From Auntie Kristen

Wonderful letter from Auntie Kristen to Max. Wanted to keep it so am reposting it here. Might be time to get Max his own domain name and blog. I was going to get him a domain name for his birthday. Now that is something I bet your parents never said.

Anyway - on to the letter. Click to read this in full.

Dear Max,

Today is your first birthday. Happy birthday!

You’ve had quite a year and I’ve been thrilled to watch you grow and change. I want to share some of my memories of you as your birthday present.

You tried to steal my wine at dinner a few months ago. You were so eager to share our meal that your grandmother gave you some water from a cup for the first time and your mum mashed up some banana. It was your first solid food. You had a good appetite, but rather bad aim. Many of your mealtimes since then have ended with food in your hair, on your arms, in your eyes and plenty on the floor, which your mother has wisely covered with a tarp! It sure is fun to watch you enjoy your food. Your parents were smart to let you smell every delicious dish they ate even before you were interested in eating them. You have a great palette and seem to enjoy every food you try.

Now that you are one you are crawling really fast and almost walking. But I recall the days when you worked hard to sit up and learned to roll over onto your tummy. Once you could sit, you figured out how to scoot around on your bottom because crawling was too hard. And now you crawl faster than I can! Sometimes we have crawling races in the hall. You can also crawl up onto the table and get up the stairs. In a few days, I am sure you will be walking and running like a proper little boy.

I have enjoyed playing with you this year. I love to sing you silly songs - the first one I sang to you, when you were just a few days old, was a warning ditty about “Tutu, The Bitey Cat.” You also like games. One evening, your grandmother made you crack up by playing Peek-a-Boo with you. She hid behind the sofa and popped up with a funny monster noise. You laughed and laughed every time. I hope that you keep laughing like that for your whole life.

You really like being tossed, jostled and thrown into the air. Your mother learned very early to drive your stroller over all the textured surfaces in Tokyo, because they made you smile. When you were very little, you loved to be bounced on the big rubber exercise ball and it was the best way to put you to sleep. Your Aunt Jo came to visit and we discovered she had a magic technique for putting you to sleep. It worked every time but only for her. Fortunately for your mum and dad, you put yourself to sleep pretty well.

Have a splendid second year. I am looking forward to more adventures with you. Maybe by next year, I will have finished the handprint quilt that I started before you were born.

Your mother and father love you very much and so does your,

Auntie Kristen

Decreed by the goddess on 09/21 at 06:28 PM
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• Kaye (Adelaide) offered on 11/09/21 at 07:10 PM.....

  Kristen,  that is beautiful & something that Max will be able always to look back on.  It’s a bit like the journel that I am keeping for Max and am commenting on all the changes I see in him each time I visit.  Thank you for being such a good God Mother to Max.  Luv K. XX

• Barbara Northcott offered on 11/09/22 at 05:24 PM.....

  Your recall of events, Kristen, is so accurate and emotively written. Yes, it has been a year of learning about life not just for Max, but for all who surround him with love. Barbara (Grandma)

• j-ster (Work) offered on 11/09/27 at 11:22 AM.....

  That is lovely! So sweet!