Costco Nursery Contest: Update

Right before Isaac was born we submitted an essay and photo collage to Costco's "Cutest Nursery Photo Contest" of our unique and homemade dachshund themed nursery.  The other day Mommy and Isaac walked down to the post office to pick up some certified mail. Mommy had no idea what it was, so when the clerk handed her an envelope from the "Costco Connection" she actually squealed with excitement (and the clerk actually mocked her...how embarrassing!).  She rushed outside and ripped open the envelope and her heart sank when she saw she had only received honorable mention and a $25 gift card. Boo! There had been over 130 contestants in this inaugural contest. Maybe we broke the rules by submitting a collage instead of a single photo, or maybe there are actually more amazing and adorable nursery ideas other than dachshund-themed (psh! yeah right!). Either way, we're anxiously awaiting the July edition of the Costco Connection to see who the actual wieners- I mean, winners were.

For record's sake, the essay and photo we submitted are below.

Dachshunds, Doxies, Wiener Dogs…Oh My!

After we got married, my husband Michael and I adopted two wonderful dachshunds with sad pasts yet tremendous personalities and endless love to give. Allie was found in an alley in Washington, D.C. weighing just 2 pounds and covered in sores.  Lady is a senior dog who was given up by her family after she was no longer able to breed show dogs.  These two long-bodied, short-legged, 11 pound cuddle bugs quickly became a part of our family. They are our travel companions, comedic relief, and mood lifters. Our dogs are so important to us that they even played a main role in our announcement on Facebook sharing we were pregnant (shown below). 

When we found out our family would be growing I knew I wanted a nursery that was not only unique, but represented something special to us.  I was so excited when I came up with the idea of a gender neutral, dachshund themed nursery. However, finding the essentials proved to be rather challenging.  That’s where my incredibly talented mom comes in.  I found a few style ideas online and shared them with her.  After a 4 hour venture to Joann Fabrics we selected about a dozen different fabrics to use to make the dachshund patchwork quilt, tab-top valance, stuffed doxies, and throw pillow.  My mom put in countless hours on her new sewing machine, and the end result was more perfect than I could have imagined.  In addition to my mom's priceless homemade pieces, I also found a few perfect handmade dachshund items on Etsy including the three-part dachshund art print, dachshund mobile, and dachshund nightlight.  On Amazon I found a pull-along dachshund toy and stuffed Pretzel (from Margaret and H.A. Rey’s Curious George series) to add to the décor.  Finally, a framed picture of Allie and Lady added the finishing touch.  The only thing missing is our baby boy or girl! We can’t wait to share this special one-of-a-kind space with our little one some time around March 31, 2014. 

 Pregnancy announcement. Lady, left; Allie, right.