1924 "August 7th, Dear Diary, Well, at last she is here, a bit disappointing perhaps, but she is here. I can’t say that she is a pretty baby for she is anything but that; no hair, no “nothing”, just a red, scrawny, squalling bundle. I have no idea what to name her. I might us the old Indian style of naming her after the first thing she notices, but you never can tell what she might pick on; she doesn’t seem to show the least sign of intelligence; and besides that the doctor might get impatient waiting so long to file the certificate for I’m sure it would be long. Really, diary, I’m at a loss to know what to do.” “August 8th, Dear Diary, This afternoon my sister Leah came to get a look at “The darling” and give some valuable advice (as spinsters usually do.) She did her best to try to solve the problems of naming my child. I really believe she wanted her named after herself for she went so far as to suggest that I name her after one of her many aunts (for she has six). If she did have any such a desire it was short lived for just then the nurse brought the baby in. Leah took one long look and turned around with the most agonized expression. Mumbling something about having some shopping to do and that she was sorry she couldn’t help me, she grabbed her hat and left at once.”“August 9th, Dear Diary, today the nurse found Ann Elaine (for that is what we decided to name her; Ann, named after myself and Elaine because it was the only name we could find that we wouldn’t be offending someone by naming her after them.) on the edge near the foot of the bed though she had left her in the middle near the head of the bed not five minutes before. It is the most mysterious thing for a three days old baby to be creeping about in such a fashion. The nurse insisted that someone had moved her but I with a mother’s heart wanted my baby to be of some earthly good (even if it was to be a strong woman in the circus), clung to the idea that Ann had moved herself. The nurse who very stubborn in her belief, after putting Emerson through the “third degree” obtained a confession that he had moved her…..” 1926 (Entries skip to this year) “April 5th, Dear Diary, here we are in Jackson, Michigan and such a time we had getting here! The roads are terrible! I haven’t seen the house we are to live in as yet, but I am so weary tonight that I couldn’t tell whether I like it or not. Between the boys fighting and Ann Elaine’s crying it is a wonder I am sane. Maybe I’m not. Insane people usually think they are sane. I shall be glad when we are out of the hotel and settled once more, and I hope it will be for good!” (While at the hotel she talks about Ann Elaine taking off and when she found her she had gotten a mans overnight case and was playing with everything in the bag. They then move to Cadillac in 1927. The diary then skips to 1929)1929 “September 3rd, Dear Diary, School at last for Ann Elaine. In spite of coaxing and promises she yelled and screamed when I left her and spent the rest of the day pouting and making others miserable. Her tales of her first day of school were not too accurate, and most of them were either exaggerated or out of the question.” (Again skips to 1934) 1934 "July 4th, Dear Diary, it seems so quiet around here this evening without Ann Elaine. We took her to camp near Muskegon for a four weeks vacation. This is the first time she has ever been away from home; she seemed just as glad to go as we were to take her. I hope she doesn’t get homesick because I am planning one of the most peaceful four weeks I have ever spent.” (There is an entry for 1936 and one for 1938 when they take a trip to Niagara Falls. Then the last entry is the one below) 1940 "August 7th, Dear Diary, This is Ann Elaine’s sixteenth birthday. As I think back over the years I am reminded of the many little things she has said and done. Some are happy memories and some are not, although none of them are bad enough to wish that they had not happened, for variety is what people thrive on. She has always done fairly well in school and has made it her business to have a good time. It has been sixteen years, diary, since she was so small, and soon she will be out taking care of herself. She wants to take up stenographic work when she graduates. Both Winston and Emerson are married. I wonder what this life holds in store for Ann Elaine.”