Buddy The Phirne Road Years

May 18, 1989 to September 30, 2010

Dear Palwee,

Here is a look back at the “Phirne Road Years”.

You have completed the “First Chapter” of your life.

Now that you have moved into your own place

with your friends, you can now start moving onto

the next adventure. Phirne Road will always be home but I know you are looking forward to being on your own. When you become a famous writer, you can refer to this as the first chapter in your autobiography!!!

I know that there were some tough times growing up but I hope you will focus on the many, many wonderful memories on Phirne Road. There have been some challenging times but we have made it through. Please look at this book if you ever have any doubts as to how great your childhood was. I cherish all the time we have spent together these first 21 years.

I wanted to put together this special book for you so you will always remember how wonderful you are to me. My dream growing up was to be a mother with two children (one girl and one boy). Well, you completed my ideal family.

It took me a long time to create this for you. As I started looking through your scrapbooks, there were soo many cute pictures that I could hardly decide which ones to use. I had a fabulous time reliving these fun and happy memories. I hope you will too!

The First Years

I was very excited when I found out I was

pregnant for the second time. You were due

on May 13th but didn’t come until May 18th

This is exactly your personality. You are very

laid back and do things at your own pace. No matter how much I try to get you to move at a quicker pace (my way!), you do things the way you think is best. You arrived on May 18, 2010 at 9:13 am. You weighed 8 lbs, 14 ounces. At that moment, one of my nicknames for you (Big Guy) was born. I called you this for many years.

You were a very good baby. (and soo cute!!).

I had a great time dressing you in really

cute “little boy” clothes.

You had your favorite silky blanket that you would hold while you sucked your thumb. You were able to console yourself at any time so nap time was never a problem.

Stacia got her baby brother!

We had many, many hours of fun

together. I loved being a stay at home

mother (even though we never stayed

home)! .

We went many places; however, we also had a great time just staying home. It didn’t matter is it was making cookies in the kitchen or playing the snow in the yard we had lots of fun.

I am sure when you look at this book in the years to come, one of your favorite memories will be the hand painted clothes I made for you and Stacia at Christmas (ha ha).

However, I was not the only one dressing you in crazy clothes!!

Bud, every day was a new adventure with you. You would change clothes several times a day. Sometimes you would create outfits with things other than clothes. How about the tie back to your curtains?

You were a really funny and creative little boy. Your Halloween costumes were your every day attire. I used to keep them in the drawer under you bed. You would put a different one on each day. Every day was Halloween for you!

I had lots of fun making these costumes. I don’t really like to sew so I would just make them us by having you lay on the floor and tracing your outline on paper bags.

Books were always a favorite pastime.

I would read you many books every day.

Some of your favorites were the Magic

School Bus and anything about trucks

and dinosaurs. Your favorite characters

were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers.

Actually, you were a turtle many times!

You had a wonderful imagination. You would entertain everyone with your stories. You would tell tales about being a farmer with a wife. You were only about three years old but you would go on and on about your adventures. Everyone loved your stories. This was just the beginning of your expressing

your creative personality.

When you were in 5th grade, you won first place in the Anne Arundel County Reading Council’s Young Author’s Concert. I know this will be the first of many stories (or books , graphic novels, movies , etc.) that you will have published. I can’t wait for you to have the opportunity to share your talents with the world!

I know that you feel that I harp and harp and harp on you about finishing your college education but I am only trying to get you to understand the importance of getting your Bachelors Degree. It is just not about what you learn, it is more about the connections, internships and introductions that will give you the opportunity to get meet the proper people that will be able to give you the chance to write and get published. I only want the BEST FOR YOU!

We spent many, many hours on our adventures. We would go on the bike trails just about every day. How many miles do you think we logged on the trails on bikes and skates?

1st Bike

Without

Training

Wheels

We would go on picnics, go to playgrounds, zoos, swimming pools and museums. I would plan trips to Children’s Museums, play dates with friends and any playground we could find. We were on the go every day. We were members of the Baltimore Zoo so I would pack a lunch and the stroller. Stacia, you and I would go and enjoy the day watching the animals.

We certainly had lots of fun going on our adventures. We spent quite a bit of time in pools and at the beaches of Ocean City, Bethany Beach and Clearwater, Fl.

We had a blast at Disney World.

You & Stacia got your pictures

taken with 35 characters!

Here you are sitting in 1st Class. The airlines put us in

the emergency row by mistake so the only seats left

were in 1st class!

