#1 Earliest Memory (freewrite, 10 minutes)

I can’t remember the exact age I was, but I remember learning to walk with my 2 cousins that were a year older them me. They were boys and were always having fun running around and playing. I wanted to have fun too, so one day I just started walking and running after them. I had not even learned how to crawl yet, and my parents were so shocked and excited. Their excitement did not last too long because as a girl playing with two older boys, injuries were bound to happen. I was always getting scrapes, bruises, and black eyes all of the time. That reminds me of an incident that happened in Kindergarten. My cousins and I were at a birthday party and we were playing T-ball. My cousin swings the bat and it missed the ball, but he managed to hit my face at full swing. Fortunately, I did not break my nose, but I had two awesome black eyes and a swollen face for weeks, not to mention all of the blood that got everywhere. We look back on that day and laugh now that we are all grown up. This was just one minor injury that has happened from growing up with two boys who are very aggressive and do not take it easy just because I am a girl. Being around them all of the time has made me the way I am now, very aggressive and tough. Another time, before we were even in school, it was my birthday and I was celebrating it at my cousins’ house, who has a pet pig. The pig ate all of my cake before anyone even had a chance to eat it. I was so upset and I will never forget that day and how I felt.