Stephanie Renee (NaNa) Baker

This page is dedicated to my first born child. Stephanie was brought into the world to a mother who was still a child herself. She made her first appearance on a chilly Monday November 15, 1971 in Dickson, TN at Goodlark Hospital. She was so tiny and beautiful with her cold black hair curling around those tiny ears.

When I chose Stephanie's name my mother's reaction was, "I will never learn to spell her name" so I decided to call her Renee thinking it would make it easier for my mother. Then my father came to see us in the hospital and ask her name. When I told him he looked confused for a moment then ask, "Why would you name your child Grenade?" I explained often that she was not a time bomb waiting to explode and her name was Renee not Grenade but for some reason Daddy just never could get the name. My child was always called Grenade by her grandfather.

Stephanie's Granny Baker nicknamed her NaNa and she grew up with the names Grenade and NaNa. Granny Rachel Baker and Granny Parrish both worshiped this quiet beautiful little girl. She was always so quiet and liked her privacy even as a small child that I worried something was wrong. I realized later that she was just a quiet, deep thinking, creative little girl. She listened and learned instead of talking constantly and wanting attention.

The Saturday after Stephanie was born I dressed her up and wrapped her in soft pink blankets. We drove to town to buy a pretty outfit for her at Kent's Clothing Store in Centerville. As I was checking out,  two elderly ladies walked up to see my baby. I proudly showed them with a big smile. One of the ladies ask if she was my sister. I replied, "No she is my daughter." The lady then remarked that I was just a baby myself and then said, "In a way that could be good because we could do things together and grow up together." I thought the lady was crazy and it worried me that my child might grow up thinking of me in a sisterly manner. But the lady was wise because I have often heard my daughter say in her younger days I was almost like an older sister.

Daddy came to visit us once when Na was about seven years old. Daddy was laughing and joking with the children. He said something jokingly about me having his ugly mug hanging on my wall. Daddy laughed and said, "Look at those big ears. I look like a yellow taxi cab going down the interstate with both doors open!"

Na whose hair reached about the bottom of her back kept her hair in a ponytail. When her grandfather made this comment she immediately disappeared for a little while. On her return to the room I noticed she had her hair down. I ask about this because it was in the summertime. She shyly looked up and in a soft tone replied, "I have granddaddy's ears so I think I will start wearing my hair down."

In later years of school she started using the name Stephanie instead of Renee. She grew into a beautiful, creative young woman who has traveled around the United States. Na is my artist and one of my writers. When my children were young I would encourage them to write. Often I told them that if they had trouble speaking what was on their mind or something bothered them to write it out because that would help. I didn't think anyone was really listening. It made me proud to learn later that two of my children listened.

This is my beautiful first born.

Click above to visit Stephanie's Art website at:

www.interstitialart.com