My New Year’s resolution is to scan my son Ian’s baby photos. I studied photography at the Ontario College of Art so I was used to shooting photos and making a contact print and printing a few in the darkroom. At the time I had a darkroom in the basement but I remember being in the darkroom when Laura was a baby and having to drop everything to run for the baby when she woke from her nap. Being in the darkroom doesn’t fit in with being pregnant or nursing a baby. I kept on shooting but didn’t ever print. By the time baby #3 came along, I came to the realization that printing in the darkroom just wasn’t going to happen. We had moved and I no longer had a darkroom. So baby #3 I took the film to a lab and ordered a machine print of everything. I have some of Laura’s early photos printed and all of Douglas’ and Patrick’s (machine prints) but poor Ian, his baby photos have never seen the light of day.
One of Lindsay’s aunts by marriage sent us $25.00 towards the baby’s education — the baby was Laura. But we didn’t save the money, we bought a baby swing instead. It seemed like it would be more fun. Ian is beside the wood stove. The wood stove came with a name: Reginald — I think the stove came from Ireland. The stretchy sleeper has a nautical theme — navy blue with white trim and a sailor collar. The floor was newish. We didn’t have the quarter round down yet — that is a piece of Quarter round in the background.
Here we are in the backyard — it was about as big as a postage stamp. It was my first garden. We had torn down the garage to make more room. I am babysitting my friend’s son Bennie and my sister brought Russell over to play with Bennie. There is evidence that Ian and Laura have been out in the yard — the empty infant seat and the empty high chair. My sister must have come on the subway with Anna in the stroller. My bedroom slippers are in the backyard. Did I wear them out there?
We still have this hand knit white sweater made by Lindsay’s mother. I’ve given it to Laura for my grand children. It’s after a rain or maybe even during a rain.
