The yard sale of a decade

First things first, everyone cleans out their closets. Old shoes, small clothes. That silly hat that no one wears. But this yard sale, one room is getting an over haul. She's only 10, going on 17 and she has decided that many things are now just clutter. So I encourage her to clean it all out (since you can hardly walk in her room as it is)

After about 2 1/2 days her room was looking more like an actual bedroom. The hallway is another matter. The boy asks 'When is this yard sale?' so he can leave his room without threat of death by GI Joe legs.

So I'm ecstatic that we are going to actually have something to sell and that my kid is cleaning. Today I glance through what has become her 'clutter' and it's that cathartic moment of every preteens moms life where she knows nothing will be the same again.

Those hand me down dinosaurs that were her is all ends all of science discovery are piled in a cloth bag.

Board games, that are clearly for babies now, all piled. Torn box tops from all the times they were played.

Children's books

Painstakingly handmade costumes

Play purses

Stuffed animals

And even those forsaken pageant dresses all piled in dry cleaner bags, with matching jackets

She keeps some baby dolls that I'm pretty sure she will keep forever. And her barbies. And one pageant dress, the one that she won in. I should be happy. This is why we had kids so young so they would grow up and be self sufficient little adult versions of themselves while we can enjoy them forever and watch them grow up. The mile stones are coming hard and fast these days though. Maybe this is just a reminder to enjoy every second with these little heathens like it is the last... always.