Memories

The other day I told my boss about one of the (many) hilarious things Nora had said recently.

Jose (janitor at day care): You're beautiful.
Nora: I'm not beautiful! I'm Nora! My hair is beautiful!

My boss told me to get a journal and keep track of all those funny things.

I have a blog! I said. Which got me thinking...

This blog started as a way to keep track of things that were happening in Nora's life and to share all about Nora with friends and family who were far away. Then it sort of morphed into a way for me to vent and share how hard I thought motherhood was. Now, we're mostly back to keeping track of things as this has become a stand-in for a baby-book. But as Nora starts to have memories of her own, I've started thinking more about what she will remember about her childhood and that has me thinking about my own first memories.

I think I have posted here before about what is likely one of my earliest memories: when I didn't want to take a nap and my dad (on the phone from work) told me if I put a dish of milk outside on the porch, while I was asleep a kittie would come and lick it up and it would be empty after my nap. Why this would help me sleep and wouldn't keep me up waiting for the kittie, I have no idea, but I know it is one of my earliest memories because it was before we had a cat of our own (and because I was refusing a nap!).

I have several other memories from my nursery school days (when I was when I was 2-4) including a strange memory of washing my hands, bobbing for apples, a bizarre piece of "playground" equipment that was kept inside (two ladders and a mat covered "bridge" between them), and the day my friends were telling me that my mom was there to pick me up and I got upset because I couldn't see her but really my friends had confused my mom with my friend Sophie's mom and HER mom was there to pick her up, not mine. I have a couple of other memories from that time period from summer camp including one about molasses, but that one's pretty vague.

All of this is to say, now that Nora is exhibiting signs of "memory" (like accurately telling us about things that happen at school), I am eager to find out what strange little nuggets get lodged in her head. I don't think she'll remember anything of LA, and I doubt she'll remember Olde Hickory, but I think she may remember her trip to Dutch Wonderland with Uncle Matt or maybe jumping on the "umbrella" at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. Possibly her first Barnstormers baseball game (9/3/11) or the first time she pooped (near, not) in her toilet (9/4/11)? Let's hope she doesn't remember the horrible period (thankfully recently ended) when she said "I dunno" before answering any question!