Lottie's Photos: Terry's Birth, 1942

 

This photo was taken when Terry was 18 days old.
Clearly, Dad was very proud of his son.

Mom first wrote in her diary that she thought she might be pregnant on July 22, 1941. My brother Terry was born after 13 hours of labor and weighed 9 pounds 5 ounces. Dr. Mell who delivered Terry said that “Terry was so big he was ready for school.” Months later Mom wrote that Terry never seemed helpless like her friend Ronnie’s infant girl.

Mickey Risoli agreed to be Terry’s godmother – a Catholic tradition and she filled that role until she died. She always gave Terry birthday and Christmas gifts and sent him birthday cards every year. I was always a bit jealous because Dorothy Menge, my godmother attended my christening but seemed to forget about me after that. I think the same was true for my sister Kathy.

As soon as Terry was born our father was determined to buy a house and not live in a rented home. He and mom started shopping for a house immediately and first saw their future home on Elsie Avenue in San Leandro on April 16^th, 1942 just one month after Terry was born. They finalized the purchase on April 19^th and soon moved in. They put $750 down and their monthly payments were $36 – that’s about what I pay to subscribe to the newspaper these days. The house cost $5250.

Terry was christened on May 10^th. All the family attended the event, particularly Mom’s Menge relations. Mom said he behaved perfectly during the ceremony.

When he was born, he had an umbilical hernia. The recommended treatment was to put a penny over the belly button and tape it in place. Mom never mentioned this again so I guess it worked.