FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

We thought we had come up with the ideal gift for out two-year-old grandson for the upcoming holiday season, a pair of Carharts, or similar styled, lined bibs. He loves to be outside with his dad or grandpa no matter the weather, doing whatever it is they are doing. If they are piling firewood, you are sure to find him off to the side piling his own little pile of wood that they gave him. If they are trekking through the woods to bait a post for the upcoming deer-hunting season, you are sure to see him barging through the brush ahead of either of them. If one of them head to the river to do some fishing, even if the temperatures seem to cold for anyone else to be out, not only will they have their fishing gear, so will he. So a pair of lined, duck fabric bibs, that could hold up to wear, to brush, etc., and not tear or snag like a typical pair of snow pants would, seemed like the perfect gift.

The only problem is I cannot find a pair. I did find an unlined pair in his size, but not a lined pair that will keep him snug and warm during our chilly fall and winter months. I also found lined pairs of bibs, but not in the cotton canvas, or duck fabric, that will stand up to the abuse of twigs and other rough objects that his tiny tornado of a pair of knees is sure to encounter. Anybody with an active two or three year old knows how fast they can remove the knees of a seemingly good pair of jeans or snow pants. The duck fabric would at least stand a chance to all the abuse that they would be put through.

Of all my years shopping for 'just the perfect item', I can honestly say that for once I am stumped. When I told my husband that I could not find a pair, he looked at me, and asked why they did not make them. He figured that if I could not find them, then they must not be in existence, as I have always been able to unearth whatever it is we are searching for. I told him that I found them in a lined version, but that the smallest size was an eight. We were looking for a toddler size two or three at the largest. By the time our grandson is in a size eight, he will be balking at the thought of helping stack firewood if he is anything like the average child!

I went on to tell him that I did find a pair in a size three, but that they were not lined. So order those, was his reply, and just get him a couple of good pairs of long johns to go beneath them. I have a feeling that is going to be easier said than done. While they do make numerous brands of long johns for kids, I know what his definition of good is, and I have a feeling that I will be having as difficult a time finding these as I did the lined bibs to begin with! I had better get shopping as there are only 42 days left until Christmas.