We are thrilled to have Amy of Tales from the Crib as our Mama Blogger of the Month. She is a mom of two boys and has recently taken up an important cause for one brave little girl.

1) Tell us about your little family and the overabundance of Y chromosomes at your house.

Shawn and I have been married for 7. 5 years, and have two boys: Jackson is 4.5 and Holden is 2. I’m a very girly-girl, and I come from a family filled to the top with women. My boys are the only boys on my side of the family. When we found out we were having a boy the first time I simply couldn’t wrap my head around what to do with a boy. I knew pink and dolls and dress up, not blue and trucks and trains. But oh man, the minute Jackson was born, I was hooked. We were thrilled when we found out Holden was a boy as well. My hubby is a pretty environmentally friendly kind of guy, so of course he liked the recycled aspect of having another boy as well – clothes, gear, nursery, etc! It worked out perfectly.

I hate to say that our boys are “stereotypical” because I don’t like to place specific gender rolls on them, but they really are both “all boy.” The love trucks and trains and cars and superheroes, and well, you get my point. I can’t walk two feet without stubbing a toe on something with wheels. That’s how it goes around our house, and I love it! Boys love their mamas, and in my case, they are also quite crazy about their Daddy, too. We are very blessed.

2) You have recently taken up photography. Are you self-taught? What are your favorite things to photograph?

I’ve always loved photography. I’m drawn to photography exhibits and books, but never thought of it as something I could do well. About a year ago Shawn bought me a Pentax DSLR camera. I was so overwhelmed by it at first. I wanted to really learn photography, but that camera was intimidating. Over the past year I’ve learned a lot by reading books, checking out photography blogs, and taking a few classes offered by the camera store where he bought my camera. But mostly I’ve just been taking hundreds and hundreds of pictures, learning as I go. I’ve learned a lot, and have a lot more to learn, but it has really become a passion of mine. I have just started my own photography business and am looking forward to seeing where that venture takes me!

My favorite things to photograph? My boys, absolutely. They both have the most amazing eyes, and I love to capture them in their various moods.

3) How did you get into blogging and what keeps you going?

I have always loved writing, and as I mentioned above, photography. I tried my hand at scrapbooking, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me. One day, about 2.5 years ago, while Jackson was napping (and I was barely pregnant with Holden), I logged into blogger, picked a name out of the air, and started writing. I’ve been doing it regularly ever since. It is so cathartic for me to be able to express my feelings as a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a sister, etc. Mostly I blog about my boys and our family, but there is a lot of “me” in my blog, too. It allows me sometimes to write the things I forget to say to people I love and care about. It is very personal.

It has also been a great way for our families near and far to keep up with our family. My parents both read it daily and get their grandboys-fix. I have had a book made of my first year of blogging, and intend to do the following years as well. I hope my boys will be able to look back on their childhood via their mama’s words, and know how very much they were loved. And how much fun we had.

4) What do you love and dislike most about parenthood?

I love being a mom. The best part is the unconditional love that comes from my boys. The drive-by-hugs just bowl me over. And their smiles can fix a million wrongs.

What do I like least about parenting? Brushing their teeth and cutting their fingernails. Oh the battles…

5) Please tell us about “Hope for Kyra” and what people can do to help.

Kyra Dinkins is my 5-year old friend who lives four houses down from our family. She was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. Obviously Kyra’s parents, Eric and Candi, are devastated and frightened, but they are also full of faith that their little girl will make a full recovery. Kyra was also born deaf and has a cochlear implant to help her hear. This brave little girl is no stranger to the word courage.

The minute our little group of neighborhood moms heard the news, we started putting together the Hope for Kyra Benefit and Silent Auction to help Kyra’s parents with their escalating medical bills – some of which insurance is not willing to pay.

The event is open to the public, and we would love to have a huge turn out to make the event a big success for Kyra. There is even a MyGym located just steps away from Jimmy’s Steakhouse, where the event is being held, that is offering a parent’s night out for the kiddos. The parents can attend the event, and their children can have a fun evening as well! The details:

Hope For Kyra Benefit and Silent Auction
Join us for an evening of fine dining and a silent auction.
All proceeds to benefit Kyra’s fight against pediatric brain cancer.
Monday, January 26, 2009 – 6:30 PM
$60 per person – 4 courses
Jimmy’s Steakhouse – 880 Happy Canyon Road, Castle Rock, CO

For tickets: www.HopeForKyra.org

If you can’t attend the event but would like to donate to Kyra’s cause, please visit her website at http://hopeforkyra.org/donate.html.

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