Looking Back

I have no idea what my first memory is, but I have quite a few that date pretty far back:

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I remember when I was in kindergarten, I would be home before school and work with my mother on these place mats that had me learning how to make shapes, letters, numbers, etc. I remember that the heart shape was not on the place mats, but I tried making them anyway. I couldn't get the bottom to point, but I drew a whole page of them wanting to show my kindergarten teacher because I was so proud of them, even though none of them were really right.

I remember going to Disney World and not wanting to ride the merry-go-round but my parents taking us on it anyway. After that, it was the only thing I wanted to ride.

I remember being afraid of elevators and having to be held when on them.

I remember the first time my mom painted my fingernails. Or rather, she attempted to. It was a bright red polish. She got done with one hand and and wanted me to let it dry before she went to the other. I ended up begging her to take it off because I was afraid that if it dried my fingernails would be red forever and I might want to change my mind after it was too late.

I remember one time my dad sent me to my room I was so mad at him I set thumbtacks in front of my door for him to step on.

I remember my parents singing to me before going to sleep. The Itsy Bitsy Spider was my favorite song for them to sing.

I remember being invited to my preschool best friend's house down the street where we had pizza and jello eggs.

I remember my mother used to be the one to cut my hair. It would make my face itch from the stray hairs.

I remember getting sent to my room without finishing my dinner because of the way I was eating my roast beef sandwich from Arby's.

I remember my sister and I getting caught eating dirt in the backyard and being told if we wanted dinner we could go back outside and eat more dirt.

I remember cutting my own hair. The story goes that I couldn't reach all the way back so it looked like I had a rat tail. The story also goes that I cut my hair because I wanted to show my imaginary friend, Minnie, that it would look good short. See, this one is interesting, because I remember saying that. I remember saying that was the reason. However, I feel like I made that up, but I can't remember the real reason. Where's Freud when you need him hmm?

I remember crying because my mom made me wear my hair in a ponytail for soccer and I didn't want to.

I remember cutting the hair off of my dolls for a "haircut" and always crying when my mom told me it wouldn't grow back.

I remember my mom making us pick up our toys in the living room before she vacuumed. I either forgot or I just didn't and the next thing I knew I couldn't find my favorite teddy bear. I was convinced for a good half hour that she vacuumed it up.

The heads of two of my barbies popped off. When this happened, I stuck them away in a drawer so my parents wouldn't see that they were broken and insist I throw them away. Even though I didn't play with them once their heads were off, I didn't want to throw them away.

I remember our neighbor across the street babysitting us and her giving me mentos and absolutely loving them.

I remember thinking there was no way we could afford to buy a Barbie because it was listed at $9.99 but I didn't see the decimal point, so I thought it was $999.

I remember intentionally smelling ashtrays because I liked the smell.

I remember always going to my grandmother's house for my birthday and insisting that my cake be pink.

I remember one day I had a doctors appointment to get shots but before we left Rugrats was on and it was the episode where Tommy went to the doctor to get his shots.

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I honestly have no idea what order those could go in. Some of them are so insignificant that I almost question their validity. But they're the first things I actually recall remembering.