Tuesday, November 24, 2009

"popping out"




One. Two. Three. Right in row. My boys came to me one right after another. Three within three years, thirty-seven months to be exact. Each one is as different from the next in looks and personality as if they had been created from entirely different bolts of cloth. But as different as they are, they have one thing in common, their clothes.

Clothes in our home move as if on a conveyor belt down from one to the next to the next and then tucked away for boy number four a few years down the road. Some clothes don't make the full rotation, but many do, most in fact.

I relive the memories over and over and over until one blends into the next, and sometimes I must consciously extricate and put away the memory to keep it with the proper owner.

I love that my boys never complain about hand-me downs, neither the giving or the receiving of them. In fact Waylan coined a term when he was 3 to replace "outgrown" or "grown out of" it is "popped out". It is still used and understood in the Abbott home among all of its members. To use in context it would be, "Look at my new shirt, Wyatt popped out of it!" Of course this is said with all the excitement of a new present!I love the language of children!

P.S. picture not current. It was taken in April 2007. Colt just turned 2, Waylan 3, Wyatt, 5. I'm just feeling a little nostalgic today. We spent the day moving clothes down the line!

5 comments:

* said...

You put into words exactly how I feel each time i do laundry. I get a headache, some days, b/c I can't remember is these tights are Mae's or Eliza's or if this shirt is Zack's or Garrett's.

We're sitting here @ the Hall home, blog surfing on Thanksgiving and we (my mom, my sisters, me) love this, love you.

Lynette said...

And we love the ones that ALL your boys "pop" out of and that you so graciously pass on to my boys. Nothing makes James happier than to wear something that Colt of Waylan or Wyatt gave him:)

Becky said...

Hi! I love your blog, I don't know why I've never seen it before. (Maybe it's because I don't blog much) How are you guys doing? Is the job scene any brighter? We are doing well and loving our family close. We sure miss Vegas and all the great people(like you) we were so blessed to know. Glad we have Heaven! Can I add you to my feed? Have a great day! Love, Becky

Michelle said...

That is so cute! I was wondering about that picture... I knew it couldn't possibly be recent. What a great thing to be able to move their clothes from one to the next (especially since they themselves love it)... I am beginning to realize how much money it takes to keep kids clothed as they grow. It really wasn't much of an expense until now.

Mandy said...

Great picture - I love the old ones, too :)
Cute post. We have no one to hand clothes down to...but maybe one day we will :)