The girls have no money. They spend Jude and Ching's money.

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Dressing my girls on the cheap totally kicked me in the ass today.  When I refer to dressing the girls cheaply, I am referring to Target, Carter's Outlet and Old Navy.  Reasonably priced clothes that are cute and wear/wash well.  (They offer good online services as well..so I don't have to go out among the people.  Technically, if I wanted to really save, I should go second hand.  But again, I don't like people and want to stay online.)

While I buy the girls' clothes and weather gear online, I do try to save as much as possible.  Boots, snow pants, jackets etc. totally kill me!  So again, I go on the cheap.  Since Rachel is so small, I spend less because she may go to the next size mid-season. (Obviously Ching's grandmother is looking down from heaven and laughing up a storm. Ching's side don't grow as fast as anticipated..little peanuts that you could fit in your pocket)  In October, I spent $35 on a jacket/snow pants set from JC Penny.  While the snow pants haven't been used, the jacket still seemed okay.  Well, son of a bitch, yesterday (day before the only big storm) the zipper on the jacket broke.  So I go online (very practical since it's past season..it's now hard to find her size and bonus, I can avoid the peeps!), and get a jacket, a little bigger for next year.  The overnight fees alone, cost more than her original jacket. Perhaps next time..put a crowbar in the wallet and spring for L.L. Bean.  Rachel is asleep smiling because she wanted LLB just like her sister all along.

My thought about going on the cheap now is because I am absolutely screwed in the future.  Genetically the girls will be clothes horses as I was at 16.  And then the fact that I live in an affluent suburb..and Ching is a freakin' softie?  Anyway you cut it, I am screwed.  I can hear it now "Please daddy, these jeans are only $180.  I love you. You're the best daddy"  Oh Christ--what a sucker..I didn't spend a ridiculous amount on jeans until I was 39 and I spent my own money.  The girls have no money.  They spend Jude and Ching's money.

Right now, they have no idea about labels..and I don't care to go there.  I am not a mom looking to show off a trendy kid in Burberry and whatever..I am not even hip enough to know a good kid's label.  I just want them warm enough for current weather conditions.  No hair bows or whatever either..I don't have time to accessorize..do you think the frig that I will accessorize them with hair do-dads? Currently my kid's know comfort and comfort to me spells C-H-E-A-P!  Awesome.

My pain will come later when they are teens trying to keep up with their friends.  From how they are now, Laurel is going to be into expensive jeans.  (I think she is going to have the legs for awesome jeans that are currently a pipe dream for me.)  Rachel's favorite word is shoe and she loves bags..I have a feeling that my 2002 Coach bag will not do.

So currently I favor spending about $125 on each girl per spring/summer or fall/winter.  In about 9 years, that's probably going to garner a t-shirt..probably a ripped one too.