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The empty Cheerio box sat on the floor next to the garbage can. I had every hope that I would be able to successfully get rid of it before anyone noticed. I was not quick enough.

“No Mommy! Don’t throw it away!” said E, passionately, as she entered the kitchen. And when I say passionately, I mean: seriously, earnestly desiring the cereal box. If I had thrown it away, it would have genuinely broken her heart. Huge tears would have rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed. I’ve seen it before. It’s not an act, or a fit. It’s real. (I’ve seen the “put on” version of it, believe me…and this is not the same).

So we kept the box. Because really, it’s not that big of a deal to me. So we have a Cheerio box in the middle of the floor. Did I mention it is a huge Cheerio box…the kind that comes from Sam’s Club?

The box has been around for several weeks now. It has been a house, a basket, an ottoman…you name it, it’s probably been pretended. Now it’s time for it to go, without tears, I hope.

You see, we are rather accustomed to having boxes around. They do make the best toys after all! A couple of years ago, Phil’s brother, sister-in-law, and niece came to visit. While they were with us, they bought a new car seat. The girls got to play with the box…

And how they played! Their uncle cut out a window (with shutters) and made a chimney out of an empty water bottle. He decorated it with balloons. They colored it. They decorated it with stickers. They had a blast, everyday for months!

Finally, with both of their birthdays and Christmas approaching in December of that year (with new toys and boxes coming), we told them the box had to go. It was a sad day. Did I mention that the box had entered our lives in July, five months before?

Yeah, we are good at getting attached to things. The truth is, I’m just as sentimental about it as they are. See, I remember how they feel. I remember creating playthings and wanting to keep them. I remember building huge projects with my toys, setting up all the little details, and not wanting to take it down. I get it.

And that, folks, is why we currently have this stretching across the living room floor…

And it will probably still be there tomorrow!

- Erin