Two Tales — October Memoir Challenge
I’m participating in the October Memoir and Backstory Challenge hosted by Jane Anne McLachlan. Yesterday’s post was about my infancy, Baby Speed Eater – October Memoir Challenge. For October 2nd, I have a post about age 2. If this looks like fun (it is!), it’s not too late to join us — the challenge is for 25 posts in October, so there’s room for some skipped days.
My mother loved to tell this story. When I was little, she found me playing on the shady side of the house in the dewy wet grass.
She said, “Well, Joy, why don’t you play in the sun?”
I looked up with a forlorn face. “I can’t reach it.”
Dad, Mother, Dale, and Joy. Family photo. 1964
Mother also loved to tell the story about this Life magazine cover. I didn’t know until last week when I was sorting through a box of photos and other ephemera in preparation for this memoir project that she actually kept the famous cover all of these years, with the story annotated in her beautiful handwriting.
It says:
Joy, not quite 3, saw this and said: “Look Mommy! He’s eating the brush.”
I’m still reaching for the stars. As for facial hair, I apparently like it since my husband of twenty years has had a mustache and beard the entire time I’ve known him.
What are the funny stories your parents tell about when you were little?
Those stories are precious! Kids really do say the darndest things. I’ve got a whole page on my blog where I keep track of the things my kids have said over the years, both the remarkably sweet and the funny. I know I wouldn’t remember them down the road otherwise and I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of hearing some of the things they said as kids when they are parents themselves someday.
I love these two stories of yours! It’s so sweet that your mom wrote what you said on that cover. I very briefly kept a small notebook for each of my two older kids in which I jotted down things they said and did. I found the books when we were decluttering and showed it to them – they loved them, and I found myself wishing I’d stuck with it for longer than I did!
Love the photos and the stories, Joy!
One time when my now 17 year old daughter was very young.. maybe between the ages of 3 and 4, she spotted some Halloween decorations in a store and there was a fake spider web set up near the ceiling. She said to my husband, “Look! A website!” LOLOL!
That is so funny — and such a modern variation on the kid’s say the darnedest thing theme.
Not only the stories but the photographs. You look like you are wanting to ask the photographer millions of questions if your mom would let you off the perch.
Thanks for sharing. I haven’t seen that picture in years.
I love the story about not being able to reach the sun, and i like the way you end, that you’re still trying to reach the sky! Aren’t family stories wonderful? behind the telling, there’s so much love in the remembering. I think children sense that when they ask to be told them over and over. Your post reminded me of some of the stories from my childhood. I’m finding this challenge brings such happy memories. Thanks for sharing yours.
Very sweet and funny stories! Nice Life Magazine cover that you still have! Sweet!!!
Funny stories! A sharp little girl, for sure.
Can’t reach the sun. Love it! And the picture made me smile–you were an adorable little girl.
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Lovely keepsake! I have a photo of me from a Czech newspaper. Apparently I won the most beautiful baby contest. Mom kept that clipping in the photo album.
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Your parents had the best glasses.
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Like that your mom made the note on the magazine. I wrote notes like that in books, etc. about my daughter, Dana.
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Love the playing with the sun one.
Mom tells me that I went missing as just past a toddler-age and she got frantic. Dad looked around from his roofing job and saw I’d climbed the ladder and was toddling around on the roof with him.
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