Don't you love it when your kids play dress up? I was picking up boas, bracelets and tiaras from various locations in my home yesterday...all left behind from Princess Catherine. As I was putting them away in her room, I noticed all the dress up "stuff" this kid has. She could fill a small country with her glamorous goods! I started to reminisce about the time when my son, Connor, (now 12) was five and we found the holy grail of dress up for him. We were at a thrift shop dropping off donations. On our way out of the store, my son stopped dead in his tracks and pointed straight ahead. A brilliant light shone down from the heavens, choirs of angels were singing...and there hanging on a special display was "the blue suit."
He walked with a strong purpose toward that suit, picked it off the rack and grunted, "must...have...this...suit..." I checked the price tag...$8.00...okay, so it won't break the bank. I notice it has pinstripes. I have visions of my son wearing this suit attempting a gangster style holdup..."I'm Johnny Bag-of-donuts. Give me all your candy and I won't break your kneecaps." Disturbing, I know, but this is how my mind works. "Why do you need a suit," I asked, completely confounded. "I just do" he said with conviction. How could I argue with such determination? So off we went to the cashier.
Later that afternoon, I am folding laundry in the living room and I notice my son dressed in his new attire standing on the landing in the stairwell. He is looking very suave and has a small "briefcase" in his hand. "Hello, " I greet him. "How can I help you?" He smiles at me sweetly and says "My name is Rick (what?) and I am here to sell insurance." Well, he certainly has the smooth confidence of an insurance salesman. "What kind of insurance?" I ask completely intrigued. I mean, we're covered on lots of levels, but this salesman sure is adorable, so why not add a little coverage here and there? "I am selling toy insurance. It's $100,000 dollars per year." Whoa, nellie! What kind of toys does this kid think I have? "Sure...um, I'm gonna have to check with my husband about that," I say as I slink backwards out of the room. "How about you come back later?" "No problem, ma'am! How does 6:00 sound?" (he is still smiling at me.) "Sounds great!" I manage a weak smile.
Fast forward to 6:00. I am in the kitchen making dinner. Suddenly, I look to my right and standing in the doorway with his fingers in the "I've gotta a gun" position is my son. Uh-oh...."Hi Rick" I say as I move toward the phone (in case I need assistance, you see...) "I'm not Rick", he says seriously. "Oh, really? I was expecting Rick, this insurance guy about some toy insurance. Who might you be?" I am actually clutching the phone now. "Bond...James Bond..."he says. WHAT?????? Did he really just tell me he was James Bond? "You have invisible bad guys here. Don't worry, I can handle it," he assures me in his best British accent. A wave of relief washes over me. "Thanks, Mr. Bond," I gush. "I feel better knowing MI6 sent you over." "No problem," he says as he checks each room for danger. "Oh, can I have a glass of milk?" My heart is very full now seeing my son using his imagination so fully. "Sure, Mr. Bond. Do you prefer that shaken, not stirred?" "That's cool" he smiles. And it all started with a blue suit.
That blue suit got lots of playtime over the years as a business suit, more time as James Bond, and various other identities. It was the best $8.00 I could've spent at the time. When he finally outgrew it, I was sad to see it go. We put it out in one of our yard sales. I actually kept bringing back in the house several times, just not able to let it go. Finally, toward the end of the sale, I took it back out. A young boy and his mom came right over to it. The little boy's eyes lit up just like Connor's had and I knew the suit had found a new home. It's kind of like Frosty the Snowman's hat. "There must have been some magic in that old blue suit he found..." So here's to dress up time...next time your kids layer on the boas, bracelets and tiaras, or even a blue suit, why not throw a few on yourself?
Here's Connor enjoying some sparkling cider on his birthday..you can see we were in the middle of a move..the blue suit went with us everywhere! It was one of the first things unpacked upon arriving in our new home!
He walked with a strong purpose toward that suit, picked it off the rack and grunted, "must...have...this...suit..." I checked the price tag...$8.00...okay, so it won't break the bank. I notice it has pinstripes. I have visions of my son wearing this suit attempting a gangster style holdup..."I'm Johnny Bag-of-donuts. Give me all your candy and I won't break your kneecaps." Disturbing, I know, but this is how my mind works. "Why do you need a suit," I asked, completely confounded. "I just do" he said with conviction. How could I argue with such determination? So off we went to the cashier.
Later that afternoon, I am folding laundry in the living room and I notice my son dressed in his new attire standing on the landing in the stairwell. He is looking very suave and has a small "briefcase" in his hand. "Hello, " I greet him. "How can I help you?" He smiles at me sweetly and says "My name is Rick (what?) and I am here to sell insurance." Well, he certainly has the smooth confidence of an insurance salesman. "What kind of insurance?" I ask completely intrigued. I mean, we're covered on lots of levels, but this salesman sure is adorable, so why not add a little coverage here and there? "I am selling toy insurance. It's $100,000 dollars per year." Whoa, nellie! What kind of toys does this kid think I have? "Sure...um, I'm gonna have to check with my husband about that," I say as I slink backwards out of the room. "How about you come back later?" "No problem, ma'am! How does 6:00 sound?" (he is still smiling at me.) "Sounds great!" I manage a weak smile.
Fast forward to 6:00. I am in the kitchen making dinner. Suddenly, I look to my right and standing in the doorway with his fingers in the "I've gotta a gun" position is my son. Uh-oh...."Hi Rick" I say as I move toward the phone (in case I need assistance, you see...) "I'm not Rick", he says seriously. "Oh, really? I was expecting Rick, this insurance guy about some toy insurance. Who might you be?" I am actually clutching the phone now. "Bond...James Bond..."he says. WHAT?????? Did he really just tell me he was James Bond? "You have invisible bad guys here. Don't worry, I can handle it," he assures me in his best British accent. A wave of relief washes over me. "Thanks, Mr. Bond," I gush. "I feel better knowing MI6 sent you over." "No problem," he says as he checks each room for danger. "Oh, can I have a glass of milk?" My heart is very full now seeing my son using his imagination so fully. "Sure, Mr. Bond. Do you prefer that shaken, not stirred?" "That's cool" he smiles. And it all started with a blue suit.
That blue suit got lots of playtime over the years as a business suit, more time as James Bond, and various other identities. It was the best $8.00 I could've spent at the time. When he finally outgrew it, I was sad to see it go. We put it out in one of our yard sales. I actually kept bringing back in the house several times, just not able to let it go. Finally, toward the end of the sale, I took it back out. A young boy and his mom came right over to it. The little boy's eyes lit up just like Connor's had and I knew the suit had found a new home. It's kind of like Frosty the Snowman's hat. "There must have been some magic in that old blue suit he found..." So here's to dress up time...next time your kids layer on the boas, bracelets and tiaras, or even a blue suit, why not throw a few on yourself?
Here's Connor enjoying some sparkling cider on his birthday..you can see we were in the middle of a move..the blue suit went with us everywhere! It was one of the first things unpacked upon arriving in our new home!
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