present you sent Katie. Your goddaughter says she misses
you very much, and she sends lots of drool and sloppy kisses your way. I
think I could make those words out of the screaming and wailing bellowing
out of her tiny little mouth. Honestly I don’t know where all the noise comes
from. She is the tiniest and most fragile little thing I have ever seen, some-
times I’m afraid to hold her but then she opens her mouth and all hell breaks
loose. The doctor says she’s colicky. All I know is that so she doesn’t stop
screaming.
It’s amazing how something so small can be so smelly and so noisy.
48
Cecelia Ahern
I think she should go into the Guinness book of records for being the smelli-
est noisiest smallest thing ever. What a proud mother I would be.
I’m so knackered, Stephanie. I feel like a complete zombie. I can barely
read the words I’m writing (apologies for mashed banana on bottom of
page). Katie just cries and cries and cries through the night. I have a constant
headache. All I do is wander around the house like a robot picking up teddy
bears and toys that I trip over. It’s hard to bring Katie anywhere because she
just screams wherever we are; I’m afraid people think I’m kidnapping her or
being a terrible mother. I look like a balloon. All I wear are the most unflat-
tering tracksuits. My bum is huge. My stomach is covered in stretch marks,
I’ve flab that won’t seem to go away no matter how much I shout at it and
I’ve thrown all my belly tops out. My hair is dry and feels like straw. My tits
are HUGE. I don’t look like me. I don’t feel like me. I feel like I’m about 20
years older. I haven’t been out since the christening. I can’t remember the last
time I had a drink. I can’t remember the last time a member of the opposite
sex even looked my way. (Except the people who glare at me angrily in cafés
when Katie starts to scream.) I can’t remember the last time I even cared
about a member of the opposite sex not staring at me. I think I am the
world’s worst mother. I think that when Katie looks at me she knows that I
haven’t a clue what I’m doing.
She’s almost walking now, which means I’m running around saying
“NO! KATIE NO! Katie do not touch that! NO! Katie, Mummy says NO!” I
don’t think Katie cares about what Mummy thinks. I think Katie is a girl
who sees something she wants and she goes for it. I dread the teenage years!
I can’t believe she’s one already. Time moves so fast! She’ll be grown up and
moving out before I know it. Maybe then I’ll have some silence. But then
again that’s what Mum and Dad thought. Poor Mum and Dad. Steph, I feel
so bad. They have been so fantastic. I owe them so much and I don’t just
mean money. Although, there’s another depressing situation. I get benefits
and all and I’m paying them as much as I possibly can each week. It never
feels like enough and you know the situation, Steph, things were always tight
for us as it was. I don’t know how I’m ever going to move out and work and
look after Katie. Dad and me are going to some clinic during the week to
talk to some welfare guy about me getting a place. Mum keeps saying that
love, rosie
49
I can stay with her and Dad but I know Dad’s just trying to help me. Any-
way that’s for another day.
Mum has been fabulous. Katie loves her. Katie listens to her. When
Mum says “NO KATIE!” Katie knows to stop. When I say it, Katie laughs
and keeps going. I think I am the world’s worst mother.
Alex has met someone over in Boston, she’s the same age as me and
studying at Harvard. But is she really happy? Probably is. Anyway I have to
go, Katie is wailing for me.
Write soon.
Love,
Rosie
To Rosie,
I’m glad all is well with Katie; the photos you sent of her on her third
birthday are beautiful. I framed them and they take pride of place in the
house. Mum and Dad were