Danny will be 10 next month and his passions are his friends, hockey, and baseball. It's hard to believe he once pattered around the house in a diaper, grasping multiple matchbox cars in one hand and Blankey (draped over his shoulder) in the other. However, one thing that has remained unchanged over the last 7 or so years has been his Toy Story bowl. Danny has had his cereal, ice cream, salad, 'Auntie Tammy soup', and various snacks in this bowl throughout.

Caroline is approaching age 12 and is as pre-teen as they come (last night Deb took her and 3 friends to the mall for shopping and dinner at the food court, followed by a sleepover back here). Before I started staying home with the kids 8 years ago, Deb's mom would pick Caroline up from day care on her way home from teaching, and she would watch Caroline every afternoon until we arrived from work. Sometimes Grammy would have dinner waiting for us, and would send us home with the leftovers. One day she sent home this pink bowl filled with pasta and 'red gold' (her homemade sauce). I never returned it, and Caroline has used it for eating cereal, ice cream, salad, 'Auntie Tammy soup', and various snacks ever since.

Deb thought we should 'retire' the bowls but I don't want to part with them. I don't think the kids have any particular attachment to the them. But I want to hang on to the bowls because they remind me of some of the things I miss (baby powder, feet pajamas, finger foods, Blankey and Dolly, and raspebrries on the belly button); and also of the things I don't (night terrors, potty training, speech delay, waking up everyday at 5am, and spit up rags). These two bowls are usually overflowing with some sort of food. But to me, they are also chock-full of memories.