Three on a Match

When I was a little girl, my mother would often make matching outfits for me, my older sister, and herself. Sometimes even our dolls would get in on the act with dresses made from scraps of our dresses. I loved dressing up like Mommy, and being the younger sister, I got the hand-me-downs as well so I could match Mommy twice as long, which delighted me to no end. So I suppose it was inevitable that Ryan would end up in outfits matching Daddy - and even Mommy as well.

Yep, that's all three of us wearing our matching Irish fisherman sweaters for the Reagle Irish Show. Daddy sings in the barbershop quartet every year, so he has a beautiful costume that includes a sweater embroidered with the words " 'tis himself".

I was filling in for the tenor at one performance, so I had a similar sweater boasting, naturally, " 'tis herself".

Well, since Daddy and Mommy already had matching outfits, of course Daddy was determined that Ryan get in on the act so we could be a complete set. We had some difficulties finding a wee Irish sweater (although Herb did find one that was actually TOO wee), but eventually Herb found an Irish import shop with a gorgeous hand-knit wool sweater in 24-month size. He brought it home on opening night of the show and I quickly stitched on the words " 'tis himself" and a shamrock in bright green thread.

Since the sweater is wool, Ryan did have a few objections when we first put it on him, and I was careful to put a long-sleeved onesie underneath so he wouldn't be too itchy. But once it was on we didn't have too many problems - until we tried to put him in the car seat, that is. The sweater is so bulky that we had to lengthen the straps as far as they would go and even then it was quite a stretch to wedge both baby and sweater into the seat and get him successfully strapped in. But as you can see, the result was well worth it. (Ryan might debate that point, but Daddy and Mommy definitely thought it was worth it.)

I have no doubt that I only have a few years to get away with the matching outfits before Ryan realizes how uncool it is and begins to object. (Boys get over that sort of thing much sooner than girls do, I'm afraid.) So I'd better take advantage of it while I can. But at least for now, I think he likes it.