I’m sorry, bunny. I’m over 2 weeks late to wish you Happy Birthday. I’m a rubbish mum. But believe me, I do have my reasons. And none of them mean I love you any less. I’ve been wanting to wish you Happy Birthday every day for the last 2 weeks, but what with one thing and another, the time has slipped by and well… now here I am. Better late than never, my cherub. I hope you forgive me.
It’s a big one too. You’re 18 months old now! A whole year and a half! What a wonderful milestone! In two shakes of a rabbit’s tail you’ll be turning from a toddler into a teenager, and I’ll be well over the hill and completely lost without you teeter tottering by my side. It breaks my heart to think how fast the time has flown by.
This month has been your month for walking. You’re up on two pins now, good and proper. No more crawling and wearing out the knees in your jeans, which is a shame really, as they were super stylish and cool. You can’t buy them in the shops like that, you know. Those authentic ripped jeans of yours have caught many an envious look. I’m going to try and keep squeezing your butt into them as long as I possibly can. Squeeze a bit more life out of them, which actually isn’t that hard to do since you seem to be losing weight lately. You’re still wearing your 6 to 12 month clothes. They hang off you like a scarecrow. Builder’s bum seems to be a trademark of yours. Lucky for you that’s a cute bottom. Must have inherited that best ass(et) from me.
Your walking skills have progressed rapidly. You’ve mastered standing up and sitting down, negotiated stairs both up and down (albeit with a pair of mama’s hands to help you) and you race around the house and garden at a fair old pace, your little legs moving far too fast for your body to catch up. Lots of falling down and bruises, but you are a tough little cookie, and not many tears have been spilt along the way.
Except for the time that mummy put you down on the kitchen side while she messed about making a cup of tea, and you leaned over and turned the gas burner on, and burnt your hand. You screamed and cried for a couple of hours after that. I’ll never forgive myself for being such an idiot.
Then there was the time, the next day as it happens, that you were running to greet me across the lawn and tripped and fell on a bee. I had to pull out the sting with my finger nails. You cried a lot then too. It was the same hand as the burn. Bad luck, bunny. Bad luck. At least we know that you are NOT allergic to bees. Phew.
However, you do seem to be allergic to everything else. In particular to food. This is the month that we’ve been caught in the throes of food intolerances and allergies. Not to mention other things besides. Like grass. And dirt. Keeping out of the mud seems to be a bit of a problem for you…
Mummy is doing her very best to get to the bottom of these allergy things and failing miserably. I gave you an orange today, and you LOVED it. And then an hour later broke out in a vicious red rash, lots of gas and stomach pains and the bloody Red Ring of Doom around the anus made an appearance again. I’m afraid it’s back to chicken soup with squash, carrot and spinach for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lovely. I hope one day we will look back at this food challenged period and remember it fondly as a distant nightmare. Messy monotone mundane mealtimes will be a thing of the past.
Despite the health challenges, you’re still mama’s smiley little bundle of joy. This past month we’ve had a whole host of exciting and fun adventures together. We went on our first carousel. A solar powered one. The horses went up, the horses went down, around and around and around. You had so much fun. That is, until the bloke working there clocked us and made me measure you against a stick, whereupon he promptly announced you were too short to ride. What a party pooper. Honestly, this country has gone to the dogs. Too much health and safety shenanigans. It’s not safe to have fun anymore.
Look! These are the first flowers you picked for me from the garden! You toddled all the way down the end of the garden to bring me the last of the flowers that the deer had missed chomping. Such a sweetie! It brought a tear to my eye.
The big event of the month was Bapu and Grandma K coming to visit, all the way from New Mexico in their swanky Mercedes RV. It was an epic occasion. Every day was chock full of fun and games, and lots of attention lavished on you, my bright eyed bun-buns. Grandpa walked you around the garden and played silly buggers with the hose pipe, swooshing it around and around like a maniac, spraying water and mud everywhere. You loved it. I’m not sure the landlady would have appreciated Bapu’s antics, but luckily she didn’t pop round while the hose party was in full swing.
You spent many hours rummaging about in the dirt and undergrowth of the back woods with Bapu. Clearly a man after your own heart.
You also played happily in the vegetable garden with Grandma K.
We went on a road trip here and there, to show Bapu and Grandma the sights.
And on the last day, we ended up at Rodeo beach, where you nestled into my lap and stared wistfully out to sea.
I love you little snuggle bunny, with all my heart and soul. Happy Birthday sweet-ums. Stay small and happy, and cute as you are, and you’ll go far.
All my love always, Mummy xxxxxxxxxx
