March 19, 1943. Anna writes to Dad. In reporting that “We are all the same” Anna spends three pages going into the details of daily life in the Murawski household in Albany. It is clear that she misses her brothers and that having baby Theresa-Marie around the house provides not only a distraction from wartime life in America but a certain level of comfort.
“Dad’s hole in the mouth where he had his tooth pulled out is OK and he is going to work now. As for mama, whenever she is in low spirits I do my best to cheer her up. I am trying to take your place, Anthony. You used to be so good to mama. Now she always comes with her troubles to me and I listen to them and give her my advice and pity. She appreciates it very much. She said that I am the only one left to whom she can now turn with her troubles.”
Anna goes on to note that there are times that she takes on the role of mediator “especially when daddy forgets and starts one of his tantrums” at which time she tries to “patch things up.” She says that “Theresa-Marie helps out with her gooing and cooing. When you hear her you forget about your troubles and fights.”
In other news, ”The gas ban up here has been lifted and they allowed “A” Ration Books. 1½ gallons of gas a week. Aren’t they good? They lift the ban and take away the gasoline so that people can’t drive anyway.”
As far as hearing form her other brother, “It is almost a week since we have heard from Stanley. Mama gets kind of thoughtful and I know that she is thinking about him. She had such high hopes and now they are gone with the wind. He certainly has gone back and forth across the Mississippi and the U.S.A. We hope when we do hear from him the news will be better.”
“And now for the best thing,” She continues, “We received your bunny yesterday. He is beautiful and Theresa-Marie likes him very much. His name is Bun-Bun and he is an inch or so taller than her. It was a riot to see the way she was slapping his face and punching him in the stomach. She wasn’t afraid of him. She felt right at home with him and became acquainted with him immediately. He lives in Theresa-Marie’s crib”
While gasoline may be in short supply, there seems to be an abundance of the baby’s latest antics. “She sucks her thumbs now. She already can sit up by herself for a minute or two and then falls over. When she falls her face has the queerest asking expression on it. Yesterday when she was sitting up mama put the bunny in her lap. She went to town socking him in the stomach. She was even playing with his tail. What a circus. Boy can she smile and giggle.”
It looks like feeding time is another circus too. “Baby eats Pablum, a special cereal mixed with everything. She doesn’t like it so well. We have the hardest time trying to make her eat it. She just presses her tongue against the top of her mouth and keeps her mouth in that position so we can’t get the spoon in. Today I had an awful time with her so mama came to the rescue. I was holding her and mama was putting the food in which kept on coming out again. She had cereal in her nose, under her chin and all around her mouth, except in her mouth. The next spoon that mama placed against her mouth wouldn’t go in either so I just grabbed her quickly by the nose and when she opened her mouth mama dropped the cereal in. As soon as she swallowed it she turned her head around quickly and kept on looking and looking at me. I bet she was trying to see and remember who did that awful double-cross to her. It was so funny that mama and I just roared.”
That’s about it from the home front. In one last note in the P.S. to her letter Anna tells Dad, “Mama also said that if you can’t get into radio don’t bother, but take what’s the best they offer you because they might get tired of your nagging and send you someplace across the ocean. We wouldn’t like that.”