st. lucia memories

Alex and C at Barbados' international airport during our layover to St. Lucia; Marcus helping Alex find an Easter egg in the sand

So, hi! We're back!

We had a really great, albeit way too short time in St. Lucia, a tiny island about six countries up the Caribbean archipelago from Trinidad. I could tell you what every moment was like from the time we landed until we left, but I pretty much did that at Gadling this morning (feel free to go take a look). Suffice to say that we had an amazing holiday, as the pictures suggest.

As it happens, we've got some more family trips planned in the upcoming months: the turtles should be returning very soon to the north coast of Trinidad, so I'm sure we're going to be making a trip up there soon to watch the nesting. Then, coming up this summer, we'll be journeying to visit family who we haven't seen in years, and who Alex hasn't met. There's a lot of adventure up ahead, and I know Alex is going to have a great time.

And yet, you know what I worry about? Whether she'll remember all of this. I mean, she's just so young. I know she enjoys all these experiences, but will she remember it? And how do we capture these memories in a way that makes it -- I don't know... real to her? In some ways, I feel guilty that we're doing some of these things during a time when she may not remember them -- especially since who knows if we'll ever be able to do some of these things again.

So, here's a question: What are your earliest, fondest memories -- and how did your parents help you hold on to those memories? In the alternative, how have you made your children's earliest experiences come alive for them when they're older?

While you ponder that, here are a few more pictures from our Easter weekend. I hope you had an equally fun-filled one.

Above: C, on the beach on Saturday morning after a particularly fruitful Easter egg hunt; her parents Joanna and Peter, at about 50' below the ocean

Above:Alex and I before dinner on our second night; Alex chillin' at sunset

Comments

[Jerri Ann]

I'm glad you guys had fun. That girl and those glasses. I love how her entire face smiles when she smiles. Gorgeous little lady there. But you knew that!

As for memories, my earliest once are good ones, I remember getting 3 spankings form my father...sometime before I turned 4...as for good memories...wow, I don't have any that young and I think...maybe 6 or so..I would hide under the table in the living room to keep from going to bed. I was in love with Dr. Welby and I would fake being asleep so I could stay up and watch.....but that was around age 6...not many memories before that age..good or bad!

[MamaChristy]

Welcome back and so glad you had a good time. I love it when you post about your lovely vacations. We rarely travel and I dread traveling with my 21 month old so I love to live vicariously.

My earliest memory is one that my parents didn't believe I actually had until I described it in great detail and then they remembered the day in question. It was something that they hadn't thought about in many years and had never told me about. Get this: I was under 18 months old! Some people remember very little from life before age six or so, and some have vivid memories before then. I really don't think there is much you can do to help her have actual memories of many of the grand adventures you have, but the photos you take can be shown to her and you can tell her about the trips and memories you have. That's the most you can do!

[Redhead]

In preschool, the teacher did a whole "unit" on penguins for the 3 yr. olds, my son among them. She was a gifted teacher and the kids really participated.
By the time they were 6 or 7, none of the kids really remembered pre-school, but they all still really liked penguins!
You're laying the foundation for future enthusiasms.

[Owlhaven]

I love the snuggy picture with your little girl!

Mary, mom to many

[kenya]

first of all, (and i am sure you know this by now) you baby is no longer a baby! look at her! shes a full-blown KID now!!

as for the memories, i remember being 3 and going to school. i remember my 4th birthday. those are the earliest, and they are pretty specific. what i have always said that i would do for kai is wait until she is at least able to communicate before her 1st real trip - we are going to the dominican republic this thanksgiving, 2 weeks before her 2nd birthday. that way, we can talk about what is going on, what she likes, what i want her to see. i am going to take millions of pictures and make a few pages in a huge "vacation scrap book" with her input about what she wants to be reflected. we will look at it often, and i would love for her to show it to her family and explain what we did on our vacations. that way, hopefully, it will stay vivid for her and she can always look back on it. i also want to start some type of travel memorabilia trunk for her (like a storage foot locker/toy box type thing with a folded quilt on top that she will look back on as a teen/adult and smile warmly, remembering...)

[Martha]

My first memory is my youngest aunt's wedding, when I was three years old. I also remember my little sister's birth at age three, so I think it would be safe to say that your memorable occasions are those that are preserved at a young age!

I love the picture of you and Alex snuggling! You look so beautiful together--as does the adorable pictures of Marcus and Alex.

[Lu]

telling stories. i know my kids will not remember everything, and I have not recorded everything. but one thing i do have to give are my stories. my oldest daughter LOVES to hear stories about what she did when she was younger. they get a kick out of that.

[sinda]

I think what's important is *creating* the memories. Worst case, Alex will remember that she had a fun and travel-filled childhood, in which her parents adored her and loved to spend time together and with her. If she doesn't remember the specifics - well, that's where you and your story-telling abilities come in, and your incredible photographs.

[Mir]

What sinda said.

Love the pic of you and girlie. :)

[Kate]

I agree that stories are key...I don't even know anymore what I remember and what I've just been told (about 60,000 times, since my Dad is crazy about telling stories!).

Also, repeating the experiences seems to solidify things in my memory. I don't specifically *remember* the angelfood cake with whipped cream and strawberries that my Mom made me for my first birthday, but she's made it for at least ten birthdays since then, so I totally "get" the photo of me eating that cake at one year. I'm sure you'll continue traveling with Alex, so she will connect with these early experiences even if she doesn't remember them.

[muriel]

Earliest memory - 2 years old - Moving from Michigan to Idaho. I remember going into the new house on my 6' 7" grandpa's shoulders and him taking us through all the rooms. When my dad got there with the U-haul and all the boxes unloaded - breakfast at the new place was using two U-haul boxes stacked and 1 box to sit on. We even got those special little boxes of individually packaged sugar cereal! Talk about a treat!

We took our 3 1/2 year old to NYC in February. I'm assuming he'll remember parts of it, since I have my first memory at age 2. Plus in this digital era, it really helps that there are TONS of pictures that we can pass on to him!

[abogada]

I'm so jealous; I loved St. Lucia. We only had a day to spend there because we saw it while on a cruise.

My first memory only goes back to when I was four. My mother remembers something traumatic from when she was two (being caught in a forest fire). I've asked around about this same topic, because the toddler amnesia thing has always fascinated me. I've found most people don't remember events occurring before they were three or four years old.

Our answer? Lots of pictures. Though your pictures are way nicer than ours!

[Meepers]

Ohh! Good one! The first thing I remember is my mom playing the flute. She stopped playing (too busy with me, I suppose) when I was just over one. So...yeah, long memory, for sure! Other very vivid memories: Going to my grandparents' house at age 3 and visiting with my cousins (didn't see them again for about 21 years). My sisters' births (at home, front-row seat....eeeesh!) when I was 4.5 and 6.5. The first time I looked at a page and KNEW I could read it (age 4). Gathering eggs from our chickens and having them try to peck my eyes or toes off/out because I was only a bit taller than they were. Great pictures! Great question!

[Amelia]

Love to read about your exciting life,love St.Lucia too thats where I got married in a resort over there,anyway my son who is six has been traveling since he was a baby and I used to worry about if he remembers things he always talk about the time we went to DC and saw snow for the first time and he was only two but he swears he remembers and we don't have pics to say that thats whats triggering the memory.. for me I remember being told by my grandfather that I was a twin he took his time to explain what being a twin is and my mom can't believe I remember that she thinks I was about two or three too.