Frazier's "New" Room

For months, I'd been planning in my head how to update Frazier's bedroom.  All the decor I chose for his nursery even before he was born, I'd selected specifically because it could grow with him presumably as long as we're in this house.  However, there were still a few things that had to change.  The changing table had to go, the glider had to go, and the crib had to be exchanged for a big boy bed.  I did a lot of research on the options available for "big boy" beds and decided on the kura bed from Ikea. I felt like it was the best in terms of utilizing our space and budget.  I moved the changing table out and switched it for a big unit of cubbies a couple of months ago, but we waited until the Europe trip was behind us, to really tackle the bedroom project and a few weeks ago we finally went to Dallas and got the bed.  Naturally, it came in a box (that fit in my car!) in a bunch of pieces, and it took us 5 hours to put together.

But it was worth it!!

Once it was together and set in place, I realized that the trees I'd painted on the walls...the ones that were supposed to grow with him indefinitely...had been planned to carefully fit around the crib. :(  So I bought a little bit of his wall paint and repainted so that the tree was moved over just enough to accommodate the new bed.  See?

I also felt the placement of the bed (which stuck a bit into the window where the crib did not) necessitated a change of curtain as well so I found a valance to replace the long brown curtains in the same red as the comforter I bought.

My next project was the curtains around the bottom part where he actually sleeps.  I bought this hedgehog fabric from Ikea as well and made some simple curtains that create a cozy little tent!

It was all a big hit with Frazier who took the change very well, I thought.

The last project was to transform the top bunk into a reading area.  I wanted to configure the bed this way where he essentially sleeps on the floor, but has the top as a loft so that he didn't really lose any play space in his room.  When he is older, we'll let him sleep on the top and use the bottom for playing in or put shelving down there for storing stuff, but for now he's safer on the bottom and the top is great for playing.  I sent Josh to Lowe's for some plywood and we had it cut to just fit the top bunk, then covered it with a mattress pad (stuck to the board) and covered that tightly with a fitted sheet that matches the one on the bottom bed.  This way it's just a little cushioned floor for the loft so it's comfortable for sitting and reading or having picnics or playing with cars, but it isn't very thick which leaves the sides quite high...for safety reasons.  I moved the little bookshelf from under the tree at the end of the bed and put it next to the loft and piled a bunch of pillows up there.  Lastly, I found one more lantern to go with the collection.  I just felt like it needed one more at the end to balance it out now that the bed was longer.

 Here's the rest of the room:

Happy revamped bedroom, big boy Fraz!

In case you don't remember how it looked originally...here it is.

A Tale of Two Parties

This year, Frazier's been very into birthday parties.  Pretend birthday is one of his favorite things to play, so I was really excited about his real birthday party.  I decided to split it up and have a family party in Ruston and a party here with his friends.  I think it worked out splendidly!  For the Ruston party which we celebrated on Saturday, I went with a Frazier's-favorite-things theme.  I bought all the plates and napkins and decorations with different characters he likes and put little versions of all his "friends" on top of the cake!  We had lots of our favorite people there, too which made it just perfect!

 Then, on his actual birthday (yesterday), we had a party at Chick-fil-A with his friends!  Neither of our Chick-fil-A's offer a party package per se, but it's one of our favorite places to go because they have a great indoor playplace and it's the only fast food I concede to letting Frazier eat.  Mostly because of the indoor playplace.  I suppose this is hypocrisy at its best.  Judge me as you will.  I checked with them and though they won't help you throw a party, they will let you throw one there yourself, so that's just what I did.  They have a store on their website from which I ordered bookmarks for the favor bags, a tee-shirt for Frazier to wear that day, some Chick-fil-A wrapping paper and a kids' plate set for Frazier to eat off of.  The other stuff I found around town or online to fit the red, black and white/cow theme.  Each of Frazier's friends got a kids meal and I just got a nugget tray and a gallon of sweet tea for the moms and siblings and brought my own cupcakes.  Instant party! We had a lot of good friends there and Frazier had a great time...definitely a success!

Other birthday pictures:

Thanks so much to everyone who made it so happy!

Happy 3 Years!

Dear Frazier,

Three years ago today, you were born.
Which means two years ago today you turned one...
one year ago today you turned two...
and one year from today you will turn four.  And on your fourth birthday, I will probably say all the same things I say every year because they are always true.  Like how much we enjoy you, and how all my days are better just because you are part of them.

For your third birthday, though, I wanted to be retrospective.  I don't really remember anything about my first three years, which made me lament recently to a friend that you, too, would not remember all the time we've had so far together.  These three wonderful years...the best three years of my life, all the holidays and surprises and field trips.  All the travelling we've done together, all the things you've tried and seen and said and sung.
"He may not remember the specific events," she said, "but he'll remember he was loved."

And she was right.  You may not remember all the experiences we've had these three years, but you will remember how they felt.  Because you've known what  it is to be treasured.  Every. Single. Day.

I'll remind you of that next year...since that, too, will always be true.

So here, in no particular order, are the things you won't remember.  And the people who won't forget.

Happy Birthday, my beautiful boy.

And many, many more.

As ever,

Mom

Sneak Preview

We had another ultrasound today so I have an updated picture of little Lentil.  At 30 weeks she's already a little over 4 lbs, which put her about two weeks ahead of schedule size-wise and in the 80th percentile.  So much for my dreams of a smaller baby.  Maybe she'll still come in under Frazier's birth weight- you never know.  I, however, am measuring right on average.  My doctor says I'm just a good packer. :) Everything else was fine and dandy.  She was positioned head down and since they start getting short on space from here on out she ought to stay that way.  

I guess they always kind of look the same when they're on the inside, but this one's mine so it's different.  I need to pull Frazier's sonogram pictures and compare.  I really can't wait to see her in person!

Frazier had a friend over the other day and took her to see the nursery.  "This is my baby sister's room." he explained opening the door.  "Is she in there?" she asked looking in.  "No," he said, "She's in Mommy's tummy!"  Guess it's all coming together for him...I also can't wait to see what he thinks of her once she's here.  The other day I told him I loved him and he said when his baby sister came I'd love her too.  Sweet, smart little guy.

A Very Merry Fourth