Good weeds

I'm sure every parent knows that kids grow like weeds. Normally I avoid analogies and cliche phrases like that, but it's so true. Maybe that's why the term has been around for so long.

With spring just around the corner (my fingers are crossed anyway), it was time to go through all the warm weather clothes from last year. Here's an easy formula for buying seasonal clothes:

1. Gather all of last year's seasonal clothes.
2. Sort what won't fit.
3. Put the small-ish t-shirts and shorts into the pyjama drawer (because who really cares if their belly shows while they're asleep?)
4. Donate or lend the rest
5. Make a written or mental list of what they need.
6. Look for all the pre-seasonal sales and go to it to get waht they need.

I prefer doing this all in one day. If it must be two, I do all the sorting and list-making on Day One and the shopping on Day Two. Here's how it worked for me this year.

After sorting through all the boys' clothes, I realized that this spring, we are starting almost from scratch. J needed 8 t-shirts and 6 pairs of shorts, as well as socks and running shoes. E needed 8 t-shirts, 8 pairs of shorts, and shoes. Before you ask why on earth they need so many clothes, don't I ever do laundry, I will say this: the laundry is never-ending at our house. They both go through at least two outfits every day, because no matter how appealing that napkin is, the shirt is always better to wipe the mouth on.

I went to Walmart because they have some awesome sales this week, and I ended up getting everything on the list for $80. I don't like spending that much money at any time in one go, but I figure for two kids and two seasons (spring and summer) worth of clothes, that's pretty good. So now both children are set until next fall, when I have to do it all over again.

Another side note. J had short little legs for a long long time. It is only this past year that they really started growing (from Sept-March he went up three pant sizes in length). It was pretty funny to me that some of the shorts he was wearing last year were a size two, and they went straight to E this year because now J's a size six. E's got the same short little legs, and all the twos look like capris on him, but the smaller ones won't get past his waist. The good news is, if E follows the same pattern, I won't need to buy him shorts for four years.