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| Ian somehow carrying both Mona and Quinn on his back in 2007 |
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| Ellora, Aden, Mona, and Quinn, ready to hunt for eggs |
....and again in New York the following Easter.
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| Aden, Mona, Ellora, and Quinn |
We kept saying that he'd grow into it, but I don't know how much we really believed that at the time. He was still small enough to fall asleep on his dad's shoulders.
I'm pretty good about passing along clothes to Goodwill that no longer fit. I set aside certain shirts or dresses that have sentimental value that I think my kids might want to pass along to their own kids should they have them in the future. But I hesitated about this coat. It would have utility to someone else and didn't seem like the kind of thing you would pass on to your own child one day (unlike the shirts with the hand-painted stencils by my mom).
I wouldn't have thought anything of giving it away when Quinn first outgrew it. But something about seeing it out of the blue--that little bit of his past self to hold in my hands again.... That threw me for an emotional loop I wasn't expecting. My little guy.
Who's not so little anymore.
There are moments I want to go and get it back. But I realize what I really want back are moments with Quinn as a baby. And there's nowhere I can go for that.
I'm normally very good at getting rid of outgrown things, but I confess to hanging on to a certain stuffed elephant rattle that was given to my oldest as a baby. That baby is now an Army officer, but Mr. Elephant resides here safe with me.
ReplyDeleteAnd now your every reader is bawling... We are about to move from an apartment to a house which is wonderful in every way except we're leaving the home where we brought home our first baby. I think part of the reason we're hiring packers is to spare me bouts of weeping during the process.
ReplyDeleteAww this post made me cry...don't worry, it was a good cry. It is amazing how fast our children grow. My little guy isn't so little anymore, and I'm already really missing his babyhood--It went way too fast.
ReplyDeleteIt's trite, but oh so true--they grow up so quickly. :sigh:
ReplyDeleteI think it's so interesting how some people (me inclued) so strongly attach emotions and memories to things, especially clothes. I hold on to a pile of baby clothes not because we'll ever get to use them again, but because of the memories attached to them.
ReplyDeleteLiam has decided he doesn't want to take baths any more and that he is a "big boy" and wants to shower like his brothers. I almost started crying. My baby is getting so big. I while I wouldn't ever want to keep him from all of the these milestones that are so heavy on this mommy's heart.
this post was so sweet (esp the pics). He is such a cute kid.
Loved this post, every bit of it resonates with me. Your son is adorable, as are all of your kids!
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