I mentioned my mother didn't like to play much, but she had her ways of letting us know who her favorite child was. No I'm kidding, but we did have some great memories.
I felt so special when she made me my very own raggedy Anne doll! She had measured it perfectly so it was exactly my height! To top it all off she even made me a matching outfit. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! She made the dresses herself with the black calico print fabric. We had matching white aprons too. Raggedy Anne had her special face and red head of yarn. I loved that doll. It was one of my favorites that I treasured to my heart.
I had a couple other favorite toys. I was a little older when the cabbage patch dolls came out. During that time I know that my cabbage patch doll was an absolute favorite. I remember one day, I want to say that it was Easter but I am not certain, but my mother called me in the dining room where the door was surprisingly closed. I had no idea what she wanted. I opened the door and there she was on the table with the camera, ready for my reaction. When I say on the table, she was actually on the table. My mother wasn't a crazy on the table woman so this was a shock to me. I first reacted in shock to my mother on the table but very quickly - almost that same instant became overjoyed and surprised at the cabbage patch doll surprise sitting with open arms in it's pretty yellow box. I was so excited. My very first cabbage patch doll and her official birth certificate. Her name was Lita Christa and she had brown hair in one ponytail. The outfit she came in was yellow. I loved her.
Years earlier I owned the ugliest doll ever, but I loved her so much. Her name was Mrs. Beasley! She had blond hair and glasses. Seriously, it was a crazy looking doll. Her body was blue with white polka dots. I am surprised I loved that doll so much seeing as how I absolutely detest polka dots. Polka dots to me are like nails on a chalkboard to others, they make me want to puke!! My body is shuttering just thinking about dots!! Mrs. Beasley though - her I loved. Ugly as she was. She had a pull string and would say different things that I can't recall. I really enjoyed a lot of the pull string toys. I remember my pull string Ernie from Sesame street. One of it's sayings was "You've got cold hands." I just thought that was funny. "How does Ernie know I have cold hands?"
My family had left me behind and went to Disney world when I was around 2 or 3. Maybe after Karri losing me in the mall, they didn't want to take their chances in a huge theme park in state across the country with hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. When they came home they brought me some gifts. One was the cutest stuffed Minnie Mouse I just loved. She had on a cute green outfit with a pleated skirt. She was one of my favorites I remember sleeping with her at night.
One Christmas I wanted to give something back to Santa. He was so joyful and generous, never asking for anything in return. I dictated a lovely note to my mother for Santa Clause thanking him for his gifts and offering him a gift he never asked for. Being a child with no money to purchase anything for Santa, I wrapped my precious Minnie Mouse for him. I was probably around 5 years old. I remember being sort of shocked on Christmas morning when Minnie was actually gone. I guess part of me thought Santa would know how much I loved Minnie, and thank me for the gesture, but leave Minnie for me. I missed Minnie, but I was glad that Santa would now enjoy her company!
My toy box was special to me. I had it since I was a baby. My mother took some padding and a vinyl type fabric and upholstered it when it had gotten a little warn. When she fixed it, it was so sturdy and comfy to sit on. It held all my treasures and was special because it had my mother's handy work in it. When I grew older, I stored it in my closet with my toys in it. When I needed quiet alone time, I'd lay on my padded toy box and close the closet doors and sit. I still had it for a while into my teen years. Then it stored all my board games I loved.
I had a really cute love seat that was child sized. I kept that for a long time. When I grew too old to sit in it I used it to display my dolls. It was antique and my mother had reupholstered it. she was pretty talented and creative. That was very special to me.
I adored my Dad, who was hardly ever home. He was a talented, hard working carpenter. Occasionally my mother had brought me out to see Daddy hard at work. I loved those times, but Dad was focused and didn't like to be interrupted often. He had these winter boots I thought were the coolest. They were black, they had a warm removable boot on the inside to keep your feet warm, and they had a silver buckle to close them. I walked around in them and pretended to be Daddy when he was home. One day my Mommy surprised me with my very own pair! Exactly like Daddies in my own size! She had a way of making me feel so special! It kept a little of Daddy close to me when he was away at work.
As a family we didn't go out too often. Occasionally we'd get a McDonald's treat. When I was in second grade my mother took me out, just her and I. We went to a movie and saw "Gremlins." I was a little scared, but loved Gizmo. I thought it was just so cool to get out with just me and my mother. Especially because it seemed at the time that my niece Erin got most of the attention, now that she was the youngest kid in the house. My mother taking the time out for me, that meant so much to me. I didn't even ask her to go, she just surprised me one day and we went.
Generally I had 2 favorite days of the year. Well, besides my birthday and Christmas. Holidays and birthdays were always special. Having friends and family over, all the delicious food. I loved the spread we'd have for Christmas Eve. The Portuguese finger sandwich rolls, they were so soft and delicious and filled with tasty salads like tuna or chicken. There was something special about those Portuguese rolls. I miss them. On Easter we always had that cool bread that somehow had a hard boiled egg in the middle of it. Fun traditions with food!
My first favorite day was setting up the Christmas tree. My mother always kept the day a big surprise. One day I'd come home from school and I'd see the Christmas tree box out. Yes we always had a fake tree. It was kind of an ugly tree. It didn't even attempt to look real. It was full, the branches were thick, and even hard to get decorations on, but it was our tree. I loved getting out all the old decorations. Remembering all the Christmases that had passed and opening all the ornaments that I had forgotten about all year it was like Christmas in itself. Knowing that Christmas would soon be hear just brought joy, excitement, and anticipation of school vacation.
My other favorite day was the day we set up our pool. I can remember walking home from school on a warm spring day. I could feel the breeze of spring. Taking in a deep breath I could smell the fresh clean smell of chlorine! "The pool is being set up!" My slow walk would turn into an excited run or even a skip as I joyfully would make my way home. I just loved to swim. I still just love the smell of chlorine. It may not seem like a normal pleasant smell, but to me it smells like fun and relaxing play. Clean and refreshing the smell brings me back to the pool. The smell alone takes me down memory lane. I can almost hear the trickle of the water splashing. I can almost feel that refreshing cool its wetness brings to my skin, hot from the summer sun's kisses.
Needless to say my 2 saddest days of the year were taking down the Christmas tree and closing down the pool for the winter. Even to this day, my husband tears down our Christmas decorations far before I'm ready to. I enjoy their beauty.
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