My Dapper Lil' Dude

Ok I have a confession. I am a complete, total and utter shopaholic when it comes to Preston. I was a shopaholic before Preston, but now I am hooked. I just cannot help myself. Since before this child was the size of a lima bean my mother and I have made sure that his (walk in) closet and two dressers are full. At first it was buying those footed stretchies. I just could not have enough little ones with cars and sayings like Toot Toot and Beep Beep or Mommy's Little Angel. It has escalated into mass buying. With that said and before you think I am the biggest snob in the world, the second confession is I am now the world's biggest bargain hunter. (Well maybe I share this place with Emily).

Before Preston (or BP, which in the legal world stands for Bill of Particulars, but I digress), I would buy him those cute ol' boutique outfits and literally "bend over" as the ladies in the shop would ring up a sweater for $70. WBP (That's way before Preston for all you texters out there), I was the accessory shopaholic. I must say when it came to clothes and most of my shoes I loved to hunt the bargains, but with pocketbooks, things became a little different. I thought absolutely nothing of putting my name on a list for a pocketbook that costs in excess of $1200. Ok I thought about it for like split second and realized that life would not be complete if I did not carry that bag that upcoming season. It was white and can only be used from Memorial Day to Labor Day. I mean it was not even the all practical black bag. I received the call from LV that it was in the two days before Thanksgiving that year. I made my father drive me to go and get it even though Mom and I had like 100 pies to make. I remember it coming out of the tan velvet bag and the lady holding it up to the light (think Simba's birth in "The Lion King"-completely synonymous) and there were, I swear, audible gasps from the other very jealous shoppers that my name came up on the waiting list before theirs. I think I squealed. I was now just as cool as Jessica Simpson, except I make like $20 gazillion less than her, but still. I cannot tell you the pride I felt carrying my "baby" at the time, into Bergdorf's (a store that I NEVER shop in, but now that I had the bag I was totally welcome) and the guy who worked in the pocketbook section squealed too.

Then there is AP, or after Preston. And due to Preston's achon, shopping has become the ultimate challenge. Really the only person besides myself that can truly shop for Preston is my mother. Buying hats is easy-the rule is-if it fits me, it will fit him. I totally rock in the separates' department. So not only is the challenge making up outfits, but finding awesome deals. I have been lucky since Preston follows true to size mostly in tops, and pants I either hem or give the ol' roll at the top. Preston has changed me people-Preston has made me...shop at KOHL'S and it is now like my favorite store ever. (I think I just heard the pocketbook salesman at Bergdorf gasp).

Why the obsession? First, I never went to stores where a shopping cart was necessary unless I was purchasing groceries but I have to tell you-every single store in the world needs a shopping cart. This is by far the most convenient thing ever! Secondly they sell everything-I seriously can buy candles, photos albums, a ceramic dish, slippers and a spatula all in one stop shopping. The third reason I love this store is because they always have a sale. I mean I don't think I have ever gone to the store and there were not Gold Star Savings. The fourth reason I love this store is because at the end of the season I was able to buy the entire 2T shirt section for daycare next year for like $20.00. I mean every shirt was a little over a buck. To the point I got a little annoyed when one rang up at $3.50. I contemplated putting it back. Kohl's is my dirty little secret. Kind of like Mel' s Target obsession-I tell her I like an outfit, she scans the immediate vicinity and slyly whispers behind a fake cough... "It's from Target."

And where does that leave me now? I can admit that the impulse Jimmy Choos really do look like every other black sandals and to be honest held up about as good as Britney's VMA performance. But I still love all my bags. I try to justify the purchase in that the bag now retails for a lot more money. All of you that are saying "Where is Kim? What have you done to her?" I must admit I still covet the Hermes Birkin bag, in red ever since seeing it on both Sex and the City and Will and Grace-it really is the most amazing thing ever done with a cow, really even milk pales in comparison....but now, when I get a Gymboree sweater for $9.00 I also squeal.