Happy 19 month Birthday, Bunny! I’m bang on time this month! Things didn’t slip to the wayside! I didn’t forget! I’m right here on the money!
Wow. We’ve been on this journey through life for 19 whole months, and what a ride it’s been. We’ve had the most fun. The most happiness. And a few scares along the way too. The biggest ups and downs. It’s been a bustling adventure. A bit of a bumpy ride at times, I’ll give you that, but the joy, the excitement, the exhilaration of being able to share my world with you, has made it all worthwhile.

I thank the Gods that you have such a sunny disposition coupled with a bright, curious spirit. Otherwise we wouldn’t be getting along so well. If you were a whining, moaning, sourpuss of a baby it wouldn’t be nearly so much fun hanging out on a daily basis. But thankfully the Gods were kind and blessed me with the best little bunny in the world.
However, all that being said, we are nearing into the “terrible twos” and you have been known to throw a tantrum or two. I’ve got a great gash across my left cheek where you slashed in with your nails in a hissy fit, and auntie has fresh bite marks in her arm where you gnashed down on her in a furious frenzy. Great gobs of my hair are missing too, you little blighter. I haven’t got enough hair as it is, so I’d appreciate it if you stuck to attacking my limbs. Better yet, beat it out on the cushions.

Things that really get you in a stew: anything that the grown ups won’t let you do. Like playing in the road with the cars. Or throwing large rocks at people’s heads. Or playing in the front seat of mummy’s car with the steering wheel and all the interesting buttons and levers. Woe befall nanny who started that car game with you. It’s turned into a right fiasco. Every time we go in the car, you have to have a go in the driver’s seat. End of story.

Yes, bun-buns, you like to have your own way. Willful little monkey, you are. Fiercely independent. And fearless too. You’re quite happy to trot off into the distance at the park, in the garden, without a glance behind you. You go right up to strangers (especially the pretty ladies) and introduce yourself with a smile, a pointed finger and a coy cock of your head.
When we’re not rushing about to swim class, music class, playgroup, or shopping, you like nothing more than to spend hours in the back garden rummaging through the redwood undergrowth, poking into the woodpile where black widows dwell, throwing little sticks and stones into the stream. When we’re meandering about in nature, you like to give me things that you find. Bits of leaf. Poisonous red berries. Yesterday you brought me a piece of deer dung, like it was a precious bit of black gold. Very sweet. I’m thankful that you didn’t eat it, but on the other hand, maybe the bacteria would be good for building your intestinal gut flora?

Speaking of which, the food thing is still very much a struggle. You’re a good little eater, and most days you wolf down your squash, chicken and chard. But I’m having a devil of a time getting you to drink mama’s chicken bone broth. I don’t like it either but it’s good medicine bun-buns. We need those animal nutrients to heal that gut of yours.
That’s the diagnosis by the way. Leaky gut and candida overgrowth. We need to heal and seal that gut, and restore that bacterial balance, and then one day soon you should be able to eat other foods. On occasion I’ve managed to give you some lamb but can’t be sure it’s sitting well in your gut. You still have symptoms you see. Poor sleep. Abnormal poop. Rash. And now a small boil has appeared near your right nipple. I pray every day that one day we’ll be symptom free and able to eat whatever we like.

Now that you’re firmly up on two legs, it’s hard for your old mama to keep up. Blimey, can you move! I used to be fast on my pins, but since I turned over the hill of 40 years old, things haven’t been the same. My metabolism ain’t what it used to be. I just hope you have the sense to stay out of the road. Remember, our puss-cat was killed out there.
We do have a gate, but you are obsessed with figuring it out. You can open doors in the house, turn on taps, flush loos and flick light switches, so who knows what’s next. Everytime we go to the park, you head straight for the gates and start figuring out how to open them. It won’t be long before I have to put a bloody great big double bolt and padlock on our front gate to keep you safe inside.
But that might not stop you, because you’re also working hard on your climbing skills. Scaling the dining room table is a breeze for you these days. You’re all about getting into new and difficult places to reach all those fascinating and dangerous things that mama is determined to hide from you.
By the way, you broke my iPod player this week. That’s another very expensive toy you owe me.
You haven’t been doing much talking yet. I keep thinking I hear whole sentences, but it could be my imagination. You babble a lot. You can sort of say dog, duck, deer and da-da. And bath and by-by. That’s the full repertoire for now. You understand everything perfectly well, just haven’t got the vocal cords working properly yet to respond. Don’t worry, bun-buns, all in good time. You’ll be chewing my ear off before we both know it.

It won’t be long before the end of the year, and before we know it, you’ll be turning 2 and trotting off to preschool, yakking with your mates. I’m going to stretch out these next few months as long as possible. Maybe we’ll go on holiday together, once we crack this health stuff and can take a break without having to eat squash, chicken and chard for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Somewhere warm and tropical where we can eat coconut and papaya. Something to look forward to on your next birthday, sweet-pea.
Keep smiling, bunny. Stay as sweet as you are. I love you with all my heart and soul. Remember that. You are my world. The sun in the morning and the moon at night. I love every little bit of your bones. Happy Birthday bun-buns.
All my love always
Mummy xxxxxxxx






























As if it weren’t enough to be alcohol-free, drug-free, and partner-free, now I have to be gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, tomato-free, berry-free, apple-free, nut-free, corn-free and sugar-free.






