1952 January

 "Jan 15 - John Jr is three months old today & weighs 15 1/4. I dressed him up in red overalls & a jersey & he looked at least six months old. Mary Ellen thought he had on her overalls & got all excited. She didn't calm down till I showed her her overalls - then she was very happy. 

I haven't written in this for so long I have a lot to catch up on. The baby has been very good - he seems to have gotten over his fussy spells at night thank goodness. He's been sleeping from about 6:30 at night till about six in the morning. John & I are having such peaceful evenings it doesn't seem possible - seems too good to be true. For the past few weeks the baby has started 'talking' - at least that's what we call the peculiar noises he makes and the faces that go with it are really something to see. He also notices his hands now and stares at them for minutes at time - holds them (one at a time) out straight & just stares, not moving a muscle. he also grabs my hand or arm (mostly by mistake) & holds on for dear life. 

Mary Ellen is also very good - spends most of the time playing with her babies - giving them bottles which I have to heat and cool and test and burping them. Plays a lot with pennies which she calls 'meek-eeh'. She likes the baby and tickles him under the chin saying 'he dee dee dee dee', also says 'no no baby' when she sees him sucking his thumb, then calls me & says 'baby - mouth'.

Tonight she was eating a piece of 'take' (cake) and when we told her not to take it in the front room she left it on the threshold of the door & went in & wiped her hands on John's pants. When she wanted more she came out, took a bite, dropped the rest & went back in. She calls Daddy 'John' when he's in bed or down cellar & calls me 'Ellen' when she fails to get a response to Mummy.

We had a very quiet but nice Xmas & New Years. Seemed different but good to have the babies. More like Xmas.

Christmas 1951

January 13, 1952

Jan 16 - Nice sunny day today - took the two babies out. Hannie pushed Mary Ellen & I pushed John Jr altho I would have managed to get out without her help. It was just one of those days everything seemed to work out okay. All naps and feedings went off on schedule. The baby was very good - slept most of the time & Mary Ellen was very quiet - laying back enjoying her ride. It's so long since she had a ride in the carriage she really made the most of it. It was very icy & Slushy underfoot so they really had a bumpy ride."

These pictures in the snow were taken January 1, 1952

"Jan 17 - Rained today, couldn't go out at all. Went over to Madeline's tonight. The baby was sleeping soundly but Mary Ellen was still chirping away in the crib altho I had tried everything to get her to sleep. Daddy was baby sitter, said everything was very quiet. 

Jan 18. Mary Ellen & I walked down to the Stop & Shop today but it was too windy to take the baby out. He was good all day - fussy tonight. Made some biscuits today to try out the new stove. Mary Ellen was watching me roll the dough out to cut & called it bow wow, also pounded it with her dirty hands every chance she got. Every time John is in the bathroom she pounds on the door yelling 'man, man.' She's supposed to be saying milkman. Calls herself 'Me-me.'"

"Jan 19 - John Jr held his own hands today & it seemed as tho he really tried, it didn't happen just by accident.

Jan 20. Eileen brought her sister Mary out today. Dressed Mary Ellen up in her plaid skirt & white blouse, ribbon in her hair & she really looked cute. Very quiet when she saw all the strange faces but after they left - wow! She almost knocked the house down. I know I was down here & could hear her up over my head. John Jr held his rattle today. I put it in one hand & he reached with the other hand & held on for dear life. Seems to have some control now."

Mary Cooney was Eileen's younger sister - she was born in Kinsale about 1930. I don't know when she came out to the US. She was blonde and beautiful - it was her daughter, Mary Theresa, who was the cute baby I was enchanted with at Aunt Hannah's. Mary Theresa later married an Irishman from Sligo and moved there. One year when I was in Ireland with Patty, Richie and Jimmy we were in Drumcliffe Cemetery at William Butler Yeats' grave - we decided to try to find Mary Theresa - I had her address - but it started snowing and the snow got so heavy, we were lucky to get back to Mike Gill's house in Carrick-on-Shannon!

"Jan 21 - John bought a new radio today to replace the one Mary Ellen pulled off the table. Dropped in to see Aunt Nellie & Fred. They gave him his lunch & a fifth of Seagrams V.O. to bring home. Norman came in tonight & had a big conversation with the baby - he laughed & talked like mad. Did the same thing this morning at 3:45 when I had to get up and give him a bottle. Mary Ellen is going thru a climbing stage right now - it's nothing to find her sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. She almost drives me crazy climbing up on chairs, especially trying to get into the drawer where I keep the silver. Tonight she had her brush, comb & ribbon combing Jay Jay's (her doll) hair. She does everything to her babies that she sees me doing from feeding & burping to spanking & changing diapers. Having pretty good luck training her. 

Jan 23. Hannie & I took Mary Ellen & John Jr down the street today. The baby looked so cute - I had him all bundled up & all I could see were two little black eyes looking out over the top of the blanket. He was very good while we were out altho he fussed every time I stopped the carriage. He fell asleep on the way back. Mary Ellen was all bundled up in her carriage & was quiet as a lamb & cute as usual. Had to buy her a book. The baby holds his hands a lot now - also reaches for my hands and arms - pulls my hair, belts & collars. Mary Ellen's babies are always doing ding ding now & have to be powdered ('pow pow') & have clean diapers. They also have to have baths & 'din din.' Din Din consists of three or four jars, dishes & bottle which have to be continuously stirred with a spoon. Mary Ellen & I are busy all day long taking care of our babies. Tonight she called me after she went to bed & when I went in handed me a screw out of the crib. Hope it holds up thru the night. 

A taxi driver told me told me today a 'mob of people' were around the carriage admiring the baby while I was in the store.

Jan 24 - Very cold today - too cold for babies to go out but Mary Ellen couldn't understand that. She dragged her jacket, hat & scarf out in the middle of the kitchen floor saying 'walk, walk' and 'bye bye'. When I said no she cried & went in the front room & wouldn't look at me for a half an hour. Got into bed with Daddy for comfort. She got two bad falls today - one off the chair and one when she was going to empty the 'ding ding' out of the potty. She fell on the flat of her back but still held on to the pot - kept it up over her head the whole time. 

The baby was awake almost all day & went to sleep at 6:30 for the night. I wonder what ungodly hour he'll wake up. Mary Ellen was asleep at 8:30 so we had a very peaceful evening - seemed so long. 

Jan 25 - Nice out today - rushed & got the two babies out around 2:45. Wrapped Mary Ellen up in a blanket & put her in the front of the carriage. She kept throwing herself on top of the baby saying 'hi Jim'. Let her walk around the stores. Met Mrs McNamara & Mary Ellen & Janet and Carol were looking each other over. Mary Ellen was showing them her pocketbook.

Jan 26 - Rain - no outing today. Baby was fussy tonight. Mary Ellen has a cold. 

Jan 27 - Rita's birthday - raining - stayed home."