The story BEHIND this dress.

If articles of clothing had the ability to communicate, this dress could tell one helluva a doozy tale. Since this is quite impossible, R.E. Dad has volunteered to do the honors.

This morning 5-year old Vivi and I were rummaging through the girls' closet in hopes of coming to a mutual agreement on today's wardrobe. R.E. Dad, knowing that the Vivster epitomizes the "girly girl" when it comes to fashion suggested a dress...

R.E. Dad - "How 'bout this one Viv? Looks like a winner" (I didn't recognize the dress - remember I wash the clothes - I don't buy 'em)

Vivikins - "Dad, that's Brenna's old dress, but it fits me"

R.E. Dad - "OK, put it on so we can go downstairs and have breakfast"

Vivikins - "Yes Daddy" (She quickly and quietly puts on the dress)

So on the way down the stairs the triplets and I pass by the built-in bookshelves that contain all the old photo albums....for some reason and she's never done this before...I hear the sweet voice.....

Vivikins - "Daddy, can you get me the album with the leaves on it?"

R.E. Dad - "OK" (I pull it down, open it up and take a look to see which album it is - it's the
album when big sis Brenna was roughly around the ages of late three to early five.
I give the album back to Vivi and we go downstairs)

Vivikins - (Sitting eating her breakfast and looking at the album) "Dad, Julia...look at these
pictures, Brenna is wearing the SAME dress!"

R.E. Dad - "Wow, what a strange coincidence!"

Now the story BEHIND the dress. Brenna wore that dress at her 4Th birthday party...which she celebrated with about 8 of her preschool (girl)friends at our blue colonial house in West Hartford, CT on May 11Th, 2002. Holy crap, that was more than seven years, four homes and three babies ago!

I remember so much about that day including what a beautiful bright sunny Spring day it was. I remember Mom MD and Bren's Godmother spending some incredible sum (like $90) on the candy, decorations and party favors. I remember setting up a small party table in the sun porch. I remember the girls playing musical chairs and duck duck goose on the grass behind the house. I even remember getting the final whack on the pinata.

Yes, I remember lots of details about that day. Brenna remembers some stuff as well, but it's what she forgot to do that headlines THIS story. When she went upstairs to change into her dress before the party, she did not put on her panties! She went pantiless all the way through the party and no one noticed until after the party ended. Tell me how this happens? The girls ran and played on the grass, and we had lots of adults around as well.

I had videotaped the party (which is my excuse for not noticing) . So after the party was over, Mom MD and I immediately hooked-up the video recorder to the TV. We were very curious to see if the video showed any hint of a pantiless child. HMMM, maybe at duck duck goose or sitting on the couch unwrapping presents? No, not really...videotape was clean and harmless. Bizarre and unexplainable...perhaps Brenna did have panties on throughout the party and for some reason took them off just before the party ended? Theories abound.

Since then I don't believe Brenna has ever forgotten to put on her panties, but what about Vivi and JuJu? Are they remembering? I have to confess I don't believe I've ever asked them. So on our walk to preschool this A.M.

R.E. Dad - "Vivaroo are YOU wearing panties?" (motions to lift dress and get visual).

Vivikins - (Moving away at light speed) "YES DADDY!" (With the preschooler look of WTF)

I suppose next time I should just ask..........