Pages

Sunday, March 30, 2014

22 Month Update

 
 
 
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I want to make an announcement. I have made a decision that will affect the lives of myself, Bimmer, and Puff for at least the next year plus. Yup... after Bimmer did so well with her 21 month photos (no real photogenic smiles, but good listening to directions) I decided that I want to do monthly photos of her until she is THREE! Thanks to the good folks over at YHL, I don't feel like such a goon, since they did monthly pics until their daughter was three as well. I swear... I promise... that will be the end of the monthly updates. Then, we'll just go to each year.
 
So... back to 22 month business...
 
* Bimmer is getting so good at putting together more words into sentences. Or almost-sentences. One morning it was raining when I ran her out to the car, so she was screaming "Raining! All wet! Hat???" She knew that rain made her all wet and she wanted to know why the heck her mom didn't put a hat on her. Sometimes, after school, I will ask her if she wants to go home and she'll respond with "Yay! Go see Dada!" So I definitely know that she is comprehending more and putting two and two together.
 
* Bimmer is also understanding possessives a little bit more. (Is that the right term?) She will say "My baby" or "My socks." And then she'll point to my head and say "Mama's hair."
 
* We are still working hard on the use of a spoon and fork. Sometimes she'll do great. Other times, she needs some help. I still purposely send stuff like yogurt and apple sauce to school so she has to work on it. I do think she does better with her left hand. I'll really be surprised if she ends up being a righty.
 
* She is obsessed these days with monkeys. When I asked her recently if she wanted to go to the zoo, she got all excited and started yelling "monkeys!" She also will now sit and watch "Curious George." Which, I have to admit, is a nice break from all the Elmo we had been watching. One night when we were driving home from school, she just randomly said "I got monkeys." I asked her where. She said, "In my bed." I asked her where she got the monkeys in her bed. She thought for a second and then said, "Zoo." I'm happy to see her imagination at work.
 
* Even though we are approaching the two year mark, we still have struggles with her staying in her crib some nights. I'd say that at least twice a week, she has been throwing enough of a tantrum for us to warrant going to get her. She either gets herself so worked up that she forgets to breathe, or she poops. She has mastered the "if they don't come when I cry, then I shall poop, so they must come." Going in and out of town doesn't help either, since she sleeps with us when we're in a hotel. I think a toddler bed would be better (actually, a full-sized bed would be best, but she can't get down off the tall mattress/box springs we have just yet) but I don't want to do that until sometime later this summer. I'm still not willing to give up being able to put her in baby jail.
 
* Midway through this month, Mommy got serious about getting rid of the bottles. My goal is to be rid of them completely by her 2nd birthday. We had tried getting rid of the morning bottle once before (back in the fall) and it was torturous. This time? The morning sippy cup didn't seem to bother her all that much. And we just completely did away with any before dinner bottle and she didn't seem to notice. I'm so happy that we've chosen to do some things more in her time (like ending co-sleeping, for example) and not forced her into those things. She'll ween herself off those baby things when she's ready. I did pack away a lot of the bottles though, so we're not tempted to give her one. We'll work on getting rid of the bedtime bottle in April.
 
* I know I keep talking about her vocabulary, but it really blows my mind. On March 13th alone, she busted out with saying "chocolate" and "pockets" and "shovel." She just all of a sudden knew what those things were and could say them. Blows my mind. Every day.
 
* Her favorite toys these days are all her baby dolls and stuffed animals. She has a stethoscope that she likes too. She comes up and puts it on you and goes "boom boom." We got her a new step stool recently and she likes to just play in the bathroom sink. I think I'm going to ask a family member to get her a water table for her birthday. She would love it!!! And strangely, one of her favorite activities is to ask us to hold her like a baby. She then wants us to rock her and sing a song to her.
 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

My Boob Tube

Back when I was dating The Ex, I was totally up on all the popular TV shows and I was watching one or two movies a week.
 
Insert Puff.
 
Between our shared ADD for life and now, with Bimmer in tow, we've had to seriously cut back on our TV watching. And movies? Forget it. The last movie I saw in the theater was "Sex & the City 2" and the last movie I saw period was "Date Night." Google them... they came out way back in 2010.
 
Problem is, I still like television. Puff and I share a few shows in common, but lately, it seems that he's more into his car shows and ghost shows, so we don't spend a lot of after hours watching together. I realize I should have written this post back in the fall, when seasons were starting, etc. but I'm just getting to it now. Here are some of the shows I still make time to keep up with. In no particular order...
 
