Birth Day Son

When my 2nd son was born in 1958 I was happy to see that he had very bright eyes and active arms and legs. I had taken a fall while carrying a full laundry basket down an incline in the back yard when I was about eight months pregnant and landed on my belly!  His sister was 2 1/2 and his older brother was 1 1/2 and I knew I needed to be well in order to take care of my kids. In 1958 I was 22! The kids had a loving father who helped a lot with their care. The worst that happened to me was that I have had a painful lumbar back since then.

He didn't look much like his brother, he looked more like my brother who is three years younger than me. He was a happy baby except when he didn't get his way at about age 2. Then he would rock back and forth on his hands and knees crying until he was exhausted. The only thing that would soothe him was music and he soon joined in with lyrics when singing began; a record player was an important part of our possessions. His hobby when a teen was building and painting delicate model cars. He was really good at that! As years went on it was evident that he also had a temper that was sometimes difficult to tame. His finely tuned mind and fingers are used very well in his occupation as a precision machinist.

Through the years he has been both his older brother's 'keeper' and his younger brother's 'keeper.' By that I mean he has really cared and helped them whenever and however necessary.  

He has two offspring, a very bright and talented artist and creature-loving married daughter, a younger son who is learning the value of being a hard worker and developing self sufficiency, and a loving and sweet partner. 

He came to visit me over the weekend. A little larger, a little older, but as thoughtful and nice as a mother would ever want her son to be. It is hard to believe he is today 63!

I really should have scanned the very old baby photos before storing the album away for safe-keeping!