a leap frog always in hand

I remember in second grade when I ate cereal in class.

I remember when I got a Pokemon toy from McDonald’s.

I remember on my birthday my dad poured ice on me.

I remember when I was younger I had a toy block.

I remember I watched YouTube with my best friend.

I remember when I was younger I made a horse noise with my mouth.

I remember when I was younger I smelled a fruity smell like apples, bananas and blueberries mixed.

I remember in the summer when I played football with my dad.

I remember when my dad said, “Can’t is not a word in my family.”

I remember when me and my family went to Sky Zone.

I remember when I always hid in my parent’s room under their covers.

I remember when I found my lost teddy bear.

I remember my mom took me to her a job and it was magical. She had a nurse job.

I remember when I always collected marbles a lot.

I remember when I listened to my mom sing a song.

I remember two birds, but one died.

I remember my doll with long soft hair.

I remember seeing my family on Dia la Muerte.

I remember my brown bear with the red bow tie.

I remember holding hands because we were scared.

I remember my mom singing the ABCs.

I remember arroz con leche sweet from sugar.

I remember the warm pool in the summer.

I remember, “My princess.”

I remember my little auntie and how we pillow fight.

I remember hiding under the basement.

I remember happiness when my mom lost her phone.

I remember the fun, bright store.

I remember drawing my dolls, which made me happy.

I remember my first friend.

I remember having a crush on a girl named Sarah.

I remember my trainset.

I remember Thanksgiving dinner, eating good food with family and friends.

I remember always having to have my soft medium-size Sponge Bob.

I remember playing tag with my friend.

I remember the smell of food being prepared by my mom.

I remember playing in the soft, cold, white snow making snowballs and a snowman.

I remember my mom saying “I love you.”

I remember loving my mom.

I remember hiding in a tent inside my living room.

I remember I found some really great spinner toys.

I remember going for a very long ride with the wind blowing to my grandmother’s house.

I remember playing my games trying to beat my high score every time.

I remember having only two teeth and eating an entire pizza by myself.

I remember in 2nd grade Mrs. Kinne had a bunk-bed and a library with beanbag chairs.

I remember I had a play kitchen.

I remember Thanksgiving when I had my first blueberry pie.

I remember money and my best friend Zoey.

I remember Zoey. I went to her house since we were 2.

I remember snow when you step in it.

I remember the smell of cake.

I remember in summer I rolled down the hill and in winter I jumped in the snow.

I remember my mom fussing at my dad.

I remember in the kitchen cooking with my family.

I remember hiding in my mom’s closet.

I remember my grandpa. I lost him forever.

I remember being the teacher for the day.

I remember bringing my Doc McStuffin doll everywhere.

I remember on Halloween being the only small person at this party.

I remember being a toddler I always had my Minnie doll.

I remember us always going to each other’s house almost every week.

I remember popping noises from popcorn.

I remember the smell of the salty butter popcorn.

I remember in the winter me and my family went outside and threw snowballs.

I remember “Be you and not somebody they want you to be.”

I remember me and my family doing an indoor camping trip.

I remember my secret hiding spot was an empty room in my closet.

I remember me losing my friend’s dad who I knew my whole life. He was like my uncle.

I remember visiting Wisconsin.

I remember I used to love art and I still do.

I remember the teacher letting us play outside during free time.

I remember playing in Barbie’s pink mansion.

I remember coming home at 3AM from a New Year’s party so tired yet so hyper.

I remember always having Bobo the Bunny with me.

I remember sitting at my house with my best friend watching “Mean Girls” while eating candy.

I remember construction all over our neighborhood.

I remember skiing in Switzerland with my family.

I remember my sister saying, “Your room is always a mess!” constantly.

I remember taking swimming lessons and my sister would always try to drown me.

I remember losing my favorite book that was under the bed.

I remember going to Disney Land parks at least two times.

I remember always playing tennis.

I remember going to the museum when I was 3 years old.

I remember the first person I talked to in 2nd grade.

I remember on Christmas when my little cousin came to surprise me.

I remember when I always had my polar bear stuffed animal before we left the house.

I remember when my first best friend and I raced across the field.

I remember when I was little and my mom and dad put a big shirt on me and everyone started laughing.

I remember when soccer was one of my hobbies.

I remember the bright, glistening candles and the red afro of my aunt’s husband.

I remember the burning hot sidewalks, and the cool, salty ocean water.

I remember the homemade Thanksgiving meals, and the cat under my chair.

