# What is your earliest memory?



## CinnamonSugar (Jan 26, 2021)

I remember when we were moving and getting ready to leave our old house.  I think I was around two years old.  I stopped and looked at the river-rock fire place before going out the front door for the last time.    What’s your earliest memory ?


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## Dana (Jan 26, 2021)

Around two or thereabouts, sitting on my Grandpa's knee and playing with his beard. He died when I was six.


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## old medic (Jan 27, 2021)

This is kinda wild... I remember my dad having his arm in a cast.... according to my mother I was only 9 months old 
when he broke it... they split up when i was 3 and didnt meet him again until i was 9


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## hollydolly (Jan 27, 2021)

I could list several things which are still very strong in my memory before the age of 5.. but the one that stands out most was when at around the age of 15, I mentioned to my mother about a specific memory I had , that only she and I could have known , and had never been spoken about  in my family.. and she looked at me in shock and said, ''you can't possibly remember that, you were only 14 months old''..

.that was my first real clear memory....it was the memory of being in the arms of my first foster mother and my mother waving to me from the back window of a taxi, then during my stay at the foster home, the son of the family was sent to get me from my cot.. he could only have been around 9 years old.. and he dropped me from the top of the stairs ... ......but there was many memories  when I was 2 and 3 years old as well, but the former  was my very first .. !!


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## Jeweltea (Jan 27, 2021)

I know I was under 5 but not sure how old. I remember my mom telling me it was the first day of spring while I was playing outside and how I thought that was great. I also remember my uncle coming to visit in his VW bug and how I thought that car was so great because it was so small like me.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Jan 27, 2021)

Sadly I really can’t remember anything before I was 4 or 5.


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2021)

My memories go back to baby & toddler.  My first awareness was being diapered by my father in front of our nine inch Philco TV and he was laughing and clipped me with a diaper pin. For some reason, I think he was watching Milton Berle.


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## hollydolly (Jan 27, 2021)

Pepper said:


> My memories go back to baby & toddler.  My first awareness was being diapered by my father in front of our nine inch Philco TV and he was laughing and clipped me with a diaper pin. For some reason, I think he was watching Milton Berle.


9 inch tv ?....


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2021)

Well, @hollydolly  it doesn't seem so small anymore as so many folks watch TV, etc. on their phones!  We were the only people in our apartment building to have a TV at that time.  We were popular.


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## Ceege (Jan 27, 2021)

My earliest is when I was about 2.  We were on a vacation and staying at a hotel.  My mother had sat me up on a dresser to tie my shoes while I looked out a window at a busy street and I was holding my toothbrush that had a spinning clown on the handle.


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## hollydolly (Jan 27, 2021)

Pepper said:


> Well, @hollydolly  it doesn't seem so small anymore as so many folks watch TV, etc. on their phones!  We were the only people in our apartment building to have a TV at that time.  We were popular.


what year was this ?.. I remember our first TV.. but I was about 3 or 4 , and it was a standard size screen if I remember for the 60's


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## Lewkat (Jan 27, 2021)

I was in my high chair being fed and when my mom turned her back, I leaned way over and fell out, hitting my head on a radiator.  I was less than a year old and it's odd that I can remember that incident.  I can even picture it as it happened.


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> what year was this ?.. I remember our first TV.. but I was about 3 or 4 , and it was a standard size screen if I remember for the 60's


I was born in the middle of 1949.  The TV set was already in the apartment before me.  I don't remember how old I was being diapered, so 1950?  '51?


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## Pecos (Jan 27, 2021)

I remember my Grandfather's flower bed. It was star shaped and full of pansies. I was three or four.


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## Lara (Jan 27, 2021)

I remember "Gammie" in Fort Lauderdale FL taking me to the toy store and telling me I could pick out anything in the whole store. I picked out a little doll. Then she took me to Howard Johnson's for a chocolate milkshake. I found out later that she had very little money.

