Letters to Isa - June 16, 1988

Dear Isa,

We are delighted that you can come to California again so soon!  And what a help you'll be with little Jillian - except little Jillian isn't so little any more!  I was talking to Jackie today about you being with Jillie all day - rest up, she's a hand full!

We have found a great baby sitter.  My friends Andy and Judy take their little boy, Alex, to this baby sitter in Dublin named Kelly.  She is really outgoing, very friendly and loving.  We took Jillie there yesterday for 3 hours 9:00a.m.-noon.  I called at 11:00 to see how she was doing.  Kelly said she was great - a real delight to be around.  She played so hard she fell asleep on the floor with the other kids playing around her.  That's a first for Jillie!  Kelly has a two year old son, Andy and Judy's son Alex, who is one year, Jillie, for a while a baby named Jennifer who is six months but is crawling, has all her teeth and sitting up and a little boy named, Ricky, three months old.  Sounds like a lot of kids but she has a good set up.  There is a room built on to their house that has no furniture, just toys and it's bright and sunny.  So the kids all pile in there and play all day.  she serves a hot breakfast (but I'll feed Jillie before I take her), a snack at 10:30a.m. and lunch.  I'm really happy with her and she's less expensive than Jackie, which helps considering the new home purchase.

We are on target for the  new house, however, we are stretching ourselves a bit and will get the home painted but we cannot carpet until later in the year or next year.  The stretch will be worth it though.  We have already begun packing boxes, taking down the chandelier, etc.  Can't wait to get in and finished.

Isa, I have a sensitive subject to discuss with you and I want you to know I speak to you with a lot of love and consideration.  I know that you and Gordon have a somewhat stressed relationship.  It seems only you and Gordon know why - but I feel the stress revolves around the fact that you and Gordon are very much alike. When you ask Gordon to do things or complain about the way he may treat me or the baby, he gets "testy."  While you are with us again I hope you will be sensitive to his nature and basically "lay off" him.  I say that with some humor and I hope you see it that way.  I recently had a BIG discussion with him about helping out around the house and even though he gave me tons of grief and said I was nagging, I came home to a "made-up" bed, a "picked-up" room and dinner!  Pretty impressive! I think he realizes with me working 40+ hours a week, things have got to be a bit more 50/50.

As far as Jillie goes, he is crazy in love with that child and cares for her and treats her very well.  We both backed off of Jillie when you came in December because we felt burned out -  particularly with her sleeping patterns.  I don't think you will see that this time, but you know how difficult it is to raise a little one when both parents are working full time.  Particularly when they are a very demanding little one.  Jillie is much more mature now and able to do more so she is much more fun.

Anyway, please come and stay with us and just enjoy your granddaughter and your son for the independent adult he has become.  I think you will enjoy your time here more and we will also.

I have enclosed another set of pictures of Jillie from our camping trip to Yosemite.  We had such a good time even though the weather was rainy and cold.  She was such a good girl, never complained and loved camping - particularly the tent!

This is how Jillian spent most of her time camping........

.....or like this, if she wasn't in the tent!

 Again, we are really looking forward to your visit and are very thankful you can come again so soon to help with our move.

Take care of yourself.

Sharon