Random Stuff...

I've been feeling nostalgic lately, for whatever reason. Thinking back to younger days, childhood memories, favorite family moments. Don't know if it's because Emerson is getting a little older, and starting to get interested in "big girl things". I gave Emmy my baby bed from my childhood, complete with my name hand-painted on the side by my Mom. I thought of repainting the bed before I gave it to her, but couldn't bring myself to paint over the stuff that has been there for 30 years. One day, I hope Emmy will think it's cool that her Mom's name is there, because she'll know the history of her toy. I love that so many of the decorations in our home came from the homes of our parents and grandparents. I love it when they come to visit, and say, "Oh! I remember that!", and then maybe share a story about an item that we didn't know.

Emerson has 3 living great-grandparents, and I think of how incredibly fortunate she is to have that, along with 4 living grandparents. I want Em to learn the history of their lives, and what amazing, interesting people they are! I've been thinking of ways to bring some of that history to her, and have seen some really neat ideas online for family scrapbooks that grandparents help fill out. If only I had a day (or four) to sit down and focus on this.

I was thinking of birthdays, since Em's was just last weekend. Remembering birthday cakes, and how my Mom always had a cake made that reflected our varied interests. I don't think we EVER had a store-bought cake, and I am incredibly biased about not having one for Em. I remember my brother's Inspector Gadget cake, and my Ms. Pac-Man cake, and my Gram's cake with yarn & cats & tea cups. Obviously, they made a big impression, and I can literally visualize those cakes all these years later. I want to make those kind of memories for our little girl.

I've been thinking of family traditions, and what will become our family's traditional activities. Growing up, my brother and I could always count on Gram's sage dressing with the turkey at Thanksgiving, a ham at Easter, and making/decorating butter cookies for the holidays. We went together to cut down our Christmas tree, went to the public library weekly, and Gram always made us popcorn on the stove while we watched Wheel of Fortune together. We usually took a trip over Spring Break, and those are some of my favorite memories. I still get a smile on my face when I hear "Jump (for my Love)" by the Pointer Sisters, as I can visualize my family driving down the causeway in Clearwater, Florida...heading to the beach. I often wonder what memories will be so clear in Emmy's mind when she is my age. Which of our family's traditions will she want to incorporate into her own family one day?