Dear Charlie - FOUR

Dear Charlie

You turned four today. FOUR! You really are such a big person now. Well, your still kind of little, but you're also big.

I've been so proud of you this year. We move (again!) back to Australia and you started preschool, and you have coped so well. Actually, you have more than coped, you have thrived. Your only real complaint is that they don't run preschool over the weekend or the holidays. On those days, you ask us 3-5 times a day if it is a 'preschool day' and when we say, 'No, it's the weekend!' you reply, 'Oh, but I just love preschool.'

There are lots of other things that you also love. You love the beach, your new bike, jumping on our trampoline, 'building' and helping to weed, dig and plant in the back garden. You also love helping in the kitchen, especially if we are baking cake. You love playing with your sister (well, most of the time), building amazing things out of Lego and listening to us read books. OK, you love the tv and the iPad, but let's not talk about that too much...

Alas, what you don't love is vegetables. Or fruit. But I have hope Charlie. One day you'll pile up your plate with colourful food (of the natural variety) and say, 'nom nom nom' and I will be so happy.

Earlier this year we got a puppy, Chestnut. At the time you were terrified of dogs - even tiny ones - and so it has been incredible to see you bond with Chestnut and get past your fear of dogs everywhere.

You've grown into such a lovely little person Charlie. You are funny, sensitive, persistent, observant and full of energy. You can identify more birds than I can and remember the words of songs you have heard only once. You always notice when someone is feeling low and know just the right thing to say. You love a good cuddle and are an absolute ray of sunshine.

We all love you so much Charlie bear. You bring so much happiness and laughter into our world. Happy birthday!

love
mama
xxx

Dear Charlie - 22 months

Dear Charlie

You turned 22 months old on the 2nd of August. It's been six months since I've written you a letter. Sorry little one.


We've had some huge changes over the last six months Charlie. Lily started school and you desperately wanted to join her. Then we tried a childcare for you - just three hours in the morning - and you really hated it and we bailed. But I still had to finish writing my PhD and so you spent more time with Papa and your Grandparents while I hid away in my funny cupboard study and eventually took myself off to the State library for a full week of full-time writing. Unlike childcare, you handled that really well. Although you did make up for the lost breastfeeeding time at night and I'm still suffering for that.

Finally, we packed up and moved from Melbourne (where we'd been for less than 9 months) to Hanoi. You've handled this transition well too. Although you have asked to go home on the plane a number of times. I'm hoping that when we move into our new house and get all our stuff it will be even easier.


In the last six months you've grown up so much. Your language is incredible. There is little that you cannot say now. You express yourself clearly and recite your favourite books from start to finish. You still mispronounce a few words, but I have to admit that these are my favourites. You say 'entient' for elephant, 'boon' for spoon, and 'gayfu' for thank you. You say 'gayfu' a lot too, as you have learned the value of being charming.

You remain a friendly, gregarious little soul. This is lucky because people treat you a bit like a rock star here in Hanoi. Your little head of blonde curls is a bit of a novelty, I guess. People gather around to touch your head and to seek cuddles from you. Sometimes you do give them a cuddle, but mostly you just smile and say "xin chao." I am looking forward to the day when you can speak more Vietnamese. I'm guessing you'll be better than me shortly.

You are quite a kooky, strong-minded person. You like to dress yourself and have very particular ideas about what you want to wear. You love to wear your backpack and pack it with things for "work." You also love beads (necklaces & bracelets), hair clips and head bands - much to the distress of people with very fixed idea of appropriate gender roles.

Another non-comformist preference of yours has been an enthusiastic interest in meat (we are a vegetarian family). Lately you have taken to crying at night, "I want meat!" (And I mean crying, with tears and all.) You have also insisted on trying a few different types of meat at the hotel breakfast buffet. You rejected ham as "yucky," but enjoyed both bacon and a chicken nugget. Earlier I would have found this really challenging, but for some reason I just find it amusing. I guess I'm mellowing... The real test will come when I have to decide whether to cook it for you. At least I know where to buy organic meat here, if it does come to that.

