Document Type

Personal Letter

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Transcription

[Transcription begins]:

Wednesday, 0900

Dear Mom,

Well here I am a Papa! Dottie is doing fine, and so is Leslie. Gosh she’s so cute, she looks just like me. Dottie started to have small labor pains Saturday morning, But they were very mild. About ten o’clock Saturday night they started getting worse so I called Doctor Feulner and he said to take her to the hospital. We walked over, it’s only about half a block. As soon as we got her to bed the pains really began to come, and by one o’clock she was in hard labor. They sent me out of the room then and at three o’clock she went whizzing by on a stretcher to the labor room. Things really began to pop then. The nurse came runnin’ out about fifteen minutes later and called Doctor Feulner, said that Dottie was “bulging.” The Doctor came in about five minutes and before you know it I was a father. At four ten the nurse came out and said, “You have a daughter.” I’ll never forget those words. I would have given my instrument card for a Scotch and Soda then! Dottie was a riot when she came out of the delivery room, she was still under the ether. She kept asking what it was and they kept telling her a girl and she’d say oh-oh my husband won’t like this. She must have done that a dozen times. The nurses were in hysterics. She acted just like she was stewed. They brought the baby in as soon as they could, in about five minutes. Boy was she little, she still is come to think of it. She’s got the cutest dimple in her chin. She [has] about a half inch of hair, very dark. She’s going to be a brunette like her Papa. She opened her eyes Monday, they look very dark to us. Dottie is nursing her, Feulner demands that of his new mothers. It hurt her like the devil at first, but she’s getting better now. She started giving milk yesterday.

The Doctor said that if it had been anybody else but Dottie, She wouldn’t of [sic] had the baby until Sunday afternoon. She took your advice honey and pushed for all she’s worth. She didn’t holler once, I’m very proud of her. I can see Dottie any time between nine in the morning and nine at night. I took the day off Monday so I was with her all day. I see her for an hour at noon and from four thirty until around ten in the afternoons. They don’t throw me out until the ten o’clock feeding.

We got our house on the project today, I’m going to move us in this weekend. Dottie won’t be out of the hospital until the 24th. I don’t think it will be much longer until we get discharged now that Leslie is here. Dottie can’t travel for a month at least so we won’t be able to come home until then.

How is every one at home? I do hope Bobbie is feeling better. Give her our love. And I want to thank you all for the wonderful Layette you sent us, I don’t know what we would have done without it. I go[t] your third package yesterday. The lighter is simply wonderful, it will look sharp in our new house. I always wanted one of those too. And thanks for the sheets honey we sure needed those. We were able to get two here in Selm[a] but that’s all, now with your two we have all we need, thank you ever so much honey, you’re too good to us. I want to send you the money for the sheets so please tell me how much they were. Those things you made for my little girl are beautiful honey, gosh I can’t thank you enough.

Well honey I guess that’s all the news. I hope every[o]ne is fine at home. Give our love and warm thanks to everyone, you were all so sweet to us and we will never be able to thank you enough. Dottie and Leslie send you a big kiss and a hug, [L]eslie said she was very anxious to meet you all.

Take care of yourself honey, I hope we’ll be seeing you soon! I love you, take a heartful of love from—

Your devoted chillins

Dottie, Judd, & Leslie

XXXOOO—Papa

XXXOOO—Mama

Xxxooo—Baby

[Transcription ends]

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