No, You Can't Get Rid of THAT.

As most of you know who follow my blog, I don't really have much sentimental attachment to anything.  When I get in the mood to get rid of stuff, nothing is off limits. 

As the kids and I were playing in the basement today (where most of their toys are), I got the itch to go through their toys yet again, with the goal of getting rid of another sack full.  I know what some of you are thinking...."Do those poor kids have any toys left?!?!?"  The answer is yes.  They have as many toys come into the house as they have go out because I am a sucker and often buy them things they don't need.  McDonald's happy meal toys that don't get "lost" in the van sometimes make their way into the house too, and I try to make sure they don't survive more than a few weeks here.  Speaking of McDonald's.....a couple of days ago my husband told me my van "smells like McDonald's".  Isn't that what a minivan is supposed to smell like?!?!?!?!  I'm not sure what his concern was. 

Rylee helped me bring ALL of their upstairs toys down to the basement so we could put them all together and see exactly how many dolls we have, tractors we have, etc.  It was kind of fun to see every toy in one room and organized!  It made it a lot easier for both Rylee and I to accept getting rid of some items.  I was actually surprised by a couple of toys she was ready to get rid of.  I think we finally have gotten rid of all the small little items!  Poor Wyatt didn't really get much say in this task. 

The last category we went through were her baby dolls.  She had 6 (and another coming on Christmas day), and before I could ask her to pick 2 to get rid of she told me, "I think I should get rid of 2."  Super glad we agreed on that!  She easily picked her 2.....the first was the doll from my childhood, which I was sure she would want to keep.  Doh!  And her second choice was her very first baby doll...the one she got on her 1st birthday that she took right out of the box, held and fed a bottle to (which Shocked me she knew how to do and was her first real 'girl moment')!  I was a little sad that she wanted to get rid of this one.  Okay, A Lot sad.  Okay, okay, I had an internal meltdown!  You just cannot get rid of your first doll, Rylee Jane!!  I asked her, like 10 times, "Are you SURE you want to get rid of this one?"  The confidence in her voice was upsetting me. 

Okay, fine.  I decided she can be done playing with that doll, but I am definitely not getting rid of it.  I think the first doll deserves a coveted spot in "the box".  You know the one...the box that your mom gives you when you move out of the house for good, that is full of things from your childhood.  Not being sentimentally attached to things, I am trying to keep a very small box for my kids.  Rylee is 3.5 and so far the only things in her box are a few baby outfits (not even sure why I'm keeping those), a small lovey that she was attached to her first year, and now the baby doll.  The only other things I plan to put in it are her blankie when if she ever decides to be done carting it around and the journal I'm writing to her.  And maybe a few things from her school years (though I had zero desire to have any of my school things).  My husband has an entire huge trunk full of childhood stuff that he won't part with.  I don't get it, but not my thing.  Hopefully my kids will be okay with just a small box of things...it's easy to carry around from place to place and won't take up much space (like my husband's trunk that takes up more space than either kids' dresser and requires a "team lift" to carry). 

So, I cleaned up her first baby doll and put her away.  I also didn't let her get rid of my childhood doll either --- it's African American; she needs diversity in her doll family :)  We agreed on another doll that, for some reason only Rylee knows, is always naked! 

I can't believe it...the day came that I couldn't part with an item.  Weird.  It's probably even worse that it was an item Rylee actually wanted to get rid of, but I kept...maybe keeping things is more for the parent than the child???  Hmmm....