1) How I Met Your Mother
 
 
 
I will fully admit to thinking this series has been going slowly down hill. However, since I know it's the last season, and I've watched every single episode from the beginning, I feel that I owe it to the TV gods to continue to the bitter end. (Somehow, I did not find that passion to stick with "Bones" even though I've stuck with it from the beginning. It just got too ridiculous. And I hate Bones & Booth together. Hate them. I digress..)
 
2) Big Bang Theory
 
 
 
My favorite comedy on television right now. It still is funny after all these years.
 
3) CSI
 
 
 
Yes, the original. Even though cast members have changed and left/returned over the years, I still can't get enough of this show. It's no longer ground breaking, but it's still keeping my interest. Even without Warrick there. Gosh, I miss Warrick.
 
4) Criminal Minds
 
 
 
Somehow, I was late to this bandwagon, but I've caught up. I find serial killers so fascinating, plus Shemar Moore is nice to look at, so I'm pretty sure this will always be in solid rotation as long as it's on the air.
 
5) Teen Mom 2
 
 
 
Yup... it's my guilty pleasure. I always watch it from the DVR so I can fast forward if it gets too ridiculous. But somehow, I guess it makes me feel better about my own life to watch such a train wreck.
 
6) The Following
 
 
 
As much as I hate Kevin Bacon, I got drawn into this series during its first season and just *knew* the ending was too good to be true. So, now I'm catching up on the second season. Trust me when I say if you're interested in watching this show, you need to start back at the beginning.
 
7) Hannibal
 
 
 
As with The Following, if you want to jump on board, you really need to watch the entire first season. I'm still trying to see past the fact that it's not Anthony Hopkins in the role, plus, it's not at all like any of the books about Hannibal's past. I mean, there are some things, but it's a totally new spin. I'm still trying to be OK with that. But it's obviously the most beautifully shot TV show on the air right now. No doubt about that. It's like a mini-movie each episode.
 
8) New Girl
 
 
 
Besides Big Bang Theory, this is my favorite comedy right now. Except, I don't love Nick & Jess together. I'm hoping that doesn't end up ruining it like it did over on Bones. (Notice I'm a little hung up on that? Ha!) The first season was still my favorite and the most hilarious.
 
9) About a Boy
 
 
 
This is a new one that I just started watching and I'm still feeling it out. But I've enjoyed it so far. I'm just guessing here, but I'm going to take a stab that it is loosely based on the "About a Boy" book (and Hugh Grant movie) from author Nick Hornby. I love his stuff, so this take on a television show is nice. Maybe this will stay in steady rotation. (I also liked the sitcom "Suburgatory" but just couldn't find the time to keep it around.)
 
10) Fashion Police/Craig Ferguson/Chelsea Handler/The Soup
 
These are our "filler" shows that both Puff and I can stand to watch together. We can have them on when Bimmer is in the room and not really worry if we can't hear something for a second or two because of a chatting/screaming/clingy toddler.
 
So, there you have it. A glimpse into my DVR. There are other shows I catch on occasion, that I do like, for example, "The Little Couple" or "19 Kids & Counting" or "Snapped" or "Project Runway," although I don't like the current season's twist. Kimhead is a bit of a TV Nazi and is always trying to convince me to watch other things (she likes ABC dramas, which don't do it for me) but right now, in this season of life, I'm good with what I've got. The thing is that it's always changing and evolving. One never knows when something new will come out and just suck me in. (Several of the shows listed above are only in their second or third season.)
 
What are you watching right now? Based on what you know I like, is there anything you would suggest for me to try?

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Queen City Getaway

Sometimes travel doesn't always go as planned. News flash: This does not work out well for me. Funny enough, however, major things like flights being overbooked are much easier for me to handle than smaller things, like our lunch spot being packed.
 
The first stress indicator was that I let Puff decide the time we were going to wake up the morning we were headed to Charlotte, NC, for a quick weekend getaway. We left the house 45 minutes later than I had hoped, which did nothing to help me relax on our drive there!
 
Our first destination was to Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville, just north of downtown Charlotte. I had seen photos of it from a friend in the area, and thought it might be something Bimmer would enjoy. And she did. For awhile. It was crowded (which was overwhelming to her) and we decided we actually like the children's museum in Greenville, SC, better. (Read about our trip there HERE) Puff and I also have realized we have a time limit before our ADD kicks in at a place like this. We're such horrible parents.
 

