Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

I had a post similar to this one rolling around in my brain yesterday, but the words would not come together. I think I simply had to get past that day for my thoughts to clarify.

Yesterday would have been the sixth birthday of a little girl who was very special to me. She was the daughter of my dearest friends. I was out of town on the day of her birth. As a result, she and I didn’t meet until she was one week old, on an extremely cold late winter Sunday evening.

She and I spent many days together after that. I promised that I would remember each of them with great clarity. Time, however, has softened the edges of many of those recollections. Although my memories of her have become less distinct, I treasure them all the more.

I vividly recall an early summer dinner party. By the time dinner was served, she was in a bad mood and her mother needed a break. I sat at the table with her in my arms and tried to both comfort her and eat as best I could. Eventually she quieted and fell asleep with her head tucked between my shoulder and neck. She spent most of the meal sleeping there. I can still hear her breathing slow as she drifted into slumber, feel her soft cheek on my shoulder, smell her wonderful baby smell.

Twelve days later, Tatiana failed to awaken from her afternoon nap. She had been with us only fifteen and a half weeks.

I miss you Tatiana. But my emotions cannot compare to those of your parents and the younger sister you never knew.

To my readers: Please visit, and support if you can, Seven Days for SIDS. Tatiana’s parents established Seven Days in her memory. The 2008 site and schedule should be up soon. Because when we put an end to SIDS, we all sleep better at night.