December 14, 2006
Oh, baby!
The last time I took a road trip around Texas to visit relatives, I collected old family photos from several of them. My mother had created photo albums for all four of us sibs many years ago, but mine had gotten lost somewhere along the line. I asked all of the aunties to come across and they obliged. Funny thing was, every one of them had pictures of me as a toddler eating dirt, usually dressed in nothing but a diaper or a pair of training pants. Apparently it was something of a family joke that I was the best mud pie maker ever, and that no one was fast enough to keep me from eating them. Judging by the number of such pictures that exist, I think it’s safe to assume that this was because they always had cameras glued to their faces. So I was amused when I came across the picture above. My mother made the dress. Can you see the little flowers hand embroidered above the hem of the skirt? There’s a big satin bow peeking out from behind my elbow, and the gathers and lace are clearly visible. A careful study also shows that everything except the collar is lined, probably with cotton to protect tender baby skin. It would have been hand washed and ironed with lots of starch on the collar in preparation for the big picture day. The hair styling probably wasn’t very time-consuming, but still, Mom must have spent hours getting me ready to look picture perfect. I was a pretty baby and it’s a pretty picture. But all I can think of when I look at it is that, cheerful as I look, that little hand was already reaching to rip the fluffy dress off so I could get comfortable enough for the next mud hole.
Posted by skeet @ 2:57 am • Home & Family
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December 14th, 2006 at 8:42 am, Cinderella Says:
Awwwww, that was adorable! What a cute picture too!
I was a Tom Boy when I was younger so I can totally relate to the mud-pie thing. =P
December 14th, 2006 at 8:47 am, russkal Says:
Cute!
The hair reminds me of Alfalfa in “Little Rascals”, haha!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I just revised the post and included more photos and details.
Check it out!
December 14th, 2006 at 3:49 pm, Imran MD Says:
What a wonderful feeling to see baby photo of yourself. A happy baby, brought possible by a mother’s love.
We were too poor to own a camera, so I had none. I have no idea how I looked when I was a baby. Anyway, judging from how I look now, it probably was not a pretty sight then.
The earliest I had was on graduating kindergarten, which had been lost when we moved. Sigh.
December 14th, 2006 at 3:52 pm, Jay Says:
That’s a really cute picture.
My grandmother has given me two photo albums over the last few years otherwise I wouldn’t have any family photos.
My mother does have some old photos in a box somewhere though I think.
December 14th, 2006 at 8:47 pm, Whimsicalnbrainpan Says:
Cute pic! I don’t blame you though, I’d want out of that dress too.
December 15th, 2006 at 9:14 am, Pepper Says:
You where a cute baby. You mother put a lot of love and time in your dress. I was a mud pie maker and eater too. It is amazing that we are still alive.
December 15th, 2006 at 1:13 pm, Dirk_Star Says:
Ain’t family photos grand?
I’m the same way in all the photos of old and what a joy the family gets in dragging them out for my friends to see…
LOL!
December 15th, 2006 at 2:50 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo for dropping by, my friends, and for your kind input. Pepper, for twelve years we’ve been wondering what it was that caused my guts to rupture. Maybe I should have discussed childhood diet with the docs in a little more detail?