In Which Connor's a Stylin' Kid

Connor finally went back to school today! 

He actually didn't miss that many days because there was no school Friday and Monday due to President's Day, and he always has Wednesdays off.  So all in all it wasn't a bad week to miss; he was only absent three days.  I think he was pretty happy to be back at school; he's been rather bored sitting around the house, and I haven't had a lot of time to play with him because I've been busy packing.

I hauled a huge load of stuff over to the Goodwill today; a lot of Connor's old clothes that don't fit him any more were in there, as well as toys that he's grown out of developmentally (and I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to say that he's grown out of some toys developmentally!).  I almost always donate our things to Goodwill rather than trying to sell them at a consignment shop because of all of the work the store does to help people who have various disabilities; I feel like that's a cause I can really get behind. 

I did end up having to throw some of Connor's old clothes away, though, because they were past saving.  Other moms I know with typical children talk all the time about how their kids outgrow their clothing a mere month or two after they buy it so it doesn't get a lot of wear and tear, but that's not the case in our household.  Because Connor is growth restricted, he grows very, very slowly.  Currently he's at the bigger end of 2T clothes, and the kid will be four in April.  Granted, it's not like he's running through the mud or snagging them on things while climbing or something, but he makes up for that by drooling and throwing up on them all the time.  We generally go through two or three outfits in a typical day and four to seven on a day he's sick.  All that washing and chocolate pediasure eventually just wears them out. 

I'm going to be happy when he's on the next size up, because I keep seeing all of these cute clothes I want to get him and there's no room in his closet right now. 

I always shop for myself at the thrift store because in my mind it seems ridiculous to pony up eighty dollars for a pair of jeans with holes in the knees when I can get them, already distressed in the appropriate places, for seven bucks at the aforementioned Goodwill.  Somehow all my common sense goes out the window when it comes to Connor's clothes, though.  Despite the fact that at the children's clothing boutiques the kid's shirts are the same price as mine but are made of a third of the material, I can't resist buying him the latest styles even as expensive as they are.  Or at least any of the latest styles that have a monster or a dinosaur on it.  I'm a sucker for monsters and dinosaurs.  Also pirates.  Yarr!

So because I don't ever want to spend any money on clothes for myself but spend it on Connor's clothes all the time, and also because half the time I don't bother to put on makeup or do my hair when we go out, it probably looks a little odd when we're together.  Kind of like I'm the hired stroller pusher and he doesn't pay me nearly a large enough salary.  I'm pretty sure that would change if monster and dinosaur shirts come into fashion for women my age.  Then I'd give Connor a run for his money.

I think I'd make a pretty awesome pirate, too.

~Jess