Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Small Chiquita

As most everyone knows, we have a Boston Terrier named Chiquita who was our first baby. Although James can be a bit much for her, they actually get along quite well and I have been pleasantly surprised at how good she is with him.

So, a few years ago my grandmother gave me a stuffed Boston Terrier purse since we have Chiquita and because she thought it was cute. Well, I'm not really the type to carry around a stuffed animal purse so it just got thrown in the back of my closet. I came across it a year or so ago and decided to give it to James (without the strap, ofcourse...I wouldn't want my son carrying a purse ;-)). For the longest time it just sat in his room with his other stuffed animals, until recently. All of the sudden he has had the sudden urge to take his "small Chiquita" with him everywhere. I just find it absolutely adorable so I thought I'd share some pictures of James with his "small Chiquita" (that's what he calls her)

James & "Small Chiquita"

 CHEESE!

James & "Small Chiquita" ready for our walk

The real Chiquita :-)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

James' Big Boy Dino Room

We finally finished James' bedroom and here are some pictures of the final product...he can barely get into the bed (it's a little high), but he totally loves having a big boy bed.

 James' new big boy dino themed room

 The volcano we made for James' 2nd b-day party (which was dino themed as well) ended up being perfect for the room. Notice the pterodactyls flying around (those are vinyl wall decals...love them!)

 Artwork that I painted all on my own!

 More of my fabulous artwork ;-)

 Dino rug I got from Pottery Barn

 These are the letters my friend Jen made for James' nursery and they still work in the room! We are planning on adding small floating shelves to this wall eventually

 Another view of the room (the small desk has been in Mike's family for generations!)

Bedding from Pottery Barn with James' name embroidered on the shams
(and the pillow Aunt Roar gave him)

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Mother's Day

Well, it's my third year of celebrating Mother's Day as an actual mother. Luckily this year I will be able to celebrate it with my whole family. The past two years Mike has had to be out of town for this momentous occasion. I know, I didn't even get to spend my first Mother's Day as a mother with my husband, but business is business. I'm blessed enough to have the luxury to be a stay-at-home-mom, so if he has to go make the bacon on Mother's Day, who am I to complain. I'm just happy that he can be here for it this year.

I have been doing some reflecting lately, however. I am so thrilled and happy to be a mother, so for me Mother's Day isn't necessarily a day to celebrate "me", but to celebrate my family, and specifically my son. He has brought me more joy than I could ever imagine, which makes me think about my mom and how much joy (hopefully) my brother and I brought her. As most everyone knows, I lost my mother at a very young age and I've always wondered what life would have been like with her in it. How would we have shaped eachother? Because I truly believe that a mother doesn't just shape their child, but the child shapes the mother also, as is clearly evident in how my son has shaped who I've become. Whether it be a more compassionate individual or patient person (albiet, not all of the time), he has shaped me. The thought of this fills my heart, but at the same time there is an unfillable void left which has been there ever since I lost my mom, which I never truly realized until I became a mother myself. The thought of leaving this earth tomorrow terrifies me more than anything because it means leaving my little boy. I wouldn't be able to see him grow up....go to his first day of kindergarten, make his first A, score his first goal, go to college, marry his true love, have his first born....then I remember that that happened to my mother, she missed all of my firsts. No mother should have to miss out on those things and although it breaks my  heart, I know it has made me who I am today. It has made me, I believe, a better mother. So this mother's day I want to honor my mother, Diann Jean Hoelscher for the life she gave me and for making me the mother I am today.

my mother on her wedding day

my father, mother, brother & myself circa March 1980