Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Today is my mom's (and her twin brother's) third 23rd birthday. They were born in Sacramento at what is now Memorial Hospital. My grandmother moved from Point Arena down to the Sacramento area to live with her parents toward the end of her pregnancy in order to have access to better maternity care. Her obstetrician had no idea she was carrying twins...until they were born. Can you imagine?

This was during WWII, a time when many things were rationed. Metal was diverted for the war effort so buying appliances like washing machines was difficult. So when my grandmother returned to her tiny coastal town with her new babies, she was faced with hand washing cloth diapers for two babies. The story in the family is that some nice folks in town got together and were able to get a hold of a washing machine for her so she wouldn't have to do all that work. Isn't that a lovely story?

We have a picture somewhere of my mom and Uncle Bill sitting in their highchairs, crying, on their first birthday. There are little cakes sitting in front of them. Apparently the cake was too sweet for their taste and so they didn't like it. Sugar had been rationed since May of that year, so people weren't cooking with it much (and regardless, probably not feeding sugary foods to babies anyway). My grandmother had to save up enough sugar before their birthdays in order to make them each a cake. What a waste since they didn't even like it! (If I can find the picture, I'll post it here later.)

I'll be going to Livermore this coming weekend to spend some quality girl time with my mom to celebrate her birthday--Victorian house tour, dinner, and birthday spa treatment for my mom!