More Things I Wouldn't Do

Okay, so much for the craziness of St. Patrick's Day. I'm really exhausted after all the partying we did last night watching American Idol and Dancing With The Stars while sipping GREEN peppermint tea and rocking a baby to sleep wearing his GREEN polo shirt. I'm ready to continue my "I Did It But I Wouldn't Let My Kids Do It" part two.

Anyone who knows me knows I love well-made clothes of fine fabrics. I started sewing doll clothes at age 8 and by the time I was 12 I was sewing much of my own wardrobe. I remember at the end of 8th grade I was going to so many "dance and swim parties" that I was making a new dress, skirt, or shorts and top 6 weeks in a row. As an adult when I had a little more money and alot more closet space I used to have way too many clothes. And this wasn't just because I was always shopping, but because I'd been taught to take care of silk, cashmere, and fine linens, and because my size wasn't changing very fast. Now that I have less money, little closet space, a changing waistline, and frankly, less desire for anything other than hoodies, sweats, and flip flops, the clothing siren rarely sings to me. However...

Remember that 3rd grade picture I posted of myself 2 days ago? Back then my mom and dad had 6 kids in 9 years and 2 years later they had another one. Mom worked at Merritt Hospital about 30 hours a week and Dad worked in San Francisco which required bus commutes and exotic lunches. Apparently, annual school picture day wasn't that big of a deal in our house. Apparently, we got to choose what we wanted to wear. And apparently, I thought it was extremely cool that I could fit into the same dress from 3rd through 5th grade.

Now this wasn't just any dress. It was navy-blue dotted swiss with a full gathered skirt, little cap sleeves, a bowtie at the neck, and accompanying red pinwhale corduroy bolero-type jacket. I loved loved loved this dress. And it shows considering I wore wore wore it 3 years in a row for class photos AND one of my very few "professional" photographs (taken by a man in our church).

Don't even get me started on my really chic hairstyles. From perms to pixie cuts -- I guess I was responsible for cutting my own bangs in the 4th grade. And what's up with the 5th grade girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead? WHERE WAS MY MOTHER?

Then again, maybe she was just helping me learn independence so that I could eventually dress and style my own children more tastefully and appropriately. Seriously, Eli, I appologize for the pink and blue, Chelsea for the collar and bangs, and Brittany for the hair altogether. But at least, you didn't wear and look this way 3 years in a row. Or did you? I was probably running around buying more navy polka dot dresses with red accessories.