Spring might still be a month or so away, calendar wise, but don't tell RadioMan. For the past week we've been cleaning out our attic and garage. With bebe about to hit her double digit (I can't believe she's going to be 10 in a couple months...I really, really can't), we decided it's finally time to get rid of the old baby stuff - cribs, high chairs, walkers, swings...you get the drift. We've hauled and cleaned and stacked and priced and stacked some more and had more people calling to see what all we're selling than...well, than Moses, I suppose. Tonight, after she finally went down, DH and I collapsed on the couch and zoned out in front of the television. And I realized something.
Of the hundreds of little items we're planning to
get rid of sell this spring, we've still got a gajillion that I'm just never going to be able to part with. There is her first Christmas dress and those first baby shoes, the little doll that is so raggedy it doesn't look like more than a dust cloth, but she dragged it around so long that I can't bear to let it go. Her first Bengals jersey, her first day of pre-school (and Kindergarten) outfits...and even more, the framed pictures. I have the worlds largest picture frame collection, I think, because my camera is never far from my fingertips and I have a
major addiction slight problem when it comes to cute or funny or silly or beautiful or antique or ultra-mod photo frames. I just can't leave them on store shelves. We have pictures from vacations and family events, from backyard BBQs and snowplowing days, of bebe reading or playing, of DH doing something silly or me falling over my own clutzy feet. Pictures surround us, and although I may put a few of those pictures 'to rest' (meaning into an actual scrapbook) one of these days, they'll never actually leave us.
Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
How about you? Are you a photo-freak like me? Or do you collect something else to mark those memorable occasions and moments?
I'm not really a photo-freak, but I know when I see certain pictures (particularly of grandkids), I am stopped by them. And charmed. And awash in memories and gratitude. And more often than I care to admit (like right now), teary. Thank you for sharing this, and for sharing bebe's growing up years--we've enjoyed her!
ReplyDeletePictures slay me every time. And we got a bunch more from vacation so...I'm going to put those empty frames to use!
DeleteWhat a lovely post! I saved several articles of clothing from Son's babyhood, packed them carefully away and then gave them to him for Grandboy. So much fun to see the Grand in Son's baby clothes. Dunno if they'll save them for their grands, but how fun would that be?
ReplyDeletethat's so cool! I have a box of favorites from bebe's baby/toddler-hood, too.
DeleteI, too, have a lot of photos around my house - in the living room, my bedroom, my office. I hadn't thought of it before now, but after reading your lovely post, I realize I might have a small addiction to photos, too. But hey, if they make us happy, who cares?
ReplyDeleteexactly, Jana, exactly! :D
DeleteAll those items have meaning to you, Kristina. I would struggle to let them go, too. As for me, I definitely have an addition to photos. Some of them are in scrapbooks, some are in photo boxes or envelopes, but other than the ones scattered throughout the house, most of them are in digital files on my computer and on backup drives. I carry a real camera in my purse, just in case. And I drag my larger one along whenever we go to parks or go hiking. I'm with Jana - they make me happy so why not?
ReplyDelete