661 11/23/1950 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Thursday, November 23, 1950

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I thought of you all today as all of you were to be at Dahlstrom’s for dinner. I’ll bet you had a good time as well as a good dinner. We were invited down to Carlson’s and at first we thought we wouldn’t go because Dolores and Bob were going to be there. It has been two and a half years since we have spoken to them. Then Elmer’s dad came over the other night and asked us again to come so we decided to go. Dolores had mailed a present to the baby and I had just put off acknowledging it and I knew I had to either call her or write a thank you note so yesterday I finally went to the phone and called her. She talked along as though we had never had a fight so I did too and that broke the ice so that there was no strained feeling when we saw them over at Carlson’s today. She really put herself out to act especially friendly and she made a lot over the baby and I did the same with her two boys so we got along fine. Grandma Carlson had a nice turkey dinner. Florence and Art were there too. It was three degrees below zero this morning and the baby’s first outing but we really bundled him up and I was so glad to have the baby bunting that Gladys sent along with the other baby clothes. We walked down to Carlson’s, of course, since the car would never start in this weather anyway. I carried the baby and Elmer carried the bassinette. I also brought a pie and rolls and Jimmy and Mary took that stuff and the sled down. A terrible strong wind was blowing and the snow was piling up in drifts so it really seemed a lot colder than only three below. It snowed real hard yesterday and was quite warm out so the kids had lots of fun building snowmen yesterday but today they soon found out that it was way too cold to play outside. Jimmy didn’t stay down at Carlson’s long after we ate as there was nothing for him to do so he came back to the house and a friend of his came over and they played Monopoly. We all had supper at Carlson’s and came home about eight o’clock. I got along fine with Dolores today but I still would never see much of her because I would never know when she would decide to get mad at something again. Before we knew we were going over there for dinner I had ordered a capon for our Thanksgiving dinner. I had never seen one before but it looks like a small turkey and there isn’t nearly as much waste to it as there would be to a turkey. We will have that now this weekend. It looks like we are in for a long cold winter so it is a good time to be tied down at home anyway with a new baby. The baby is getting so fat and he eats so much pablum and drinks so much milk that I am anxious to start feeding him the other baby foods because then I think he will sleep at longer intervals through the night. So far he gets just starved about every three hours and during the day it doesn’t make any difference but it is hard getting up at night. Last night Elmer slept on the davenport and kept the baby out in the living room in the buggy and he got up with him every time so I had a wonderful night’s sleep. Elmer has been just swell about helping. He still makes the formula most of the time, although I do try to get it made during the day some of the time so he won’t have to start in on it after supper every night. He is out in the kitchen making it now. He wasn’t much help with my first two babies so I might just as well let him do some of the work now. I suppose the reason the baby doesn’t smile yet is because he hasn’t caught up to a full-time baby, but I will be so glad when he does start smiling because he looks so sad all the time. So far, every time he cries it is because he is either hungry or has to burp or is wet and when we check on all three reasons and fix up whatever is bothering him, he will just lie so good even if he isn’t asleep. Today, over at Carlson’s, he slept the whole time, just waking up once to eat. His hair is red. I wonder if it will stay that way. I had another letter from Mrs. Ellsworth and she certainly is enjoying herself. She said it is just wonderful to sit out on the porch in the sun and not have someone picking on her all the time. I wish she wouldn’t have to go back to Leila’s. Yesterday I called Parry Bonander and asked her if she wouldn’t like to spend the day downtown Christmas shopping or something and I would take care of Mark for her and she was very happy to do that so I had a chance to do a little something for her after all she does for me. Mark, her little boy, is awfully good and after I gave him his lunch I undressed him and put him on the bed and he put his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes and went right to sleep and slept for two hours and since the baby was also sleeping I got in a good nap too. I saw Edna Dahlstrom at school last Friday night and talked a couple minutes to her. She was very friendly as usual so I don’t think she is mad at anyone. I’m glad that Gladys wrote to her telling her side of the story. Mrs. Dahlstrom hasn’t called me for sometime now and I don’t think she will. Ralph is certainly a nut to tell Ruthie and Jeannie their mother doesn’t like them and things like that. That’s probably the way Mrs. Dahlstrom talks. Well Folks, I guess I had better stop for now. Elmer has finished with the formula and if I go to bed right now I should get in a pretty good sleep before the baby wakes up. Since Elmer has to work tomorrow I’ll get up during the night but Elmer takes over on weekends. I’ll be anxious to hear about your day together today and I hope you are all fine. With Love, Helen Pop, I’m always up now at five o’clock in the morning and I’m up for the day. At first I thought it was just terrible but then decided if you could do it I could too. You probably don’t get any more sleep than I do.