I bet my parents were real happy with my birthday usually being labour day weekend sometime. Got them off the hook for having to buy back to school stuff. Ho-ly crap. So far, the kid has needed one entire new outfit for the first day (guess what colour it is?), three pairs of shoes (one to wear, one for gym, and rainboots since I won't be there to yell "quit jumping in the bloody puddles already!"), three new long sleeved shirts, and a new backpack. I only avoided the new lunchbox in that the one she wanted was too small. I have wanted to buy one of these - http://lunchboxes.com/bento.html , but Bento is an art that I so don't have time for. Imagine me happily cutting carrot slices into little bunnies and putting faces on sandwiches...right. I did buy a stack of labels to attach to her though. Clumsy, Reads Too Much, Mouthy...heh. Labels that have her name on them so I don't accidently bring home some other kid's snow boots again. Although, I did good on that exchange, the ones I took were bigger. ;) Perhaps this is how should do things. Check out the kids who are bigger than Bri, then buy the exact same outerwear. Then, "accidently" take the bigger stuff so Bri can wear it next year. Then I only have to buy crap every other year. Hmm.