Bethy was a busy little girl the summer that she celebrated her second birthday. She explored her world and began to learn to dress herself. At that age, she was all about doing what I did. Scarcely a day passed by that I didn’t find her in the my wardrobe trying to dress in my clothes. She especially loved clacking around the house in my shoes with heels.
My friend, Ana Maria, had a son about Elisabeth’s age named André. They played while Ana Maria and I cleaned the house. A large African violet on a table and one day it got knocked off onto the clean floor. Ana Maria cleaned it up in a blink and the violet bloomed more than it ever had.
One of the things that Bethy liked to do was to play on the varanda. The Portuguese mothers taught me to keep a hat on the children’s heads in the summer. Bethy didn’t always follow the letter of the law, but she got into the spirit of it. She liked to be where she could see people in the street and people in the house. She still remembers our neighbor who worked in her night gown all day. Just before her husband came home, she showered and dressed. She said it saved wear and tear on the clothes.
We had a real Portuguese birthday party for Bethy’s second birthday. We invited all of the loving adults in her life as well as the children she knew. The house was full of people, confusion and noise. There were all kinds of Portuguese finger foods, sweets and of course, her cake. It was fun, but it would be four more years before I would repeat it. Tia Lilia was Bethy’s godmother. She wasn’t a fairy godmother, but she could do magic with her professional sewing machine. She made a sailor dress for Bethy’s second birthday. About that time, we learned that the baby we were expecting was a girl.
And today is her birthday once again. Happy birthday to my beautiful and wonderful daughter.
aww
Thank you Mommy! 🙂
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Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter. 😀
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I want to hear what happens next! Love that hat she’s wearing too. Was that yours? I’m really thinking that a Portuguese party would be the best of fun to attend.
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It is a lot of fun. and exhausting. 😀
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I remember my 5th birthday party since I just watched the VHS. It was a wonder I could even breath with all those people all around!
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Hmmm….I think that was your sixth birthday party. Danny was in the oven at that party and he was born in 1987.
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Was there any sort of games?
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Mostly a lot of milling around and eating.
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Still, I think a frisbee game should have been organized.
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I’ll pass that along to someone who has a baby. 😉
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*laughs*
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Well obviously I can’t tell time. 🙂
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Laughing
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Most excellent!!!
And Happy Birthday Bethy!!!!
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Thanks for stopping by to comment, Kevin.
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What sweet photos. I swear today’s photos just don’t look the same, do they? Lovely daughter and friend. The veranda photo is really nice.
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No, they don’t, LR. Those were the days!
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Oh, Susan, this is SO normal and SO cute, I have tears in my eyes. How precious to remember these times with you. I am so Blessed to have you in my life to share with me, baby stories. I missed out on all that, my friend. I lost 3 pregnancies, unable to carry full term. Yes, there is a huge hole in my heart still to this day. I Love you, Susan. Love, Amy
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I am so sorry, Amy, for your losses. And I’m glad to share with you my baby stories. I love you back. I would not be surprised if the three of them show up in Heaven in the end.
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Thank you for your Loving words to me, Suzie!! Big lump in my throat here. (((HUGS))) Amy
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Hugs!
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(((HUGS))) back, Suzie!! Love,Amy
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Aww Happy Birthday to your daughter! What wonderful photo memories! I love her shoes inside your shoes and the sweet bonnet! 😀 I’m glad to see you’re back. I hope your cat’s doing well. 🙂
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He’s doing excellently well. Sure do love that fellow.
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🙂
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