Last Friday night, which happened to be Good Friday, I was sitting alone with Stella on the couch in our living room. Charlie was helping our friends set up a new crib they had just been gifted, and Harvey was in bed when I decided to ask her some questions about her Auntie Jaime. She was only 27 months old when Jaime died, and we’ve been dreading the time that she would start to lose those memories, so we talk to her about Jaime as often as we can.
*****
Hey Stella, do you remember the fun things you and Auntie Jaime used to do together?
Um…yeah?
Do you remember having dance parties? And swimming at the pool when she would twirl you really fast in circles?
Yeah, we played, and singed [sic], and danced, and we went on the back deck to look outside.
Those were fun times. Do you remember anything else?
I remember when Jaime died here. And she went to Heaven. Oh! Maybe next time I can take a plane to heaven and take Jaime back home where she belongs. Grandpa Gene flew up to heaven with her. And Jesus and God.
[more thinking by Stella]
…And we sit [sic] on the table outside, and we did EVERYTHING. That’s a lot of stuff that we did! [big smile]
Yep, you guys had a LOT of fun together. She loved you SO MUCH.
Mommy, can you show me how to type “I love Jaime” on the computer?
Sure kid…
*****
It’s so hard to realize that she is already starting to make up the “memories” she is telling us about. I just really wish she could somehow remember the first two years of her life when they were so close and such good buddies, but we know that she most likely won’t remember those times at all. 🙁