 
 
It was after this that my day just went to shambles. Our lunch destination? Ikea. Yup - I had wanted to swing by for a few home goods and Puff wanted meatballs. When we pulled up, it was just shy of 1pm, and the parking lot was completely full. Have you ever seen the size of an Ikea parking lot? Bimmer was asleep, so we let her nap for about a half hour before venturing inside. We went in the exit, just on a sheer whim, and thank God we did. I am not exaggerating when I say there were over 100 people in line to check out. Probably more than that. I made the decision then and there to just order what we needed online. Puff still wanted meatballs. So we rode the escalator upstairs to be confronted by two lines that each wrapped around themselves four times. We were not eating meatballs.
 
 
 
I couldn't take it. The suburbs were making me crazy. I needed to get back to my reality... a non-traffic riddled environment where I could breathe. While pizza wasn't our top choice, we needed something quick and easy to feed Bimmer. So Fuel Pizza in the South End was perfect. The neighborhood is quirky and cool. I like to think we fit in better there. We certainly FEEL like we fit better there. Then, it was a quick blip over to West Elm to stock up on some goodies for The Bungalow. I will try not to remember the two poopy diapers I had to change in their bathroom. (Props to them for having a changing table in their bathroom!) It was eventually off to the hotel. On a few suggestions from co-workers, coupled with a good deal I found, we decided to try the Hyatt House.
 
 
 
It was more of an extended stay type feel, but mod. We loved the full-sized fridge and the spare sink at the wetbar. There were some issues with it too though. The lines for the elevator were insane sometimes, due to events happening on the 7th floor. Their valet was confusing to find and expensive ($22 a day, with no other options). And while the location was convenient to be able to walk to things downtown, it was a block from the bus depot... which we had to walk past several times on our visit. Not exactly my idea of a prime spot. But it was nice to be able to stroll Uptown (apparently Charlotte is too cool to call it "downtown" like normal cities) and we were able to hit a spot for dinner early with no wait.... Cowbell Burger Bar. The place wasn't exactly child friendly (they had no kid menu) but we went early enough that having Bimmer with us wasn't a drag to anyone else. The burgers were insane, the fried pickles were perfection, and even the side of mac & cheese that we got  Bimmer was super duper yummy. Then there was this....
 
 
 
Yup... a sea salt caramel pretzel brownie. I'm not kidding.
 
Sunday morning, we were up and at 'em early, as usual. The hotel came with breakfast, but we had other, much grander plans. Let me introduce you to Amelie. She's a little slice of French heaven in the middle of North Carolina. There are a few locations around town, but the NoDa location was begging for us to visit. (It took maybe 5 minutes to drive there from the hotel downtown.)
 
 
 
I wish I would have taken a photo of their case o' goodness when you walk inside. We had the hardest time deciding what to pick. Puff settled on a chocolate filled eclair. I went with the classic chocolate croissant AND (yes, and) a lemon cream cheese pocket. I also downed a big hot chocolate that was topped with caramel whipped cream. And maybe, just maybe, Puff and I both snuck a strawberry cream cheese croissant in a bag with us for the next morning. (Heated up? You're killing me, Amelie!)
 
Then it was time for some Ikea redemption. They opened at 11am and we got there about 15 minutes early. Did you know their restaruant opens 30 minutes earlier than the store? Puff was able to eat some meatballs (yes, meatballs after breakfast that early in the morning) and I wandered the kid's section with Bimmer before they let us into the marketplace. (Stay tuned for a post on our spoils!) It was the most leisurely trip to Ikea ever. Apparently getting there as soon as it opens is the key! It was mid-day by that point, so we hit the road to home. While Charlotte didn't offer as many kid-friendly options as I had hoped, we did stumble across a few things for next time, like Latta Plantation and the Raptor Center.
 
It just felt good to get away from home for a few days with my awesome little family. Where to next?!?!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

A few weeks back, we had an absolutely gorgeous Sunday. I'm talking temps in the 60s and sunny and just perfection. I decided it would be a good time to take Bimmer to the zoo.

When you ask her if she wants to go to the zoo, she makes this huge excited face and vigorously shakes her head YES! Then she starts saying animals like monkeys, and bobos (birds). And she would make a noise like an elephant.

