30 years ago – November 1989

30 years ago – I was still a ‘new’ mother…very aware that a pivot point had occurred in my life. I was still learning to use diaper wraps and how to take a baby into a restaurant or on a short road trip. I stopped wearing contact lenses; my sleep deprived eyes were better with glasses.  An adventure: I took the baby in a front carrier to a used book sale; I bought a few books but decided that even with her in the front carrier, being in a tight, crowded place was not comfortable for her or me.

There were some unexpected things too…like getting a pay raise that started the day after I had my daughter…while I was on paid maternity leave. I was sticking to my plan of not going back to work until she was 6 months old and then staying part time for another 6 months before being full time again.

The Berlin wall came down and I remember thinking that the world was making a turn for the better just as by daughter’s life was beginning…that maybe fears of global annihilation during her growing up would be less than in my early life.

It snowed in Maryland on Thanksgiving in 1989…about 5 inches at our house. We took the baby out in the snow for some pictures after the big meal. At first, she seemed very calm (maybe she was a little sleepy); she was well bundled in a snow suit, so we put her on the snow and made a baby snow angel.

Then she opened her eyes and decided it was way too bright (and maybe a little cold). That was the end of her first snow experience.