And the personalized item shall inherit the Earth

***Sorry this is all jumbled together, I can't get it to space right for some reason!

As a child growing up in the 70's and 80's many a dollar was spent at Jacobson's and Fields in downtown Jackson to buy me a monogrammed sweater, or otherwise personalized item. At the time I was receiving these fine gifts (mainly sweaters) it never occurred to me what I would do with them when they no longer fit. Later on when I had children of my own, and was so proud of the names I had bestowed upon them, I too bought them personalized items usually special ordering them since I didn't name my girls Emily or Grace. Nor did I bless them with my name or my initials so they aren't that keen on wearing my old "Stacy" or "SLL" items from long ago.

After I was married and had my own house my Mom would drop by with bags of my stuff that she had found in the attic. One of the bags contained the sweater below.

I read in a magazine a long time ago that using stuffed animals was a great way to display your old monogrammed sweaters from 1982, or whenever yours may be from. So my favorite potbelly bear is modeling my "Stacy" sweater these days.

The green "SLL" sweater below was a prized possession in the 4th grade and I documented it's existence on film by wearing it for my 4th grade school picture which I was unable to find and share with you, feel grateful.

I am currently not in possession of another large bear with a chill that may want to wear this one, so after this post it will return to the 18 gallon bin that I can fit my entire childhood into.

This next picture shows a Disney Princess robe that my friend Alicia bought for Ryann when she was a wee one. Jayden does wear this on occasion but soon she will realize it doesn't say J-A-Y-D-E-N and then it will go into a different 18 gallon bin with the hopes that Ryann someday has a baby girl of her own who may think it would be cool to wear. Because really, what else are we going to do with it? Wrap it around a bear too? How long until the Earth is overcome with items covered in embroidery floss?

I had always loved the name Ryan for a girl. I really never thought my "normal" husband would agree to it. But not only did he agree he had an opinion on the spelling! I was so overcome with joy that I went with it and she ended up with 2 N's in her name. Now everyone calls her Ry-Ann instead of Ryan (and she doesn't correct them because she likes it!) and we can never find a personalized item in a store with her name on it.

Jayden on the other hand has been blessed. She was blessed because Britney Spears decided that Jayden was a cool name for her son, as if. Since shortly after little Jayden James' birth I have had reasonable luck finding my youngest girls' name on things hanging on spinner racks at Toys 'R Us. My Mom found this gem in Frankenmuth. Michigan, not Germany.

I cannot even begin to list the items in my house that are personlized with my girls' names. But despite my concern about what will happen to all this stuff, I continue to buy it. I also buy it for my nieces, nephews, and friends children. It's an obsession, but yeah we don't really want to go there.