We are exquisitely blessed and super thankful to receive lots of handed down clothes from our friends. It just fills my heart up with joy and gratefulness to go through bags and boxes of gently-used things to dress my children. Sometimes Joanna gets something handed down to her from an older/taller/bigger friend, then Natalie wears it after that. I love it! James doesn’t get much use from the girls handed down clothes (though there are a few neutral things still to be found in the drawers), but I have a couple of girl friends who are finished having babies and happy to pass along their little boy clothes to my little boy. It’s so much more fun to dress my children in clothes with a little story behind them. Joanna LOVES to wear clothes that Riley has outgrown. Natalie asks for her “Emma dresses.” James doesn’t talk yet, but I love dressing him in little outfits worn by other little boys over the past few years.
In the last couple of years especially, I’ve been more inclined to have simple wardrobes for the kids. (A few seasonally appropriate outfits, couple pair of shoes, enough underwear for the laundry cycle) I haven’t quite mastered keeping the numbers of outfits down (Sure, she has 20 dresses, but they’re all so cute!), but I’m working on it. :) That being said, sometimes we’re able to pass clothes along to others even though I’m not actually technically totally sure we’re done having children. There are kinds of clothes I like dressing the kids in (or they like wearing), and the other things can hopefully bless someone else!
I’m also very very thankful that it doesn’t bother the girls not to get brand new things. So far it simply has not occurred to them to mind, and I’m hoping that sticks for awhile. To them, their new things are new things.
The few things we do frequently buy new, though, are socks, leggings, panties, and tights. Even though it’s not quite time to put away the white sandals for church, I’ve been on the hunt for new ruffle socks for Joanna. I’d hate for her to have to go to church in tennis-shoe socks! :)
Anyway, I found some at Tarjay yesterday, and Joanna was very excited about them!
Don’t they look good with her hand-me-down black shoes?
On an unrelated note, I noticed that today is Joanna’s “half birthday,” not that I keep track of such things… Well you would not believe how excited she was when I told her! Ah, the simple things.
Those are VERY cute ruffly socks!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm pretty sure Josh wouldn't be as excited about his half birthday if he knew you don't get presents on half birthdays (at least in our house)!