Younger Me.

I spent an hour and a half talking to my parents on Sunday, all about what I was like as a baby. And may I just say that some things never change.

I was very secure as a baby, very sure of who I was, and I would try anything, go anywhere, visit with anyone. I was not shy. Sometimes it took me a while to get to know my surroundings, but then I was fine. Mom said that Brad and Jeff are still very much homebodies, that is, they like being home, in their place. And Mom said that I've never been like hat: I've always wanted to go explore and try new things.

I learned to tie my shoe when I was three, and went the 5 year old neighbor boy and tied his shoe one day. He didn't like that I knew how to tie my shoe and he didn't, so he promply learned also.

I spent my first night away from home at age 3 also, at Aaron's house right next door. Brad and Jeff, so much older than me, hadn't even gone a whole night away from home. But I did. My Mom said she waited up all night, just in case I called to come home, but I never did. I was such a big girl, she said. I remember sleeping on the floor of Aaron's room, in my little sleeping bag. They had bunk beds, Aaron and Allen, and a dresser with a lamp on it, and a toy chest. I remember exactly how their room was set up.

They said that I liked to be in the middle of things, doing what Brad and Jeff did, but that I also valued my alone time. I would just go to my room and play with my dolls for a little while, then come back out and be ready to go. And I still need that alone time. Desperately.

The one thing that completely made my night, however, was when my parents both called me (on separate occasions) a border-line hypochondriac. Growing up, whenever I heard about someone having some disease, I was sure I had it, too. My Dad said that when I got a splinter in the end of my finger, I would complain about it hurting ALL the way to my elbow. Any little scrape became a huge gash. A bruise became a horrendous tragedy. A bump was automatically cancer. And again... hi, that's still me.

Having them tell me about the me when I was younger was like being introduced to a stranger... but then, that stranger was ME! Apparently my personality hasn't changed that much... at all...