I don’t know if you remember visiting Sesame Place but it was a very hot day and there was a very large three story climbing rope area. You were too little to go through the rope tunnels so you and I walked up the stairs and were waiting for Stacia to climb through the ladders. She got scared so I put you on my back and climbed through very small tunnels to reach her. When we finally got there, you also had fun on the rope swings.

This was an example of how I will always be here for you to help you get to where you want to be, even if I have to carry you on my back!!

And let’s not forget our tri p to Cedar Point. Matt cancelled at the last minute so we decided to go anyway. I don’t like to even ride the roller coaster at a carnival let along big scary ones; however, I didn’t want you to have to ride the roller coasters alone so I rode every one with you. The Top Thrill Dragster was the scariest!! We waited for 1 ½ hours. Luckily it was only 12 seconds long so I held my breath and closed my eyes. I am really glad you had lots of fun that day!

I am so happy I was there to help to teach you

how to do many things growing up. I taught

you how to dribble a basketball by walking

in front of the house bouncing the ball.

Since you had the best ball control, you were

given the job of taking the ball down the court.

I also enjoyed teaching you how to enjoy other

Sports such as swimming and baseball.

I loved coaching your first T-ball team.

One of my favorite things we did together was

when you were playing football for the Apaches.

You were a couple pounds too heavy to play with only

a week before opening day. You and I both cut out

all the junk and we went running each day to help

you to lose a couple pounds. I was soo excited when you

made weight and were able to play.

You showed interest in music at an early age.

Your first instruments were pots & pans!

The next was the viola followed by

Percussion in elementary school.

When we were at the 9th grade orientation, the steel band was playing. You were hesitant to put it on your schedule but after my encouraging, you added it to your schedule. I know you really enjoyed playing with the steel band all through high school. I was so proud of you when you got the point where you played solo parts. You were great!!

Birthdays were ALWAYS a big event at our house.

You had parties at the house with lots of friends. The parties would have themes so the house and yard would be filled with decorations. As you got older you had parties at the bowling alley, putt putt golf and many other places.

Holidays were always a big deal. I would decorate the house and dress you up in really cute outfits. I can’t begin to count the number of Easter eggs what were colored and hidden for hunts on Easter morning. Many, many pumpkins were carved on the dining room table.

I love the Christmas holidays. The house would be completely decorated and you and Stacia would help with the tree decorating. I would make cookies and play Christmas music. We had many Santa parties when you were little.

You would leave cookies and milk for Santa and get up real early and run downstairs to see what Santa had brought. I probably went way over with the presents (no not me!!).

“THE HAIR”!! You have had quite a few different looks with your hair!! You started out with none at all.

Your hair came in light brown and

very curly. I would wet your hair in

the morning and comb through it. It

would dry into beautiful ringlets.

When you were two, you got your First “little boy haircut”.

You wore your hair short until your senior year in high school. I am glad you got your senior picture before you let your hair go wild.

When you started play drums with the band, everyone else had long hair so you let your hair grow. Your hair didn’t get long it just got big! I am happy you decided to wear it a little shorter now.

You had a wonderful start to school. You started at Elvaton Baptist Church when you were two. This gave you a great start to your “academic adventure”. Miss Crickie was one of your first teachers. Lots of fun times at this school.

It was quite a challenge to get you to your high school graduation. You are so smart yet you didn’t see the importance of homework. You told me “homework is for people that didn’t get it the first time”. Too bad you were the only one that felt this way. In spite of this attitude you were able to achieve quite a bit in high school. You graduated with an Advanced Placement Diploma with 33 college credits. You received cords from the National Art Honor Society and Music Masters. I am really proud of you!

As you know, the thing that makes me the happiest , is the relationship between you and Stacia. You guys were not the closest growing up even though you spent lots of time together. When Stacia moved out and went to college, she realized that the two of you have so much in common. One Thanksgiving we were spending it at Bethany Beach so you guys rode down together. After 2 hours in the car, you found out you both like the same music and share the same values. It makes me very, very happy to see the two of you together these days! You know what no matter what else is going on in your life, you can always count on each other.

You are brother & sister?!

As much as I love you, I had a hard time understanding why you do things the way you do. After I attended the Power of Communications seminar, it all made sense to me. I am a visual communicator and you a kinesthetic communicator. Now I get it! I learn by writing it down or reading while you need to understand why it is important before you buy into it. This is still difficult for me to understand this but I respect the fact that you are entitled to your own way of expressing yourself.

I want you to know that no matter what is going on in your life, if you are ever sad or lonely take a look at this book and you will how know much you are loved!!

Have a wonderful life. I can’t wait to read your first novel. Remember, to dedicate it to me!!!

Lots of hugs and kisses!!!

Love, Mom