I found a card for my father's birthday on September 11.
"For Daddy's Birthday"
"Put on your very best necktie
Do what you want to do
Today's your Birthday, DADDY
So have fun the whole day through
Mary Ellen
XX"
There was also a birthday card from my mother.
"To my HUSBAND
on his Birthday!
A loving message to the man
I cook and dust and sew for -
You're not a MODEL MAN, but you're ,,,"
"The MODEL that I GO FOR!
Happy Birthday, dear!"
My mother's diary jumped from August 31 to September 20 - I've interspersed a couple of pictures from September 9 among the diary entries.
"Sep 20 -
Haven't written anything for a long time. Mary Ellen is getting big now & is quite a handful. She's trying to use her hands now & is always trying to grab things. When I lay her on the bathinette she turns on her side & pulls everything out of the pockets. Saturday she started lifting her head up. Yesterday I bought her some overalls & she really looks big in them. Last night we took her riding with Jim & Norman. Jim bought a car & we took him over to Dedham to get it. Went to church tonight - she was sleeping when we went in but woke up, looked around for a few minutes, stuck out her lower lip & howled. One night some man stopped us outside the church & told us she was the best parishioner in St Lukes. Last week a man told us his little boy makes the novena just to see her. They sit in back of us every week.
Last week Mary Ellen did foofoo on Hannie & the next day she won $23 so it brought her good luck."
September 9, 1950 per back of photo.
"Sept. 21
Took Mary Ellen down the street today dressed in her overalls. She looked so big I hardy knew her. I took her into Whitneys to have an ice cream with Madeline & her mother & she behaved very well. I ran into a little difficulty later. I thought she was thirsty & gave her a drink of water. Unfortunately the nipple came off the bottle & the water ran down her face, neck & head. She was soaked but she never even looked surprised. I had to wrap a blanket around her head to bring her home. As Mrs Vaughan said, 'if anyone saw her they'd think I was queer.'"
More pictures from September 9, 1950
"Sept 22 -
Today was an eventful day for babushka. First of all I spilled orange juice down her neck & had to change her completely. Just after her bath too. Misfortune follows me. Besides that she started grabbing her toes & trying to pull off her Russian boots (as we call the big booties Eileen made for her). She also had her first drink out of a glass - at first she tried to bite the glass but after a few attempts she seemed to get the idea & took a few gulps & grinned like anything. Then she helped me by pushing the glass with both hands. The water was running in & out of her mouth like mad but she did manage to get some. She tries to lift her head up all the time now & also grabs everything within reach. She pulls everything out of the pockets of the bathinette now & throws them around the floor. Today she pulled out the box of Q-Tips & hit herself in the eye with it. She also stayed up till 10 oclock - but can I complain when she slept till 9:15 this morning. Of course I met Mrs McNamara down the Stop & Shop at 8:30 tonight & didn't dare talk to her in case she asked me if Mary Ellen was sleeping. I left her wide awake, kicking like mad. Mrs McNamana's two children are in bed one at 5:45 & one at 6:45. Mary Ellen will hate those children when she grows up as I'm always holding up their behavior as an example to her. I got a cold today & made myself a mask so Mary Ellen won't catch it.
Sept 23
Hannie, Norman & I bundled Mary Ellen, carriage & all, into Norman's car & went shopping over to Medford. We unfolded the carriage & pushed her all over Medford Square & she was exceptionally good. Norman minded her outside the stores while Hannie & I made fast dashes in & out. He said three girls stopped to look at her & as they walked away he heard them say 'And she looks just like the father.' When John heard that he told Norman their relations were going to be strained. I bought a pram suit (which Mary Ellen hates with all her might) and a shawl for the carriage. When we got home Mary Ellen had specks of dust all over her face. We came to the conclusion Medford is a very dirty place.
I bumped into Helen Claffey there too - I haven't seen her for years.
Sept 24
It was cold out today but I took Mary Ellen out in her new suit. She roared like mad & stiffened out like a board when I put it on her. She also surprised us all at dinnertime - we were all eating & Mary Ellen was lying on the bathinette watching us when all of a sudden we heard her say 'Baa ba ba ba.' She repeated it over & over. She said a couple of ba's Friday but today she really sang them out. Mary B dropped in this afternoon - she expects her baby Tuesday.
Sept 27 - (Finished 9 wks at the Novena.) I sat Mary Ellen up in the carriage to burp her & every time I put her down she screamed like mad so I had to stand & hold her sitting up while I was talking to Mrs McNamara. She was good then & looked all around her.
Sept 28 - Today I propped Mary Ellen up on two pillows & she promptly fell asleep & slept almost the whole time we were out. I took her down in Gorin's basement in my arms & she burped like a volcano all over the store.
Sept 29 - Mary Ellen is getting to be a problem in the carriage. I left her for a minute while I came upstairs for my coat & she was screaming like mad till I gave her her bottle of orange juice. Then I had to sit on the back stairs & burp her. When we finally started down the street she was fussing & fuming & biting her rattle. Every time she dropped the rattle she cried & when I took it away from her she pulled the shawl up over her face & looked cross-eyed at the tassels. She went to sleep at 7:45 tonight - the earliest yet - Heaven only knows what time she'll wake up tomorrow - 5 o'clock maybe. Hannie brought home her bonnet today (which she had to exchange) & Mary Ellen roared when we put it on her. She hates anything under her chin & despises bonnets in general. She holds her toes now & grabs everything she can reach - she's always untying my belts & grabbing the front of my dresses, also pulls my hair. She stretches & turns all the time & arches her back till she's in a half circle."
Still September 9, 1950
"Sept 30 -
Mary Ellen woke up at 5:30 this morning (sigh) guzzled down 6 ounces of milk & went back to sleep without even burping. I had her out for 3 hours this afternoon & she was good as gold. Hannie & I took her down the street about 4:30 - she was drinking a bottle on the way - & we picked out inlaid linoleum. We didn't get back till after 5 oclock. Mary Ellen ate her supper & practically collapsed she was so exhausted. She drank a bottle at 7:30 without hardly waking & she's still sleeping. She's getting almost as good as Mrs McNamara's children. John & a fellow from work put in the sink today. Ma bought Mary Ellen a teething ring but we had to take it away from her cause every time she dropped it she cried. Hannie bought her one with bumps a couple of weeks ago & when John saw it he said 'Take the mangy thing away from her.' Poor Hannie."
I found an old bank book for an account that my mother opened for me on Sep 28, 1950.
"S.S. No 7916
Savings Share Account
Watertown Co-operative Bank56 Main Street
Watertown, Massachusetts
Began Business June 28, 1888
Bank Hours
9 A.M. to 3 PM.
Not Open Saturdays
No Money Received Without Pass Book"
Savings Share Account
S.S. No. 7916
Name: Ellen Manning Tr/f
Mary Ellen Manning
Address: 4 Green Street
Watertown 72 Mass.
This Book Must Be Presented With All Deposits
And Withdrawals
Notify Bank Promptly Of Any Change Of Address
The account was opened September 28, 1950 with a deposit of $20. There were 12 deposits of $1 or $2 each made through September 20, 1951 which made the balance $35.43. The account was closed out 6/16/54.
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