March 5, 2013

The Old Homestead

I'm one of the few who moved away (all of the the 5.3 miles between my folks' house and Wake Forest University) freshman year of college and never really came home again.  I think I can count on both hands the number of nights that I have spent there in the last ten years.  So, to find myself back at my old homestead, with my own child in tow, was sort of a strange experience. (Although, we were most grateful to have a place to stay while our house was under construction!) Clara settled right in and had a blast.  And I cannot tell you how deep my joy was to watch her playing in my house with my toys. It wasn't that long ago that we cleaned out my old room and I remember saying, "Should we save these things?  Just in case I have a baby girl some day?"  Boy oh boy am I glad we did.   I didn't remember to snap any pictures of it until the last day we were there, so these are all from one day.  But it's a fairly typical day of our three weeks there.

 She slept in my old crib (which was Big Daddy's old crib, really.  Safety guidelines?  Pshaw!)


And played with my old toys (some of which were Sweet Mama and Big Daddy's, too.)



 She pushed my baby doll stroller around (this is what I learned to walk behind back in the Spring of '82):


And rode on Uncle Trey's "Rawhide" (again, please - pay no mind to current safety regulations.  This thing is a death trap.  A very entertaining death trap.)


She cooked in my play kitchen...


And played in my cul-de-sac, with my sweet mama (her Sweet Mama, capitals).


She fed my baby dolls, while they sat in the old metal highchair that was first Sweet Mama's (circa 1950something) and then mine as well....


These Cabage Patch Kid Dolls were my childhood's most prized possession (any of you who had a playdate with me in Elementary school can attest to the hours upon hours spent playing with these, teaching school to these, etc.).  It was an absolutely SURREAL experience to watch her pick them up, carry them around, name them, dress them, hug them, and make them all her own.  My heart just isn't big enough for these moments...



 And put babies and Ernies to sleep in the cradle/crib that was Sweet Mama's, too.


She played with my old blocks...


 And worked my old puzzles....


 And stood her teeny little feetsies on my old wooden stool.


She sat in my rocking chair.  And read my books.


And it was good.  Very very good.

Thanks be to God.

P.S.  Another perk of living there for three weeks was that we had the chance for date night, no sitter required!  Win!




2 comments:

  1. Chrissy....
    We used to have a bouncy horse!! I named him {He had a penis, thank-you very much!!} "Huhoo". Why? Because that was how my sister said "horse" as a small child. And because I am weird!! I used to hang onto his reins and beat him with the stick which was once handles!! An imaginary whip. My oldest brother may, or may not, have influenced such daredevil play!! But. I was older than Clara.... ;-D
    We have--yes, still have!!--a play kitchen!! Yours looks about as worn-down and loved as mine!! I am single with no children. Yet. So many kids have played with it!! Including my now-nine year-old cousin who transformed the kitchen into a restaurant!! He made me Crabby Patties from "Sponge Bob Squarepants"!! Yummy!! ;)
    My very favorite doll growing up was a dark-haired, blue-eyed, smirk-faced, Crimp 'n Curl Cabbage Patch Kid doll!! I named her Nicole after a childhood neighbor friend. She, of course, came pre-named, but I do not even remember what it was originally!! Nicole {The doll!!} had this long line down her head. Being born with craniosynostosis {No soft spot} as well as CDH, I deemed that a scar. Thus, Nicole, too, had her scull surgically cut open. Plus!! To top that off, Nicole also has a hard head!! Like me.... ;-D
    Oh dear, this is a lengthy comment!! Sorry!! ;)
    --Raelyn




    ReplyDelete
  2. And if your parents had written this blog, I know they would have ended it with WIN, too! How wonderful to have had the time to bring out all this stuff so Clara Mae could give it new life ... and you guys new memories!! Aren't you blessed that Sweet Mama had the soft heart that said, " I must keep all of this for .......!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...