MOM�S BABY BOOK
On December 20th, 1913, my grandmother began a baby book for my mother. She entered my mother�s name �Johann Saemann�. (See my note below.)
One might ask why I made a web page for my mother�s baby book? I found the book charming. Not really knowing my grandmother, I was delighted to read her remarks about her daughter, in her own hand, describing her babyhood, her clothes, her weight and health, the gifts on her birthday, her first Christmas, and it all springs the imagination to a very different, but nonetheless real, time.
This baby book gives us some little glimpse of the family life. My grandmother�s mother, Mary Althea, was long deceased, but her twin brother, James Sheldon Griffin, made a visit in 1914. The family owned an automobile; Grandma had a red clock. There was a nursemaid in the home, perhaps that was the �Aunt Margaret� who gave a baby present. We see a reference to a baby�s �short clothes�, putting a baby �into� them and wearing them until a certain time. In those days a baby would �creep� � not crawl.
Mom�s baby book is small and thin, with four-color illustrations of babies typical of early 20th century artistic style. The front cover has gold lettering. On many pages are poetic selections written by Mrs. Osgood, Byron, George Cooper, and Tennyson. All that is presented below are my grandmother�s words.
Joann Saemann
Born 25 June 1913
Oak Park, Illinois
THE BOOK
Baby�s Childhood Days
� A Biography �
Date of Birth � June 25, 1913 1:20 A.M.
Place of Birth � Monroe St Hospital Chicago.
Time of Birth � Twenty minutes past one in the morning.
xxx
Mother�s Autograph
Laura Charlotte N. Saemann
Baby Presents:
Aunt Iva � Hand made dress
Mrs. Jackson � Hand embroidered carriage robe
Clara Hilton � Hand embroidered pillow cover
Mrs. Adam � Crocheted jacket
Grandma Saemann � Crocheted jacket
Aunt Margaret � Silver spoon
Mrs. Owen and Gladys � Silver spoon
Mrs. Carroll � Carriage cover
Mrs. Martin � Bib holder and ribbon ornament
Mrs. Rogers � Hand made bib
Grace Rogers � Hand made cap
Beatrice Baker � Hand made cap and tucked cap
Baby�s Weight and Height at Birth:
9 pounds 2 ounces at birth
One Month � 9 pounds
Two Months � 10-1/2 pounds
Three Months � 11 pounds
Six Months � 13 pounds
One Year � 16-1/2 pounds
Two Years � a few ounces less than 24 pounds.
Baby Creeps � January 15th, 1914, creeps backwards.
Baby Stands Alone � About eleven months old, would stand alone when no one was around.
Baby�s First Steps � July 1st, 1914.
Baby�s Short Clothes
Joann was put into short clothes about the middle of January [1914]. She wore her first short clothes until after [her brother] John was born past 2-1/2 years of age.
Baby�s First Tooth
November 27th, 1913, age five months and two days. The second tooth one week before Christmas, no particular trouble.
Baby�s First Word
On February 14th, 1914, �Tick-Tick� when she saw and heard mother�s red clock. She whispered words at first.
Baby�s First Christmas
Stocking hung up with the rest and in the toe was a gold and pearl locket and chain. During the next summer, she �got to biting on the locket and finally swallowed it - we suppose.� She also received, silk stockings, shoes, and a dress, books, dolls, beads (many kinds), kimono, and toys � a little lamb.
Inside the baby book on the Christmas page, are two gift tags. One was to �Johann� from Mrs. Owen and Gladys. The other was Merry Christmas greetings to �Jim� Hill �II� from Johann Saemann (this one written by my grandmother). [Who was Jim Hill II?]
Baby�s First Birthday Party
�Baby doll� had a cake and one candle. Daddy was gone to a medical meeting but Uncle J.S. [James Sheldon Griffin] helped eat the cake. Gifts were: a rag doll, blocks, go cart, pillow, balls, sash, and hair ribbon, etc.
Baby�s Health
Joann was strong and well but didn�t gain much in weight till about 5 months old when she was weaned and did better after that. She was very small; wore number three shoes till 2-1/2 years old, but �looked fat and well and slept like a lady every night.� The winter John was born, Margaret would bring her in from play and give her a lunch about 10 o�clock and be awake for the p.m. and happy as could be.
Events in Baby�s Life
The greatest event in all this baby life was the arrival of her �my [w]own baby�. For months she couldn�t get used to her adored baby John. When 2 years old her greatest pleasure was going �bye� in �my papa car� or �my mama car�. In August 1915, Daddy took Jo. and mother to Fields all alone early in the morning and Jo visited the toys from 8 till 11 o�clock. (1st trip down town). In August 1914, took first trip (a boat trip) to Sturgeon Bay Wis. Joann was very very sick both ways; stopped at Grandma S�s on way back. First visit to Sheboygan.
Baby�s Outings and Journeys
1st journey was home from the hospital. Daddy and all the children - Elizabeth, Franklin, and Charlotte - came down in a limousine and mother and Joann came home to celebrate the 4th of July - age 9 days. Was very good all the way home.
Baby�s Pets
Little yellow chickies: papa chickies, mama chickies. Loved kitties but was always afraid �a naughty dog bite my clean dress�.
Baby�s Bright Sayings
�Moner� - Mother
�Daddy�
�B� - Eliza(be)th
�Boy�, �Shrankin� - Franklin
�Chlarla� - Charlotte
�Zo Za�, �Jo� - Joann
�Margie� - Margaret
�My �wown� baby�, �Moner wown baby� - John
�Red lamb� - white lamb with red standard
�Noder lamb� - horse on a black standard
And thus ends the baby book of my mother.
It is very curious to me that my grandmother would have named her baby, and referred to her as, Johann, which I have always seen as the German male equivalent of John. Later in the book, she is referred to her as �Jo�.
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