I'm looking forward to the next six months, little one. I hope to write you a few more letters between now and then.

love
mama
xox

Letter to Charlie - 16 months

Dear Charlie

On Thursday you turned 16 months old.

The last two months have been all about language for you. You have been learning at least one new word a day and have been very focused on communication. At times this has led to frustration, when you haven't had the words to express what you want, but generally it has been a great thing.

Your new appreciation for words has extended your love of books and you now have the patience to sit through longer storybooks. Your current favourites are 'Kisses for Daddy,' 'Meg and Mog,' 'I Spy in the Juggle,' 'Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes,' and 'Bumping and Bouncing.'

On the second-last page of Bumping and Bouncing two little people go for a pony ride. This is your favourite page and you have made it very clear to Papa, Lily and I that you are quite determined that you too will go for a pony ride AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. In the meantime you have had to be content with riding the rocking horse, which can you now do all by yourself. How did you get so big?

Other favourite activities of yours include 'jumping' on the trampoline (you can't quite jump yet, so instead you run around in crazy circles crashing into the barrier); being pushed on your swing; digging in the sandpit; water the plants; dressing up (particularly in necklaces, rainbow scarfs and Lily's clothes); drawing (mostly on paper); playdough (including the odd sneaky sample); turning anything and everything into cars that room around the floor; dancing; and going for a walk in the neighbourhood.

While strolling along our street you particularly like to push a toy along in the stroller; to stop and chat to the terracotta warrior in a neighbour's garden a few door's down; to pick the flowers that escape out from under people's fences; and to collect as many sticks as your little hands can carry home.

Last week was a bit dramatic. Papa and I had planned to nightwean you, because none of us were getting much sleep due to your habit of feeding all night. But when the time arrived I just couldn't face it and so I waved Papa away and fed you all night once again. The next day all that sleep deprivation finally caught up with me and I got quite sick. I struggled to feed you the following two nights and by Sunday morning Papa had to take me to hospital. And so you had your first night away from me after all and we nightweaned you by default. It's been an exhausting week for your poor Papa, but you have coped very well. There have been some tears at night, but you've shown no trace of distress during the day at all.

This morning Papa has taken you and Lily to the family day at Collingwood Children's Farm. They do pony rides and we are hoping they'll let you have a turn. I can't wait to see a photo.

love
mama
xo

Letter to Charlie - 14 months

Dear Charlie

Last week you turned 14 months old. It feels as though you have really turned a corner and are now a fully-fledged toddler. You walk, you run, you climb, you explore and you communicate - though not so much with fully-formed words as yet.

As usual with these huge developmental leaps, it has been so fascinating to see more of your personality emerge as you have learned all these new skills over the last two months. You have a very keen (cheeky) sense of humour and it is a lot of fun to see you use it to make yourself and others laugh. You still have a fantastic laugh!

You are really into music and rhythm. Lily has been keen on Mary Poppins lately and you started copying her 'tap dancing' to Step In Time. Now it is your thing. When you hear some groovy music, or even hear someone say 'Step In Time' you tend to launch into a full tap dancing routine. You do it with such intense concentration and your little legs move incredibly fast. It is almost unbearably cute.

You also love to hear us sing and have recently discovered which books contain songs and, when presented to an adult, will lead to singing. Last night you snuggled up on my lap and insisted that I read/sing a song book of about 20 songs to you four time in a row. I was only able to stop when you starting dropping off against my shoulder. You were captivated.

Papa had to go to Africa for work recently and your grandparents came down to stay with us for a while. When Grandma Meg was here and Lil was at preschool we walked around the corner with you to our local cafe. I let you walk the whole way since you clearly didn't want to be carried and it seemed to open up a world of possibility in your mind. Since then you have been on ready alert for the front gate to open. When it does you try to shoot out so that you can go for a stroll in the neighbourhood. I often let you and just follow along behind you. You like to stop and the pick flowers the grow out from under the fences and generally give the street a fairly close inspection. I can see why you are keen on it.

