growing up

Lego a from etsy

Last week we decided to tackle a job that has been neglected since we moved to this house four years ago. Nathaniel's closet!  He could barely close his closet doors with all the toys stuffed inside. It was a trip down memory lane, pulling out legos and stuffed animals, dart boards, plastic animals... lots and lots of stuff!  As we went through it, I think both of us became a little more nostalgic and sad at the time that has passed. He will be in Eighth grade in the fall and that's only one year away from High School. He's catching up with me in height and is growing out of his childhood interests at the same time. We filled nine bags and seven boxes full of toys and drove to the Salvation Army to donate them. He gave away all of his Legos (even his father's from when he was a boy, which now I regret). He gave away his huge collection of animals that he and Caroline used to play with all the time, his Woody and Bullseye from Toy Story, so many plush toys. He did keep his bionicle collection and a yo-yo he forgot that he had, and a few stuffed animals like his first teddy bear and a big stuffed duck that he couldn't bear to part with. We loaded all the things into the bin at the drop off and as we walked away, I could see tears in his eyes. I asked him if he was okay with it, and he said yes. We both cried all the way home-- not for the donation because we both know other kids will love playing with his toys, but because this was ending a very, very special time in both of our lives. His childhood was one that is one of the most special times in my own life and always will be. Now I have three boxes of books to take to the library to donate because he cleaned out his bookshelf. We both decided to keep all the children's books that we both loved to read because I have a collection of them anyways. He's just giving all the books from elementary school that others will like and it will help the library buy more new books. I might keep a couple that he thinks he wants to give away, just because he might change his mind.

Why do kids have to grow up? I know I look forward to them going to college and starting their careers but that also means the adorable little kids that they once were are gone and right now that just makes me so sad. I can't stop crying about that. In a way I suppose when you have children, you can relive the best parts of your own childhood and you know I live in my own childhood when I do my art. So now I hug them a little longer and spend as much time as I can with them. And maybe if I'm lucky, someday I'll have some grandchildren to spend a little time reading books with and playing legos again.

Nathaniel's 5th Birthday