Power of Pretend

As I spent time with Bebe, I became more and more intrigued by her actions. I can remember mimicikng every little step she took. As a result of my attentiveness to Bebe, I entered into a stage of pretend (practice) play where I imitated grown-up tasks such as reading, baking, taking care of babies, and being a bank teller. To this day, my father will still discuss how mature I acted as a child. Throughout my childhood, people always thought that I was older than my brother. I believe that the power of pretend played an enormous role in my development as a child. Having my Bebe as a role model created many important pretend experiences in my early years of life.

Birth

As a result of an unplanned pregnancy, I was born on November 25, 1979, to Rick and Sharon Spoon. Born as the second child, there were no complications during pregnancy; however, I was delivered by Cesarean Section. The first few months of my life, so I've been told, I was an extremely "fussy" baby.

At the time of my birth, my father was working in the construction business for Brown & Root General Construction. He was 26 years old, and enjoyed outdoor activities including hunting, camping, fishing, and playinig softball. My mother was also 26 years old and was a stay-at-home mom to my brother, Corey. He was born only 17 months earlier than me. My mother also joined a local sorority which met once per month.

Both of my parents were from stable, close families. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents were supportive and involved in my early years of life. The morals and values instilled in my parents were very evident in our family activities. We attended a small church, and had a pet dog named Duffie. As the first granddaughter, there was a very special bond formed between my maternal grandmother and me. Bebe and I were very fond of each other.