Feb 16, 1949 Wednesday night

Dear Mother,

Seems as if I can't get time to write lately.  The babies have been a little better today.  They both cried a good bit last week.  The doctor seemed to think it was caused by their failure to digest their milk because their stomachs were weak after their colds.  Jane still spits up a good deal.  She is getting so active that I can't leave her very long any more (one the big bed).  She turns herself over and works across the bed.  Jan is a little behind her in most of his actions.  They are beginning to notice one another now.  Jane even seems a bit jealous sometimes when I'm holding Jan.

The sun was out again today.  It rained yesterday.  Several days were so warm we didn't have to keep a fire, but the wind was too high to take the babies outside.  I killed seven guineas yesterday morning (had a woman to help me).  We put the chickens up and bought some laying mash.  We have been buying eggs all winter.  They laid four eggs today so maybe they will keep on.  I think we fed them so much corn they were too fat.  Ruthel has some baby chicks.  Her husband is going to build up a brooder coup.  I'm going to let Ruel fool with the chickens this year, however if we have a good place to keep them it doesn't take much time.

Johnnie has just finished listening to the "Lone Ranger" program.  It is the only program he has ever gotten interested in.  He bought some cheerios and sent the boxtop for their "Movie Ring".  It came yesterday so we enjoyed the "movies" las night.  He carried it to school today and forgot to bring it home.  I have entered the Rinso contest - of course I expect to get one of their big prizes.  A big box of Rinso and one of Dreft just about last a week here.

You will probably be having another big birthday dinner Sunday.  I made a coconut cake week before last and this week a plain white-of-egg cake.  If we start eating on it Saturday it is usually gone by Sunday night.  I can remember the time when part of a cake would go to waste when I baked one!  Joe Lee and Johnnie have both gotten back their appetites.  Joe Lee usually has to have something of what I fix for the babies.  He decided the pablum wasn't so good but he wanted to eat all the apple sauce.  He says "Every time I see you give them a bottle it makes me want one."

Is Papa getting used to staying at home? This time of year is a good time not to have to get out and work.  It is hard for us to get up sometimes and get Johnnie off.  The babies usually wake around 3 or 4 o'clock (for a bottle) and then sleep on until about 8 or 9 o'clock which is very convenient for me.

It is beginning to look a little like Spring here.

Love,

Mavis