Fourier Analysis is a mathematical tool which can do a number of things: separate out signals from noise; help identify patterns or trends in data; filter out all unwanted data and focus on a single signal; use approximations to make generalizations; make approximations of real world signals (think electronic music); combine harmonics to get a stronger signal. That's what I'll be trying to do here!! Won't you join me with your comments?

Monday, November 5, 2007

Hand Me Downs...

I was waiting on the school playground to pick up DD2 when I noticed a little girl playing who was wearing a sweater just like one of DD2's. I was about to tell her that and let her know that it was one of DD2's and my favorites and that it was really pretty. Then she ran to her mother who was in the circle of moms I was chatting with and I realized it wasn't like DD2's sweter, it was her sweater that I had passed on to my girlfriend a few months ago. It was shocking to realize that indeed, DD2 was much too big for that lovely sweater and it was getting some good wear on my friend's daughter. I complimented her and she said, "Yes, I got it from DD2. It's my favorite!"

In the next minute I noticed out of the corner of my eye a little blonde head wearing a T-shirt I had seen many times on Jenn-In-Holland's daughter. In my mind's eye I flashed on her and then realized I was looking at my own DD2 who had grown into Jenn's daughter's clothes. How could it be that my little one was now such a big girl? (sigh)

I love hand-me-downs. Not only do they appeal to the "ecology nut" side of my nature, but seeing familiar clothes brings back such lovely memories of other young bodies doing similar or different things. For me, there is no sigma attached to hand-me-downs, only love.

10 comments:

Jen said...

Even though my sister was 11 years older than me, she kept a few of her things to pass on to me, and the retro thing was "in" when I was in high school in the late 70s. I worshiped my big sister and I loved those skirts and the one blouse I had more than any others.

Lovely post.

BTW... did you see that I left you a little something on my blog?

Anonymous said...

Oh, hand me downs. I had plenty! They really do mean something, huh?

Madam Crunchypants said...

Punkin has some hand-me-downs from Kim at Temporary? Insanity. I love them. I was the oldest girl in my family, so I rarely got hand-me-downs. I still remember a pair of jeans I was handed down from my older brother though. I loved them until they fell apart.

anno said...

Being partial to my husband's old shirts, I understand the thrill of wearing something "broken in." Unfortunately, I wear everything until it is falling off my body in tatters; nothing much left to donate. My daughter's clothes, though? We pass them all along..

soccer mom in denial said...

I've given a bunch of my daughter's clothes to a friend of hers at school and it seems like every day she is wearing one of the clothes. I also do double-takes.

It feels good though to seem them on someone else.

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

We love hand-me-downs as well. I gave a family at church a TON of stuff from DD and I love seeing their little one in her clothes. It just kills me that she was once that tiny.

The only downside is when I take pictures of the kids and send them out and then I realize that everything they are wearing came from my friend Danielle's children. Sort of like walking in to Old Navy and being self conscious thate EVERYTHING you have on you bought from there - or is that just me that does that? LOL

Brillig said...

Oh, I'm the same way. I LOVE hand-me-downs. Okay, actually, as the youngest of six kids (four girls) I got REALLY sick of hand-me-downs. hahaha. But as a MOM, I love them! I'm looking at my littlest boy who is wearing some pajamas that each of his brothers wore at some point. They're warm and fuzzy, and the sight of them makes me warm and fuzzy too. :-D

Stacey said...

As a kid I thought hand me downs sucked but now as an economical mom I absolutely love them!!!

Real Life Drama Queen said...

I do the hand me down thing with my friends. I love doing it. Saves both of us money and the clothes get the use they were meant to have.

On an off note. I tagged you on my site. Go check it out please. HUGS

Aka
Aventures In Waitressing

Jenn in Holland said...

Amen!
I only recently PURCHASED clothes for Andrew (he's 4 1/2) because we have been so lucky with hand-me-downs. I love your take on it, they are a wonderful thing and we like to share and receive the love as things get handed around.