1916 Baby Book ~~ Come turn the pages with me

Ina Laura Petersen

Date of Birth July 11th, 1916

Ina Petersen where are you?

Browsing  a flea market in Colorado

I came upon a leather bound book.

Since I have a passion for leather

this book immediately caught my attention.

To my elated surprise, lying on a dusty shelf

was a baby book dated 1916.

Thus Follows:

Story of the Little Lost Book

The Book

Of 

Baby Mine

I am "The Book of Baby Mine"

I lay here on this hard dusty shelf, lost and all alone.

Strangers come and go, some pass me by, others,

pick me up and then throw me down.

How did I get here, what is this place.

I miss my family, the Petersen family,

where are you Ina Petersen?

Memories fill my little pages, the celebration of a new life.

Delicate entries made by a caring Mother

who was so taken with her precious baby girl,

she wanted the entire world to know 

Ina Laura Petersen.

When was I born

July 11th, 1916 was the date

8 pounds 0 ounces was my weight.

The day was Tuesday

Tick tock, tick tock

2 minutes past 4 said the clock.

Carefully traced tiny hand and foot prints of baby Ina.

Unlike footprints in the sand, yours are embedded forever. 

Gifts

In the days of old when babes were born,

Good fairies came with gifts, you see.

Now I believe in good fairies too,

For here are the gifts they brought to me

Coat cap and booties

Hot water bottle with card

Baby ring and Baby doll

Book of Baby Mine

First Christmas

Hang my stocking, mother mine,

Let the little candles shine.

Hear the happy laughter ring,

All the world is Christmasing.

Who gave the earth this happy day,

Just a little Babe like me.

Hang my stocking, mother mine,

Let the little candles shine.

 

Ina's First Photograph taken in the Spring of 1917

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh dear, oh dear what do I feel, a gentle touch, 

come closer, someone has lifted me off this shelf.

Who can this be, a lady, 

Is that you Ina Petersen?

Soft tender fingers caress my leather cover,

slowly my cover opens, 

ever so carefully pages are turning over,

Is that you Ina Petersen?

I hear a gasp of surprise then a moaning sound of delight,

she is viewing your locket of hair Ina, still tied in the pink silk ribbon.

I vividly remember the day Mother snipped this curl and placed it here,

March 1920.

You are almost 4 years old now with eyes of blue and golden blond tresses,

what a beauty you are.

I am saddened that your curl from October 10th, 1918 has been lost.

Your Firsts

You could sit without support at the age of 4 months,

you crypt at 7 months,

took your first step all alone on the date of July 3rd, 1917.

The first words you learned were

papa, kitty, mama and baby.

On February 18th, 1917 you cut your first tooth and

learned to play peek-a-boo when 15 months of age.

 Here is an outline of your little hand when you grew older,

age 2 years and 3 months.

August 1919 Denver Colorado

We celebrated your third birthday in the mountains near Denver.

Perched on this large log a family photo was snapped.

Father, mother and you Ina in the middle.

Cool crisp autumn air made you shiver a little,

Mom snuggled close to keep you warm,

You are the twinkle in father's eye and mother's little helper.

Life is good and you are loved.

Your First Professional Photograph

One Year and 11 Months

Mother knew this was going to be a special photo,

a photo she would hold dear to her heart 

and later place on this page.

A picture that would stand the test of time

a picture of her sweet Ina

 revealed to the world forever.

Round rosy checks passed down from father.

Golden curls, a cherub's smile from mother.

Crisp linen dress with just a touch of fine lace.

Little toes protruding from your sandals,

a gift from Aunt Grace.

What a beauty of innocence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another gasp, a louder gasp, 

my book slams shut, what is happening,

will I again be placed on the shelf?

I am now staring into the misty eyed face of that lovely lady.

Sadly she views Jack's photo, 

in a mystified trance touching it ever so lightly.

She has found my page of "honor"

Brothers and sisters

Their photographs

And dates of birth

Jack Rudolph Petersen

Born:  November 13, 1913

Died:  September 22, 1915

We did not know little Jack, Ina and me,

this was before our time.

One thing I know for sure,

Jack was special.

So special Mom put his photo here for us to cherish,

always to remember the big brother

who came first into our world 

then left way too soon.

Mom's littlest Angel

First School Days

Just so I won't forget when I'm gray

I'll write here the names of:

My First School____________________

My First Teacher___________________

My First School Chum_______________

And other important notes:____________

No school entry, no teacher or important notes,

why is this page blank?

My mind wanders now, 

Ina Petersen where are you?

Did you not go to school, 

were you ill fated like little Jack, leaving us way too soon!

Perhaps it was Mom who left us,

and father was too sad to continue your story.

Where are you Ina,

95 years would be your age now,

could you still be with us?

Did you find the love of your life;

did you become a mother,

perhaps a grandmother of a sweet baby girl?

I am a little lost book with no more stories' to share.

I sit on a dusty shelf and no one cares.

All I want is my family back,

Who will remember Ina and little Jack!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is happening, don't hold me so tight.

Oh dear I am fearful, where am I going tonight.

Shelf I am calling you, shelf, shelf

I need your arms to comfort myself.

Once more I stare into the elated face of a lovely lady.

Her soft fingers move lightly over my leather cover,

her caring tone of speech fills the room,

calmness overtakes my pages.

Missouri Ozarks is where I call home,

I think you will like it here Ina.

Everything about this place takes me back to 1916,

when life was simple.

 I am regally displayed with many vintage friends.

We share stories of old,

some make us laugh, others are sad.

I share our story Ina....

This story that will continue to live on 

because some nice lady cared enough 

to pick me up, dust me off and take me with her.

                          Thank You Connie B                             

                                    Connie