My mom saves everything. Everytime she comes to visit she brings something from her collection. Sometimes this is a point of tension because I live in a little house, and don't have much storage. And I don't like the responsibility of caring for things that she kept pristine for thirty years. However, I'm so lucky to have many of these items. She asked me if I ever use anything. So I wanted to show her some pics and say thank you. I'm glad she chose to save too much rather than too little. Maybe there is a happy medium out there somewhere...This little handmade dress was mine. I added a little belt to it.
Libby looking at James, the co-photographer, who did not want to be photographed himself. His job was to try to make her smile.
Libby has a very serious expression a lot of the time. My family likes to tease her for it. She makes them work hard for a smile.She didn't want to take the dress off after her picture, but I was afraid her legs would be cold. So we added some jeans to the dress, for a hip little shirt.
The best thing my mom saved for us is our book collection. She has brought us at least 100 books that belonged to all of us Miceli kids growing up. Many of them have writing inside, like The Beach Book- To Gerry from Susan...Ocean City MD 1984. Or Where The Sidewalk Ends...to me on my 9th birthday. Make Way for Ducklings...Thanksgiving 1985. I know I could read the same stories to my kids from the library's copy of the same story...(Well some of them that are still in print. But we'd loose some real gems like Worried Walrus, or Andrew Henry's Meadow.) I love seeing my hands on the pages and realizing how much they look like my parent's hands turning the very same pages. Don't worry brothers and sisters. I'll guard the books carefully so that you can have the same experience.
These little shoes were mine. They say made in the USA on the bottom, so you know they're old.And this dress isn't vintage, but it is still from Mom-mom:)
