Home and Baby Paraphernalia

I have two grand babies that are the "apples of my eye". They are bringing so much joy to our lives. The first time that Emma was coming to my house, I climbed in the attic to get all of the 'baby paraphernalia' down that I had saved from their childhood. I set up a nursery area using the same rocking chair, changing table, high chair, blankets, toys and books that I had saved all of these years.

My Lil' Cupcake Boutique and this blog spot are based upon the importance and wonderful happenings of the family. In the last blog, I discussed making special memories within a family. I want to continue in the same line of thought for this blog.

There is a poem that hangs somewhere in the home of each member of my family. The poem is entitled Home and was written by Edgar A. Guest. Growing up, this poem was quoted a lot by my Dad. Not only was the poem quoted; but rather, there were lines in the poem that my parents took so literally that they applied them to their philosophy of raising children. One such line states: "You've got to sing and dance for years, you've got to romp and play." There were much singing--romping--and playing in my home. There are not adequate words to express how much my parents showered their love upon and the amount of time they took up with us four children. My father was the leader of such activities. We lived in a large farm house on 80 acres so we had lots of room to romp and play. Many races, volleyball/softball/football games, hide-n-seek, boxing, kidnapping (that will have to have a blog all by itself), and family nights of singing and poetry occurred at the Vaught house.

Another part of this poem that describes when I became the parent reads like this:

Home ain't a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
Before it's home there's got to be a heap of living in it;
Within the walls there's got to be some babies born, and then
Right there you've got to bring them up to women good and men;
And gradually, as time goes on, you find you wouldn't part
With anything they ever used--they've grown into your heart:
The old highchairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore
You hoard; and if you could you'd keep the thumb marks on the door.

In a special memory box are housed my little red tennis shoes that I wore when I ran out onto the road and Dad had to spank me. He will tell you how it broke his heart to do so but he knew that I had to learn not to run out onto the road as it was so dangerous. Many years later I added the shoes of my two girls that was connected to lots of wonderful memories. Now the memories are extended into another generation. If you could see my back sliding door you would see the hand prints of my grand baby, Sophie, placed there while she anxiously awaits to see Cole, my cat. I have not wiped them off as they bring a smile to my spirit with great memories of her smiling face when she finally sees Cole.

At My Lil' Cupcake Boutique it is our desire to furnish the clothing and accessories that will be placed in your memory box with lots of wonderful memories create in your home.

Making Memories

One of my favorite sayings of my mother is, "Remember we are making memories." This saying was not my favorite growing up, but rather, since becoming an adult. She would often remind us that we were making memories. Basically, she was reminding us to stop and smell the roses along the way.

In 1984, we moved from Cleveland, Tennessee to Willard, Ohio with a toddler and a 3 week old baby. My husband traveled in one vehicle behind the moving van so he could be there when they unloaded the furniture. My mother, two children and I traveled leisurely and spent the night half way in order not to tire the children. She helped make lots of memories out of a trip that I dreaded by: bringing Christa a fun acitvity pack, packing us a wonderful lunch for a roadside picnic, stopping so Christa could see the black barns, playing games, and reminding us to note worthy landmarks. For example, when Sara had a blow-out and needed to be cleaned up we could not find a station, as it was just country road. We had to pull over onto a dirt road noting the landmarks that consisted of acres of corn, a fence row miles long, trees, and a dirt road. I never passed that dirt lane that I did not think of that precious newborn who managed to fill her diaper and my lap--wonderful memories!

That is what my family is all about. Through thick and thin, through good times and bad times, through lean/dry periods and through lush/plentiful periods--we have been a family that supported each other, stuck together and made great memories while doing it. This new road that we are about to embark will be no different. There will be patterns we do not agree on, colors that one of us thinks do not match, late nights meeting deadlines, monograms stitched upside down; but one thing I can count on: we will make wonderful memories. That is what we are all about.

Won't you come along and join Mother, Paula and I as we begin our journey?