Making memories

Ellie and I kicked off 2013 with a few days together before the school holiday was finally over and we took a trip to see old friends where we used to live.

Our short break started with a journey of just under three hours in the car which, if I’m honest, I was dreading. Ellie isn’t a great traveller and I didn’t relish the idea of her throwing up whilst I was driving, and us both turning up to my friend’s newly finished house smelling of sick and looking well…worse. In the event though it turns out that ‘if we sing mummy then I won’t be ill’ was actually true – who would have known! So singing, chatting and generally giggling away I found myself at the half way point feeling immensely proud of my little girl, and blissfully happy to be sharing this experience with her. So with huge grins on our faces the journey flew and before we knew it we’d arrived.

I should note that there were one or two moments (when clearly I wasn’t chatting or singing sufficiently) when Ellie informed me she was starting to feel poorly. Um – it really is hard to tell whether I should feel totally manipulated but on reflection it was a fun journey with a clear absence of sick, so I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Anyway, on arrival at my friend’s house Ellie was immediately invited to make ice cream. Her initial shyness passed very quickly and ice cream making definitely topped the list of great things to do. (Note to self – must do more cooking with Ellie. Note to friend – you are a genius). In fact the next day my friend invited Ellie to do yet more cooking and blueberry and white chocolate muffins were created. These were another great success with both Ellie and everyone else who enjoyed eating them.

Other than cooking, a trip to the beach and an indoor play area, the key focus was catching up with old friends. It was so fantastic to see them – to catch up on what’s happening and happened for them. There is no doubting the fact that I miss my friends and seeing them is just a delight. For me, whenever I visit, it’s quite emotional as it’s full of memories from Ellie’s first 18 months, mixed with sadness that I’d had to leave both the area and my friends.

As we drove past the exact area we used to live I found myself wistfully reminiscing to Ellie ‘that’s the library we’d go to when it was story and rhyme time, that’s where we used to walk when you were a baby, that’s one of my favourite restaurants’ and so on. My bubble of emotion was however quickly burst as Ellie suddenly exclaimed ‘stop going on about babies mummy, I’m not a baby anymore’. So I guess it’s fair to say that we were looking at things through very different eyes and Ellie clearly didn’t remember, nor particularly care, about my reminiscing.

It’s a reminder that Ellie won’t remember that I took two years off work and spent every day with her, that she won’t remember living near the sea and that every time we laugh and have fun like we did on that journey down, it’s a new memory for me. Eventually we’ll make some memories for her which she’ll remember in years to come…but perhaps not just yet. For now, I'll hang on to the fact that I've my blog, my book, our photo albums and so far my one letter to show her what she won't remember. 

It’s also a reminder having recently moved to a new area that I’m starting again in laying down roots, trying to forge new friendships and a new life for Ellie and I. So whilst I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions, (since historically any I’ve made have generally been broken within a pathetically small period of time,) this year I just might make one.

Now I know I’m a little late with this but surely it's not too late to make a resolution so my 2013 New Year’s resolution is...to put time and effort into settling in to our new area and forging new friendships. I will of course, keep you posted on how I get on.

So there it is, my first post of 2013. As always, please do share my blog with others and do get in touch. You can add a comment via this page, or send me a tweet @sharonmsmyth.