This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Baby Bird (Ain't Lee Sweet!)





         Trisha from Word + Stuff decided to host her first ever blogfest--the Baby Faces Blogfest, and I'm joining in with a few of my baby pictures and some words to go with them.  This blogfest was irresistible for me.  Trish also has a bit of a contest going on.   For details on the contest and the list of other participants you can visit Trisha at her blog.


Baby Bobby Lee

      It just so happens that a couple years ago my mother sent me an album of my baby photos.  Finally I get to do something with them.   


        I was born at 1:52 AM on January 30, 1951.   According to my mother, the postpartum recovery period at that time was nine days.   During that period, my mother developed a serious blood clot in her leg which led to an extended hospital stay.   For this reason I became a star among the nurses who cared for me.   They called me "King of the Nursery".  Thus began my delusions of grandeur.


          The first thing that strikes me about this photo besides my mother looking so young (she's about 21 in this picture) is her long hair.  I don't remember her wearing her hair like this.  She must have gotten it cut when I was still a baby.   She's always worn her hair short as far back as I can remember.  The other thing that catches my attention are the old furnishings and draperies.  I don't know exactly where this photo was taken--probably their apartment in Cleveland, Ohio--but I think it looks so cool, so antique.


          This was always one of my favorite baby pictures.   My dad worked all day so he probably didn't relish having to wake up in the middle of the night to take care of me.  But, after all, I had been King of the Nursery and I still demanded attention.   I'm so glad that my mom captured this gem of a picture.  It shows me a gentle caring side of my dad.


         Not sure what I was crying about, but it wasn't because I dropped my juggling clubs in the middle of my act.  I didn't learn to juggle until I was at least ten years old.  I loved looking at and playing with my father's juggling props.  He must have been practicing in the living room when this picture was taken.  I never tired of watching my parents juggle and entertain.   When my father would get home from work, he'd eat dinner and then practice juggling.   Usually they only performed their act on week-ends.   Sometimes they'd take me along, but usually if they were playing a nightclub they'd leave me with a baby sitter.

       Here the happy couple poses with their first-born child--me.   There were four more children that came over the following ten years.   This photo reminds me of a happy moment in a film-noir B-movie.   I guess that's because I like those kinds of movies and this is about as close as I come to being in one.  

        I hope you enjoyed this little slice of my life.   I enjoy looking back on those times that seem so long ago.  If I had a time machine I'd love to go back to see what the early 50's were like since I don't remember them all that well.  At least I have some wonderful photos to take me back to a simpler day.

         Now let's see some more babies at the Baby Faces Blogfest.


39 comments:

  1. Cute pics! King of the Nursery? That's funny! Now you're king of the blogosphere!

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  2. Arlee - your photos and story were like stepping back in time. I loved it all. It even inspired me to link into the blogfest.

    thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  3. It's always weird seeing pictures of our parents from before we knew them. My kids saw one of me when I was a teenager recently, and it kind of freaked them out.

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  4. Hi Lee .. those a great fun shots - and I love seeing the 50s decor and styles. Your mother looks really pretty - love seeing them.

    Cheers Hilary

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  5. This is such a cool concept Lee, it's so awesome to see you at this age, it must be weird for you looking back, I know it's weird for me looking back at least anyway.

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  6. I take it you were the oldest as well?
    Brave man. No way I'm posting a baby picture. All right, no way I could even locate one.

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  7. Wonderful pics and write up Lee. Though when I met you, you had changed.
    Yvonne.

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  8. Ha! King of the nursery! You look so happy in that second photo --pure bliss.

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  9. Sherry -- Don't know about King of the Blogosphere, but thanks for saying so.

    Tami -- It's a fun fest. I'll have to check yours out.

    Andrew --You should post the pic for all of us. I don't think I have many photos between elementary school and the birth of my first child several years later. I tried to avoid the camera for many years.

    Hilary -- I love seeing that old decor.

    Yeamie -- It is weird to look back. I wish I could actually go back for a visit.

    Alex -- Yes I was the oldest. A lot of us wish you would put up a baby picture.

    Yvonne -- Do you really think I've changed that much? Well, I guess a little.

    Kelly -- I probably was pretty happy when that picture was taken. I had a happy childhood over all.

    Lee

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  10. Amazing photos!! I have pics like this in my family too and I love looking at them. I'm mostly just stunned at how spunky my grandparents were as youngsters :)

    Thanks so much for sharing your pics Lee, and for telling us a bit about them! :)

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  11. LOL, "...happy moment in a film-noir B-movie." :-)

    Love these pics, they remind me of my uncle John (who rather resembled your dad and, to my eyes, both resemble the dad from "The Wonder Years.") And I totally get why you were King of the Nursery.
    Some Dark Romantic

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  12. Those are great shots Lee. Even though I was born in Green Bay, WI in '56 I was mostly raised in Ohio (Canton area). My dad was from Painesville, OH east of Cleveland along the lake. I wish I had some photos like these to post but lacking them, I will vicariously enjoy yours!

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  13. Wonderful Lee :) What a cool life you started with. I'm sorry I missed this blogfest. I'll go visit Trisha.

    .......dhole

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  14. Trisha -- Thanks for hosting this great blogfest. I had fun going back to my old photo album.

    Mina -- I used to enjoy The Wonder Years a lot because I could relate to it so well. It reminded me of a lot of things in my childhood.

