Monday, January 29, 2007

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.

41 comments:

ChrisB said...

Beccy it was great fun looking at all the old photos.
Although this is a good selection I still think it would have been fun to include some of the others.
Hope you your flight was Ok. I guess you will actually be in mid-flight as I write this. It was a lovely weekend so thank you for almost surprising me. love mum
PS Mollie has just rung and wants to know if you are picking her up. I said I would ask you to text her. In case you don't pick this up I will also ring you.

The very nice man said...

Wow!! How gorgeous are you?!!
Brilliant pictures and great story! You're a star!!

Anonymous said...

I think Erik needs an award for coming up with this idea. I love looking at all the photos. I would try to choose a fav, but they are all so much fun. I had a pair of shorts like those and, too, wore them ALL the time. Thanks for taking the time to share they and I'm happy you had fun with your Mum doing this little project.

Yara said...

Hey, Thank you for sharing your pictues, they were great!
-Yara

Beccy said...

I agree Mum, it brought back loads of memories.

Thanks to your great idea Erik.

I agree swampy, it's great fun seeing all the photos.

You're welcome Yara.

Shahana Shafiuddin said...

wow, i really feeled that you are showing me some short video how you looked when you grew up. how old are you now? you are a beautiful women.

Anonymous said...

I had that exact same blue sundress and LOVED it.

Such nostalgia over here.

enidd said...

enid agrees, it's great getting a peep into everyone's albums. you were so cute in all that mud!

Beccy said...

Shahana, thank you for your kind comments, now I am 37 years young.

Jenny it's great seeing everyones old photos, I have to tell you I would have committed crimes to get a dress like yours.

Thanks Enid, not that it did me much good, I remember we had to travel home in the boot because we were so dirty.

FH said...

WOW!! At seven,infront of 10 Downing!!!Cool!! Great pics!!

Amy W said...

I loved looking at all your photos, thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

What perfect timing for your visit with your mom :). Glad you decided to include so many, it's just as fun reading the explanations.

Did you know it looks like a few of the pictures are missing though? Check to see if I'm right.

Tiggerlane said...

I love the 18-year old photo the best - it has the whole Mollie Ringwald "Pretty in Pink" thing going on.

Tres chic!

A Novelist said...

Beccy, I adore your pictures and my favorite is the photo of you as a baby. So sweet. I love your blog and will add it to my favorites list. Take care! :)

Beccy said...

I know Asha, I don't think you're allowed to get that close nowadays.

Thanks Amy, it really has been a fun Monday!

You're right about the missing pictures Robin, I prepared this blog at Mum's and am back home so I have to wait for Mum to email the missing photos so I can upload them again.

Many thanks novelist, I too enjoyed reading your blog.

Anonymous said...

This was so much fun Beccy! It's always fun to see old pictures, even if I don't know what you look like now! haha!

This is why I obsessively scrapbook, so that future generations will have more pictures and stories than they know what to do with!

Or at least that's my excuse for spending so much money on scrapbooking stuff! ;)

Steffi said...

Wow,...very nice pictures of your life!Great idea!I like to see older pictures.

Bye,Steffi

Anonymous said...

Those pictures of you are LOVELY! Even those you indicated you thought we not that attractive. You are a beautiful lady. And what a sweet walk down memory lane!

Beccy said...

Ha ha catwoman, I wouldn't want to dazzle you with my beauty (or scare you with my ugliness) by showing you a current photo!

Thanks Steffi, it was a great idea, I can't take credit for it!

Thanks Stephanie, it was a very sweet walk indeed.

Sam said...

who are all these people? Are they all wearing beer goggles or something?

Beccy said...

Samantha how dare you be so rude to all these wonderful people! Clearly it is you who is wearing the beer goggles!

dodo said...

ha - i'd forgotten all about that large print tee shirt phase we all went through!

Leann said...

thanks for sharing your nice pictures with us.I enjoyed seeing them.its been fun seeing everyones shots.take care and God bless.

Beccy said...

Dodo so had I, clothes were very unflattering back then as well, this post gave my children a good laugh!

Thanks Leann, it's been great fun and informative.

Anonymous said...

I love the sandy/muddy picture. Too cute.

Mary said...

I really loved reading all the captions to your pictures! the pictures of you and your sis are priceless. I bet you and your mum had a lot of fun! :O)

willowtree said...

Beccy, that was great! I loved the stroll down memory lane, particularly the narrative. Just a couple of things...you actually liked those shorts??

Here's the funny one, as I don't know you (and I'm on dialup so the pictures loaded slowly)when the second picture came up, for a brief moment I thought you were a thalidomide child.

Anvilcloud said...

It's odd, but although I have never been across the pond, I have no trouble recognizing #10 Downing St.

Barbara said...

Great photo essay Beccy. I think the #10 Downing St pic says so much about life then and life now.

ChrisB said...

beccy meant to say I recall buying that T-shirt (last pic) for me.

Beccy said...

Karmyn, that photo is one of my favourites as well, I vividly remember that day , the thrill of being allowed to roll around in and throw mud.

Mert you're right Mum and I had such fun reminising over all the photos.

Willowtree and snoopy! I'm sure we all have fashion mistakes tucked away in our past, in fact I expect I still have some in my wardrobe!
Those shorts were the height of good taste, well I thought so, mind you I don't remember anyone else wearing anything similar. I did like to be different though so I guess they achieved that!

Anvilcloud and Barbara, I think you'd find a very different scene today at no. 10. I was in London last year and the whole street is now blocked off you can't even walk down it.

Mum, I remember you buying it for us to share, I just think I got the lions share of it!

sallywrites said...

Great photos!!

And nice new looking blog too!!

Am taking a week off (see blog)!

See you next week!

Sally
x

Cuppa said...

Love the flapper pic.

sallywrites said...

p.s. Meant to say that I reckon those sundresses must have been round about 1976. I had one identical, when I was 14! You must have been about 7!

Sam said...

I LOVE the #10 downing street pic. I sent it to Fred and he fell in love with me all over again.

You couldn't get much cuter than us two in that picture, and the Policeman just perfects the pose.

Downing street has been closed for about 20 years at least I think.

Beccy said...

Thanks cuppa, mum made them for a tap dance and I have to admit that it was one of the nicer costumes I had.

Sally you are spot on I was seven and Sam was 10.

Sam I found that photo after I'd done the post and had to include it for historical as well cuteness reasons. I didn't realise Downing street had been closed for 20 years, I thought it was closed since 9/11.

Sam said...

i thought it was closed during or because of the poll tax riots. I was on the march in 1988? 89? and we had to be redirected becasue there was a kerfuffle at Downing Street as I recall

Beccy said...

I'm sure you're right Sam, I just assumed it was more recent.

Emma in Canada said...

How did I miss all these posts? I would love to do a post like that. My mother used to dress me in those sundresses as well. One of her complaints about children's clothing from Canada is that there is no smocking.

Beccy said...

Emma you could still do one, I'd love to see photos of you growing up. As for the smocking, I love it. Those kind of things are back in the shops here, unfortunately I'm too old (read fat) to wear them and Mollie thinks they're gross.

Anonymous said...

Dunno who you are but i was just looking around web randomly stumbling and this site came up, you say you visted cornwall when younger, sorta made me happy to see someone say about enjoying it as most who visit here always complain, thank you :D

Dak's