The 21st on the 21st - The Baby Brother

21 years ago around this time of year my Mother was feeling very large. I was probably anxious because my Mum was going to Hospital and I would be stuck with Dad doing my hair. She'd already had a few months in hospital as the kid was causing her problems. I didn't find this fun, I think my locks in the school photo from that year are refelctive of his inability to master the art of the compulsory up do (for students who had hair that sat below the collar.) There was a precise way Mum did it. The ponytail was not too high, not too low and there were no bumps. Dad was probably worried that I had said, if Mum had a baby boy we should throw it in the river, because we only wanted girls.

On the 8th of November, after finishing school for the day (approximately 6ish if my memory is correct) Gran, Grandpa, Sarah and I excitedly jumped in the little red car and made a mad dash for the hospital to see Mr James Leonard Donald Anderson a recently arrival. We stopped off at the Freemasons Hospital to pick up a gift for the new born. I chose a small grey elephant and my sister selected a blue hippo. Once at the hospital, I don't know if we were terribly impressed (see here.)

Obviously I changed my mind about putting the baby in the river. The story goes that bringing James home from hospital (who I had decided should be called Jesus, not James) Mum pulled over at the Yarra River. My response was "Mummy why are we stopping here." Mum: "Well you said if the baby was a boy you wanted to put him in the river, so here you go: put him in the river." A now horrified Emma, "Oh no, I think we'll keep him for a bit and see how he goes." Not sure about the numerous religious references (I think I had started going to Sunday School with the boys up the road.)

We have kept the Kid for nearly 21 years. He would be too big to put in the river now, given Melbourne's water shortage. The posts below are some photos taken on the evening of his 21st Birthday at the Basement Apartment, on the 21st of October 2006.