Banes, Pains and Praying for Rain

On my mission in Costa Rica, I noticed rather quickly the interesting "style" women, the Ticas, had when it came to dress.  I soon understood that the reason women would pair, say, a checkered top, wherein the checkers were cheetah print, and a floral print skirt with a striped ruffle -cough, urp...oh, I threw up into my mouth a little there- was that they weren't choosing an "outfit", they were choosing their favorite clothing items; best skirt, most loved top, and just happening to wear them all on the same day.  They actually had nothing to do with each other, and only had in common that they were special to the wearer.

Keep that in mind as you embark with me on the following ramblefest.

#1. I love baby clothes.

#2.  I also hate baby clothes.

#3.  Organization is my motivation.

#4. Organization is my downfall.

Okay, let us begin with #'s 1 and 2.  Baby clothes are the adorable bane of my existence.  There are so many, the sizes are ambiguous at best (yeah, right, those two items are both 3-6 month sizes, only one is twice as big as the other).  The things that look like they won't fit for two more months are what she should be wearing now, but it doesn't occur to me to try them on her until the last possible day they might fit her.  I have too many things that fit her this week, and next week there is almost nothing and we are putting her in the same thing over and over.  I can't part with any of them; baby clothes are like an extension of my actual baby.  It utterly breaks my heart to give them away.

Hence, #'s 1 and 2.

Okay, on to #'s 3 and 4...

I must get organized, yet I struggle.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  

Oh, there's a #5:

My big girls are like two fashion-challenged, color blind drunkards when it comes to clothing choices.

They put together the nastiest and most NOT matching outfits this side of Central America.

So here is my little solution for the moment.  

We'll see how much I like the "new system" a month or two from now.

Here's the BEFORE:

This is what Natalie's drawers look like most of the time.  I always wanted little girls to dress in cute clothes,

 but I am seldom the person who actually does the dressing.  The big girls fight over who dresses Natalie each morning, rummaging through the clothes, leaving a drawer of destruction in their wake.

And the AFTER:

I made little bundles, each a complete matching outfit, all rubber banded together.

The girls are not allowed to mix-n'-not-match.

So for a whole week the baby has NOT looked like a tiny Tica.

Now to attack the big girls closet.  How big do rubber bands come?

*****

Please pray for rain for California.  The nearby lake/local water source is down to 18% full, or empty, rather, and looking more like a muddy flatland.   We have only had 3-5 inches of rain since June (the usual total for December or January is about 3-4 inches).  It is the worst drought in recorded history here.  We are being rationed on water and Sacramento residents are being asked to cut our usage by 20% and not water out of doors.  We need divine intervention here.

Thanks.