Hand-me-downs

***Note: Finally, this is the hand-me-down story that I keep saying that I am going to tell so here you go!***

    First may I say I think there is nothing wrong with hand-me-down clothes. I think there is nothing wrong with it in the least. I am currently and will be handing down many of Aiden clothes to Cameron.  I have accepted many hand-me-down clothes. Most kids usually wear something only a few times. So why throw something out that is perfectly good. I, on the other hand am not cool with 1 kind of hand-me-down. I don’t like the thought of handing down baby gear from one person to another. I am ok with using the same baby gear from your first child for your 2nd. You know the gear was take care of, but when you weren’t the first owner you well really don’t know. Now here’s the story of hand-me-downs.
    Aiden was very huge surprise so I had nothing for his arrival. I was released from the hospital and had just a few days to get everything together. Which I luckily did. I spent every penny I had saved for a vacation I wanted to take in November. I didn’t have a baby shower so where most people get their baby gear as gifts. I did not. My cousins were awesome though and got together and bought me what they thought I needed. It helped a ton. I then got asked a million and one times what people could get us. When Alan’s grandmother asked I said, I want a pack and play. She said she’d get it. I then didn’t think much of it.
    Alan’s family planned a day when everyone could met Aiden. We trekked to Alan’s grandmothers home in Queens. Which to be honest isn’t that big of a trek but can be a total pain in the ass. Anyway we get there and Alan’s mother who had bragged about how much she got for Aiden ended up getting. Aiden got nothing at all to speak of. Then when it came to the pack and play Alan’s grandmother arranged for us to take Alan’s sister’s hand-me-down pack and play. Then presented us a bunch of trash bags to go through and take what we wanted.   
    Alan’s family looked on while I was instructed to pick through these bags. Whenever I picked something Alan’s grandmother would ask if I really needed it and if I didn’t she’d donate it to whatever cause she was involved in. Also that she went around asking her friends what they could give to us. Telling everyone we didn’t have any money. Her grandson may have not had any money, but I on the other hand had a pretty kick ass job. I had plenty of money, than you very much! That really embarrassed me. First it was offered that they bought me something for the baby then they give me hand-me-downs which is fine. Second they brag about how much you bought us, then really didn’t buy us much. Finally I agree to take what they gave me then they pretty much ask to take it back. So what was the point of even giving us anything?
    From that moment on I got the feeling that Logan, who’s Alan’s nephew was the family favorite and my son was just 2nd rate. My son didn’t carry a family name and Alan I were not married. What made it worse was that Alan’s mother would ask me how the pack and play was whenever we saw them. I had to tell her that I replaced it several times. Aiden broke it, simple as that. Then Alan’s mother would try to push off other hand-me-downs on me all the time from a pretty crappy stroller to someone who I didn’t knows drop side crib. But when it came to Logan, brand new was only thing that they gave to him.
    Don’t get me wrong, they don’t need to give me anything. I never ask for anything from them. Yet they brag about how much they give. But they don’t. They just try to give me their unwanted crap I don’t need. When I tell them I don’t want it, they look at me like I am crazy. I just explain as nice as possible that I don’t trust hand-me-down baby gear. But am I wrong not to take something that I don’t know how it was kept, or something I really don't need.