Sis and I are helping Mama sort thru her enormous tub of pix. We’ve worked on it twice now. But both times, we got sidetracked! First time, we watched old VHS of my girls and I in Alaska. That was so wonderful! I had tears in my eyes, a lot of the time.
Because most of what I remember for the first year, was lying on the couch, too exhausted to move. I’d have their Daddy make up a lot of bottles, and sippy cups, before he left for work. Then when they woke up, we’d all come downstairs. I’d make 3 bowls of oatmeal, and for lunch, I’d drag myself back into the kitchen for more oatmeal. I did change the baby’s diapers, but barely raised my head.
It didn’t help my memories that DD1 has told me before that she raised DD2, by herself, since she was 2.
We moved to Alaska when DD1 was 2, and DD2 was 3 months old, May 1989. DD1 did have to get her own sippy cups, and sister’s bottles out of the fridge. And if they wanted a snack, she got the graham crackers out of the cabinet.
I’ve felt guilty for 32 years, for being a horrible mother. Now, the video evidence proves that wasn’t the whole truth. Thank God for that video!!
I made us 3 matching Christmas dresses. I took them out to the porch to play. I let them play by themselves, sure. But that didn’t hurt them. I was always physically there.
I did have a physical problem, or 2, I eventually found out. Their dad was so tired of my lethargy, that after nearly 6 months, of the struggle, he told me to get to the Dr, and find out if I had a medical reason for my exhaustion, or get up and quit being lazy.
Well, turns out, my thryroid had completely quit functioning. And I had SADS, on top of depression. So yeah, I had multiple reasons to be laid out on the couch. Medicine for the thyroid situation, and antidepressants, did me a world of good! Oh, and did I mention I’d had a C-section, and still lingering weakness??
After the meds all kicked in, I was doing so much better!! I’d take the girls to “the mall”, the base grocery, post office, general store, and snack bar. Every time, they begged for chocolate donuts!! Which they promptly received of course! And I got the biggest, iciest Coke available!!
We went to play group, had play dates at the house, I began sewing more, and we even went out on the tundra, and picked tundra berries!! No pix, cuz the lady we went with had a baby too! All of us were flat on our tummies, in the cold grass, picking tundra berries, the size of the tip of my pinky!!
We both made jam, and I sent most of mine home in the tiny baby food jars, for presents. Everyone loved it, and begged for more!! Of course they did, there was 5 lbs of sugar for every lb of berries, I think!! lol
This pic was taken right before we left the island. Baby was put in the sled too, but she wasn’t having ANY of it, and crawled away! Oh well, DD1 enjoyed it!
I’ll write more of our Alaskan adventures another day.
Back to Mama’s to get more pix, first tho!
