Freya, after twenty-two hours of gameplay your interest in Paper Mario has yet to wane. As a family we are currently well over half way through the adventure. You suggest logical and smart solutions to any problems we encounter; your gaming experience bleeds over into real life, as you readily identify objects around us that resemble the Mario world. And you are able to paraphrase happenings and recall some names of the multitude of different strange characters we meet.

You have also commenced Mario Kart on the Wii. Within a week your ability to steer using the not-so-friendly steering wheel has improved greatly. So much so that the other day you won your first cup. Even though it is far from uncommon for children to show this type of ability, Mum and I are impressed. Oh, and proud.

We have been playing so often that Zelda, now just starting to show her first language development spurt, often says Mario, though she pronounces it” Mao”. Personally I see more resemblence to Stalin, but she is only eighteen months old.