PARASAILING WAS FUN!!!

I WONDER WHAT'S NEXT? ZIP LINING MAYBE???




Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Happy Birthday, Mom

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. She would have been 86. It's hard to imagine what she would have looked like at 86. Mom left this world just after her 75th birthday, 11 years ago.

 Mom, on the left, with her sister, Anna.  Mom was in her 20s then, in the 1940s.

What made me write this today was, when I posted a Happy Birthday, Mom on my facebooks page, my daughter, Gina (named for my mom)  told me that she had a dream about Mama Gigi the night before (not realizing the next day was Mama Gigi's birthday).  And also in the dream was my Aunt Wo.  Gina said she knew no one by that name existed, but she looked just like Mama Gigi!  But I told Gina that I had an Aunt Ro, and she looked just like my Mom!  I wish I had a picture of my Aunt Ro (or Rowie as we called her... short for Rosemarie) Weird, huh!


Mom, circa 1960s.  I can tell by the old kitchen and the Christmas curtains. 

All the grandkids called her Mama Gigi. The name derived from the fact that her name was Regina, but her brothers and sisters called her Gigi and my oldest sister called her Mama. My sister heard people calling her Gigi, so Anne Marie started calling her Mama Gigi. When Mom became a grandmother, she said she wanted that to be her Grandmom name.... and so it was. 

Mom, circa 1975.  I can tell by the hairdo!  I did her hair for her every week.

Everyone says I look like my Mom. I recently got re-acquainted with a woman from our old neighborhood who told me that I look exactly like my mom (except my hair is brown.....thanks to my wonderful hairdresser and Redken color!)

Mom, far left, with her surviving brother and sisters 
(5 siblings are gone by then.)
Circa late 1980s

So, Happy Birthday, Mom!  We sure do miss you around here!

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Happy birthday to your mom, this is a great tribute to her Joanie.

Bill Lisleman said...

always nice to have great happy memories. Thanks for sharing.
I must confess that I'm totally confused on those names and which one belongs to who.

Joanie said...

Regina (aka Mama Gigi) is my mother.

Gina is my daughter.

Ro (aka Rowie or Rosemarie)is my mother's younger sister.

Anna is my mother's oldest sister.

How's that? :)

Martha said...

What a beautiful tribute to your mother. I love her "grandmom" name.

Matty said...

She aged gracefully. I'm sure you have wonderful memories to bring a smile when you think of her.

Mike said...

I am sure that you never get over losing a parent. Thank goodness for the memories!

gayle said...

Love reading about your mom!! We never stop thinking and missing our parents!!

Sueann said...

A wonderful tribute to your mom! Great pics too!
Losing your mom has to be one of life toughest things to go through. My mom, bless her heart, is still with us and doing wonderfully. She is 82!!! My dad on the other hand has gone and he is missed all the time. It is the phone calls that are missed and the gifts exchanged and the words of advice and the comfort. Losing our parents is tough!! Really really tough!
Hugging you
SueAnn

Anonymous said...

Love seeing these old pics. The x-mas curtains are outstanding. Love them.

Nice tribute to someone who's played a big role in everyone's life.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Your mom is my kind of gal! i LOVE the Christmas curtains.
Cheers, jj

Drew Watts said...

Such a nice share. Your mom is graceful. Thanks a lot for sharing these photos here. I also would be starting the preparations for my mom’s surprise birthday bash. I was planning this party in the last year too but couldn’t make it possible but this year I have already booked her favorite event space NYC already.