Save or Toss?

As we approach a full year of daycare, I've got quite a bit of stuff to show for it- aside from the huge depletion of money (if we were able to afford daycare this past year, how were we not living in a mansion or something before? i mean WTF were we doing with all the money going to daycare before it went to daycare?!??!?), of course. Mainly, I've got a ton of papers.

First it was her Daily Reports that let me know what time her diaper was changed and if it was W (wet) or BM (poopy aka Bowl Movement) and if BM the was it BML (loose poop); what time she ate and what or how much; if anything such as diapers, wipes, clothing was needed. I started saving them (why?!? i dunno!) and finally tossed them when I came to terms with the fact that not even a grown up Lovie would want to see this stuff. Duh!

Then there's the Accident Reports that told me that she was playing with a toy when one of her "friends" came over and "accidentally" bopped her in the head with a toy and that Ms. gave her lots of "TLC" and held an ice pack on it.  Thankfully, we've only collected a couple over the year.

Next there's the Book Order Forms they give every other month or so rather than every week or whenever they come in. You know, the little pamphlet made on the thinnest paper known to mankind? I think I've opened up one in the past year and ordered none. Oops. Those pretty much got tossed right away. I just don't have the time to look through them, to be honest!

Finally, and most importantly, is Lovie's Artwork. Now this stuff... I love. I do. I know very well that she's not really creating anything; I get that the teacher simply holds her in her lap, grabs her hand, sticks it in paint and then slaps it onto a piece of paper. I get it, I do. I get that Lovie didn't think to make me something personally- like the mug holder I made in Shop Class back in 8th grade for my single dad who never dated or remarried and therefore only had and needed one mug in life.  There really isn't anything personal about this artwork and I really don't think Lovie would be damaged in any way if I just tossed it... but I can't.

I can't get rid of the pieces of paper with random scribbles on it. I can't. And I won't.

I'm not sure if it's because I have absolutely nothing (tangible or memories as my mom's answer is always "I don't remember") from when I was a child or what, but I really want Lovie to know about her young life. These are the absolute best, most amazing days of my life... and, while it's because of Lovie, she won't remember any of it!! How sad is that??!

I guess by holding on to this infant artwork, I'm hoping that it may spark some memory in me to share with Lovie when she's older... Or maybe she'll ask questions about when she was a kid and I'll be able to actually have something to show her from when she was little.

I know I was loved and wanted. I know this... but... I dunno. For some reason, it's extremely important to me that Lovie know just how much she was loved and wanted. The truth of the matter is that it's pretty impossible to convey this into words ... the love I have for her. So maybe by hanging on to some of the "little" things, it will help.

Anyway, rather than just toss all her artwork in a box and pray it will hold up for years to come, I decided to use it as ... well... art (some individual pieces also hang in her room, the bathroom, the living room, etc):

These hang in the hallway between the kitchen and her bedroom- the french doors on the left of this photo is her room.

I actually got this idea from a blog I saw one day a while back. And, sadly, I'm not sure whose blog, which sucks and I'm really and truly sorry to you if it was yours (just let me know so I can acknowledge it here!) I thought it was brilliant when I saw it- she used wire, I believe, to hang the pictures on... and she screwed them in to those eye hook things (the ones you hook through and then screw into the wall).  I remember the line was more straight than my sagging one. Mine is just a ribbon cord I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby tied onto push pins.