the bittersweets


I recently dug out my beautiful boy's first ever outfit,
the one he wore on his first full day in the world.
I wanted to find it so that we could use it as Splodge's first outfit.
Something about the symmetry of having our children wear the same first outfit really appeals to me.
I like the idea that an outfit bought for Dollop will also be worn by Splodge,
and by any potential babies that might come after.

I have to say that it's bittersweet to have that little babygrow out of storage
and back in the nursery again.
I'm excited to be expecting another tiny little person small enough to wear it,
but seeing it is a reminder of just how small our beautiful boy once was
and just how much he has grown and changed.

I remember holding that outfit up to my bump.
I remember washing it, and folding it, and putting it in the drawer as we eagerly anticipated the arrival of out first born.
I remember opening that drawer several times a day just to look at the tiny clothes
and to try and imagine what it would be like to have a person in our home who fitted in them.
I remember the day I packed my hospital bag
and chose that outfit with its matching hat
as the one we'd bring our newborn baby home in.

I remember the slightly melancholy day that I packed it away with the other newborn babygrows
that my growing boy had since grown out of.
We've had many days of packing away clothes since
and while it doesn't make me quite as emotional these days,
there are still outfits and items of clothing which make my insides ache a little,
to think that my baby is growing up so fast.
It's exhilarating getting to watch a beautiful newborn, 
grow into a bouncing baby 
and then into a little boy.

It's makes me really happy to think that some of those precious little outfits
might get another little person wearing them;
those dinky little white babygrows and vests especially.
The excitement they brought us when we were expecting last time
genuinely doesn't seem diminished over time,
they are just as small,
just as cute
and possibly even more special because they have already belonged to our beautiful baby boy.

I love that this new little bundle will come home from hospital
in the same outfit that their big brother did.
Now I just have to get my head around the idea
that my baby boy
will be a big brother.


18 comments

  1. Aww Lucy bless you! I know exactly how you feel. I did the exact same thing when I was sorting B's baby clothes out in preparation for the new baby's arrival. Now of course, it seems even more bittersweet because I need to be rid of ALL of the newborn and baby clothes because I won't need them ever again. I have been putting it off, but I must do it as I need the space in the cupboard. Hmmm maybe next week...... X

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    1. Oh my goodness, I'm not sure how I'll ever manage to actually get rid of things. I might use it as an excuse to get my sewing machine out to make another quilt.
      I know its silly to attach so much emotion and nostalgia to a babygrow, but it made me feel so weird. Excited but sad too. It all just happens so quickly. x

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  2. So cute. When your children get as big as mine, reach out their first pair of proper shoes (like I did recently) and see what happens to your heart!!! I blogged about it a while back... http://saveeverystep.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/baby-shoes-revisited-12-years-on/

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    1. I dread to think what I'll be like looking back at old clothes and shoes in years to come. I just put so much emotional attachment onto these things and then its hard not to feel nostalgic about every single little thing. x

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  3. Such a lovely babygrow, I am the same as I have kept everything and each time Leo outgrows something it is safely put away. I don't think I will ever have the heart to get rid of it all, as they are Leo's first clothes.

    The beautiful boy is going to be a great big brother x

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    1. I'm pretty sure I'll find a way to keep most of the important stuff, I'm just too soft to let things go. I'm glad I'm not alone. x

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  4. What a lovely idea, I look forward to seeing the outfit being modelled!

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    1. Fingers crossed we get another reasonably little baby then. The little guy was 7lb 1oz and it fitted him for a few weeks, not sure I'd get a real porker baby into it. x

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  5. That is such a lovely idea. I can't believe the little dude was ever tiny enough to fit into his newborn bits and then I find a picture of this tiny little thing that is my son!

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    1. I know. I held it next to the little guy for scale and I just couldn't believe he was ever tiny enough to fit in it. It all just goes by so fast. x

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  6. Oh man this brought back my own sadness at doing the same thing. Little Monster is only 15 weeks and he's already outgrown Early Baby, New Baby and 0-3 months clothes. It was weird folding them and putting them away. At the moment I'm not even planning on a second but there's a little bit of me that would love to reuse them. Can't wait to see the photos of splodge wearing this :)

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    1. It was about that age that I put away my little guys first batch of clothes with tears filling my eyes. The time between them sitting in the drawer waiting for a baby to fill them to them suddenly being surplus to requirements just seemed to fly by to fast. X

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  7. I am having my little boy in Auguest and he'll be wearing the baby grow that I wore myself back from hospital on the day I was born.

    I feel I should warn you that there has been a mini war going on about this baby grow as my younger siblings also wore it (three of them!). I'd like to give it to my son for when he has his baby (if his wife agrees obviously lol) - but my siblings all want the grow for every child of theirs! Not only would it not last if they all wore it (none of them have kids yet either) - but who will get to keep it in the end? I have had to be abit mean and say it was originally mine and so I will be keeping it!

    If I was you I'd avoid the war you will have on your hands in twenty years time lol!

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    1. I think maybe I'll avoid the arguments by keeping it myself. Plus we are going to buy Splodge a special second day outfit of his or her own. Just love the tradition of them coming home in the same thing. X

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  8. Cute little blog and cute little boy! New follower from Wiegand hop! Love for you to follow back when you get a chance!

    http://naptimeshopper.blogspot.com

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    1. Aww, thanks. I'll pop across and check out your blog now. Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. X

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  9. such a sweet post!!! I just packed up my youngest newborns stuff she out grew them in just a few short weeks...so bittersweet!

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    1. Ahhh, thanks. It is so exciting to see them grow, it just all seems to happen so fast, doesn't it? X

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