Letters to Isa - April 23, 1988

Dear Isa,

Gordon went to see Jimmy the other day and brought us lovely gifts from you - again!  You remembered my favorite cologne - thank you.  And Jillie's robe looks so cute on her.  Funny how everything looks cute on her.  She's just a beautiful kid.

Jackie and Rhonda, Jillie and I were at the mall the other day.  I bought Jillie the cutest swimsuit - all warm pink with royal blue hearts all over it.  It's two piece but attaches at the sides. Her little belly hangs out the middle!  And the robe you sent her looks great over the swimsuit.  A week ago the 4 of us went up to Nordstrom in Walnut Creek and each of us bought her an outfit.  Jackie bought her a hot pink 1 piece zip up with clouds on it and Mickey and Minnie Mouse on the front.  I've got pictures to send you.  Rhonda bought her a one piece short outfit with carrots and a rabbit on it in a light blue denim (soft) fabric.  I got green Osh-Kosh overall shorts and shirt with carrots on it to go under it and a two piece short set and white sandals. What a lucky girl.

Top two pictures are Jillian's new outfit from Jackie...with Jackie in the house and with me in our new backyard.  Jillian with Mom before heading to the Hilton for brunch and with Aunt Shirley on the pier in Santa Cruz.

Her new thing is babbling.  This child says so much without saying a thing!  She likes for you to read her a book and then give it to her and she reads it back.  She's so funny.  And she still eats like there's no tomorrow.  She loves brown rice and I made her spinach and asparagus soup with pasta she devourers.  She can eat a whole pear after a huge bowl of soup and then a graham cracker!

We took her to the doctor for her 8 month checkup last Friday.  She's 19.9 lbs now at 28" tall.  She's totally healthy.  She has completed all her 8 and 9 month activities - all her 10 month except specifically saying and identifying mommy and daddy - most of her 11 month and part of her 12 month skills.  She's incredible!  And all this without teeth!  Still no sign yet.

Well I'll have to take pictures of our yard.  The back looks great with a pretty lawn; 2 new trees; shrubs; flowers and lettuce.  I still need to plant some of the pots but we've had almost 2 weeks of rain (badly needed) so there's no chance to get out and do it.  Katie Krause provided us with a good number of plants.  And we finally fixed the front walk too with ferns, philodendron and impatients.  We've covered everything with redwood bark and mulch so it looks green and warm auburn.  What a face lift!

Gordon, Jillian and I after brunch at the Hilton and later the work crew who tore up the deck....Shirley, me, Jackie and Rhonda.  The backyard and Jackie.

So there's not much left to do at our house; maybe paint the den and guest room; redo the entryway tile; clean the garage, again, and sell!  Several condo's in our development have come on the market in the last few weeks at close to $190,000.  If they're selling close to that high, that's good appreciation for us.  We are seriously thinking of selling this year and getting a house.  I have a share in an apartment building in San Jose which we are selling.  If that sells this year we will HAVE to buy another home this year.

We still don't know if Jackie intends to stay or go.  Evidently she can study her highers here - but she just won't say what her intentions are.  She says it will be really hard to leave Jillian.  They are truly best friends - so cute together.  But I do have a line on another sitter.  Guess who?  Rhonda.  She has quit her job; become a housewife and is just chomping at the bit to get pregnant!  Anyway she said that if Jackie leaves she is seriously considering watching Jillian,  1) because she's crazy about her (as everyone is it seems) and 2) because she doesn't want to see Jillie go out to a strange sitter.  What a great friend!  She's been hanging out more and more at our house, visiting with Jackie and helping out with Jillian.  She's even given her a bath several times although she prefers that one of us is with her because she doesn't know what she's doing!  She's funny!  Anyway I feel she's a good choice and Jillie is old enough now that she's not a bother and is very portable.  We can take her to restaurants now and order from the menu for her.

I hope to see Jimmy this time he's here.  He and Gordon are supposed to play golf on Thursday so maybe Thursday night.  I didn't even know he was in town - Gordon never tells me anything!  Is he still selling his home?  Are he and Marsha still an item?

Gordon and I are going away for an overnighter on May 7 to a friend's wedding up close to Sacramento (about 2 hours drive).  Mark and Rhonda are invited too so we're staying in the same hotel.  The wedding is at 5:00 pm...that's why we're staying over.  There is enough milk stored for Jillie.  I think she would be okay if she didn't have any.  She seems to be getting less attached to nursing.  I think she only thinks about nursing when she sees me.

At the wedding!  Oh those 80's hairstyles...YUK!

Well, believe it or not, I've got something to send for your birthday but I'm waiting to receive it.  Actually I've been waiting to receive it since December !  Hopefully you'll get it before next Christmas!

I'll drop pictures to you in a couple of days.  I've got a roll of 36 in my camera and it always seems to take forever to go through them.  And 24 shots seems to just disappear!

Write when you can and take care.  Thank you again for the cologne, robe and Gordon's shirt.

Love,  Sharon