Who's that cutie pie?

After the success of last weeks view from your door, Erik suggested we post childhood photographs today. If it were not for the fact that I was visiting Mum I would not have been able to complete this challenge as I have very few childhood photographs and no scanner to scan any I do have. So Mum and I spent a wonderful morning looking through numerous photographs selecting and deselecting. Of course I was choosing all the photos where I looked cute but Mum said I should choose funny (read embarrassing) ones as well. Did I? You'll have to trawl to the end to find out!


I don't remember anything from this stage in my life but who can fail to find a newborn cute!


I was two years old when this photograph was taken.


When I was three I started ballet lessons and every second year our ballet school held a display in the Victoria Rooms, a large, old fashioned concert hall. I was three when I was a fairy in my first display and many years later Mollie won a fancy dress competition wearing this same tutu (lovingly made by my mum).


As you can see at the age of four I discovered the benefits of a mud bath.


I guess I wasn't too happy at having this photograph (age five) taken with Mum and Sam as I seem to be giving the photographer two fingers!


My first visit to London (age seven) when we visited all the famous landmarks including number 10 Downing Street, home of the British prime minister. I loved the tops Sam and I were wearing and it was one time when I didn't mind being handed down Sam's old clothes!


At the age of six I had my first holiday in cornwall, it was a place we revisited every year for six years and I have since been back many times with my children. This photograph was taken when I was seven and enjoying playing in the sand.



Another photograph taken of Sam and I outside the apartments we stayed in every year in Cornwall. I loved these sundresses and last summer tried to persuade Mollie to get a similar style dress, she was not impressed.


I was eight years old when this school photograph was taken. I loved choosing from my ribbon supply which ribbons to have in my hair. These pink ribbons were a favourite of mine.


Another shot of Sam and I in our costumes from the dance diplay. I was 11 and Sam was 14 and we performed a tap dance influenced by the 1920's Charleston era.


Sam took this photograph of me aged 12 at guide camp. I can only assume that she was jealous of my beauty so decided to take a hideous photo of me, it took about 10 takes for me to perfect this look!


My 13th birthday and Sam made me this wonderful snoopy cake to go with my collection of 11 snoopies, (two of which can be found in Mollie and Ben's room).


Those of you who know me well know that I play a lot of tennis. I grew up around tennis courts as my parents played a lot and couldn't wait to learn the game myself at the age of six. Just as I was showing promise at the age of nine I had a bad experience with my coach and gave up. Three years later I rediscovered my love of tennis and have played ever since.


Here I am aged 14 on my confirmation day. The dress was an old one of Sam's. As black was the main staple of my wardrobe I didn't want Mum to buy me anything new that I would then have to wear again. Sam gave me the bracelet and Granny gave me some pearl earrings.


Who the hell is Niel? This is where I start to question my fashion sense. I loved those shorts and wore them all that summer (age 14 years).


Just to prove that I had a figure once! I was 14 years old and had spent three weeks in France on an exchange programme hence the all over tan.


Do you like the bling? I was 18 years old and liked to dress differently to the norm. I still like to wear hats but keep the earrings much smaller.


My final delve into the past. This photograph was taken when I was 22 years old and leaving Hull for the last time after three happy years at university. I recently found a badge from those days which said 'it's never dull in Hull', my days there were far from dull and included a broken ankle, student balls, being confronted by a burglar and meeting the love of my life.