January 1977

Born on the 14th in Greensboro, North Carolina, I came into the world in the middle of an ice storm. (I consider this my first act of procrastination, considering that I was due on December 21st.) I appeared at 6:01 AM, weighing in at 8 lb. 8 oz. and measuring 24″ long. I had very little dark brown hair, blue eyes and big feet. I have since been told that I looked like my maternal grandfather, but I don’t think that is an accurate assessment. I didn’t have prominent nose hair.

My biological father heard that I had been born and popped by to let my mom know that he didn’t want anything to do with me. She agreed that if he stayed away from me that she wouldn’t go after him for child support. In the background a little girl cooed unaware that this would be the first and last time that she would ever see this man.

Being a married woman one-month into a separation, my mom was pretty poor and depended on the kindness of strangers for baby supplies and food for herself. She was given lots of blankets and quilts and decided to throw them on the kitchen table one at time and take “nekkid” pictures on my on my tummy, legs kicking and smiles churning. I guess people donated film for her Polaroid, too. (She decided to save these as blackmail material for the time when I started dating.)

Amazingly enough, I don’t remember much about this time. I know from my mother’s account that I spent a great deal of the first two weeks peeing and breast-feeding. Not a lot there to impress a memory, so perhaps that’s why I don’t recall any of it.

February – November 1977

Again. I don’t remember much about this time. Photos seem to point to the idea that I spent lots of time getting spoiled by my grandparents, taking baths and spitting out green and orange baby food. I also, evidently, enjoyed crawling about the house, pulling the cat’s tail, drinking apple juice and having my picture taken at K-mart. 

At home, there was a great deal of time spent in a playpen and a beat up old high chair.  My best friend was Raggedy Ann and I had a crush on her brother, Andy.  I continued to grow taller and stronger and cuter.  My eyes turned green and my hair turned blonde.  I was a tomboy, proven by my first word: tractor.  I had tons of the little green John Deer suckers and played with them all of the time.  (Thanks, Grandpa!)

December 1977

In December, there was more apple juice and baby food and pictures with a Christmas theme.  I got one of those little walkers that hold the kid up leaving their legs free to dangle, to encourage walking.  I was moving around pretty well in that thing.  I took Andy on my first date, to the family Christmas party.  I ran around collecting bows on my head and opening presents containing baby clothes and toys.  I smiled and laughed a lot and loved my mom’s dog, a big golden retriever named Molly.  Yup, 1977 was a good year for the Swirlster.