Letters from Baba

August 10 1948

Happy Birthday Partner —

Well, well, and another well, a birthday spent again with your old man & family — This year our clan has grown, with Shirley bringing to us, after long last — a son — so dear we gather today to make merry and wish that with time and a few more birthdays, we will see our small beginning, grow into a large happy family —

Our new son no doubt is very confused, being newly married, and suddenly finds himself in our midst, a factor that would confuse anyone not used to our way of life — and living —

Today honey, we need not go over the many years we all shared in growing up, and still not letting our most important thing in our married life ever wane — Love, love for each other, and a deeper love, that grows with the years, which is not passing — the love of our children and the love to do unto others as we want them to do unto us —

Believe me when I put into words that the "Gates of Heaven On Earth were opened when you came into my life"

Our partnership has never been a written contract, just a mutual agreement between two people who sealed it with a kiss — today it gives me pleasure to buy for you an item that you really liked & wanted — if it were spun in gold & silver & finished with jewels it still wouldn't mean anymore to you, if it were given without love, and believe me it just "oozes" with my very best —

Today Hedgie we all wish you health, happiness, and the faith in all that is new to you — time and years will still always be on our side, to temper our outbursts and to offset the many heartaches of the past —

Our past will never be taken from us, our present is always with us come what may for the day —

Our future will be the joy & happiness in watching our children grow up, and with God's help, may we never fail them — all we have done, all we are doing & all that we will do — is mostly for them —

We again say honey — Love & Kisses

Al

— Friday November 11 1949 —

Happy Six Month Craig —

Well all of us cannot realize that you are now 6 months old today, seems like yesterday, when we saw you for the first time, just a few minutes old, by our time, our earthly way of keeping watch on the everlasting — for even though you came to us as an infant, you were as old as the universe, for I believe that in your being through & down the ages some part of you was in existence — hence this very deep message to you — for when we look at you, we marvel at the perfection of creation — down to your little tiny toe —

Craig when you look at time we wonder, for here I am your mother's daddy writing you a letter with reason only as method to putting it down in writing — for without it (reason) I couldn't even write, or talk to you — so to me reason is utmost to us all — mine is 2 x 53 or 106 plus 6 months or 107 times longer here on earth than you — just 107 times — while your mother's is only 2 x 22 or 44 times — but that doesn't mean I'm 3 times brighter than she is — her brains, her thinking and her future are all hers, maybe a lot better than mine — for I do believe that as we succeed each other, each generation is brighter & the brain more developed —

My picture of myself painted in my own mind has been drawn in vivid colors and I've been everything own to man — beggar, poor man, rich man, strongman, the leader of an army, even president, all of these are castles we build in our minds playing games, with ourselves, all of this to build up, for something we missed along the road of living —

Today you have two strong teeth and a little more hair on your head, your voice is strong & like a boys — not at all like the voice of your mother's as a baby — just being born a boy makes your future different, you'll have to depend on yourself to acquire things & do the things you want — being born a boy means effort on your part, for no one will treat you to lunch, dinner or shows, dances or anything — this comes only to those born girls — girls have it on a platter from baby days to womanhood only if they have something on the ball for believe me I seen many who have been looking for a chance to go out and be treated like a queen —

(2) So Craig you must grow up to learn how to take the good & the bad, sort of building up from the moment you learn to reason things out for yourself, that life and success come only to you in return for what you give to our system of society or living — being a good Christian & praying for help from God is wonderful, but as a human being you must go out 100% to do for yourself — the help of others comes only to those fortunate enough to be born to riches, and by succession inherit a fortune or business but this is where people like us come in — we are born strong, born with millions of years of striving to better ourselves that have given us the gift to better this world by thinking & inventions, the money comes from those who have inherited the wealth of the land, but not the strength & power to carry on — wealth has hurt families born to power by giving them offspring weak and unsound of mind, without courage and the ability to grow up with his brother & neighbor —

Craig your heritage is in your strong little body — your whole being even at 6 months, shows character, intelligence and strength — with parental guidance & a chance, you will climb to high estate maybe not with worldly wealth, but with the love & friendship of your brother & neighbor, you will be a leader among men — to become this leader, you must think, and resolve to go all the way without a free ride on someone else's back — do all of this on your own & with a little boost & a pat on the back from mother & dad, as well as a shove from Grandma & Grandpa, you'll find success — Your Aunt Birdie will have her hand in all of our efforts to bring all of these dreams to completion & fullfillment —

At 6 months you have learned many new things, laugh & sing, baby talk & reaching for things you want, turn over & doing your best to stand & walk — this past month you learned [?] to sit at the table in your high chair, also ride in your little push cart — in fact you are doing so much more than at 5 months —

(3) Wonder Craig how the next month will fare for you, this one gave you a couple of jabs in the arm — some dope to keep you free from disease that is dangerous to babies, as well as vaccine for smallpox — upset you for a night, but you came up smiling the next morning — took you for a long walk yesterday & our morning & evening walks about the garden, are a treat for me — I am teaching you all about the beauty of the growing things, the trees, birds, bees, flowers, the sky, & the beautiful hills surrounding our home — You are very delighted with them all even to grabbing at leaves & flowers that you put to your mouth to eat — this we watch very carefully for some of the things that grow are not always nice for us — just like our fellowman — some are not nice for us & we must avoid them, they too can poison & upset us — time will teach you how to judge the good from the bad — we all learn sometimes by pain — those little sticks in the arm hurt you, the pain is forgotten, but the effects remain — these effects were for your good, hence the pain was worth the while —

We just heard your father's voice of much "resonance" over the air, hope that someday he will reach his goal this will come to him if he keeps on trying — all of his efforts are for you & your mother —

At this moment you are all dressed up & playing on the floor — just rested your head on your hand & elbow — looked so grown up — Grandma called me to watch you rest your chin that way — also checked you straining so figured we missed putting you on your little "Toydie" [? probably a Toidey potty seat] —

Off now to dress & take you to see your Daddy — at work — so bye for now Craig — write you later, Love Grandpa

We did take you to see Daddy at work, also took a few pictures of you at the Station — conditions today for color photo's not so good — hope they make your scrap book — You are now eating & coughing (the cat cough) We will now say — a better six months to you Craig — Grow up, Grow strong, Grow Big

Kisses & Love "Gramp"

[front] Dear Craig — grow up with dignity

[printed] But I'm sure this here's the day, by cracky!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY on your 16th 5/11/49 —— 5/11/65

Dear Craig — 5.11.65

Nana & I are very proud of you and also very blessed to have shared with you the formative stages of your life —

Today spells out for us the happiest sixteen years of our life — for you have given us much joy, pride, and happiness —

Maybe it is difficult for us to realize that the tiny baby boy, from that May 11 1949 — would grow up to be so tall and so healthy — Your father & mother and sister must feel deep down inside that God has been very good to all of us —

If you were born a girl, this birthday would be very important, as a sixteen year old girl would be given a party — as this occasion for a girl would be likened to a bud that will soon flower to womanhood —

A boy just grows up & when he is twenty-one is given the rights of grownups —

So Nana & I wish you much happiness, much love and ever so much more, as only grandparents can —

Your final year of High school is before you, face the test with courage, faith and a true belief in yourself.

All of our blessings, Nana and Baba