Elizabeth's birthday note for Steve gave me an idea - a reallllly good idea. At least I think it is. For those of us who are younger it would be fun to know what memories any of you have about when we were born. I realize that Elizabeth wrote some about Steve, Dwight added a quick note, but is there more? Dwight has written a little about when I was born, i.e. the Dr's. car being gone from the clinic on Bent (?) St. so he figured there would be a new baby when he got home. Was it ever discussed at home that a new baby was on its way? Etc. etc. What was going on at home? Where did we sleep? You know, just some of the real things that we don't know.
Now, lest this suggestion be misunderstood, I realize that some will have no memory (of the newly arrived siblings, that is) because they were too little or weren't born yet, so that lets Steve and me and perhaps even Judy, off the hook. And that would mean this would be an opportunity for Elizabeth, Dwight and Louise to delve into their memory banks and "share". So - what do you remember about when Judy was born? When I was born? When Steve was born? This has the potential of being journal writing at its best - you write and we will read.
11 comments:
The squash is finally planted, as well as the cucumbers, so I have a little time to dedicate to this.
1. Judy - All I remember is being bundled up in a blanket and taken to Grandma and Grandpa Wasden's. The next thing I remember about her is that she slept in a little crib in our bedroom (Louise, Dwight, and I) - I'm sure she never, ever cried, because I don't remember. When she was fairly new, we moved to Cody, and she slept in a bassinet on Mother and Daddy's bed. One day she managed to work up enough energy to tip the thing over on the bed. That's all I remember (Remember, I was not quite five when you were born, Judy).
2. Ann. Did I know you were coming? Not. The first time I knew that something was afoot was when Louise and I came to the front door to wipe our shoes on the door mat, and there was a strange car in the yard. Louise announced, "I think Mother had her baby." Really? What baby? It seems like she slept at the foot of the big double bed that Louise and I slept in for a time until the other room was added to the house under the hill. Cry? Never.
3. Steve. Oh, yes - I already told you about where I was when he was born, and, Dwight, you might have been at Aunt Cindy's, but I surely was a Grandma's. Memories. And either Steve was a force, or I was old enough to be aware. His crib stayed in the living room for some time at the south end, and he could kick up a rumpus. I do remember about the time he was around 2 when he used to kick the piano leg when Mother would sit down to pay and he wanted her attention. That's all, but I'm sure it's quite enough. Louise and Dwight were far more mature, and will have many more memories - I'm sure of it!
One detail about Ann's birth - the doctor had his black bag, and Daddy informed me that he had brought Judy in that bag. hmmm.
Ahhh, the black bag. That's where my problems began.
Thank you Elizabeth.
Judy is being ambiguous - please clarify this?
This is an indefinite antecedent. To what or whom does the indefinite antecedent "this" refer (to)? The word ambiguous?
"black bag" and problems began? Was it the bag itself, the fact that Daddy told me that Ann came in the black bag???? Or??? And you must have been too little, Judy, for any of this to have made a dent in your psyche, right?
Hey, "someone" has gotten side tracked. I was really sincere when I asked the question in this post. The black bag diversion doesn't give much of an added perspective.
Okay, Ann, I can take a hint. Here's my version.Although I can't add much to what Elizabeth has written. When Judy was born Dwight, Elizabeth, and I stayed overnight at Grandma's and Grandpa's under Cindy's care. It seems like we were taken up in the middle of the night. I only have a vague recollection of my excitement of the baby when we went home. In those days mothers stayed in bed for 10 days and Emma Tvedtness was there to take care of mother. My memories of Cody are the same as Elizabeth's. I remember how scared we were when the bassinet got tipped over - I thought it was in the living room, but could be mistaken.
Ann. I had a friend, Peggy Barton who lived right in Ralston, who knew more about things than I did and one day she informed me that my mother was going to have a baby. I knew that mother was wearing these loose fitting smocks but didn't know that it was for a reason. That was something that was not talked about and we were not told anything. My answer to Peggy was, no she isn't. I didn't want to appear naive. So when we went into the house that first day in Dec. I wasn't as surprised as Dwight and Elizabeth. Emma Tvedtness was there once again to take care of mother. It was her black suticase (not the doctor's bag)that we saw at the foot of the bed and that suitcase was connected with how the baby arrived and noone was ever corrected, of course. When you were named Kathryn Ann mother was certain that you would always be called Kathryn.
And as for Steve, my memories are pretty much the same as what Elizabeth wrote. I felt privileged to help Mother put clean sheets on the bed, and help with the bread baking. I wrote a bit about it in my story (Page 71-72,if you want to check it out.)
Louise, this does get you off the hook. Thank you for taking time to write.
Louise's writing about Emma Tvedtness coming when Mother had her babies is something that I had forgotten about. When Judy was born, Emma came to stay with Mother and Judy. She was scandalized that our hair was washed in water from the well. She informed us that rain water should be collected because it was better for our hair. I can't remember her in Ralston, but I sure remember her coming everyday when Steve was born. I also remember Mother getting out of bed, coming into the kitchen with Stephen, opening the oven door of the coal range for warmth, and gently washing him with a washcloth and the washbasin on a bench. Emma would scold her for getting out of bed too much. Just think! Today, Mothers get up and about very soon after birth, unless there was something unusual in the delivery.
Post a Comment