Gwen's Big Girl Room

Welcome to Gwen's new room!

I used to play with that antique desk too :)

Bert built some cool toy storage bins with chalkboard fronts. Someday we will put toys in them. :)

(Thanks again for sending these our way Jill!)

This is where we do reading time before nap time or bed time.
(I got this chair from World Market for my own bedroom last year but it's just too big,
so I'm really pleased to have an even better use for it in Gwen's room.
It seems to match the whimsical kid mood too.)

She is SO big these days!

Still to come: carpet on these treacherous stairs!
Bert got all the squeaks out of them by tightening with tons of extra screws
and using a thin saw inside certain edges.
What a HUGE difference to not have squeaky stairs anymore!

This was the same day I took the bedroom pics last week, she had arranged her animals into a "parade." 

Here's what we/Bert did upstairs to transform Gwen's room:

• relocated home office to downstairs guest room
• removed yucky carpeting and staples, discovered neat wood floors and applied simple wax coating
• painted trim, walls, stair railings, closet doors etc
• hung darkening roller blinds (IKEA) and homemade fabric curtains
• built a bed, loosely based on these plans, but we wanted a rounded headboard
• two new ceiling light fixtures
• dresser from craigslist, sanded and painted
• bench seat made from wood, bench cushion (using this plan)
• ordered area rug from target.com
• basket for stuffed animals from IKEA, dresser lamp re-purposed from my college days
• de-squeaked stairs
• added railing in the closet for hanging dresses
• And if you're interested in what brainstorming looked like, here was my pinterest board

Gwen seems to be fully adjusted to her new room and likes to show it to people who come to visit.  Sleeping in the big girl bed went really well.  She fell out a few times the first week, but since it's so low to the ground she was able to get back in.  We haven't filled the room with toys and books yet because she still prefers playing downstairs in our main living room areas, and she has a history of book damage when she's feeling naughty.  Overall, we're loving the new space for Gwen!

Final August Photos

Gwen can climb!  And I can rearrange to find a new safe configuration of furniture

A couple of Bert's recent projects

Not pictured:

New challenges in tantrums and being a consistently loving parent

Being encouraged by Psalm 121

Getting used to the ebb and flow of toddler emotions

Trying to teach Gwen about 'putting in' instead of only emptying any container full of anything

Lots of ''weeee" and "oh wow!"

Learning all the words to the song at the beginning of Elmo's segment of Sesame Street

Finally visiting the Museum of Russian Art (so cool)

Drive-In Movie for Beth's birthday

Consuming a lot of veggies from our garden and our CSA

Eating yummy fish taco, cheese curds, chocolate strawberry malt, and corn dog at the State Fair

Some June Photos

Here's a sampling of what June looked like for us...

A lot of water-pouring practice

(Notice the pile of pergola-wood behind Gwen)

Cool, giant camouflage moth on the patio

One of the pergola's early stages

CSA food!  We have a 1/2 share, so we get a box of goodies from a local organic farm every other week.  Very adventurous! So far, it's been a great thing for meal planning motivation and healthy eating.  Downside: beets.

2 Saturdays spent pergola-building

He smiles because he likes me, not because it was a bajillion degrees up there

Thinking of you, Baby!

Oakley holds down the air-conditioned fort

Beautiful and thoughtful flowers

And more!

My mom helped me chop the gross parts off a chicken I endeavored to cook.  She was there for technical and moral support while I did the hand-into-slimy-cavity work.  I was determined to learn, and it was a tasty outcome.

Gwen got this playhouse, and is learning to appreciate it as much as I do.  So many possibilities!

This was us, breaking in the playhouse while it rained

More to come...

Memorial Day Weekend

I am still "catching up" on some blog business.  Here are tons of photos to help some Memorial Weekend memories stick.  We spent a couple rainy days at the cabin doing projects and resting.  Looking back it was a precious time of carrying Baby #2, and I was surely tired from the job.  We drove home early Sunday morning and were able to have a couple days at home as a family too.  We spent a fun afternoon at Lake Harriet, enjoying a picnic and walk with Gwenster.  Bliss.  I love living in Minnesota this time of year!

Daddy teaching Gwen the ropes

Enjoying the dock on a rare sunny moment

Gwen devours pancake

She played with these cabinets (sans baby locks) for many minutes

What we do when it rains...

Twinkle Toes

It took a really long time for this chair-pushing to get boring

We discovered how fun I Spy books are!  (That's Beth and roommate Becky)

At Lake Harriet.  Wait a minute, is Gwen SMILING for the camera?!

Something else she can push around for endless hours

Uncharted territory

Beauty

Our first-fruits!

The beginnings of a dear friend of mine.  Meet our Pergola.  Oh, never heard that word before?  Us either.

Gwen's face of discovery.  While rocking a biker bandana.  Hmm.

I wish she hung on like this all the time!

December Updates

The day has come!  Gwen can hold the bottle!

We got a dining room desk (in the background) this was the organizing process.
Sorry no "after picture," but it looks better now.

Yet another scene of these two together at play.  I do not set these up.

She tipped over and didn't move for a while.  I was baking nearby.

December has brought the snuggles for Gwen.  She leans her head into us now.
It is absolutely wonderful.  Swoon.