thrilled about being around. We can't find anyone to come over for dinner that evening (next Sunday, September 30) so I think we've decided to have drinks at our house and then take them out to dinner at some noisy restaurant. I think that will help us all since we've nothing to say to Marsha. Sad huh? I'd really like to make dinner for Jimmy but I think it would be too intimate in our house just the 5 of us. What do you think? Wish you were here to help out.
I've enclosed more pictures, some from Marie's birthday party and other miscellaneous. We'll let you know what the "due date" is as soon as I know.
Take care.
Love from Sharon
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