There is nothing more terrifying than packing a family of five for a vacation. You doubt yourself right until the moment you arrive and realize you should have triple checked every single bag. You have nightmares about leaving someone behind on the days before departure (thanks Home Alone for all that nonsense).
Each child o' mine has their own suitcase special for this year's vacation. They were Christmas presents. I decided to start youngest to oldest in packing order this time. Why you ask? Because, my little blonde angel has more clothes than the next three of us combined...and that's without having busted into the stacks of her older sister's hand-me-downs. Lucky her.
She was interested, not in helping mind you; but in watching my efforts. I counted out undergarments and put them on her dresser. I opened the closet and two drawers. I pushed up my sleeves and thought, "Since I'm dressing her, she's going to match!" Hooray. She plopped down on her bed.
I pull out stretchy pants...as many as I could find. This because, as all moms know: stretchy pants take up the least amount of space in a suitcase. Oh, and they're most versatile. Wear 'em with a dress. With a cute shirt. A tank and a long sweatshirt. Yes. Stretchy pants.
I lay out seven pair that were at the bottom of her drawer. I put undies on top of each pair of pants. She looks up at me in wonder. "Mommy, whose stretchy pants ARE those?"
I stop. And stare. I'm completely dumbfounded. I hold up the pair I'm currently accessorizing.
"THESE stretchy pants?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, stretchy pants, while having ample amounts of give do not have enough, I fear, to stretch to cover the area of my backside...so, I'm going to go with: they're yours."
"Well...I've never even seen them before."
"Yes, I know. You have more clothes than the sum total of Kardashians, and I've pulled these all from the deepest recess of your wardrobe. Not only are you going on vacation, it's going to be like Christmas as I've unearthed seven brand new, (Ok, not new-new...they are hand-me-downs from friends), never worn by you before...outfits. My miracle work here is officially done!"
With that, I finished up matching outfits and accessorizing and closed her case. I zipped it shut to find she had scooted off the bed and ventured into the living room to interrupt her sister practicing piano.
"Hey, Mommy said she bought me a whole new set of clothes special for this trip. Wait until you see my fashion and all these new presents...but you didn't get any!" She giggled.
OH BOY...that is NOT what I said.
"MOOOOOOOM...."
And with that I made a mental note to pack duct tape and ear plugs into my purse for the insanely long impending car ride.
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