I’ve seen enough episodes of E! True Hollywood Story to realize that a retrospective of a person’s life usually starts with a description of their roots. So I’ll begin this NaBloPoMo adventure by telling you a bit about my parents and how I came to be.
My dad grew up on a farm near Port Perry, one of three kids who spent their days helping out on the farm, playing all kinds of games outside in the fresh air. He was one of few kids in his high school who went on to grade 13, which wasn’t a requirement for graduation. He played trombone and loved cool cars.
My mom was born and raised in Oshawa, one of four kids. Her mother was one of thirteen children in her family, so there were a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins around, from the sounds of things. My grandfather worked at General Motors for many years, like many of Oshawa’s residents. My mom has a wonderful photograph of herself knitting in the kitchen of my grandparents’ house when she was about eight years old.
Back in 1973 or 1974, my parents were just a couple of teenagers who fell in love. Mom was 17, going to high school, and Dad was a couple of years older, already holding down a job at Eaton’s in the record department. While they dated, my dad went to a community college computer certificate program of some kind, and got a job in Ottawa. My mom went with him, much to the dismay of her parents. It was her ticket out of Oshawa, out of what I’m told was a dysfunctional family situation. I’ll just leave it at that, because that part isn’t my story to tell. My grandpa actually refused to be present at their wedding, but he grew to love and respect my dad in time.
Mom and Dad got married in December 1975, and I came along in the middle of a typical Ottawa snowstorm on January 28, 1977. My mom leaps at the opportunity to remind me that she was in labour with me for 22 hours. When I was born my little head was covered in lots of thick, dark hair, and I weighed only 6 lbs., 1 oz. Mom and Dad had a semi-detached house in Hazeldean, which is actually just outside of Ottawa, and we lived there for a couple of years, I think. The time line is a little fuzzy, as it is for most of us when it comes to our very early childhood.
Mom says that I was a happy baby, a new mother’s dream.
So cute, girlie.
Sooo cute! I think you look like your Mom now. Do you agree?
I love this! Your baby picture is so sweet and your parents were obviously very cool.
That first picture of your mom, so much similarity, even with the head tilt.
And their wedding picture? You couldn’t pay enough money in the world to recreate that.
Awesome.