Later in life, when my mother would tell us all about how she didn't like how her mother, Gammie, had various issues and would describe them in detail, I always responded with how I thought she was the sweetest person in the whole world and how much I loved her.

My mother wrote a little book of her life toward the end of her own life. She added these issues her mother had. I said, "Are you sure you want to leave this kind of legacy about your mother? Back in the day no one really understood how untreated low thryroid can affect your personality. I reminded my mother that it wasn't Gammie's fault that "she was messy" or her "slipped showed", or was paranoid, etc.  She then edited and deleted it. You're welcome Gammie


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2021)

My grandma (maternal) was very poor too @Lara.  Every year on my birthday she gave me a $10 dollar bill.  She always said she found it in a crack in the wood on the boardwalk.  She was so poor, money-wise.  She had a big heart & I loved her so much.


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## Gary O' (Jan 27, 2021)

CinnamonSugar said:


> What’s your earliest memory ?


The race








And......*I won!!*


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## hollydolly (Jan 27, 2021)

Pepper said:


> My grandma (maternal) was very poor too @Lara.  Every year on my birthday she gave me a $10 dollar bill.  She always said she found it in a crack in the wood on the boardwalk.  She was so poor, money-wise.  She had a big heart & I loved her so much.


my paternal granny was very poor too... but every birthday she would give me and my my siblings a postal order for about 2/6d in with our birthday cards... she couldn't ever afford it, and I only realised that when I was grown,  I wished my parents had told me just how poor she was...


... I've just chosen a random year in the mid 60's ( when I was about 10 years old  ) and put 2/6d into the historic calculator and it tells me it would be worth £5 in today's money


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## HoneyNut (Jan 27, 2021)

My earliest memory was when I was 2 and followed my grandmother into the bathroom and then saw her take her teeth out.  I didn't know about false teeth so I reacted pretty much as if she'd removed her head and so I ran screaming.  Other than that I don't have any really early memories, they pick up when I was maybe 4 with falling and skinning my knee, and the frightening experience of finding a "bird" hopping up and down in an empty container in the garage (not part of the memory but was a hamster of the neighbor's and my mom returned it home), and a memory of my sister's face bleeding and her wanting to know if I had a tissue, which I did not and left me with a huge feeling of failing my sister in her time of need, and oh the memory of the evil of my grandfather who dumped out my little container of dirt that had my sprouted apple seed.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 27, 2021)

I remember crying... wailing in fact, laying in a stainless steel crib in a hospital, and the nurse (all dressed in white) was pulling hairpins out of her hair in front of a mirror, and dropping the hairpins into a sink below.

My mom told me that nothing of the sorts ever happened, but to this day I swear it happened, and I have often wondered if it relates to my first born days. Seems impossible to me to think that a newborn baby could remember (even see) anything, but I know what I witnessed and remember it like yesterday.

It's a memory I've carried with me my entire life.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 27, 2021)

I also remember tossing my baby bottle out of my crib when an aunt was babysitting me, and turning it into a game, with her getting up over and over again to fetch it, and returning it to me, then no sooner she'd sit down in the living room, which was within my clear view, I'd toss my bottle onto the floor again.


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## hollydolly (Jan 27, 2021)

HoneyNut said:


> My earliest memory was when I was 2 and followed my grandmother into the bathroom and then saw her take her teeth out.  I didn't know about false teeth so I reacted pretty much as if she'd removed her head and so I ran screaming.  Other than that I don't have any really early memories, they pick up when I was maybe 4 with falling and skinning my knee, and the frightening experience of finding a "bird" hopping up and down in an empty container in the garage (not part of the memory but was a hamster of the neighbor's and my mom returned it home), and a memory of my sister's face bleeding and her wanting to know if I had a tissue, which I did not and left me with a huge feeling of failing my sister in her time of need, and oh the memory of the evil of my grandfather who dumped out my little container of dirt that had my sprouted apple seed.


sorry I'm not laughing at your last paragraph... but the first part had me laughing out loud....


