Monday, July 25, 2011

School shopping with a five year old...

Each year I take our grandlittles shopping for school clothes.

I take them one at a time...and it is their special day.

We get shoes.

We get clothes.

We get a backpack.

We get pencils and paper and crayons and markers.

It's a big thing.

School starts back on August 10 here. Something that always feels cruel. It is still wickedly hot and humid, but the school district hasn't felt it important to get my opinion on this practice...so school shopping begins the end of July.

This year our little Mo got to go first.

She has been worrying her little head over going to school. Mr. Jenny and I have been surprised because she's enjoyed preschool so much, but she seemed excited and happy to go shopping.

So I gathered up my coupons, the excited little girl, took a deep breath and headed to the store.

We always do school shoes first...

And each and every pair of Twinkle Toes must be tried on and debated over...


This one has a charm...

BUT...

...this one has pink sparkly laces.

Each and every pair must be laced up and tried out by jumping and running...

"Oh Grandma! See how fast I am in these Twinkle Toes? I need to jump and run in all of them!"

We must make several calls to Granpa to discuss the merits of each pair.

I know it's hard to believe but he can't advise whether charms OR sparkly laces are superior. He tells her she can't buy all of them, though...or he might have a heart attack!

She giggles over this.

"Grandpa is silly," she tells me.

Finally we return to the car with several pair of shoes.

I suggest we go home and swim. "We can finish later in the week," I say. It is hot and I am getting crabby.

"No, Grandma! We need to get EVERYTHING today!"

I take a deep breath and head to the clothing store.

Such delights!

She exclaims in wonder that tank tops come in pink, purple, yellow, blue AND orange!

She is astonished to find that there are shorts IN HER SIZE in all the colors she likes best.

She covers her mouth in astonishment that there dozens of dresses she likes...and, "LOOK GRANDMA! THESE ARE ALL SIZE 5!"

I explain to her that we will try things on and pick her favorites...BUT that we will not be buying all of these things.

She looks concerned and then giggles. "Will Grandpa have a heart attack?"

We head to a dressing room with three hooks. I tell her one hook is for "Yes", one hook is for "Maybe" and one hook is for "No". She takes off the dress she is wearing and hangs it on the "No" hook. "I don't think we need that hook, Grandma!"

But we do.

Because this shirt is itchy, and this dress is too tight, and these shorts squish her belly button in.

But when she likes something, she claps her hands together and twirls.

And twirls some more.


I am worried about all the twirling.

And the almost empty "No" hook.

When she has finally tried on everything and twirled to her hearts content, she points to the overflowing "Yes" hook and asks sweetly, "Can we call Grandpa and get all these clothes?"

"What do you think he will say, Miss MoMo?"

"I think he will say ...ummm...I don't think so."

"So what do you think we should do?"

She thinks.

"I know, Grandma! I'm going to pick the clothes that make me want to twirl the most! Is that good? Is that a good idea?"

"Yes, Mo. Let's pick those!"

We discuss what things can go together to make more outfits.

We retry a few things to see if they make her want to twirl!

After much deliberation, she carefully chooses a reasonable amount of clothes.

"Grandma, I'm hot!" she tells me after we check out, "Let's go home and swim!"

"Don't you want to get EVERYTHING?" I ask her.

She thinks for a brief moment and then tells me, "No, Grandma. I think we should stop. We don't want to give Grandpa a heart attack!"

And when we get home, we swim and then she gives her Grandpa and sisters a fashion show.

And she twirls...

...and twirls...

...and she is a happy little girl.

And, fortunately, Grandpa doesn't have a heart attack.

post signature

37 comments:

Unknown said...

Glad grandpa survived the shopping trip and grandma too. I bet you are loving having them back.

LuLu Kellogg said...

What a great post Jenny! The Grandlittle's responses to things were just adorable!

Love,
LuLu~*xoxo

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I adore reading about her adventures. She's so open and unspoiled by the big, bad world. These are the times to treasure most.

ain't for city gals said...

I don't think have any clothes that make me twirl! Might have to think about that a bit...

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

How very sweet! I'm still waiting to find out if Justin will be going to Preschool this your. 100% of the school's funding has been cut, after he was already registered and really excited about going this year :(

Anonymous said...

Awwww what a precious day and memory to be made.

Terra said...

OMG It is like shopping with Hailey! I just love it! She is simply precious with her comments and her decision making...give that grand an extra hug from Colorado today!

Ames said...

This is so cute Jenny! I can't wait til my little grandaughter is at that age. Boys aren't so interested in clothes shopping. They'd rather go to the arcade.~Ames

Deborah said...

