More History, First Memories

I was born in a Mid-wife’s Home with several other newly born babies, but I was the only boy and the nurses all thought I was the cutest. I know… weird right? Mom said I was covered with baby hair that looked like “fur”, all over my body.

First Memories

My Father tells the story of how I would stand up big and tall in his hand, before I learned to walk. This is actually not my memory, but a story my Dad tells to this day. (22 July 2008).

I remember bouncing in a “Baby Swing” at Grandma and Grandpa Muir’s. They had a small swing seat made of cloth with four long straps attached at the corners of the seat. All four straps would attach to one main spring, which in turn was attached to a hook that was screwed into the top of the doorway between their kitchen and living room. I remember loving to jump in that thing because it bounced me quite high. I would bounce and bounce until I wore myself out and fell asleep. Which I have now, in my old age and my greater wisdom determined, was the purpose of the swing for my parents and grandparents.

I also remember we had a rocker in the house that looked like a couple of white ducks. One duck on either side, nailed together with a seat in between, so you could sit in it and rock. The seat was wide enough that two young children could get in at the same time. Up front, it had a wooden handle to hold on to and another wooden bar that you put your feet on to help get it rocking. The handle went from one of the duck heads to the duck head on the other side. I think Mom said one of her brothers made it, either Elmo or Merlin. I loved getting in it and rocking as hard and fast I could. It was almost impossible to tip over, either frontward or backwards. But if it did it would just stop on the duck beaks in front, or on the ducks tail feathers in the back. It is still in Mom’s basement.