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## RadishRose (Jan 27, 2021)

I think my first one was as an infant. My mother was holding me, my father kept insisting something. Voices were raised somewhat.

Years later, I saw a pic of my mother with her face turned away while holding an infant. She explained my father wanted her to come to the porch with me to finish off a roll of film in the camera but she didn't want her picture taken because it was very early and she wasn't made up yet.


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## Pink Biz (Jan 27, 2021)

*My paternal grandfather died when I was about two years old. I remember sitting on his lap. I also recall being bathed in a little tub in the kitchen sink!*


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## gennie (Jan 27, 2021)

Visiting my paternal great grandmother.  She died at 103 in1938 so I was less than 5.  She was tiny and was in a bed with a thick feather mattress. I was picked up by my mother, sat on the side of her bed and sank into the bedding almost disappearing.


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## Pinky (Jan 27, 2021)

I have a memory of standing in my crib while looking at my mother who was sitting at a table at home. No idea how old I would have been.

The other memory, is, being outside with mom and seeing a dog which was far away .. and climbing her leg from fear. Who would have thought I'd ever be such a dog lover later on.


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## CinnamonSugar (Jan 27, 2021)

HoneyNut said:


> My earliest memory was when I was 2 and followed my grandmother into the bathroom and then saw her take her teeth out.  I didn't know about false teeth so I reacted pretty much as if she'd removed her head and so I ran screaming.  Other than that I don't have any really early memories, they pick up when I was maybe 4 with falling and skinning my knee, and the frightening experience of finding a "bird" hopping up and down in an empty container in the garage (not part of the memory but was a hamster of the neighbor's and my mom returned it home), and a memory of my sister's face bleeding and her wanting to know if I had a tissue, which I did not and left me with a huge feeling of failing my sister in her time of need, and oh the memory of the evil of my grandfather who dumped out my little container of dirt that had my sprouted apple seed.


This brings back a memory from young grade school days ... my grandma ( who was blind) was visiting and I was supposed to help her to the bathroom and make sure she got on the commode.  Unfortunately one time she turned about 90 degrees too much and before I could stop her, she sat down in the bath tub!   Bless her, she wasn’t hurt but it did give me a fright!


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## debodun (Jan 27, 2021)

My father giving me a pair of sunglasses with red plastic frames.


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## Chet (Jan 27, 2021)

I was still an infant and I remember my crib was up against a green wall opposite the side of the room with windows. This is where my parents rented before buying a house.


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## Gaer (Jan 27, 2021)

I was a tiny  baby in a blanket in my Mother's arms in the car.  My Dad was driving and I was crying because I didn't want to go yet.  We were driving home from Belmont Park at night and I wanted to look out the window at the pretty lights.  I remember trying to kick my feet out of the blanket.  Mother was quite irritated with me.  She passed me to my Aunt sitting in the back seat, who said, "I'll take her!"
My Aunt tilted me up so I could look out the window.  I was happy then and stopped crying.


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## fuzzybuddy (Jan 28, 2021)

I have two from about the same time. I was in my crib and I could hear squirrels running on the roof. It's not really a memory, But we only lived in this place till I was 2. I was aware that my room was on the second floor, how to come down the stairs, and the layout of the first floor. I do have a definite memory when I was crawling on the floor. My dad was doing something in the cellar, and left the door open. I crawled down a couple of steps, and I could see a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling. I heard my mom scream, and I got picked up.
I can remember things when I was three, but I'm also the guy, who found his sneakers in the fridge. Go figure.


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## hollydolly (Jan 28, 2021)

I also remember other things before I was 2 years old ( we moved house just before I was 2 ).. but in the first house it was a studio apartment.. and I got washed in the sink, which had a wooden draining board.. it was an upstairs flat .not sure whether up  one or 2 floors.. but my mother would stand me on the draining board and watch for my father riding home from work on his bike


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## Pecos (Jan 28, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> I also remember tossing my baby bottle out of my crib when an aunt was babysitting me, and turning it into a game, with her getting up over and over again to fetch it, and returning it to me, then no sooner she'd sit down in the living room, which was within my clear view, I'd toss my bottle onto the floor again.


