I think every parent has one or two parenting fantasies. You know, those ideas that make parenting seem so beautiful and idyllic. Ok, there are probably hundreds of those ideas, like a clean house and children that smell like baby powder all the time, but a few of those ideas can and do actually become reality. And I gotta tell ya, when those moments happen, you feel like you are in an animated movie, complete with little birds flying around your head.

Last night, I finally got to shop at Strasburg Children. I have no idea when I became so obsessed with the clothing line. Maybe I was in middle school or I saw some toddlers modeling clothes in a production. I don't know, but I've always wanted to buy clothing from Strasburg. I would just melt passing their stores. I actually did try to buy my niece a Strasburg dress when she was the flower girl in my wedding. Unfortunately, she was an older (and tall) flower girl and they did not carry her size. And I am not so obsessed that I would choose a younger flower girl in order to buy the outfit. I do have standards.

Well, we are getting ready for our babies' baptism day and I realized I could FINALLY buy some clothes from Strasburg. Of course, I whetted my appetite by looking to the online store. Hmm, $300 for a dress? Mr. T looked at the screen and his eyes bugged out. I wish I had a picture, it was quite humorous. I reassured him that I would not spend as much on a wedding dress as on a baptism outfit. It is really only because we have two children. If I had one baby to shop for, I probably would spend as much as I did on my wedding dress. But I certainly cannot buy one child a $300 dupioni outfit  with pearl embellishments and buy the other child a $25 cotton outfit stamped with a cross on the front. I had to find two comparable outfits and I really, really, REALLY wanted them to be from Strasburg.

I headed to the outlet mall yesterday. Yes, the Saturday after Christmas, after I put the munchkins to bed, heated up dinner, walked the dogs, and washed some dishes, I headed out to shop for outfits. In the fog. I was a woman on a mission and I was NOT going to be denied again.

I arrived at store and walked around a bit. I was tickled and overwhelmed all at once. I wanted to touch everything, but I also didn't want to look like a tacky shoplifter. But everything was SO cute!!! I just wanted to hug all the outfits.

I finally focused and went to the christening gowns and outfits section. I picked up a darling long-sleeved white romper for boys with a sailor collar. Oh, so sweet! Then mean reality smacked me upside the head...$150!?  I didn't want to put it down, but I also didn't want to hold it for fear I'd smudge it and have to buy the thing. Another family walked in...really big hair, really heavy accents. "OOOOOOOHHHH, Cherise, look! You can dress up her little baby dolls, too! How que-ewwwww-t!!" They were going on and on, picking things up and making a big fuss over everything.

The store employee went right over to them and said "Can I help you ladies find anything in particular?"
"Oh, no, Honey, we're just lookin'."

Ok, for the record, I had been wandering around the store for at least fifteen minutes without being approached at all. And these women had been there for less than five with no intention of buying anything and they were getting helped. But there was NO WAY I was going to let my long awaited Strasburg experience get ruined!! So I looked the associate in the eye and chimed in, "Actually, I could use some help. I am trying to find outfits for a baptism."

I have no idea where the other ladies went and I don't care. I took that associate all over the store trying to find just the right outfits. I told her about my babies and our adoption and how they were absolutely precious and how I was so excited to be buying their beautiful outfits. She gabbed with me and pulled different outfits from racks and made recommendations. It was simply heavenly, I tell you! Even more fun than wedding dress shopping. Once she realized I was really an excited mommy of two, not just some scary woman with an afro wearing a black leather jacket, she was very nice. I even pulled out pictures of Peanut and Pumpkin. (How could I not?)

And at one point, after we picked out the perfect outfits and looked for accessories, I started tearing up. I had dreamed of this moment for so long and there I was, actually buying those ridiculously cute outfits for my own little babies. For MY babies! So what that they will probably only wear them once? So what that I will spend most of that day worrying about them spitting up in them?  At that moment, my parenting fantasy was actually coming true. Taking it all in made me very emotional.

As an extra bonus, I ended up not breaking the bank, either. Two hand sewn outfits, two matching embroidered bibs, one pair of white shoes (Pumpkin already has little white shoes with flowers), one awesomely large white bow, one pair of tights, and one pair of boy's knee high socks...all for well under $200. (Everything was marked down for end of season, plus an additional 30% off.)

I am going to be no good for baptism day, if I am getting weepy just buying the clothing. My Strasburg experience was just lovely. I put myself on their mailing list. The spring merchandise is coming in and I might have to buy something nice for Easter!

How about some pictures how we spend Christmas? The kids did pretty well, though they were especially wild by Christmas Day. I now believe all the wackiness mentioned in previous posts was related to disrupted routines. They started sleeping regularly again on December 26.