Life Trove: Samantha - childhood years

Letter (May 2014)

Dear Sam

I am now back in Sydney and missing you guys an awful lot. As always, it was so wonderful to spend time with you in Cape Town and laugh and do fun things. Thank you for making my time in Cape Town so special like you always do.

To help me banish my missing-you blues, I thought I'd write down my favourite memories of you from your life so far. I thought you might like to read them too.

Here they are ...

As a baby

Seeing you for the first time after you were born and holding you in my arms. You were so tiny and so beautiful that you completely took my breath away.

As a toddler

Your mum and dad visiting me in London with you in tow - and lying with you tucked in my sleeping bag.
Playing "spider spider" with you in the garden. I'd point at a pretend spider in the bushes and say "spider!" and you'd scream and laugh at the same time. I hope it didn't give you a fear of spiders for life!!
You dancing with mum, dad and me to loud Abba music - you were such a great little dancer even at age 2!!

From your childhood years

Trampolining together and playing all sorts of "fall down" games. So much fun!!
Watching you in your nativity play - you made such an unbelievable cute little angel!!
How you loved to invent "let's pretend" games and then ask me to play them with you. You were so inventive from a really early age.
Going miniature car racing with you in my car. You had a real love for speed and kept shouting "Faster! Faster!" even when we were hurtling around the corners.
Playing many games of hide and seek in the house and garden - you were extremely good at hiding, especially in small cupboards!!
Playing with you at the Play Centre - especially the fun we had on the blow up slide.
You dressed as a precious stone for your school concert - what a gem you were !
Ice skating with you on my shoulders.
Teaching you how to do Myburghian leaps at St James - you were so good at it too!
Your love of barbie dolls and The Brats and your wonderful Brats Party.
Your love of Hannah Montanna. My hasn't Miley Cyrus changed a lot since then !!!
Playing lots of fun games in the pool like Marco Polo and pushing each other in.
Tobogganing together with you in the same car. You didn't believe in applying the breaks even on corners and terrified the hell out of me! I reckon you're going to like fast cars one day!!
The amazing art that you did at school that your mum put on the annual calendars she sent me.
Photos of you dressed up in paint for the World Cup football and blowing like crazy into your vuvuzela!! Wish I'd been there!

As a young women

Listening to your latest favourite music in the car - always such great tunes.
Your love of One Direction - and a certain Harry Styles!!
How amazing you are with younger kids, always patient and kind and attentive.
The incredible reports you get at school and your sensational final junior school results - you've clearly got the brains as well as the looks!
How amazing you were on the Orange River, in your own boat, so much calmer and chilled on the rapids than most of the adults.
The amazing videos you took in Vietnam and how you edited them with text and music - so cool!
How tech savvy you are with computers and phones and gadgets - and helping me out on several occasions.
Seeing how much you enjoy travelling the world, experiencing new things and places (especially London!!)
How amazing you looked as a cat walk model in your school fashion show and at your Farewell Dance - you've blossomed into such a beauty.
Your prowess on the hockey field and basketball court - you go girl!

From this latest trip

Leaping with you at Llandudno.
Your love of the Vamps - and especially the song "Can We Dance." The theme song for my trip.
Doing the Slingshot with you at Ratanga and seeing who would be the first to scream. Man that was scary, I'm so glad it was you who had to release the cord and not me!
Doing the Monkey Falls over and over and getting really, really wet! So fun except when the boat got wonky on the way up - that was freaky!!
Being really impressed by how calm you are before your orals and exams - you're amazing!!
How animated you get when you talk about something you believe strongly in - like genetically engineered babies or the rights of teenagers today! It's great to see.
How affectionate and loving you are with your friends.
Playing in the back-seat of the car with you and Matt and pushing into each other on the tight corners.
How animated you get when you talk about a book or movie that you really like, like "Divergent" or "The Hunger Games."
Making delicious custard - you've inherited the awesome Granny Sorrell custard making genes.
How much you seem to enjoy your new school - I'm so glad.
You and Matt searching for marshmallow eggs on Easter morning. Glad you guys found the one in the toaster!! Can't believe you wouldn't eat the one in your dad's sweaty running shoe!
How excited you got when you discovered that One Direction are coming to Cape Town!! Who cares about Afrikaans exams when you Harry will be here :)
Your loathing of injections and needles. Ha, ha - I think you've inherited that from me!!!
Introducing me to Dilanddau.com - what a great site!
Your wonderful sense of humour, always ready to laugh.

It's been such an awesome privilege to watch you grow up and mature into the amazing, beautiful, confident, loving person you are today. I'm so proud and happy to be your uncle. Thank you so much for all the priceless memories. I look forward to many more memory-making moments in the future.

With love and hugs,

Your uncle, Graeme

Yet more memories

How Ally adored little Sam as much as me
Sam's cute little dimple on her chin as a baby
Visiting us in London - and Sam tucked in my sleeping bag with me
Playing the "spider game" - I'd point at a pretend spider in the garden and Sam would scream and laugh at the same time (age 3)
Sam dancing with us (Jo, Ant and me) to loud music - I think it may have been Abba. (age 2)
Playing with Sam with her toys, including her miniature tent (age 2)
Spending Xmas 2005 together - and Sam running through the sprinkler with me (and then with Granny Jill!) (age 5)
Watching Sam as a cute little angel in her nativity play (age 5)
Playing at the Play Centre - especially the fun we had with the blow up slide (age 6)
Picnics on Llandadno Beach whenever I visit and one of my favourite photos of Sam watching the sunset
Teaching Sam how to do Myburghian leaps at St James - she was really good at it too! (age 6)
The family all dancing uproariously to Abba - and how much Sam enjoyed it (age 6)
Sam in the bath with spiky hair - she looked so cute. (age 6)
Sam dressed as a precious gem for her school concert (age 9)
Spending Xmas 2009 together - especially playing lots of fun games in the pool (age 9)
Visiting the Waterfront Oceanarium (age 9)