I remember “Good things come to those who wait.”

I remember Baba’s famous chocolate cake, the smell so sweet and inviting.

I remember in 2nd grade stomping my feet when my teacher turned off the lights with my light up shoes.

I remember all my action figures I had of WWE wrestling to basketball players.

I remember on Thanksgiving my parents, cousins, brother, grandparents and friends—we had food, games and watched the basketball game Cavs vs. Timberwolves.

I remember the toy I always had to have was an Elmo puppet and Big Bird I took everywhere.

I remember my first best friend was Brice and we would go in the woods and climb trees and sleep in tents and play Subway Surfer.

I remember the sound of Beyonce on the radio and other music my dad used to listen to.

I remember the smell of my mom and grandma cooking while me and my dad and grandpa was watching TV.

I remember going to an outside woods camp where I was taught how to shoot a gun and a bow.

I remember when I would play with Plushies with my best friend.

I remember when I heard hot dogs sizzle on the grill.

I remember always smelling baked goods and oatmeal.

I remember when I used to hide in the dryer.

I remember when I would sit on my bed watching TV and drawing in my notepad.

I remember when I scraped my knee so badly that I almost fainted.

I remember I had a slingshot always with me in 1 pocket and the other I had pebbles.

I remember being told to mind my own business.

I remember sitting on the couch watching TV with caramel popcorn.

I remember having a leap frog always in hand.

I remember eating lava cake and pretending to eat lava on my birthday.

I remember going to my favorite park with my big cousin Alonzo and meeting a new friend.

I remember being told by my mom, “You used to play with angels.”

I remember always carrying around my teddy bear given to me by my brother.

I remember listening to Hebrew music.

I remember losing my grandma to cancer.

I remember the house smelling so fresh and fragrant on Friday evening.

I remember hating the bitter taste of horseradish on Passover night.

I remember hiding in the cabinet under the island when I wanted to be in an enclosed space.

I remember going to my first family reunion and eating watermelon.

I remember having butterflies in my stomach when I approached my new school in second grade.

I remember always reading a fun book before going to sleep.

I remember standing on a paint can watching Harry Potter on a Saturday night.

I remember doing surgery on my teddy bear Mr. Stuffykens.

I remember doing flips with my best friend Jacques at Sky Zone.

I remember my sister dropping a glass of orange juice on the kitchen floor.

I remember the smell of my mom burning popcorn in the microwave.

I remember having a snowball fight with my older sisters.

I remember my favorite wrestler saying “My real name is Joe and I’ve been living with leukemia for 11 years.

I remember my mom telling me my grandma passed away.

I remember hiding in the closet all day long.

I remember finding my cousin’s iPhone.

I remember going to Nickelodeon Studios for my sister’s birthday.

I remember when I would sing gospel songs to my mom and dad and try to mimic the pastor singing.

I remember when my aunt bought me a doll and I called her Emily.

I remember I always used to bring my doll Emily everywhere—the store, to school and home.

I remember when it was summer and my brother Face Timed me so that I could see my beautiful baby niece.

I remember me and my BFF went to Jake’s Warehouse. We would go to the arcade and play some video games and then we would eat pizza.

I remember reading Minecraft on the bottom bunk.

I remember the one-armed Sponge Bob figure.

I remember the Christmas when nothing worked right.

I remember always listening to alphabet music in kindergarten with Ronald.

I remember the green machine in my crib with animals on it that played soothing music.

I remember the distinct chemical smell of the bathroom and kitchen after being cleaned.

I remember driving downtown Chicago in the summertime, taking in all of the people and buildings.

I remember the birthday party with the Angry Birds cake and everyone was gathered in the living room.

I remember the Halloween I found the teddy bear that was holding the orange and white candy corn.

I remember the bright sunshine of Florida.

I remember getting paid to sweep the white tiled kitchen floor.

I remember in 2nd grade Mr. P had a little sea turtle named Sylvia.

I remember when I was little I had a little monkey Plushy named Coconut and he was green.

I remember for Halloween my sister had a blue princess dress on with a black wig on. When we were walking down the street her wig flew off.

I remember I went over my best friend’s house and I would always hide at the end because I didn’t want to go home.

I remember the sound of my mom and dad fighting in the kitchen when me and my siblings were sleeping.

I remember the smell of home-baked chocolate chip cookies from the kitchen.

I remember every summer my sister, brother, and I would go to the beach and meet someone new.