Part 2: Labor of Love!

So when Blake said, "Let's Do It!" I quickly became obsessed with every single detail down to the new knobs on her book shelf drawers. I was spending hours on the Internet until 2AM a couple of nights making final decisions while at the same time trying to sell a ton of stuff in her nursery to break even on this little upgrade! 

For the record, I am not crazy to think that Addie even cares about her room and I know she will think I am crazy when she finds out how much thought, energy and planning went into her room at 2 years of age, when she is a mom one day. But it is one of the things in life like the kids birthday parties and such that I absolutely love and couldn't think of doing half way. Blake and I have an awesome habit of having extremely elaborate things that we do ourselves every time when decorating for the kids and we had fun reminiscing all the painting we have done together in our home the last 5 years. He gives me a hard time that I can't just choose a normal paint color instead every time it is some kind of faux finish or extreme design.

The bed is a $49 dollar unfinished bed from IKEA that I hand painted silver and then crackle painted in turquoise and the silver shows through. I bought about 8 different quilts and duvets and finally found the perfect duo.

We opted to get her a memory foam mattress because she sleeps SO WELL on our Temperpedic but NO WAY is hers a TEMPERPEDIC... I am not that crazy! But what was crazy, was how the mattress showed up at our door...

This is how it unpacked and looked normal all within 90 seconds...

 

The gorgeous sage green chandelier was repainted by Blake at 10 PM at night... now talk about dedication right!?!?!? He knew how obsessed I was with the room and was happy to help me in the evenings.

I am glad we know all our neighbors or they would have thought we were NUTS!!!



The diamonds were one of the many finishing touches and took me about 3 evenings to complete. I would rush home at 5PM and try to get a coat done before Blake would get home with the kids.

I couldn't be happier with the way all the final touches came together and was so excited to show Addie her BIG GIRL BED!!!

Part 1 of 4: Addie's LAST Night In Her Nursery!

At 26-27 months, we were confident Addie was ready for the move to the BIG GIRL bed after sleeping in a regular one dozens of nights all summer while we were traveling. About a month ago, she suddenly started consistently waking up crying in the middle of the night for no reason and Blake was actually the one that said, "let's do it!" He thought she was ready. I put my reservations of her new found freedom and ability to climb out of her bed every night to be suddenly woken up with a 2 year old right in front of my face aside and said OK! So on September 8, 2010 at 27.5 months of age, this beautiful girl spent her very last night in her beautiful crib!

Too bad I wasn't thinking after bath that night when she choose her own pajamas which make the pictures themselves memorable... her brother's Spiderman PJ top and his CARS bottoms!

It was fun looking back tonight on Carter's 2 transitions right when he was 26 months and 29 months into his big boy bed and just pray that it works out just as well for her! :)

NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE BLOG

Last week, this picture, had only been sent to family and a couple of close friends with the email title of NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE BLOG... but the feedback and amount of laughs received, I decided it had to have it's place in our 2010 Blog Book for future reference when we are looking for some great pictures for Addie's rehearsal dinner slide show in 25 years...

The background story is what makes this funny: The kids had just gotten out of the bath and I was trimming Carter's nails in his room while Addie was supposed to be in her room getting panties and her PJ's on. And above is how she returned. I was just snapping a pic of the outfit since I thought that was funny in itself and I said, "OK ADDIE 1, 2, 3... STRIKE A POSE!" And this is the result of the 1 picture I took.  I seriously do NOT know where she got this pose striking knowledge except maybe from way back here!

Baby Marcie "Turns 1!"

Earlier this week I decided to make a special breakfast for the kids before they woke up. They were so excited about Cinnamon Streusel Muffins a.k.a CUPCAKES that I had to think fast to come up with a reason as to why they got this special unhealthy breakfast randomly that morning (as not to make it a normal request every single morning in the future.)

Addie was holding her baby named Marcie, who has quickly become a full fledged member of the Brown family, jumping up and down at the thought of CUPCAKES at 7:30 in the morning and I found my out... it suddenly became "Baby Marcie's 1st Birthday Party" and since we all get big special breakfasts complete with hats and decorations, we had to do the same for Marcie! So Happy Birthday Baby Marcie on your new birthday of September 22! I am anxious to see how much you grow over the next year....

Carter On The Court

We have been playing a little tennis late this summer. This is Carter's very first time on the court in several months.

We had a "ball girl" racing around the whole hour picking up balls!

Carter in "ready" position.

I Walked By To See...

28 month old Addie sitting quietly thumbing through the bible...

and it reminded me of the memory of Carter, at 20 months of age, doing the same very thing.

So Many Smiles!

 

Then and Now: Growing Friends

A couple of days old compared to over 850 days old...

Then and Now: Same Place + 29 Years

Addie - 2 Years Old - Kiddie Park - Only Yellow Boat - 2010

Megan - 2 Years Old - Kiddie Park - Only Yellow Boat - 1981

Phases!

It seems as though we are always going through some funny "phase" in this house. Sometimes the funny habit lasts 2 weeks and sometimes 6 months. I thought these are the little things I want to remember that will always bring a smile to Blake and my's face as we look back.

In the last 8 days, Carter WILL not take off the golf glove that Uncle Mike and Aunt Megan gave him 2 years ago. He wears in every where and even to sleep. The 2nd phase is Carter must have a "cape" of some type on at ALL times!



Laid Back Labor Day Weekend At The Lake.

These 3 pictures sum up about all we did and I even managed to give a holiday to my camera (it does work hard all year long too!)

Addie did manage to get about 25 Sea Doo rides in 3 days.

Blake's 1st "Barrel Roll"

It's pretty common to see tons of firsts on this blog with Addie and Carter being so young but this post is highlighting my 32 year old husband's new trick he learned this past weekend, going I don't even want to know how fast, from the dare devil himself... Mike Perkins.

Perkin's Turn...