Spring Cleaning or Something...?

Out with the old, in with the new(ish?). Over the last sunny month or so, I have been digging through Aiden's drawers every morning looking for t-shirts, and the drawer seems to stare back at me and say "this stuff is never going to fit! Time to clean me out and fill me back up!" Luckily, one of Aiden's little pals from the lake seems to go through growth spurts at the same time he does and he is one year older so we get all new(to us) clothes every six months or so.

So, after a busy weekend away celebrating my birthday, Aiden and I spent the afternoon at home together sorting clothes - reminiscing is so bittersweet. I've gotten better at letting go of all the things that don't fit anymore and before I put anything away in storage I save the boxes a couple months and go through again to weed some more things out for donation. I don't know what I am going to do when my only friend with a baby is all moved home - who am I going to give these cutesy little outfits for??

Aiden helping pack up old clothes

Showing the camera his favorite toys

fewf, this is some hard work

After going through all these old clothes I got all caught up thinking about how no one tells you before you're baby is born how hard it will be to watch them grow big. Sure you hear how fast they grow out of things, but letting go of those tiny little clothes really is painful.

All I can think of are the days when my baby needed to be held 24/7 and fed every 2 hours and snuggled to sleep. Every now and then I get to hold him because all he wants is his mommy, and every now and then we fall asleep together in the rocking chair - but this is happening less and less. Surely, Mommy is not being replaced by bikes and tools and baseballs already is she?

Underneath it all, I don't think words can ever express the insurmountable pride I feel when he picks his bike up after a fall, tells me something new, or hits a baseball - the joy is indescribable and my pride swells beyond belief. But what a difficult trade, to lose all the things that made my baby a baby in order to see him grow into an independent boy.

Aiden stands next to his first pair of shoes ever - now he's a monster size 8!

No one tells you either that 1. burp cloths are useless 2. hot dogs are their own food group 3. Sponge Bob is the most annoying cultural phenomenon ever 4. other kids will push and hit your kid 5. baby socks disappear in the dryer at a rate 5xs faster than adult socks and 6. one night without a two year old's favorite puppy stuffed animal will be harder on you than them.

Sorting through some new summer clothes 

Trying really hard to dress himself

After all is said and done, it seems parenting is a series of disasters that you have to learn to avert and a lot of conundrums that you just kinda deal with as they come - next time around I swear I won't buy a single burp cloth and save the money for more Sponge Bob stuff.

All the stuff that we have gone through in 6 months

On a less nostalgic note, I have spent the last couple weeks doing all kinds of birthday shopping for myself - shameless I know...but I brought home a birthday present for myself tonight:

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hope everyone has a great week!