If I Ever Forget

As I sat opposite my daughter in the restaurant, I found myself wondering how she had gone from this bright little 6 year old…

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to this beautiful young woman…

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in what seemed like no time at ALL!

We hadn’t had a mother/daughter day for some time, what with life and all. So I asked her to lunch yesterday, and was happy that she accepted. After all, who wants to hang out with their mother at age 19?? Of course, there was a faint, unsaid whiff of heavy shopping in the air, and my daughter is not one to miss a trick.  As I said… she’s very bright!

On the way, I heard a song on the radio. It was ‘You’re Gorgeous’ by Babybird. #90sThrowback

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Even though the lyrics were decidedly inappropriate, she used to sing along to it, as a toddler. Of course, at that age she had no idea  what the lyrics meant, and could only manage “You’re Dorduss” with the cutest lisp ever!

It got me thinking about all the things I wanted to remember about those precious years, before she got all independent and unhuggy. Things I really, really want to be able to remember, but struggle to recall over the years. These are just some of those memories, and I hope that if I ever forget, I can come here and be reminded of those precious early years with my daughter.

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I remember how she would demand to get out of the bath, because her hands were “all frinkly!”

How she would clip-clop up and down the garden in my ‘big’ shoes, wearing out the heels like a demon. I never had the heart to take them from her. Hey, I had no social life then, anyway!

From her first birthday, she used to do ‘Funny Face’ on demand. This involved intense gurning, grimacing, and staring the glazed stare of a maniac!

Something like this:

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How she would sing “Snack Pom, Snack Pom” along to Tom Jones’ song, ‘Sex Bomb!’ I never did find out what Snack Poms actually were. I bet they are delicious!

Sometimes she would kiss my cheek in public; and on noticing that it made me self-conscious, home in on that fact, like an SAS-trained baby eagle, and attack me with crazed kisses, until I got some very weird  looks! Thanks for that one, daughter of mine!

How she would drop off to sleep by clutching my hand, and digging her sharp little nails in underneath my nails. All Sugar and Spice, little girls!

She was very nervous with strangers, and usually hid behind my legs, pulling at the material of my clothes. Awkward when trying to converse with the neighbours!

Once I found her, suspiciously quiet, in her room, surrounded by ‘sand’. She’d found my bag of masonry plaster, and strewn it all over the floor. “Look Mummy. I made a beach!” she beamed.

How she loved to eat ‘broccoli trees’ and ‘thauthages’ for dinner.

How she would always stand right in front of the TV when watching ‘Barney the Dinosaur.’

That we used to sing ‘I love you, you love me’ every night before bed. Yes, Barney again!

How she used to do impressions of family members, from age 3. “Look like you, Grandad!” is a familiar saying in my family!

She used to fling her arms out wide, proclaiming “Mummy, I love you BIG!”

How she used to kiss the TV screen when Barney was on. Yes, Barney, again again!!!

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These are just a few of a million cherished moments with my firstborn. I may not always remember everything in full technicolour, but I pray that the imprints of a child much loved, will last forever.

 

Daughter: if you are reading this, I love you BIG, now and then; and I will strive to remember! ❤