I am digitizing some photographs for my mother, and I found this picture that I just love. It’s my mother’s mother (in the middle) with her two sisters. They are standing with their children–the ones who were born at this point. By the age of the children here, I would say that the picture was taken around 1939-40. What is a little confusing is that nobody looks pregnant and two of them should have been pregnant around that time, unless there are tiny babies asleep just outside the boundaries of the pic!
The photo would have been taken somewhere in southwestern Michigan. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE!
From left to right: Vena with her two oldest daughters, then grandma (Lucille Edna Mulder Zuidweg) with my mom (Janet) and Uncle Don, then Dorothy with her two oldest. Each of them had another child after the first two.
I’ve written posts about my grandmother. Dorothy showed up a bit, too, because the girls graduated high school together. You can read about their graduation here and here and here. In this post, Grandma, Dorothy, and Vena are shown as children with their parents and one brother (again, the youngest had not yet been born). Grandma’s teaching contract from 1931 can be found here.
If you never read my posts about Grandma’s high school scrapbook, check out the links. It’s a gorgeous scrapbook from her graduation in 1929. She was Class Historian and her older sister Dorothy was salutatorian.
If anybody in the family wants me to post the names of the children here, I will add them to the post. Just let me know.
Isn’t my mom, the tallest one here, a cutie in her double-breasted coat?
The Family Kalamazoo 
Wonderful photo!
My first reaction was “Cousins!!” I have yet to write about my Clan of Cousins but we were numerous and in close contact throughout childhood. Those were glorious years.
Yes, you should definitely write about your cousins, Sammy! Yay, cousins!!!
How pregnant would the women have been? Are you sure those coats aren’t hiding a baby bump?
This is such a wonderful photograph—three sisters with their children. How precious a memory!
Thanks, Amy. I was thrilled to find it. Re how pregnant, it depends. How old do you think the littlest one is here?
I would say somewhere between 12 and 15 months since it appears that he/she cannot stand without support. At most 18 months, and at least 9 months!
I think two of the three women could be pregnant. The winter coats and the fact that the pictures are taken from the front can be very misleading. I have a couple pictures of my grandmother from 1942 when she was pregnant with my father and she would have been in the 5-6 month range, and unless you knew she was pregnant, you would not be able to tell. I think women were a lot better at hiding their pregnancies back then, at least until the last month or two.
D, you might be right about this. It sounds very plausible. Thanks for this perspective because it really makes sense since the dates don’t work out otherwise!
I am glad I could offer my viewpoint!
My mother graduated from high school in 1928, I think. I know she graduated from Connecticut College for Women in 1932. Wish I had some photos from that time.
Oh Janet, I wish you did, too. These photos we have in our family are such a blessing. Have you investigated any photos through the schools?
Luanne, this is truly a fabulous photo – and yes, your mom was the bomb in her coat!! What a treasure for you to have…I love that generation. Thanks so much for posting!
It’s really one of my favorite pix. I had never seen a photo of the sisters from that time period. Haha, that’s right, Mom was the bomb!!
I’m envious of your library of family photos. And yes, your mother is nicely dressed and seemingly well behaved for the photographer. All the other kids are pictured at odd angles, but your mother is facing straight toward the camera.
She was definitely a more serious child than my uncle, which you can probably see from his mischievous face!