LOL, and we get an early glimpse into our Aunt Marge.
Love it!


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## Leonie (Jan 28, 2021)

Kathleen’s Place said:


> Sadly I really can’t remember anything before I was 4 or 5.


Me neither.


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## Gardenlover (Jan 28, 2021)

Well, it was just before the big bang and then all of a sudden...

In reality, I have trouble remembering tomorrow or was it yesterday?


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 28, 2021)

Pecos said:


> LOL, and we get an early glimpse into our Aunt Marge.
> Love it!


So many years ago, Pecos, I still can't believe I'm pushing 60.


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## Pecos (Jan 28, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> So many years ago, Pecos, I still can't believe I'm pushing 60.


And I can't believe that I am 78, it just doesn't seem right. But I am deducting the year 2020 from my age because I didn't really get to live it. So that makes me 77.

You should feel free to employ this strategy as well.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 28, 2021)

Pecos said:


> And I can't believe that I am 78, it just doesn't seem right. But I am deducting the year 2020 from my age because I didn't really get to live it. So that makes me 77.
> 
> You should feel free to employ this strategy as well.


I love your strategy and yes, I'm officially adopting it as we speak! 

Good on you, Pecos! Wishing you many more years ahead!


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## win231 (Jan 28, 2021)

Saying *"I'm hungry."*


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## Alizerine (Feb 1, 2021)

CinnamonSugar said:


> I remember when we were moving and getting ready to leave our old house.  I think I was around two years old.  I stopped and looked at the river-rock fire place before going out the front door for the last time.    What’s your earliest memory ?


I remember the adults pushing a heavy piece of furniture against the front door because "the hurricane's coming".  It was a destructive one and happened when I was about 17 months old. I seem to remember the scary stuff.


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## fmdog44 (Feb 8, 2021)

I remember nothing until June of my 5th year. My first memory is standing in the driveway of our new home the day we moved in. My dad for some reason never believed I had no memory of my first first 5/1/2 years.


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## peramangkelder (Feb 8, 2021)

I remember when I was 3 and I was carrying my newborn sister down the passage in our first home
Mum saw me and sped up with her arms out saying 'Give her to me' and I thought I was doing such a good job too


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## jamesrush308 (Feb 8, 2021)

Pepper said:


> Well, @hollydolly  it doesn't seem so small anymore as so many folks watch TV, etc. on their phones!  We were the only people in our apartment building to have a TV at that time.  We were popular.



Hahaha I still have my little TV sitting on the shelf..Not sure if it still wroks but it sure impresses the grandkids  Funny comparision hahaha


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## jamesrush308 (Feb 8, 2021)

My earliest memory was back when I was about 6 or 7 and with my brother who was 10 at the time.. We were going to the malt shop and my poor brother trusted me to hold our coins and I dropped them right into a drain! Hahaha still remember the look on his face  Only a couple of nickels great how cheap things used to be!


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## deesierra (Feb 9, 2021)

When I was about 8 years old my family visited the San Diego Zoo for a second time, the first time being when I was an infant in a stroller. There was an aviary not far from the entrance. As an 8 year old and walking by that aviary I shouted out "this looks sooo much bigger than I remember!" My mom said I couldn't possibly remember that since I was only 6 months old. But I did. I can still see that huge aviary in my mind.


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## horseless carriage (Feb 9, 2021)

In the days before the rise of the supermarket store, people bought their provisions from various shops, but for some, who needed to stretch their pennies that little bit further, the street market was the place to go. Not somewhere a two-year-old would call a fun day. But if you stuck an ice cream in his mouth..................................................


