gift wrapped names

With all the holiday activity, I find myself needing to spend my precious, small bit of online time doing some shopping, and recipe and craft huting!   I don't really want my blog to be all about what I'm buying or desiring, but while I'm so busy decorating, shopping and wrapping, I'll have little time to write about much else.  It's all pretty adorable, though, and there are some fantastic names associated!   I plan to share a peek of it all with you each week leading up to the close of the season, and I hope you'll find it entertaining. I've already encountered some pretty neat stories with my gift finds! 

I'm big on creating experiences and traditions based on activities, rather than (or at least in addition to) just getting more stuff; I think the experiences are what make the memories! This said, I certainly remember walking in to see my first cabbage patch doll (her name was Marcella) on Christmas morning. And there were my first pairs of Eastland loafers and Bass oxfords (we called them bucks), which I got on the first year that I stopped getting toys; I felt so very grown up. Anyone else remember how we used to tie the laces of the Eastlands, in those little knots on each side?   

With my own kids, though, I'm committed to buying (mostly) from small, independent makers, or searching for vintage/second-hand items with lots of love left in them.  I love toys that I imagine my kids will pass on to their own children. We definitely have a less-is-more philosophy, aiming for fewer but higher quality toys.  And with higher quality toys, they can be passed from sibling to sibling, too. 

We tried not to describe Nona's toys as "hers" because we knew there would be more children. I unabashedly wrapped up hand-me-downs from Nona for V. June's first birthday. And some of June's newborn clothes will be wrapped up as "doll clothes" for Nona this Christmas morning. But sometimes I just want each of them to have something all their own, things they can each take with them with no doubt as to who loved the treasures most of all.  Nona is obsessed with giraffes right now, because they are "kind of like brachiosauruses but not dead!", and the only bear we have in the house is one to which Nona is very much attached and in total ownership of, so .... 

Raymond the bear (for V. June), and George the giraffe (for Nona) have come home to live with us.  And how pleasing that we don't even need to change their names- I love these names! We will however be coming up with middle names, so I definitely want to hear your suggestions. Nona will likely make up George's, but Raymond's is totally up for grabs! 

 I just couldn't believe my eyes when I found these on Etsy. They're big, hand-made, beautiful, and affordable ($20-$35 range). When they arrived, I was even more impressed. I quickly snapped their photos just now and stashed them away (I write during nap time), and I can say I'm going to miss the little fellows while we wait to open them!  I found them at the Canadian shop The Knit Menagerie, and I almost wish I had taken Oscar the zebra (stripes!), Leon the lion, and Philomena the penguin, too, and stashed them away for birthdays.  Now that would be one well-named animal family, I think, but see for yourself how they look all together in list form!

From today's inspirations:

Raymond

George

Oscar

Leon

Philomena 

What middle names would you put with each of them? Here's my stab:

Raymond Dov 

George Nightingale

Oscar Tobias Wren

Leon Spruce

Philomena Marylove 

(that's a whole lot of love-name for the lone female, but I can't resist it.)

above is is a song my girls love to hear at sleepy time. I'm imagining them snuggling together under a cozy blanket with heavy eyelids, arms clutched tightly around their new friends, and Olöf's sweet voice ringing through our home. Though something tells me Raymond's feet will  be sweeping our floor, as he is dancing with June, with much more frequency than they'll be cozied under a cover. Yep, I can't wait to welcome these little gentlemen into our memories!

(images: mine)