6th April 1911
Dear Sylvie
I remembered doing this last year and I've just read over what I wrote. You're now 2 years old, a very independent soul who won't tolerate being helped to do anything! You love to explore and I'm always having to drag you away from the stairs, you don't seem to have realised how dangerous they could be. Half the time when you fall over we don't even know until it's bath time and all the bruises are revealed!
On the other hand you sit and listen to my stories for far longer than I expect, until even my imagination is beginning to run out of things to say.
For your birthday you wanted a castle so that you could play at being a princess like in the story I told you about the Princess Sylvie and her friend the dragon. We didn't manage a castle but I think you like your 'princess' dress. You're spinning around and around on the rug in your room and it's lucky you haven't had your cake yet.
I wonder if you'll remember this birthday?
Your loving mother
Kitty Vincent