Last night, I came across my American Girls Diary from 1992.  Many of the entries are humorous because they were written by a silly and naive second-grader, but 1992 was a very eventful year for my family and a very emotional year for my mother.

Here are some excerpts:

My mother, my role model

It’s probably pretty obvious to anyone who reads my blog that my mother was my most important role model.  I wanted to be just like her when I grew up, except blonde.

My Hopes and Dreams (the form for March)

More than anything, I want to: be a teacher when I grow up

That dream is important to me because: I’m smart and my mom was a teacher

This is how I plan to make it come true: study and work hard in school

Nothing can stop me except: a very tough teacher in college

I think I’ll succeed because: I’m so smart and I’ll work my best at it in school

I didn’t become a teacher but I have been a substitute teacher and a Sunday School teacher, and I still toy with the idea of teaching fourth grade.

My Mother and Me (the form for May)

My mother and I are alike in this way: we both like reading and math

This is how we are different: I have blond hair and she has brown hair

The best thing my mother and I do together is: read chapter books together

I will/will not grow up to be just like my mother because: I’m going to be a teacher

I was really upset when my mom was disappointed in me.  I was usually in trouble for hurting my brother and showing him how to do “dangerous” things, like climb on the swing set.

January 6: Today I got in trouble.  I never can stay out of trouble.  I wonder what would make me remember not to get into trouble.

September 10: Tonight was back to school night at my school, I’m in 3rd grade.  My mom got really mad at me tonight!

I remember being in trouble for having a meltdown and clinging to my mom in the haunted house at my school.  I haven’t been in a haunted house since.

October 30:  I went to my school carnival today.  I went in to a haunted house they had there. I cried.

My brother, my playmate

I loved my baby brother, who called me “My Wawen” because he couldn’t quite say “Lauren”, but I was frequently furious with him for leaving my Barbies all over the house for my miniature Schnauzer to destroy.  Many times, I took his punishment into my own hands.

New Year’s Resolutions (the form for January)

I wish my brother would/would not change in this way: not loose my stuff I let him use.

January 18: I went to T.G.I. Friday’s.  I ate chicken strips, My brother did too.  I love my brother alout.

February 24: Today I played school with my pesky little brother.  I love him alot.  I guess he’s not pesky.

What Makes Me Laugh (the form for April)

I never laughed harder than when: my brother said something very silly

May 22: Today I got all muddy and when we washed faces, legs, feet and hands my younger brother sprayed my clothes!

When I Get Angry (the form for October)

I am trying to be more patient about: my brother upsetting me.

To calm down, I: think about the good things about what he does.

My mother’s second trimester miscarriage

I remember being very excited at the possibility of having a little sister and made a “baby book” for the baby on the way.

January 2:  My mom is going to have a baby and I’m planning a secret gift for my mom when she has the baby.

January 7: My mom is going to have the baby on July fourth.  It will probably be late, because my brother and I were late.

February 6: Today my mom went to the doctor to hear the baby’s heartbeat.  He didn’t hear it.  So my mom got a sonogram.  The baby’s dead.  I’m sad.

I will never forget coming home from school and finding my mother sobbing on the couch.  She tearfully explained to me that the baby had died.  My mother had two miscarriages before I was born, but they happened much earlier in the pregnancy than this loss.

My brother and I wanted to know if the baby was a brother or a sister, so when she finally had a procedure to remove the baby, after what I know now was a couple of heart-wrenching weeks, the doctor told her that the child she lost was a boy.  Looking back, I think this trauma affected my mother emotionally for years.

My grandfather’s accident

My maternal grandfather had a heart attack (or stroke?) while riding a tractor, working alone on his ranch.  The tractor tore his leg up, when his jeans got caught in the wheel.  He managed to drag himself to his truck and drive himself to the hospital.

November 3: Today my grandpa’s leg got hurt.  He went to a hospital in Bellville. Beacause ther is a not hosp. where they live.