Another passion of yours is watering the plants (and the pavers, the trampoline, yourself...). As soon as we get outside (which you beg to do as soon as you get up) you trot over and grab a watering can. If it has rained the night before you then use it to collect water from the cover of your sandpit. Otherwise you bring it to me (or Papa), saying "More?" until we fill it up for you from the tap. You generally start out by watering the veggies, but within minutes you also manage to water yourself thoroughly. It has certainly increased the laundry pile, but you enjoy it so much that I can't bring myself to refuse.

As always Charlie, it's been a pleasure hanging out with you. Your sunny, calm disposition brings a lovely balance to our household and it is so fun to watch you explore and learn so many new things every day.

love,
mama
xo

Last week

We went to the Zoo. The orangutangs were singing very loudly.

Charlie watered many plants.

Lil did some painting.

Charlie discovered that he quite likes raw fudge.

Flower girl

My cousin asked Lily to be a flower girl in her wedding the other week. It was a lovely day.

Letter to Charlie - 12 months

Dear Charlie

You are almost 13 months old now. It has taken me so long to write your letter.

The last few months have been a bit of a blur, Charlie. We packed up our house in Canberra, stayed with your grandmas and then moved down to Melbourne. As if all that wasn't enough, right when we were about to settle in to our new place and host a little birthday party for you, I scooped you up and flew back to Canberra to spend some time with your great-grandfather before he died. And so, quite unexpectedly, you spent your first birthday with family after-all (but no party).

Your Uncle Jono also travelled to Canberra to see Papa Phil, and Aunty Nattie and your big cousin Amira came with him. You and Amira had a fantastic time playing together. Watching someone almost your age (well, exactly twice your age, as it happens) walking around seemed to inspire you and so you took your first steps the day after your birthday. Your grandpa and your great-grandparents got to watch too, which was nice.

You continue to be a sunny, happy little person Charlie. You love to laugh and to make other people laugh with you. You love to eat and have become very adept at feeding yourself up in your high chair. You now rarely tip your food everywhere until you have become bored with it. You also love to drink water, which I think is fabulous. You love music and will often sing along to tunes that take your fancy. You love your big sister, although you do think that hitting her is a good way of starting play and she isn't so sure about that.

You are obsessed with being outdoors. You beg to go outside immediately upon waking. You are most fond of digging in your sandpit, but enjoying being pushed on the swing or crawling about on the trampoline with Lil (or digging up the veggie patch, eating dirt, filling the watering can full of gravel, trying to ride the little bike, pushing the cart around, banging things on your tool bench...).

You are also quite obsessed with birds, especially crows, and would watch them all day if given the opportunity. When we stayed with your grandmas they had a crow that had become a little focused on pecking their bedroom window. For them this was annoying, but for you it was fantastic. You begged constantly to be taken to the window to watch for this crow, saying "Aaah Aaah" and pointing furiously towards that end of the house. Your grandmas were most obliging and took you on many birds hunts, both indoors and out. Now when you see them you also expect to see birds. "Aaah Aaah?" you will say and virtually leap into their arms. My Mum has started calling herself "Bird girl" as a result.

Although you took your first steps a few weeks ago it wasn't until the other night that you worked out how to actually walk. Something clicked in your head and you figured out how to stand up unassisted, to walk, to stop, to turn around and then to keep walking again. The look on your little face was priceless. You were so pleased, so proud. I love those moments.

You haven't been quite so focused on language and don't really have many more words than you did at 10 months. Although you are remarkably good at communicating your needs with your current handful of sounds. "Meh" means variously milk, water, food, or more of what ever you were just doing and enjoying. "Ba" means outside or going into another room. And then you have Mama, Papa/Dada, Lily, and an random array of animal noises, including "Aaah Aaah" for birds. You have also said Grandpa and Grandma before, but only a few times.

We won't discuss sleep, except to say that I hope you become a little better at it soon.

I love you so much Charlie. Thank you for bringing so much sunshine into our lives.

love
mama
xox