It was a quick and easy visit... we didn't spend time dwelling at all the exhibits. (Thankfully it's a small zoo and we can easily return later this summer.) But it was a sweet, fun, family afternoon. And Bimmer learned that she loves snakes. Who knew?!?!
 
 


 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Heat it Up

To say life has been throwing us some curve balls lately, seems to be a vast understatement. (Warning: Lots of rambling ahead!)
 
Remember I just posted HERE about our car breaking down. And it seemed like the money to fix that had barely cleared our accounts before something else fell upon us.
 
It started on a Tuesday... a strange, faint odor in our linen closet. The next day, it was a little worse, so Puff emptied it, looking for a dead mouse, perhaps. We cleaned everything and even threw away the plunger, just in case. Thursday, the smell was strong enough I could smell it without the closet door open. I sent Puff into the attic to look for dead animals. No dice. Friday evening, I sent Puff under the house to search for dead animals. The smell was now noticeable to me in the adjacent bathroom. I was seriously hoping to find a dead raccoon under there. Instead, Puff found a few scattered dead mice, but nothing significant enough, or strategically placed to be the culprit.
 
My thought immediately went to dead animal in the wall. Puff kept insisting he smelled something burnt. I smelled something rotten. (He has a horrible sense of smell anyway, so don't trust him. I could smell a poopy diaper from across the house. He can't smell it for an hour sitting right next to her.) So I had to take matters into my hands...
 
 
 
Saturday afternoon, I tossed a piece of white bread into a bowl and covered it with distilled white vinegar, and shut the closet door for 24 hours. Within a few hours, I could only smell vinegar from outside the door... no more rotten stench! I'd like to say it dissipated everything, but it didn't. A few days later, the smell was still lingering, only not as badly and mixed with a hint of vinegar. Needless to say, I emptied the closet, washed all our stinky towels, and kept them in our office for a little while.
 
That Saturday night, after I put out the vinegar bowl, Puff woke me at 2am and I got up to pee. He mentioned the house was chilly, which it was, so I checked the thermostat. It was set at 70, but reading 65. Strange. I pushed it up and could hear the unit wanting to turn on, but not actually. Uh oh. I told Puff something was wrong and he jumped up so he could flip the system off and on and off again, then turned it high and low and high again. I told him he was just confusing it and to leave it alone. It wasn't going to get that cold that night (mid 40s) and we would deal with it on Sunday. At some point I realized Puff had left it running, so I got up and turned it off. No sense in possibly making the situation worse.
 
Turns out that was one of the best calls I could have ever made.
 
When the technician came out Sunday morning to give us the bad news, he informed us that the HVAC was putting off carbon monoxide in the house and letting it run could have made it worse! Are you even kidding me?!? How scary is that?!!?
 
Once I got over the scare, I accepted our fate... our HVAC had officially died. The coils inside were burnt to a crisp. Fixing it would be a few thousand dollars. Replacing it would only be a few thousand more. Taking into consideration the unit was 20 years old, and that when Puff bought The Bungalow back in 2006, they said it could possibly die in 6 months, I was kinda OK with splurging on a new unit. Especially planning ahead to selling our house in the next year or so. We can make that money back.
 
Um, yeah... after spending two nights in a house with no heat, we ended up having to pack up shop and head to a hotel for a few nights. Thankfully, I know some people and was able to score a good deal with the urgency of our situation. It was getting down to the 20s and there was no way I was going to try to stick it out at the house! Bimmer was so good and enjoyed the novelty of it all.
 

 
 
Monday, Puff met with the sales guy and picked out what we were going to do. They couldn't come out to install until Wednesday. Since my schedule was more flexible, it was decided that I would be the lucky one to have a day off at our freezing cold house.
 
 
 
It was pretty much the most miserable day of my entire life. I am not good with the cold. And the house was about 30 something degrees. I had on a thermal, a hoodie, and a fleece jacket. I had on leggings under jeans and two pairs of socks. For awhile, I was wearing gloves. I kept drinking hot chocolate and putting a blanket in the dryer so it was warm to snuggle under. I didn't get anything accomplished, since it was too cold to have my fingers out to type. At least I caught up on a lot of my TV shows!
 
It took them from 7:30am until 4pm to get it replaced, but it got fixed and that was all that mattered! I would be able to bring Bimmer home to a warm house! I hoped that was the end of everything, but the day I was home getting the HVAC replaced, the fan in our bathroom ceiling started making a loud grinding noise.
 
