Life with Dylan

Category: memories

  • Dylan’s 1st Grown-up Bed

    Ah, the day has finally come that my little guy is not so little anymore. There is no more denying it. It’s time for another bed. This time a bed that will last a little longer than 4 years.

    The crib was great until he quickly learned how to climb out of it. Thankfully his crib converted to a toddler bed, but he still seemed to climb out of it …

    At age 3 1/2 Dylan got a really nice bed. The sides came up around him and it wasn’t too high off the ground so I had no worries of him falling out of bed. This didn’t last too long either … he’s way to cool to sleep in this bed now. Not to mention the fact that he keeps bumping into the panels at night and banging his head.

    The goal was to get a bed that Dylan would love just as much as my bed and hopefully sleep in the new bed and not on the floor or on a chair!  By the look on his face, I think I have succeeded.

    He still thinks he is pretty cool, but at least he is on the bed this time …

    At least I did one thing right. The bedding I bought for his crib had matching bedding for the twin bed and I purchased it all at the same time. The small quilt that now lays at the foot of his bed was once the quilt that covered his tiny body in his crib.
    See, mom’s know how to hang on to their little boys … at least for a little while.

  • A Child’s Love

    We love our children before they are even born. When a child asks, “How much do you love me?” the answers can be endless.

    This much …
    To the moon and back …

    To the ends of the earth …
    To infinity and beyond …
    More than anything in the whole wide world …

    These are just a few of the answers I have given Dylan when he asks me how much I love him. Can a parent really put into words how much love they have for their child? I can honestly answer No, I can’t. I would do just about anything for my son. I would step in front of a moving vehicle and die for my son if it meant he lived.

    Now reverse the question and the answer can drastically change. You’re mean. You’re not being fair. How come you never let me do that. As children, we never fully understand why our parents do the things they do; however, as parents we have that ah-ha moment.

    Recently, Dylan decided that he and I would start a new tradition. Each night we say something nice about each other and finish with a hug and I love you. So far I have been told …

    Your eyes are as green as emerald gems.
    If I could have any mom in the world, I would chose you.
    Your hair is as soft as silk.
    I’m proud of you.
    You’re one “hot momma”


    Regardless of what he says, he melts my heart. The love a child has for his or her mother is also something that is not easily put into words. I cherish each minute, each day, and each year I have with Dylan and my world would be empty without him.

    Sometimes it is not simply saying “I love you” … but putting that love into words of expression.

  • Preserving Memories

    Children grow up so fast and as far as I can tell there is no way to bottle up those little humans we call our children. Our life. Our reason for living. The small hands that once wrapped around our finger. The small toes we once counted to make sure all ten were there. The small bottoms that once fit in our hand.

    Sure, we can take pictures and create scrapbooks … but what about all those cherished pieces of artwork that our children bring home from school? So proud of what their small hands have created. Who has the room to store all of these masterpieces? And if the artwork is packed away in a box, how are we, as mothers, to look at it over and over again?

    The solution is what I have spent the past 4 years and most of today creating. Each time Dylan brought home a wonderful work of art, I took a picture of his creation and filed it away on my computer. Adding descriptions, the date he made it, and what he called the piece of art. Today, I have begun creating a photo book with Kodak Gallery. Starting at only $12 for a 5×7 up to $70 for a 12×14 hard cover book. Can you really put a price on preserving the creative memories of your child’s artwork? I say no. For a mere $35, I have created a personalized 9×10.5 hard cover photo book.

    Don’t lose your child’s masterpieces in a box someplace in the attic. Start creating your personalized photo book today.

    Click here to see what I’ve done so far. Saving a few pages for artwork that will come home the end of June and then I will have the photo book printed.