Little bear's old coat

Little bear had a black coat, very nice, and has finally grown out of it. He is now proudly wearing a red coat to school.

This morning he looked at me with concern and said, quite randomly, 'I have my special stones in my black coat - where is it?'
'It's okay, the coat is safe,' I said, rushing him to get ready for school.

The special stones are random pieces of gravel he picked up walking to and from nursery. They are not special, or rather, I suppose they are special to their mother but they are not remarkable to me. But little bear has remembered from when he last wore that coat, in April, I think, that he had stones in there.

Little bear seems to have a great attachment to 'things' and a great memory. I have been trying to persuade him that he needs to get rid of stuff to make room for new things for Christmas, but no luck. As he remembers so much, a stealth cull of his books and possessions is tricky. However in the past when he asks I have always just looked at him blankly when he asked for something that has been donated and say things like, 'Where did you leave it? You had it last.' This is what I have done with outgrown shoes and slippers. We have some toys currently 'resting' in a box in OH's room, so they may be disposed of safely soon, I think.

In the mean time, I had better find a place for the 'special stones'.