I am often accused of being childish. I prefer to interpret that as child-like. I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things. I tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish. I still listen to instinctual urges. I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. I never water my garden without soaking myself. It has been after such times of joy that I have achieved my greatest creativity and produced my best work. ~Leo F. Buscaglia, Bus 9 to Paradise

I am a 10 year old trapped in a 27 year old body. I feel like my body has aged, while my spirit and mind still remain child-like. I clean my house to Disney movies, I listen to Christmas music when I need some cheer, I have rainbow folders and desk accessories, I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I love playing pranks on people, and after every rain you can find me outside trying to "hunt" a rainbow.

Sometimes I wonder if this child-like side of me resulted from birth order. I am the youngest of four, and came as a "surprise," years after my older siblings. This meant that all focus was on me. My older sister's and brother helped my parents give me the most amazing childhood. They would put their five minds together and come up with the most creative ideas.

Here we are-my parents, sisters, brother, and grandparents circa Christmas 1983. I was James' age and already taking in so much!

I want to share some of the clever things I experienced growing up that someday I will share with my children. This will give you a "peek" into who I am and where I got my"young heart".

1. I didn't just lose a tooth and put it under a pillow like every other kid. Instead, my parents would have me sit with them and write a letter to the tooth fairy. The letter would be my way of sharing the story of my tooth-how I lost it, which tooth it was, what caused it to finally "pop" out. Once the letter was complete, I'd put it in an envelope along with the tooth, and place it under my pillow. Along with the letter, I would leave a little note inviting the tooth fairy to enjoy my doll house while she's stopped at my house. This way she could rest before flying out to other homes and collecting more tiny teeth. I'd set up my Barbie house for the tooth fairy-bed made, some juice and snacks in the miniature cup and plate, etc. It's one thing for a little girl to do this, but my parents would feed into it. This is where everything is taken to another level. My parents would move the blankets in the Barbie house, drink the juice and eat the snacks. They would sprinkle "fairy dust" around (magic) ,and leave me a letter from the "tooth fairy". One time they went so far as to leave a clear, glittery, Barbie shoe in the house for me to find-kinda Cinderella like. I remember bringing it to my first grade classroom bragging that I had the tooth fairy's shoe! Sounds nuts, but wow was that cool for a little girl to experience!

2. St. Patrick's Day-most families might have their boiled dinners and a Guiness or two, but my Irish parents went all out. I'd wake up to green glitter sprinkled around my room letting me know the leprechauns had come. My clever mother would go to the bank the night before and ask for rolls of "brand new" pennies. She planted the pennies down a path in my woods. When I woke up and got dressed in my green outfit, she'd give me a baggie and we'd go on a walk through the woods collecting the leprechauns gold. Irish music would ring through my house as my mom made her boiled dinner. I'd sit at the table and draw pictures of leprechauns, pots 'o gold, and rainbows.

3. Christmas Eve-I come from a large, Irish family and every Christmas Eve we all gather together at my parents house. We'd eat a feast, sing Christmas carols (for real, I have witnesses), and exchange gifts. After our guests left, we would help my mom clean the house and my father would order Chinese food. My mom would take out her best china and set the table. We  would eat dinner together, as a family, at midnight, by candlelight. I can still hear the soft Christmas music playing in the background-Mitch Miller or Perry Como. Just writing about this memory gives me such a warm feeling inside. It was always a bonus when it would snow and it would feel like we were placed in a snow globe, safe in my home with the people I loved most. My mother would have me peek out the window to see if I could see Santa. I'd get such butterflies in my belly as I'd run up to bed. Christmas morning was just magical-I don't know how my parents did it, but we always got everything that we had wished for all year. Presents would be stacked to the top of the Christmas tree. Once we were done opening and our stockings were empty, my mom would bake cinnamon buns, in the shape of Christmas trees, and we'd drink hot chocolate. Perfection!

Here are the Conway kids on Christmas Morning 1983. My mom always dressed us in the cutest pajama's. Love the tree!

4. Music-I can't begin to explain how much music has shaped who I am. I come from a very musical family-not only talented, but musically driven. My earliest memories are of my mother and father, on the other side of my crib rails, singing me lullabies. They love folk music, and they shared this with me. "Morningtown Ride," by the Seekers was my lullaby. They would sing it all the way through, and I would say, "again" and they would keep singing until I fell asleep. Where most parents rush their children to bed, I've learned to always take my time. Knowing how much these early memories impacted me, taught me not to rush these precious moments. Before bed, my father would play records on his record player-all folk, Irish music, and oldies. He would let me dance around the room and would laugh with me. My earliest bonding moments with my dad. Here he was using a sly antic-listening to music he loved, while letting me dance the toddler energy out of my system. Musical instruments were also common around our home. My brother is a musical genius and plays everything by ear. He would play the piano for me while I would dance and sing. He even composed a "Wizard of Oz" medley for me that makes me smile and cry at the same time. My father plays the guitar and loves to sing. He wrote me a silly little jingle that made me feel so cool (it was to my name). The rest of us sing-maybe not perfectly, but we give it a try. Every family party results in us gathering around my father and brother playing instruments, and the rest of us belting out songs. My parents always taught me to listen to the words-probably why I don't care much for new music. I love songs with a story. If I don't like the story, I usually don't care for the song.

Love this picture. My dad was probably singing, "Puff the Magic Dragon" while all of his kids gathered around and sang along.

So here I am with 27 years of amazing memories and my 15 month old son. He is my blank canvas. I want to take the gifts my parents have given me and try to make his childhood as magical as mine. I will carry on these traditions I cherish, and introduce some of our own. I'm going to use my child-like spirit to help give him the best childhood I can!