Seriously. I've had enough. Universe, do you hear me?
 

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Traditionalist

With Bimmer's second birthday sneaking up on me, I am reflecting a lot about the time she's been with us. Puff and I tend to think we're good parents. We are active with her and try to expose her to the world outside The Bungalow & her school. We're not "sit around and watch TV all day" kind of people. Bimmer is well-rounded and sweet and interested in learning. (I like to say she's smart too, but then I just feel like I'm being biased.) She is inquisitive and has been since day one. One thing I strive to do as a parent is to make memories... both for her, and for us as well.
 
The word "tradition" gets thrown around a lot at Christmas, but I want to establish "traditions" with her all through the year. I want there to be occasions and things she can always look forward to.
 
#1 - Valentine's Day Card: I want Puff and I to always get her a Valentine's Day card, write in it all the mushy stuff that she will hate to read when she's a teenager, and then stash them away to give her when she's grown up and moves out
 
 
 
#2 - Easter Basket: Growing up, the Easter bunny always hid my basket. I won't need to do that this year, but plan on doing it in the future. We have also always gotten her bunny books to put in her basket, so I want to continue that as long as they're age appropriate. I also have bunny ears that we got her for her first Easter that I plan to always include.
 
 
 
#3 - Photos with Blocks: Her monthly photos will end when she hits two (which upsets me greatly) but I fully intend to force her until she's 18 to pose each year on her birthday with those blocks. Also, once she starts school, I will have her pose on the first day of school with her grade. Yup... until she's a senior. Yup... she will probably protest and I am fully prepared to offer a bribe in those teenage years. Also, for as long as it's age appropriate, I want to do her photos with a custom t-shirt. I've already ordered this year's and cannot wait to see it!
 
 
 
#4 - Travel Postcards: With the exception of her very first trip to Florida (I blame missing that on her only being 5 weeks old and me having new mommy brain) we have sent her a postcard from every trip we've taken. Yes, the trips she is on with us. I want her to have a GINORMOUS collection by the time she is done with college. I typically send them on the last day we are there and include tidbits on what we have done there, where we ate, if anything monumental happened. I sent her one from The Fort on her first visit, and haven't sent more, but that's just because we go there several times a year. Come to think of it, I haven't sent one from Atlanta on any of those visits. Better get on it. We also love that my dear friend, Anna, sends her postcards from far away places each year when she travels abroad. We definitely love receiving them!
 
 
#5: Professional Photos: Do I dare call this a tradition? Yes, I do. Because I fully intend to have photos taken professionally of our family once every year. If not more. Right now, I'm on track to do yearly photos with our pro photog in The Fort for Bimmer's birthday and then having a local photog friend take pics in the fall that we can use on our Christmas cards. Pictures are a big deal to me and I love having professional ones taken. I am behind on making Shutterfly books with them, but I intend to get around to doing that eventually with all of the shoots we do.
 
 
 
#6 - Birthday Cards: I know Bimmer's birthday plans and parties will always change. Some years may be big shindigs with all her friends. I hope that as she gets older, we can convince her that she needs a vacation over her birthday. (A late May birthday is such an ideal time!) But with every year, I know that Puff and I will write her a sweet card. And it will go in her memory box for her to take with her when she's older. I fully intend to do this every year for as long as I am physically able. I hope that she will cherish them as much as I enjoy writing them to her.
 
 
 
#7 - Family Time: With both my parents and Puff's parents living all spread out, I want our visits with family to be super special. Right now, we are rotating visiting the FIL in the Great White North in odd numbered years, and visiting my mom in Florida in even numbered years. I like that we spend Easter and Thanksgiving with the MIL and Christmas always with my family. I want there to be trips with my parents and times when they come to SC to visit us.
 
 
 
#8 - Christmas: Oh, Christmas. This is the time of year when you all think about traditions. In the traditional sense, ya know? A few things we have started with Bimmer that I plan to continue.... putting up the tree on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, having St. Nick drop by and always including an ornament and pajamas in the stocking, and sending photo Christmas cards to our friends and family. Once she is old enough to understand Santa, we will have to come up with our own way of doing things there too. One thing I know for sure? Her gifts will be wrapped. (Did you know people actually get Santa gifts that are unwrapped? C'mon - lazy parents!)
 
