I love presents.

This is a Terramundi Pot. Its easily one of the coolest presents I have ever received (another being this baby shower gift). The idea behind it goes beyond just your traditional piggy bank. Once the first coin is dropped the money pot must be fed until full upon which time it must be smashed whilst making a wish. Then you spend the money on 'good things' which brings good fortune.

My closest friend, Tracy, gave this to me on my 32nd birthday and finally its full (It took me so long to fill it because staying at home with your son doesn't pay in legal U.S. tender).

For the past two years every time I added money to the pot I would think about what the coins in this pot would one day buy... A romantic dinner? A new pair of jeans? Diapers? The day I opened this gift, I did not yet know I was pregnant. It would be two more days before this wonderfully frightening information became known. I suppose it was rather serendipitous that my birthday dinner consisted of bottles of wine and piles of sushi.

Totally full the pot holds up to 500 bucks in quarters and dimes! And best of all, at least for me, Miss impatient and impulsive, you can't cheat and pull the quarters out for a paper or laundry (or a 24 ounce bud light). Its a wonderful gift for little and big kids, alike!
Mine held just shy of two hundred dollars in quarters nickels and dimes.
And what did I spend the money on? A mini family vacation to Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark!

These boots are made for walkin...

Now that Liam has these cute little puddle jumpers

it will likely never rain again!

Liam the builder.

We received this cute little work bench second hand from the parents of one of Chris's players.

There is a hammer, screwdriver and wrench that can be hung on the tool rack.

The top has bolts and screws that make realistic ratchet sounds.

There are 3 Pegs that pound through holes and fall into a storage area below.

The front door flips open to conveniently access the storage area or to serve as a step ladder, as seen here...

...and here. It is a very versatile toy that not only promotes creative development but also hours of imaginative play.

But most importantly Liam loves it.

The Boo Boo Bunny

Another one of Annie's fabulous finds!



It's a soft wash cloth folded, tied and adorned with various doo-dads to resemble a bunny.

the tag reads:
"If a boo boo has you feeling crummy, stick and ice cube in my tummy.
Hold it to your boo boo tight, soon everything will be alright!"

Update: Liam has since pulled the eyes off of boo boo bunny.

Georgies Jacket

How sweet are these hand crafted, little wooden modes of transportation! When Liam was first born Chris's sister, Annie aka Taunta Nonnie- don't ask me, I married into this family- came down to spend a few days with her Godson. On one of our outings we went to my favorite little pottery store in Carrboro. We went because she fell in love with my ceramic candle stick holders and that's where I bought them years ago. Well we didn't find a single candle stick holder in the place but Annie did find a few things she couldn't pass up which included these for Liam.

A train, a truck like daddy's and a georgies jacket. Hold up. WHAT is a georgies jacket?

Its what Chris used to call Volkswagen Beetles when he was a tot. Like I said, I married into it.

She's Crafty...(and she's just my type)

As an early shower gift my friend Shannon decided she wanted to make us a changing table out of an old dresser she found on craigs list:

Though she has impeccable taste and I trust her completely I was a bit skeptical.

Check out the final product. It's awesome and it means so much more than anything store bought could.


Handmade mattress rail and painted knobs. She might have even woven the baskets.

The nursery is almost finished being painted and the changing table will be our very first piece of furniture in it.. Thank You Shannon!