The long goodbye

Since Finn was born, I've slowly been saying goodbye to the likelihood of any more babies by parting ways with the things I carefully packed away for a possible next baby in the past. I've gotten rid of all my maternity clothes, and these days, when I sort through Lilah's and Finn's clothes for things they've outgrown, I've been giving the stuff away rather than packing it away. And it's been a little sad, and a little hard. Today we took a bigger step: we had a yard sale, and I put out for sale all the baby things that Finn no longer uses: the bassinet, changing table, bouncy seat, Bumbo, Boppy, even the swing (as well as loads of other stuff from around the house - isn't it amazing how much crap a family can accumulate?)

Ahh, the swing. It's an old Graco that I got when I was pregnant with Kevin. I still remember, like it was yesterday, putting that thing together on the family room floor while watching A Time to Kill on television, just a few days before Kevin was born. That makes the swing well over 12 years old now, and every one of my babies has used it. And for some reason, that's the thing I seem to be having the hardest time parting with. Michael said, "It's up to you, keep it if you want." But really, who saves a big old baby swing as a memento? Seems silly. Still . . .

But I bit the bullet and put it, and everything else, out in the yard today. However, apparently Sunday is not a super popular day for yard sales. We did fairly well, got rid of quite a bit of stuff and made a nice chunk of change, but a lot of stuff didn't go - we really didn't get a lot of traffic, compared to what we'd have probably gotten on a Saturday. And damn if that swing isn't one of the things still sitting here. Is it a sign? Is it trying to tell me something?

(Crazy talk from a woman who doesn't believe in signs!)

Anyhow, we may try to have another yard sale next Saturday. In the meantime, I'll keep trying to say goodbye.