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## Irwin (Feb 9, 2021)

I remember going to the 1964 World's Fair in NY. I was six years old.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 9, 2021)

horseless carriage said:


> View attachment 148814
> In the days before the rise of the supermarket store, people bought their provisions from various shops, but for some, who needed to stretch their pennies that little bit further, the street market was the place to go. Not somewhere a two-year-old would call a fun day. But if you stuck an ice cream in his mouth..................................................


I just love how everyone looked so dashing back in the day.

No sweat pants, no unkempt beards and unshaven dirty faces, topcoats, overcoats, suits, dress jackets, dress shoes, dress slacks, hats, so classy.


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## fmdog44 (Feb 9, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> I just love how everyone looked so dashing back in the day.
> 
> No sweat pants, no unkempt beards and unshaven dirty faces, topcoats, overcoats, suits, dress jackets, dress shoes, dress slacks, hats, so classy.


Yeah, but there were no Walmarts!!


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 9, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> Yeah, but there were no Walmarts!!


You come up with all the good ones lately, FM!


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## oldiebutgoody (Feb 11, 2021)

At about age 3 or maybe 2*½*, I remember standing in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn (we lived 1 block away):


Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument ~ Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument - Wikipedia​Fort Greene Park Conservancy


All these years have gone by and I still as if I never left the area.


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## JonDouglas (Feb 11, 2021)

My earliest memory was sitting on the front porch steps holding a picture of my father so I'd know what he looked like when he came home from the war in the Pacific.  My next memory after that was him driving up in a jeep, taking me to the local airport, strapping me into the front seat of a Navy trainer (i.e., Stearman biplane) and giving me my first plane ride.  I couldn't see over the edge of the (open air) cockpit so thay stacked several parachute packs for me to sit on.  Afterwords, mom was so pissed at him that he probably didn't get any for months.  Some 50 years later, Dad and I set about seeing if we could fly ultralights.  Dad went up, came right back, landed white as a sheet and said, "You really don't want to do this."  It turned out he was right as I survived the contraption coming apart at altitude with only bruises.  Mom's reaction and words were the same as before.  She angrily said, "After all these years, you're still trying to kill that boy."  Earliest memories were revisited and reinforced.


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## Sassycakes (Mar 30, 2021)

*One of my earliest memories was when I was almost 9yrs old. My Aunt and her family were taking a trip to Italy. My Aunt and one of her daughters didn't want to take a plane so my Uncle and their son took a plane and my Aunt and her daughter went by ship. My Dad drove them to New York to board the ship and my Mom and me and my sister went to New York with them. We were allowed on the ship to look around. I remember looking over the railing and couldn't believe how long down the ship went and couldn't even imagine how much of the ship went under the water. I immediately had a fear of the water and how deep it must be. A year later the ship sunk. It was the SS Andrea Doria. I will never travel on a ship, *


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## SetWave (Mar 30, 2021)

Walking my tricycle in front of the house because I was too small to ride it.


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## caroln (Mar 30, 2021)

I have memories of when I was 4 or 5, but I'm not sure if they are _real_ memories or "learned" memories, memories you think are your own but are really from being told a story many times. But one memory I know is my own is waking up from a terrible nightmare when I was 4. I used to line up all my dolls at the end of my bed every night when I went to sleep. I dreamt they all got up and started walking towards me menacingly. I woke up screaming!


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## win231 (Mar 30, 2021)

When I was 4 or 5 & we were poor, I remember sitting on the floor in our run-down apartment sharing my lunch with several rats that lived in the building.  They would sit in my lap & take food out of my hand.  They never hurt me.  I loved that apartment; it came with its own pets & I told my mom I wanted to live there forever.  She always said, "You're crazy."


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## Fyrefox (Mar 31, 2021)

My earliest memory was of sitting on a hard wooden chair on a very rainy day and eating a sandwich as I watched a black and white cartoon about a tiger.  All of my senses were engaged in forming that first memory, which is what I think anchored it in my mind...


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