It's been a while...

My daughter likes to collect things.  All things.  And she'll keep them for eternity if I let her.  I have to admit that on occasion, I will go through her toys and pick things out and either toss them of give them away.  Otherwise I would lose my sanity over the junk that slowly tries to consume my home.  I've tried to direct her in her collecting, but she becomes attached to some of the craziest things, and sometimes you do indeed have to "choose your battles."   Back in October, she and her class went to the pumpkin patch in Alachua, where she quickly bonded with a tiny little pumpkin.  It was the perfect miniature of a larger pumpkin.  I had forgotten about this pumpkin.  She kept it in her toy bin with her play kitchen toys and food.  I would find it and say, "wow! I can't believe this thing is still in such a great shape," stick it back in the bin, and go on with my business.  Today, I was making myself some breakfast, hours after my kids had eaten.  I was chatting with a friend on the phone and getting ready to finally sit down and relax, when Reagan comes running into the kitchen, "Mommy!  My pumpkin is bleeding!!"  (This is the same pumpkin from 4 MONTHS AGO)  And sure enough, it was rotting and oozing something nasty and gross.  I immediately told her to put it in the trash, to which she burst into tears.  I felt bad making her part with her beloved pumpkin, but let's face it, you would have done the same thing too.  I sat her down and explained everything and held her as she sobbed and then distracted her with an art project.  She's fine now....until next year's pumpkin dies. 

RIP Mr. Pumpkin.  You lived a good, long life.