Reminiscing.......

A year ago at this time, we were in route to the U.P. to help Grandpa Greg celebrate his 60th birthday. Something wasn't right with the Subaru, so we ventured up north in Grandma Lois's Yukon. Braden loved riding in Grandma Lois's car - he was up high and could see the "world" from where he was sitting. It was one of our best car rides up north as B was so entertained with all the "monster" trucks we were passing along the way. When we finally arrived (at midnight), Gramma Patsy and Grandpa Greg were eagerly waiting our arrival. Since Cousin Trevor generously gave all of his trucks, cars, and race car tracks to B to play with at G'ma's, it was nearly impossible to pull him away after being introduced to "Match Box Heaven." He had his red gorilla (gungrilla as B would say) jammies on and took a liking to one truck in particular. This "milk truck", as he called it, became his all time favorite truck and went with him wherever he went that weekend. He raced race cars with Grandpa that next day and savored every minute of getting to play with all his "new" cars and trucks.

B was always a great sleeper until we went to g'ma and g'pa's house. Since he slept in the same room with us up there, I would open my eyes bright and early to the cutest little blue eyed boy. He'd have his blanky and Diego in hand waiting to be lifted into bed with us, displaying a grin from ear to ear...."Good mornin' Mama." He'd lay in the middle of Rich and myself and play with the fringe of his blanky. There were times he'd fall back asleep or just lay there, stroking my cheek. I miss every ounce of this little boy....it still doesn't seem right or even possible that he's gone.....sigh.....

Attached are pics of 2 quilts we had made of B's favorite jammies and shirts. We had this made before Thanksgiving. The entire planning process was amazing - the woman who made the quilts did a phenomenal job and really put so much of B into each quilt. The first two pics are the front and back of the larger quilt. All of B's favorite cartoons border the quilt with the same material from his blanky marking the corners (she even made sure to make it fringy - just how he liked it). The back of the quilt has designated spots for Heart of Gold, CHW T's, and a special corner for Owen (those are Owen's footprints and the hat he came home in). The material on the back of the quilt is from B's Diego sheets.

The smaller quilt was made with pockets for us to place things in of B's and/or pieces of writing for the quilt. The back of the quilt is his Diego pillowcase. She is so talented and was so in tune with how to best represent B on this quilt. Amazing...simply amazing.