The background set is in honor of one of Barry's favorite things, MONEY!!

Barry at age 8 months, being bounced on Dad's knees--looks just like a healthy happy baby here doesn't he?

Here's Barry again somewhere between the ages of 2 and 3 yrs--sitting in his stroller showing some signs now that he is going to be different.

And here he is at about 2 years and 10 months, in 1965, staring off into space--makes you wonder where that mind is, doesn't it? That was only about a year after I was born, so little old me wouldn't have nearly begun to understand my sweet Bubba's thoughts and yearnings yet...that comes later!

Here's Barry in the summer of '67, sitting on the porch of our old house on Main Street (with another favorite box in those days, a Dairy Fresh Milk carton)...the house was located only a block from the river, and Barry dearly loved the water then (still does!) Well, that was fine when someone was around to look out for him, but the family still gets a bit wild-eyed when you mention the day Barry disappeared. He was sitting on the porch watching the world go by (just like he always did) when suddenly someone noticed he wasn't there anymore. I don't remember any of this myself, but I hear they began a frantic and frenzied search starting at the banks of the now frightening river--I'm not sure how long it was before someone finally found him sitting calmly on a neighbor's porch a few houses down, calmly watching all the excitement--laughing about it, even--though I am sure it seemed like an eternity!! Thank God he was safe!!

Here is a very early picture of me and my Bubba--I never did like getting my picture taken, and in most of them I was crying my heart out. Barry, on the other hand, can usually be seen laughing--part of this is that he does spend a great deal of his time smiling a secret smile or laughing a mysterious laugh, but partly it is due to the fact that he likes noise. When someone else gets fussed at or is wailing like I usually was, it seems to amuse Barry--even when the dogs get yelled at for something, Barry thinks it's funny and will let out a big laugh--maybe he's just glad it's not himself getting fussed at?

This was taken Christmas day 1968--Barry likes riding bikes--considering the amount of time it took for him to learn how to walk, it's pretty amazing that he ever learned the balance necessary for bike riding, but he is quite good at it!

Here's Barry in the fall of 1972, looking happy (again, big surprise--lol). He reminds me very much of my nephews in this pic--the same mischievous look upon his face--he would have been a little over 10 years old here--too cute!! At this point in his life, Barry had discovered the joy that could be had in picking on his little brother and sister--again, just like a normal kid! He would take things that belonged to us and hold them in plain sight waiting to be yelled at, or he would take his hand and place it palm down atop our heads and press down--he still does that with the twins--just waiting to be yelled at so he can laugh about it--what a joy my Bubba is!

I just love this picture!! I'm not sure when it was taken, but Barry is sitting on the couch with his head enveloped in one of those old fashioned hood-type hair dryers--obviously zoned out but still clutching a BOLD detergent box and I believe that's a Morton Salt box on the couch beside him--a favorite for as long as I can remember.

Some assorted pics of Barry--Mom was very good in those days of keeping professional portraits taken of the kids. In the latest one there, you can see the severe acne that plagued Barry for a great many years--I think it was due to some of the many meds he took--now he is on an acne medication, though, and he doesn't have the trouble he used to.

Here's one of Barry's birthday cakes--I love making special cakes for him--this one displays the Nabisco logo of which he is so fond. On other birthdays I have made him one with a Tide box, one with a very detailed Morton Salt box (with a fair rendition of the cute little umbrella toting girl done in decorator's icing), and a Reynold's Wrap box and Handiwrap box (those were both on one cake--a big sheet cake with the two oblong boxes on the top. It has always been a challenge making and hiding the cake from Barry to try to surprise him--I can remember all sorts of attempts to hide the cake from him, but he almost always seemed to know what was going on and catch a peek at the surprise cake.

I remember once about 5 years ago, the day before his birthday, Barry and I were in the grocery store. He knew that his birthday was the next day, and perhaps he was a bit worried he wouldn't get a cake, because he bought a cake mix and icing. Then he stopped off at the cake decorations--you know those little candy things you jazz up a kids cake with? Well, I forget exactly what he bought--I think it was happy anniversary or some such inappropriate thing, but it's my policy with Barry to let him pick what strikes his fancy. I even do this when we are picking out a card for a loved one--I always let him pick, and though it may be Mother's Day or a birthday, and his chosen card may say Happy birthday to my uncle's mother's parakeet (lol, or something equally insane), it isn't chosen at random--he peruses all the choices very carefully and picks one that meets his obscure criteria--since he can't read, words aren't important, and I feel like the care he uses to choose is more important that empty words, so Barry chooses our cards and everyone is delighted to get them, no matter what they say!

Here's one at that same birthday party, wearing one of his gifts (the hat with his name) and sitting at the table having cake with our Ma-maw. This must have been about 1985, since we lost Ma-maw in 1987. Ma-maw was one of Barry's all-time favorite people--stay tuned for a new Bubba story about him and his Ma-maw coming soon!!

Here's one last pic from that birthday, with a still cherished gift from that year, a ceramic Morton Salt cookie jar from his Ma-maw--she was always finding special little things like that for Barry--she was indeed the world's greatest grandmother!!

The Oldsmobile is Barry's favorite car in the world, and this is one we found at Food World one day when I happened to have my camera in the car.

Barry goes to craft shows with my mom and I, and he is, as always, my best helper--especially when it comes to keeping an eye on the money box for me!

Barry grins knowing he is about to get a scolding from Mom for playing with her glasses!

Bubba lounges on the couch admiring one of his boxes.

Barry doesn't especially care for babies--at best, he tolerates them--when my nephews were younger, he would endure their crawling on him for just a little bit, then he would gently push them aside and make his escape to a child-free area!