Childhood Memories Part I

My first memory of my sister, Sandi was when she was about 10 months old.  She was born 1 month premature.  People used to be surprised when she started walking at the age of 9 months.  For she was so tiny for her age.  She had chubby rosy red cheeks with unmanagble blond hair that always looked scraggly, no matter how my mother would try to keep it neat and bright blue eyes.  She was a happy baby who on this day wore red cordoroy overalls handed down from my brother, Ron who was a year younger than me.

It was like it was yesterday when I imagine it. The sun was out but it was hot out just a normal warm day in May of 1964.  I was excited because my mother was going to take us 3 kids to have our pictures taken after she got out of work from the shoe factory she worked at.  We had a babysitter who came to our old rundown house to watch us when my grandparents weren't available. She was very patient with me on this day, because I kept taking clothes out of my dresser and closet to try on what I wanted to wear. 

The huge mirror in the hallway near my mother's room is where I would run out and twirl around in what I thought just might be the dress for me to wear.  I don't know how many I tried on but I know that the sitter wasn't pleased with me for the mess I had made. 

The next thing I knew my mother came home from work.  I remember jumping up and down with joy.  I was gonna have my pictures taken!  I was babbling on to my mother asking her when we were going to go.  She finally got me to settle down and came out with .....we won't be going to day.  WHAT?  My whole world crashed.  I started to cry telling her that I wanted my picture taken.  She told me she was sorry but it wouldn't be today.  I ran upstairs to my room crying and screeching up a storm. 

I finally calmed down a little bit and went into my mother's room.  She had this nice vanity table that I loved to sit at.  I noticed off to one side a pair of sissors.  I picked them up and started cutting my bangs.  I heard the babysitter calling my name.  I jumped and hid the sissors behind my back.  She found me backed up against the vanity.  She took one look at me and there was total shock on her face. 

She yelled for my mohter.  I knew I was in trouble at this point and started with the tears.  My mother came in, saw what I did and just said, "how could you?".  I blurted out, "I wanted my picture taken".  She asked where the sissors were and I gave them up.  She tried to fix the mess I had made of my bangs.  She told the sitter to watch my 2 siblings while she got me into other clothes. 

She put me in a cute summer top that was red, blue, yellow, and green triangles with a white background and red shorts.  After she cleaned me up, hair combed and dressed she and the sitter took us outside near the field.  My mother had her camera with her.  She took my picture first with me standing in the field.  I remember making a funny face and my tongue hanging out.  My mother still has this picture of me. After that she took pictures of my brother, Ron and then all of us together.  I was pleased, I had my picture taken. 

My mother  took a picture of my sister, Sandi sitting down with her red overalls with a big smile on her face.  In the picture her hair is windblown. I can remember trying to pick her up and carry her, but she wanted momma.  Before I would let her go with momma, I gave her a big kiss on the cheeck.  She took the back of her hand and wiped it off and had the look of disgust on her cute little face. When my mother walked off with her she looked over her shoulder at me, as if to say "she's my momma".   

Sandi F.,

July 16, 1963 - August 22, 2008

Childhood Memories Part II - The haircut