Mommy’s Corner is a weekly series exploring our journey in becoming parents, our love for our ShuGar baby, and general topics related to mommyhood.
Dear ShuGar Boy,
I know when you see mommy and daddy they look so much bigger than you, but a long time ago, we were babies, too. We also have our own mommy and daddy and grew up with love, much like you are being raised. I remember when I was a kid, I always thought my mom and dad were born as adults already because that’s all I ever knew about them.
I want you to know that we were both young once just like you are! See our pictures above.
As a baby, I loved to sing and dance (actually I still do!). I would get my mom’s (your abuelita’s – grandmother’s) hair brush and use it as a mic. Your abuelitos (grandparents) listened to a lot of music in Spanish and I would dance around the house pretending to be a singer. I loved it! I wouldn’t even be embarrassed if others would watch.
My favorite toys were Cabbage Patch Kids, Barbies, Hot Wheels, GI Joe, and My Little Pony. I used to love watching these cartoons: ThunderCats, She-Ra, Scooby Doo, and Felix the Cat. My mom didn’t let us watch too much TV, so we had more time to play and do something I still enjoy today: Reading!
I have adored books since I was a baby. Your abuelita would read me stories in Spanish and I would feel so relaxed that I would actually fall asleep. This is how I learned to read and write in Spanish. I want to read you all these stories so you can learn how I did. Reading is such an amazing adventure. It’s a movie in your head and your imagination has no limits. Your daddy and I have already started to read to you The Giving Tree and Harry the Dirty Dog. Your daddy loves Harry the Dirty Dog because his mom would read it to him. Thanks to your sweet aunt, we have the original copy and are reading it to you now!
As I got older, I remember loving to write stories just for fun. I would make up characters and just write my little heart out. Your abuelita kept these stories and maybe one day I can read them to you.
Want to know more about your daddy? Here is what he has to say about his childhood.
“Coming into this world with four other brothers and sisters, I enjoyed just hanging around the crowd and observing all that my siblings said and did. I laughed as my two brothers (both about 10 years older than me) would crack jokes and I allowed myself to get spoiled by my older sisters. Basically, I felt grown up being included in their world.
For more peaceful moments, I loved to sit in my room and organize my baseball cards. Sometimes I’d sort them by team, sometimes in alphabetical order, and sometimes by player’s position. This was something I could do to get away from the crowd when I needed some meditative peace.
My mom gave me a tape recorder when I was eight and I’d write and record comedy skits with my friends in the neighborhood. We’d bust ourselves up thinking our parodies were the funniest routines in the world.
Every evening my father would come home from work and hand me the sports page of the local newspaper. I’d read it from top to bottom and then we’d discuss the latest developments of the Detroit Tiger’s pennant drive or the recruiting possibilities for the various Michigan State athletics programs.
Most of all, I loved playing outdoors. I’d shoot baskets at the neighbor’s basketball court by myself. I’d toss the frisbee with my friends, play football, create variations of baseball games and basically just enjoyed the freedom of running around in the large Michigan yards.”
We share with you these memories so that you know who your parents were and are. One day you will grow up to be an adult, but I want you to cherish your youth. I also want you to remember what you loved doing as a young boy. Most likely, this will help guide you when you decide who you want to be when you grow up. Never forget your inner child. So many of us adults grow up and never remember how it feels like to be young-at-heart. I want you to do what you love and be who you want to be. Your mommy and daddy will love you no matter what. Our hearts are always with you.
I wish everyone a very happy, bountiful and joyous Thanksgiving! Stay tuned for a fun holiday gift guide on the next ShuGar Fix Mondays!
