Robbie was hyper-aware of his surroundings.  It is tempting to think that our hyper kids are simply more intelligent, more alert, and more insistent on being part of everything.  When they are tiny, they want to converse and build and program computers, but they are stuck in that useless, tiny body. This is frustrating, so they yell.  When they are older, they grab, and they snatch, and they talk over people because they want to DO IT ALL!!   That is "rude" so they get into trouble.

Robbie could not wear diapers or use wipes with any type of scent: they would turn his miniscule body bright red.  He would only tolerate 100% cotton or slippery nylon, no labels, no zippers, no buttons.  Tee shirts are pretty easy: cotton is all around.  Pants, not so much.  We wore a lot of nylon soccer shorts or cotton sweat pants.  Whenever he could get away with it, he wore nothing. 

Didn't we ever feed that kid?  He's into the dog food.

Sweats and soccer shorts are fairly boring, so I began to sew Robbie's pants.  They all had huge pockets, for the treasures he picked up, extra padding on the knees and butt, and long hems so I could lengthen them as he lengthened.  And, being me, they were always brightly colored.

Robbie's hiking pants.  Those are some mutant cockroaches.

Years later, different pants (and a hat) same material.  It was on sale: wonder why?

Dino pants in Boston

Striped pants with matching raincoat.

Space pants

First day of school outfit:  matching hat.

Chili pants:  this is a Han Solo gun that Robbie designed.  I made the holster.

My crowning achievement.  Pants, shirt, and hat were so gaudy that Robbie was attacked by a baboon at the Phoenix Zoo. He thought this colorful male was in competition for his females.

Eventually Robbie would consent to wear Levis or khakis like the other kids.  He still prefers cotton, though mostly now he wears black.  Undoubtedly a reaction to all those bright colors I stuffed him in when he was too young to protest.