 
 
I hope that you each have your own family traditions that you are celebrating with your children. Some could be passed down from your childhoods, and some could be new. Either way, I hope that all of my readers are filling the time with your family as meaningfully as you can!
 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Take it in the Rear

I feel so behind right now.

In. Every. Aspect. Of. Life.

It's not like me and I'm not dealing with it well. I am weeks behind in projects for work and can't seem to find the time to catch up. Even though I've put in some 12 hour days lately.

Working 12 hour days leaves me exhausted when I get home. I've cooked one meal a week for the past month. I'm lucky my child gets bathed and has clean clothes. The laundry is piling and piling. I left damp clothes in the dryer for 3 days before I realized they were there. The snow days we've had the past month aren't helping either.

I've gotten to the gym once a week lately. That's a waste of my $45 a month.

In the end, I know that I will get through this. Eventually, I'll find a quiet weekend when Puff and I can just buckle down and catch up on life. I'll have a quiet day at work when a burst of motivation will hit and I will get back on track.

I've been really gung-ho lately on wanting a second baby. But then I realize how out of sorts my life is right now with only one and can't even imagine what it would be like to throw a newborn into the mix. I suppose that's a big decision for another day. I can't overlook the reality though.

My reality is crazy and chaotic. We are definitely "rushing life" these days!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Photo Dumpin'

I've decided I like these monthly photo dump blogs. They're easy for me to put together and I tend to like to think people want to see photos of our lives. I do take a lot of them - and love to share! Here's what's been going on in our lives since early February!

Our little leftie
 

Gotta watch your weight!
 

Looking for "bobos"
 

Washing her car
 

Checking her news

Friday, March 7, 2014

College Roomie Road Trip

It's not often I get to have a girl's weekend anymore, so when Rach decided to invite a bunch of us to Asheville to celebrate her birthday, I jumped on it. Kimhead and I planned to share a room and while I was totally out of the loop on the planning (which is so unlike me!!!) I was ready to get in some quality time with some of my favorite people. People I don't get to see nearly as often as I would like!
 
 
 
We spent the bulk of the day downtown shopping. I nabbed myself a handmade magnet and a light blue basket. I got Bimmer some ABC magnets (that will go in her Easter basket) and a sticker pad. Oh yeah, not to mention that little (lotta) bit o' cash I dropped at Chocolate Fetish. Mmmmmm.... sea salt caramels are my fave!
 
 
We lunched at Tupelo Honey and spent the afternoon resting before heading back downtown for dinner at Olive or Twist. The management of the place was pretty ridiculous (they were out of both orange juice for my cocktail AND coffee) but the atmosphere was cool.
 
 
 
I do have to pimp one of my favorite Asheville stores, L.O.F.T. They have the most eclectic and fun stuff. It's where I got Bimmer's ABC magnets (which are wooden and have pretty colored patterns on them) and in the past I've snagged her books and pinwheels there. But this time around, I couldn't help but gravitate to the other novelty items they had...
 

 
 
After dinner and a few more stops, Kimhead and I decided we didn't feel like bar hopping, so we left the rest of the gang to head back to the hotel, but not before we stumbled upon a creperie. Um, yes, please. Couldn't have thought of a better way to end the weekend with my girls. Nutella takes everything up a notch.
 
 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Toddler Room Makeover

I wrote recently (HERE) about our update on our living room paint. But I never updated you on Bimmer's room!
 
Since I was unemployed when I was pregnant, paying someone even $200 to paint her room seemed ridiculous, so we skipped it. I made due with the yellowish walls that were in her room and just rolled with it. But the room never felt right. It was crowded (too much furniture - but we needed it all) and then that wall color just felt dingy and unspecial.
 
 
 
So, when Puff and I decided it was high time we got some updates going in the paint department, I knew her room had to be high on the priority list. I just wanted my girl to have a room she could be proud of. (Ya know, since toddlers give a crap about that kind of thing!) Plus, I wanted her to have a sweet room before we ever move (which could be next year) and I totally go in a different direction in the décor for her "Big Girl Room." Yes, I have ideas swirling in my head!
 
We had leftover paint from our dining room makeover (HERE) so we busted out the Behr Valley Mist and gave my little girl the nursery she has deserved since day one...
 

 
 
I sat in her room on so many occasions after it was painted to just stare. I absolutely love it. A sweet room for my sweet baby girl.