The Annual Wearing of the Same Old Shirt

 

It's August 4th, so it must mean I'm wearing the sleeveless shirt with Tigger on it.  (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/same-old-outfit.html)  I'm also wearing the blue WDW shorts that I purchased in WDW in (I believe) 1997!  I wear the shirt every year...I try to wear the shorts too, but on days that I had to go to work, I couldn't so instead I'd throw on a navy shirt to match as closely as possible.

 It is because on this ay 19 years ago I threw on these clothes and drove (and drove and drove) to go meet our son.  And the year after he was born, I decided it would be a tradition to wear the same outfit (or as close to it as possible) every year on his birthday.  

 Amazing, my son (being, for the most part, a good egg), puts up with me and every year we take a photo together.  Me wearing the same outfit and him, wearing whatever the heck he wants.  There are currently 20 photos of me in this outfit.  I gotten thinner (and then fatter) and older.  My son has grown from this little peanut into a six foot plus amazing human being.  (Yes, I am biased).

 A LOT has changed in 19 years!  Mostly his hair color and length.  He's dyed it a deep black, which I didn't like when he first did it 3 or so years ago, but I've grown to like it.  I like it a lot more than when he went blond (there can only be one blond in this family and it should be me!).  The red/auburn was okay, but...I'm wondering what his "natural" color would look like these days.  (I'll probably never know.)  He's also wearing it a lot longer than I'd like.  However, I'm in the minority.  Everyone (including friends of mine in my age bracket) really likes the long hair look.  (It's very 1970s.)  

 Last year, the day after he turned 18 and officially became an adult, he did something that I wouldn't let him do.  (I wouldn't give my approval.)  And I KNEW it would happen.  My husband and I had headed to the NJ shore, so he was on his own at home.  I could see when he went out and where he was headed and I KNEW what he was going to do.  He got his ears pierced.  (I guess I'm really old because I'm not keen on guys with pierced ears!)  However, he was/is an adult and he had the right to do so...

 Although I may not agree with his personal style all the time, I'm proud to say that he's turning into a responsible young man.  And without my guidance (or maybe I should say nagging).  (Should that hurt?  It hurts a little.)  He did exceedingly well his first year in college; making Dean's list for both autumn and spring.  (Mom brag!)  In addition to his "regular" summer job, he's taken on the extra task of filling in for our church sexton while he is recovering from a heath issue and when he can, he's acted as a personal taxi service to a family friend.  I/we must have done something right.

 Although things change, they also remain the same.  He gets to pick what he wants for dinner. (This year it is spaghetti; usually its pot roast and I was willing to give it a go even though it's incredibly hot out.)  There were no presents for him this morning because the gift he wanted (to have some of his great-great uncle's ink sketches framed) won't be ready until Friday.  However, when he got up he mentioned the Lego Store.  (During his downtime this summer, he's been digging into the Lego that resides in bins in our basement and he's purchased some small kits on his own.)  We used to make the trip to the store for his birthday.  That hasn't happened in a LONG time.  However...

 Within forty five minutes he was dressed and the three of us headed over to the mall in Elizabeth, NJ, where the closest Lego Store to us.  We went to the local where the store was and it was GONE!  Thankfully there was a note on the door saying they had just moved (3 days prior) to a new location in the mall. (PHEW!  I thought the day was going to go wrong.)  We found the new location and looked around.  Then we did what we've always done; we walked away.  The store can be pretty overwhelming and even to the non-fan like me, there is the sense that I WANT THIS ALL. (The brand new Jaws set was pretty awesome looking.)  Instead we headed over the Lindt store and picked out a pound of chocolate goodness.  We visited the Disney outlet store (where I didn't buy ANYTHING...amazing!) before we headed back to the Lego Store where he picked out a kit and also decided on filling a small box with some extra Legos.  (No more cups...memories of my husband carefully following instructions found on line as to how to get the most in one cup.)

 Now, like years ago, my dining room table is full of Lego.  As much as changed, so much as stayed as is.  And my challenge for today (especially as I start to make meat sauce) is to keep the shirt clean so that it survives for another year.  And another photo.


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