From the Beginning
Movies make me think. A Lot.
I’m sure that’s kind of the point, they get our thoughts going, memories flashing and our emotions amped up.
That’s why we keep watching them.
Movies since being a mama have become few and far between but sometimes we find the time to watch something and when we do a different things catch me and move me, or make me think than what did before. Not necessarily totally different but more like…more things.
We watched Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 this last week and it go me thinking about memories. Memories of our children, memories that A will have, and memories that I recall from my childhood.
In the movie the first time Bella meets Renesmme (like 3 days after her birth), Renesmme reaches her hand up to Bella’s face and images transpire. Bella inquires what that is and Edward explains that she is showing her the first memories she has of Bella.
So I started wondering and thinking about A’s memories, what she remembers now, what she will remember later.
For me, I have memories as early as about one and half-ish. I remember sitting at the coffee table coloring with my grandma, the couch behind me, the TV in front of me and the front door in front of me and to the right. It was the evening and my parent’s just came home from their trip to Jamaica.
My memory was at my second birthday party in the basement of a local Pizza Hut, sitting at the end of the table in a highchair and a choked on a piece of broccoli.
I remember being about three or four and my mom trying to get me to nap, I laid in my bed eyes closed until I was certain she was busy doing something else and I slid out of my bed and quietly played on the floor for quite some time, until I walked out of my room like I had taken a nap. Not much time after that I then said “I didn’t take a nap mommy, I played!!” only to get the response of “well, maybe I should make you take a nap then.” that nap didn’t happen.
I remember various play-dates, from when I was little too, and things from preschool age.
Ryan said that he thinks his earliest memory is at about 7.
I’ve heard of people that really don’t remember anything at all off their adolescence and others that remember things from very, very early on.
Interesting isn’t it?
So, I can’t help but wonder what A will remember, and for how long she will remember it for. We have noticed things before about the things she remembers and things that she doesn’t, like music for example. There have been songs I listened to while pregnant that once we play them again she gets excited, because she remembers it but she remember it forever? Probably not. Will she remember the walk we took this afternoon on this afternoon where the sun gently beat on her face and she was snuggled next to me in her wrap? Mostly like, no.
But I can’t help but wonder what that first memory will be, and why it’s that memory. Was it because she was that happy in that moment? Did her little heart and mind just know to keep that memory close?
All I know is it makes me want to make sure that I’m present in every moment with her, just in case that’s her very first memory.
This was a great post, I loved how you tied the movie into something that actually made me think for a minute.
Hmm my first memory sitting down and thinking about it is when my sister died. When I was four my mom had twin girls and 3 months after they were born one died of SIDS, I remember my mom waking up and screaming and all of us running down the street (we lived a block from a hospital) to the hospital while my stepdad preformed CPR the entire way down. I think the only reason I remember it is because of how traumatic it was because the next real memory I have is of being in kindergarten.
I’ll stop now that I’ve totally depressed everyone…
Oh my heart, I am so sorry Cassie. I can’t even fathom, what a horrible tragedy for you and your family to endure! I hope your Kindergarten memories were a little bit happier!
My husband has very early memories but mine don’t really start till I’m 4. I always wonder what my two year old will remember 🙂 pretty amazing that you remember stuff from a year old!!!
It truly is, I even had to check my timeline on a couple of things because I thought it was too early for me to have remembered something, but nope. I have so many early memories, I’m not sure how I got so lucky. To this day I remember some pretty crazy details and my husband regularly says to me “how on earth did you remember that??”
Beautiful post!! This really makes me think of what the boys first memories are or what the first thing they will remember when they are older. Thank you so much for sharing this. I don’t remember anything from when I was a baby/toddler – I want to say my earliest memory when I really think back was around 6 or 7 – I was sitting in our gravel driveway with the sun on my face, tossing rocks into the street to see how far they would go.
I have lots of memories sitting on the gravel tossing rocks! I also have memories of waiting for the school bus at the end of the driveway tossing tiny pebbles into rain puddles with the neighbor girl “feeding our imaginary fish” as we waited for the school bus in the early mornings.
My first memory is about the same age as yours. It is of my grandfather, who died right before I turned two. I am so grateful that I have a sweet memory of a man I sadly knew for only a short time. I’m grateful that of my few memories of him, in the first I am unaware of his illness. He was whole and giving and loving. He was the embodiment of a doting grandfather who spoiled his granddaughter in direct defiance of her mother/his daughter.
I am so glad that you are able to have that memory of him, he sounds like he was such a wonderful man!
And thank you for the reminder that anytime now a snippet of something I do with Chipmink might be a memory. It’s my responsibility to give him the opportunity to remember good things!
🙂
Aw, such a good question. I love that my little is starting to converse well, but he’s not quite old enough to find out what his “first memory” is. I hope it’s something sweet and not “being scared of a thunderstorm” or something. 😀
😀
I hope the same things for A. I also wonder how long the “first memories” last, you know? If her first memory at 4 is _______ will it still be her first memory when she is 18? Makes me think…
This got me thinking. I have memories of being on holiday in Greece when I was a toddler, and memories of watching an aeroplane fly across the sky until it disappeared completely, and I wouldn’t have been much older than 3 at the time. Good question!
Steph
http://imcountingufoz.com
What a great memory to have spending holiday in Greece!!
Memories are so important! I often wonder what my kids will remember..l hope it’s the good things and not the bad. I remember the bad a lot more… But the one I think is the very first is when my dad and I were in the basement and he was listening to rock n roll. He grabbed us a mop and a broom and we pretended we were playing guitars. I think I was two.
What a fun first memory, I’m sure you kid self just knew to keep that memory and lock it away!! 🙂
I have some bad memories too, I think we all do. I’m so sorry that you have so many bad memories.