GROSS!! but mine

While putting some of the things that Marlene gave me from cleaning out her cupboards, I came across some

Absolutely no one wants nor needs but cannot be thrown away stuff in a drawer.

Okay gang. I don't want to gross you out but I guess I've got to show this to explain it. What do you think this is?

I know... it looks like a piece of dried up snot. Not too far off there folks!

I've got three of them.

And for some reason two of them came in boxes and the last one came wrapped in a piece of gauze.

One is our first daughter's. One is Takumi's. And the one without the box is Leiya's.

Each was given to me a few days after our children were born.

When I got the first one I about dropped it and was grossed out. The second time (Takumi's) I looked forward to getting it. And when Leiya came along I was disappointed that I didn't get a box...

On the back of the first box is just MY name and the date.

On the back of Takumi's box is all sorts of pertinent information like how much he weighed, how long he was, what time he was born etc. etc.

And Leiya's is just sitting in its gauze looking like... a piece of snot... No information whatsoever and the only person in the world that can recognize it is me.

These are my children's umbilical cords! Or at least the part that falls off the baby's tummy a few days after birth. The nurses give them to new mothers when they leave the hospitals and Japanese mothers treasure them as proof of the bond between them and their child. Supposedly someday I'm supposed to pass this on to my children's partners in life... I don't think any partner is seriously going to be thrilled to receive this... Not like a diamond or a new car or something....

So I have these unnecessary gross looking pieces of... me and baby. But am I going to throw them out? Not yet. Back in the drawer they go.