What Not To Wear, I Guess

Recently, I read an article about what to do if you don't approve of your sibling's parenting style. But what I really need to know is what you should do if your sibling doesn't approve of your fashion style. Because Keri is always on my case about what my kids are wearing.

Look, I don't know what she expects of someone who wears track pants every day, but just half an hour ago she asked me, pointedly, "What size is that outfit Gretchen's wearing?" Just because the top rode up a little bit to show her adorable belly! This morning Keri noted about Aaron's outfit - every piece of which, except for the sneakers, had been passed down from Ronan, "He looks cute, except for the sneakers."

Keri has also advised on previous occasions that Hilary's clothes were too small and that Aaron's ensemble was "too babyish" (she probably said that when he was about eight months old).

Honestly, Keri has no idea what kind of Pandora's Box she's opening by challenging me in this arena. Several years ago, I had a real addiction to shopping for kids' clothes. I would spend hours in Gymboree and Baby Gap, and I was an absolute sucker for coordinated socks and little sunhats. Andy thought he was going to have to send me to retail rehab.

Well, I'm happy to say that I'm (mostly) recovered, and while I still drool at the adorable peasant blouses in Janie and Jack, I'm generally content to dress the kids in whatever hand-me-downs I blindly pull out of their drawers each morning. Of course, Jonah and Erika, as the oldest boy and girl, have to get new clothes every season, so I decided to start the imprinting early and bought Erika for the spring a couple of pairs of . . . yoga pants. I wonder what Keri will think of those???