November 5: Today my grandpa came home from the hospital.  He has crutches.

This was probably the last time my grandfather worked on his ranch.

Being the resourceful woman that she is, my grandmother made me denim Barbie clothes out of my grandpa’s ripped jeans. (She discarded the bloody parts, of course.)  I still have some of them packed away with my Barbies.

Some things never change.

My worst habit is still biting my fingernails (or more frequently now, my cuticles)!  It drives my husband crazy.

New Year’s Resolutions (the form for January)

My worst habit is: biting my finger nails.

I will/will not try to change it by: 3-4-92.

I swam so much one summer that I ended up with tendinitis in both shoulders.  The first song I ever memorized was “The River”.  I still love Garth Brooks, chocolate cake, swimming, Springtime and Barbies (I don’t play with them, I just like to look at and collect them).  And, lately, I’m even into hot pink again.

In 1992, the only American Girl dolls were Kirsten, Samantha and Molly.  I think Molly was probably my favorite at this moment because she was the closest in era to my maternal grandmother, but Kirsten was my all-time favorite.  I received the Kirsten doll for Christmas in 1991 and eventually had the Samantha doll, as well.  I still love historical fiction, and I still have my American Girl dolls and books, waiting for the day Baby Girl is old enough to love them, too.

My Favorite Things (the form for June)

My favorite thing to wear: My elephant shirt I got from the tooth fairy

My favorite thing to eat: chocolate cake

My favorite color: hot pink

My favorite season: Spring

My favorite toy or game: Barbies

My favorite place to go: the Courtyard to swim

My favorite song: the river

My favorite American Girl: Molly

On the best day I can imagine, I would: fly

My Environmental Obsession

The combination of loving animals and being born on Earth Day translated into an early paranoia about the environment.  In third grade, I led my class in a fundraiser to purchase an acre of rainforest in Costa Rica.

My America (the form for July)

One of the most important things happening in America now is: to stop polluting.

I think that this is/this is not the best time to be an American girl because:  a lot of people are polluting the world and there is a lot of murdering going on

Travels through Texas

My mom, brother and I went to New Braunfels and San Marcos with my grandparents.  I’m pretty sure this is the time we fed the geese in Landa Park biscuits from a fried chicken restaurant.  A goose chased me in circles around my mother and then bit me because I wouldn’t give it the coin that I found in my grandmother’s car.  (I’m sure the goose thought the coin was food.)

I remember being angry with my mother for not chasing the goose off until after it bit me.

March 18: Today I went to New Braunsfuls and San Marcos.  We were going to go to put golf, but we didn’t

March 20: Today I’m going to Wildlife ranch.  Yesterday I read 20 min.

That year we took one of many family trips to Fredericksburg.

July 11: Today My family and I drove to Fredericksburg.  My brother fell asleep on the way.

July 12: Today is the day we have to go home.  It is Sunday.  We’re going to the peanut factory on the way home if its open.

We also went to Arlington so my brother and I could go to Six Flags and my dad could see the Rangers play.

My Summer Vacation (the form for August)

For a vacation this year, I went to: Dallas, Arlington

I traveled by: car

My vacation lasted: 2 1/2 days

The best thing about it was: we got to go to the Batman stunt show at Six Flags

The worst thing about it was: when we went to the baseball game and Nolan Ryan was playing but lost.  (Texas Rangers)

I will never forget: riding the first roller coaster I ever rode called (The Runaway mine train) at Six Flags.

Getting my ears pierced

Having my ears pierced was a big deal.  My mother told me, probably a few months before this, that I could have them pierced whenever I was ready, but I was a little nervous.  Finally, while eating dinner at Catfish Parlor, I announced that I was ready.  My mom took me to Wal-Mart the next day, and it was done.

December 1: I got my ear’s pierced today!  It didn’t hurt.

Looking Back (form on last page of diary)

The best thing about this year has been: I got my ears pierced.