biography | Genealogy Lady

The Book of Me – Written by You is a weekly blog prompt created by Julie Goucher of the blog Angler’s Rest. This is a fifteen month writing project to highlight my life so that I will have something to leave behind for my descendants. Week eighteen’s prompt is First Present or Gift.

Can you remember it?
Who bought it for you?
Do you still have it?
Pictures or a description
Other special gifts?

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While I do not remember my first gifts and presents, I have a record of them. I recently liberated my baby book from my mother. Since I started the Book of Me project, I realized my baby book would be a valuable asset. I was born during an era when baby books were common keepsakes. I bought one for my first born but only half-heartedly filled it in. The second born wasn’t even that lucky. As I was looking through my baby book to find my first gifts, I was queried by the girl as to whether or not she had one. Sadly, the answer was yes, but no. I think it is stored in the garage with the keepsakes I have saved for her. She got over her disappointment quickly (OK, it was non-existent as she didn’t really care). However, her early life is recorded in other ways. We purchased our first digital camera weeks before she was born and a video camera soon after that.

But back to me! My first gifts were typical of any newborn, especially the firstborn. There were gifts of money, baby things and clothing but not really any toys. The money and the clothing are long gone. Two of the items were cups: one silver and one pewter. Over the years I have collected several items from my mother’s stash of keepsakes. She gave me one silver cup around the birth of one of my children, although she could not remember if it was mine or my brother’s. I vaguely remember the pewter cup and suspect I will find in amongst my mother’s things someday. I think that was the cup whose handle kept breaking. Another group of items I have acquired are the baby sweaters. As a knitter, I find them precious and I love vintage knits. At least one toddler coat and hat that I have in the collection were knit by my grandmother Gladys. Several sweater sets are mentioned on the page in the baby book. I have one set which I know must have been given to me (since it was pink). I don’t think it was ever worn as the booties were still attached together.