Delightful!!! :o)

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Jenny you are my Grandma role model! I want to be you when my grands get bigger! Your stories make my heart sing.

Theresa said...

Oh this post made me smile:) Nothing sweeter that little ones shopping for school clothes! Sounds like she got her some good trirling outfits! My grandkids wear uniforms at their school so we will miss out on this part!

Enjoy your day dear Jenny, happy Grandpa made it thru the day without the heart attack:)

HUGS!

Pondside said...

It seems like just last month that I was reading your last year's back-to-school shopping post!
What fun you must have had. I'm glad that grandpa didn't have a heart attack and that you two gals had such a lot of fun!

Bossy Betty said...

You are making such great memories!!!

Lorrie said...

What a fun tradition you have with your grandlittles. As a new grandma (our first is 7 months old) I'm storing up such ideas for when she's older.

And it sounds like you had just as much fun as your grandlittle. Didn't you want to try on a dress and twirl?

Holly said...

What a wonderful Grandma you are!!! I love that the deciding factor on the clothes is how much they twirl!!! Brilliant!! If only we all picked our clothes that way...we'd all be smiling all the time!!!
As for the Aug 10 start date...why on earth do they do that???? The summer's just getting started! how are those little chillin's supposed to concentrate when there is still so much summer to be had?? Just plain wrong!!

Caroline said...

Isn't it funny how the little ones think a certain pair of shoes makes them run faster. And that pair over there makes them run fastest of all. LOL Too cute. Glad y'all survived the craziness of school shopping.

aprons & Old lace

Alli Blue said...

This is soooo shopping with my twin girls who are 7. Twirling, sparkles and all!

Susan Anderson said...

My granddaughter doesn't like to shop yet. :But I'm hoping!

=)

Anonymous said...

Such good Grandparents! :-)

"Alone again.... naturally!" said...

You have the sweetest grandlittles...can't wait for my little to get to that stage and for them to be here!!

Nonna said...

Oh, Jenny how sweet, thought and darling is that little princess ! You are wonderful Grandparents ! I would rather give my grandkids parents the money for shopping and just do the pool time part of the event ! LOL

Busy Bee Suz said...

And I must say this again: You are the best Grandma on the planet.

ps. I hope you make it to the end of shopping without anyone having a heart attack!!!

Jo said...

That is such a sweet story ... you really are a lucky woman!

Ms. A said...

Brave, brave woman! I don't have it in me. I'll just hand them the money and tell them to have at it.

Besides, those parking lots are pure torture, especially in this heat!

w said...

twirly clothes are definitely the best. heart attacks, not so much.

also. i don't want to go back to school shopping yet. i think i'll wait until the day before. it's more exciting that way. :{

H said...

How funny. You are preparing to go back to school wheras we have only just broken up for the summer! (But I nipped into town this morning and saw school uniform advertising signs which said 'Back to School'!! NOOOOOOO!!! Poor kids have only just walked out through the school doors!!!!!)

Vicki/Jake said...

What fun! You're the bestest Gwama Jenny and Oh, the memories you're leaving them with. Twirl away lil Mo:)

Together Time 4 Families said...

Loved reading your post...it brought back memories to my daughter and now to her daughter - it's all in the twirl! Oh, to have the dress(s) that twirl. LOL
Susan

Stef said...

What a good grandma you are. I bet she was in hog heaven

Pat said...

Your granddaughter is a delight to read about and I wonder who had the most fun on that shopping trip!!?

I remember our son used to think new shoes would make him run faster too...all little ones just seem to know that kind of stuff!

A sweet story.

Melinda said...

LOVE IT!
Can't wait for the next installment to this story!!!!

Hope you are keeping cool.

Melinda

Amy said...

Oooh! What a fun adventure for her. What a delicious day for her. I hope school is full of twirling for her.

jabblog said...

What a wonderful day for little Mo - you must have been exhausted by the end of it! It's a lovely thing to do, though:-)

Willoughby said...

You are such an awesome Grandma! I can't imagine either of my grandmothers taking me school shopping, it would not have ended in twirling, I can tell you that!

Unknown said...

Little Mo is just so cute! Wait till she's a teen and she wants to buy all the stuff the other kids want. I'm pretty sure Grandpa will have a heart attack then :)

Barbara said...

Ha. Ha. I linked over from Ain't for City Girls and, funniest thing, I just got back from the shoe store with the grandson. We don't start school for another couple of weeks and so we had to find the coolest, the fastest and ... you get it. I loved your description of shopping with the grandchild. Its just how I feel.

Tutti said...
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