Sunday, January 11, 2009

Circle Time/Show & Tell: Me! 1st Christmas/Birthday


I love this photo -- my first studio portrait! It was taken by a photographer from my grandparents' small town in Minnesota -- the same photographer who did my parents' wedding portrait.

It was taken in December 1961, just before my first Christmas and my first birthday. I remember seeing copies in both my grandparents' homes -- Christmas gifts, perhaps? I love that you can see a hand -- most likely my mother's -- on the seat of the chair in the lower right-hand corner -- just under my diaper-&-plastic-pants-clad butt, ready to catch me if should teeter on the chair.

And I love the little dress (it's baby blue -- which has long been my favourite colour. The dress I wore for my first day of grade one, and the dress I wore for my high school graduation, were both light blue as well). Several years ago, my mother gave me a bag full of baby clothes that my sister & I had worn -- post-Katie, but when we still hoped to have another child. This dress was in the bag. I knew that if we had a baby girl, I would have her wear it for her one-year portrait.

Tomorrow (January 12th) is my birthday -- my 48th birthday. My ttc years are fast fading into the past. (AF, however, continues to hang around & taunt me...!) I used to joke that I was following the example of my great-grandmother, who famously gave birth to her last child in 1923 at the then-positively-ancient age of 47 (no fertility drugs or donor eggs then!!). Having now been 47 for a whole year, I can't imagine how she did it (and she had five other children as well, ranging in age from 6 to 18!!). I get tired just thinking about it.

There is a certain relief in seeing this part of my life finally fading into the past -- getting closer to menopause and being done, really & truly done, with the whole thing -- although I'm sure my (in)fertility journey will continue to make its impact felt for the rest of my life.

Birthdays aren't quite what they used to be when I was younger -- or what they would be if we had a child around, I'm sure -- but they're still a good excuse for indulgence. ; ) Dh took me shopping this afternoon, & we're going out for steaks tomorrow night after work. There has to be some compensation for growing older, right??

For more of this week's Show & Tell, hop on over to the Stirrup Queen's blog.

25 comments:

  1. What a cute picture! Happy birthday, Loribeth!

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  2. Happy birthday! My RE's mother was 48 when she gave birth to him. I think that's why he never hassled me about my age.

    I've always wondered what it was like to have a birthday in January after all the holiday hubbaloo?

    I often wonder if when I approach menopause, if I will be truly done with the obsession with having children. Obviously, it's an instinctual thing. I wish you peace in your life. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!

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  3. What a beautiful picture. May you indulge yourself thoroughly on your birthday.

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  4. happy birthday and lots of hugs to you

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  5. What a sweet picture!

    Happy birthday, Loribeth.

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  6. Hey, I'm late which means . . . I'm on time to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

    And what an incredibly sweet picture.

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  7. That's a lovely picture. And I especially love that hint of your mom, watching over you and giving you independence at the same time.

    Happy 48th to you, LoriBeth!

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  8. *Here from The Virtual Lushary* Happy Birthday! Love your 1st birthday picture, adorable! Enjoy your shopping trip and dinner with your husband.
    -D

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  9. Wishing a lovely birthday to a lovely in every way, friend. :0)

    What an adorable picture! I love those old fashioned dresses and little white shoes.

    Enjoy yourself!

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  10. Happy birthday, Loribeth! Hope you are having a day filled with joy and wonder at what a spectacular woman you have grown into since you were that sweet little girl in the photo.

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  11. Just wanted to say Happy Birthday! And oh goodness what a gorgeous picture!

    Go out and enjoy your birthday to the fullest. Indulge to the MAX! *hugs*

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  12. Happy Birthday! Hope you have a great day and even better year.

    Cuuuuute photo.

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  13. Happy Belated Birthday! That is a wonderful photo, thanks for sharing :)

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  14. happy birthday loribeth! h ope you have a wonderful celebration and a terrific year!

    I LOVE that pic!

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  15. Happy belated birthday Loribeth! I hope you did something nice to celebrate.

    And beautiful post on Glow!

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  16. Happy Birthday, Loribeth. What a sweet, sweet picture...and such a touching post. Hope you enjoyed the shopping (who doesn't?) and the steak. XO.

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  17. ooooaahhh! I'm late ... so a belated happy birthday! What a doll, you are.

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  18. Adorable picture, Lori! Hope you had a wonderful b'day - sorry to be so late.

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  19. Ah, crap, I missed your birthday! Happy Belated Birthday, LB! That picture of you is so adorable!

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  20. Uber cute smile.

    And happy birthday a whole month late. (But better late than never, right?) Sorry bout that but I've had my head pretty far up my a$$ets ... or in the bottle lately.

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