    Chuck -- I feel fortunate that my mother saved so many old photos and that they took so many back then. I love Ohio, though I haven't been back in many years other than passing through on the interstate at night. I'd love to go back to Cleveland one day and just explore for several days to see if any memories got sparked.

    Donna -- I feel like I had a very blessed childhood. Heck, I've had a blessed life. I'm glad I found this blogfest too. It fits in well with my interest in memoir.

    Lee

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  15. Ah-HA! NOW I understand how you're able to juggle your blogging activities so well...

    Cute pics, King.

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  16. I also got a kick out of your nickname as a newborn. Very cute photos of you and your parents. I always enjoy when you write stories about your childhood
    Julie

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  17. King of the nursery? When my youngest was six weeks old I went into hospital to be sterilized and took him with me. He was Enormous compared with all the newborns!

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  18. I didn't know Lee was your middle name.

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  19. I love baby pictures. The juggling one is so telling. :)

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  20. Lee most definitely *is* sweet :) Great pics, and thanks for sharing! That pic of you and your dad is priceless. I have a similar one that gives me the same kind of feel-good jolt :)

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  21. Aww, such sweet photos! Thank you for sharing so many :-)

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  22. I'd love to go back in time too! Such a cool time.

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  23. i love this post and these pictures. Miss you dad!

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  24. Susan -- I still have been "missing" a lot of balls in my blog juggling act. Need to work harder I guess.

    Julie -- The reason why I started my memoir blog Wrote By Rote is because I had so many comments like yours. I like writing memoir.

    Lizy -- Kids sure grow fast don't they.

    L Diane -- I posted a blog about my name a year or two ago. That post was kind of hidden in the holidays. Since I was named after my father, my parents used my middle name because my dad was already using the first one.

    Ciara -- I'm not sure exactly what it's telling: that I was a spoiled brat? I was overly sensitive? I hit myself with a club while trying to juggle? Maybe I'll ask my mother to see if she remembers. Maybe it's all of the above.

    Guilie -- Those candid Dad pics can be kind of rare sometimes.

    Karen -- Stop, Karen, I'm blushing. Oh, never mind, keep flattering me.

    Deniz -- Thank you for stopping by.

    Elizabeth -- It does seem like a pretty cool time. I have good memories of that era, but they may just be because I was a little kid and everything just seemed good.

    Emilee -- I miss you too, sweetie. Hope we can get together again soon.

    Lee

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  25. The most fun Blogfest, so far. Out of town so I'm not participating, but I am enjoying!

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  26. Once a king, always a king! Great family photos.

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  27. Oh, I love that pic of your dad holding you asleep in the chair! You were a very serious fellow until that juggling got you, weren't you?

    Love the pics!

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  28. I really enjoyed looking at these photographs. Thanks for sharing them with us. The one of you and your Dad is precious. I don't know why, but I've always like looking through photo albums and old photographs. I guess it's because I can imagine all kinds of stories through them.

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  29. Looks like you have some good times to look back on. Maybe you were upset at having been excluded a cut or commission from the juggling act when that picture was taken? :)

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  30. LOVE these "antique" photographs. I have a lot of them too! And you were a pretty good-looking baby :)

    Ah Lee, it's great to see your "older" face again. Thanks for stopping by and welcoming me back to blogging.

    And I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, also!

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  31. Faraway Eyes -- We'd like to see your baby picture, but hope you're having a great time wherever you are.

    C.Lee -- King indeed! King of my castle at least.

    Hart -- I haven't been too serious in my life. That's how I've survived this long.

    Elise -- I also like to look through old photo albums even if I don't know the people. It's fun to imagine.

    Jeff -- Something drastic must have happened. At least to my mind at the time.

    Ann -- It's hard to believe I have become an antique. The years have flown, but it's been a great ride.

    Lee

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  32. Did I know you were the oldest of five, like me? I don't think I did, but I forget more than I remember these days.

    I love the photos of you with your parents. And the crying one was great. My mom also has long hair in all her pregnancy photos and my baby photos, but she told me she cut it off when I started swinging/hanging on her braids. She never grew it out long again, either, so all I have are the photos.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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  33. Love these B&W pics! Thanks for sharing. And why am I not surprised to see juggling and you together at such an early age?

    At least we don;t see your parents juggling a handful of kids hahaha!

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  34. awwwww this was adorable---your poor mom--i can identify--i had a dvt in my leg after one of my kids!

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  35. I think we had some of the same furniture and draperies when I was a baby...and I remember a similar vanity...ah, the wee hours of the 50's. Good years.

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  36. I don't know why old photos are so mesmerizing. It seems like I can stare and try to figure out every little detail - like, was your father older than your mom? He looks older than 21 in the pics.

    And you look like a little man in the first shot. :) Still cute though; as a baby should be.

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  37. Shannon -- I think the common trend is that as people get older their hair gets shorter. Or for those like me their hair disappears.

    Stephen-- I was surrounded by juggling from the day I came home from the hospital.

    Laura -- Thanks for stopping in.

    Lynn -- My mom still has leg problems that she thinks can be attributed to this incident. Sorry Mom.

    Donna -- The decor looks almost scary now. Like a scene from Twilight Zone.

    Anita -- Yes, my father was 7 years older than my mom. I like looking at the details of old photos too.

    Lee


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  38. Most likely you were one of those babies who pulled your mother's hair all the time and that's why she got it cut.

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Lee