Up

I recently saw the movie "Up" (and Lexi caught the last 2o minutes or so), and I highly recommend it to anyone of any age as it's a wonderful story. I'm wondering though if Lexi got the wrong idea about the balloons in the story, as this is how I found her recently during her afternoon nap a couple of days after her birthday party...

Lexi's Room - the Final Reveal

I guess I've watched too many home improvement shows on TLC and HGTV over the years, because as I get ready to post these before and after pictures, I want you to cover your eyes and wait for the drum roll, and I want to hear the audible gasp and the "OH MY GOD" when you see the pictures (which I will sadly miss over the computer). So here it is, the big reveal!



























TA-DA!
The room require multiple patch jobs and coats of paint to cover up the damage the previous owners had done to the walls by placing floating shelves all over the back and dresser side walls. Luckily the double dresser and mirror covers over the worst spots.


This is Lexi's closet area. I think the previous owners had a serious HATE on for any kind of normal closet as the closets in every other bedroom including our own have been messed about in some way. I was a bit alarmed at a lack of closet in her room when we first moved in (being a female and all), but for now, it works as there is hanging space for clothes in the right hand side cupboard, and lots of storage for diapers and toys on the left hand side, plus Lexi loves the little play space under the desk. We used coordinating walls decals from the NoJo Ladybug theme we used in the room, plus I reused some of the old decals from her bedroom in our apartment to jazz up the cupboard doors.

A week after the room was painted, Doug and I put up the border. Please don't look too closely, as you'll be able to see that the butterflies and snails are crawling and flying upside down, but hey, at least all is right in the ladybugs' world.

Doug took down the old light fixture and put up the chandelier that was a gift from our realtor. I've since decided every room in the house should have one! Also gone are the extremely ugly old curtains (and cardboard we put up in a desperate attempt to make it dark enough to get Lexi to sleep longer). We had to order custom sized horizontal blinds to fit the oddly shaped windows in this house, but they look SO much better.

There are a few more tweaks I'd like to see in time - a new book shelf and alarm clock, some sort of organization on the desk, a valance hanging over the wide windows over the bed, and some art on the walls, but for now, we're all quite happy with the results, and look forward to tackling the next project. The new king sized bed arrived last weekend for us, and since we were so disappointed in the lack of suitable and affordable bedroom furniture, we're toying with the idea of building our own headboard (with an offer of help from my crafty friend Kim). The roofing makeover starts next month, but that one is definitely not a DIYer.

Squirrel Proof my ASS...

I'm Two, the Final Reflection...

I'm sure it's something you've heard a thousand times without really thinking about what it means. "They grow up so fast." It's something that people say all the time along with "be thankful for your health" and "be careful with your money." And then you have children of your own, and you start to understand why people say these things. You change diaper after diaper. You wipe noses, faces and hands. You slice thousands of bananas, wash two thousand onesies, and walk hundreds of miles with the stroller in the hopes that your little one will take a nap. Then you sneak into her room one night when she's asleep and watch her sweet little face and realize she is a baby no longer. It all goes by in the blink of an eye. You move up diaper sizes, shoes sizes, clothes sizes. They get more teeth and bigger beds. Then one day it happens for the first time. They say "No Mommy, I do it myself." Then that painful process starts when you come to realize that they won't need you forever, and they won't run to you every time there is a bumped knee and hurt feelings. I will admit there were times in the first year when the responsibility felt overwhelming and I wondered if I would ever be able to remember myself as just me and not "Lexi's mommy." Now I know that as she needs me less and less it will be so much harder for me to let go of her than it will be for her to let go of me. So as this slow and painful process of letting go starts for us, I will make sure to take the time in the next year to enjoy the "mundane" every day moments, as I have heard that these are the ones that parents miss the most after their babies have grown and flown the nest to live their lives. Happy Birthday Sweet Pea.

I'm Two, Part II

A few pictures from Lexi's birthday dinner. We had spaghetti and meatballs (Lexi's favorite) and cupcakes for dessert made by Oma. She managed to blow out her candle all by herself. And she LOVES her new tutu pyjamas...

Party is in T minus 4 hours. Will post some pictures tomorrow!

TWO!

Two years ago today, Lexi made her way into the world on her due date (a true punctual teacher's child). It's been non-stop fun ever since. We started the day with presents. We decided to get her the Tag Junior Reader on the recommendation from a couple of friends, and she seems to like it. It's basically a little hand held wand that you can pass over special board books that reads them and makes sounds. She got to spend the day with Oma while Mommy and Daddy worked, and of course she got spoiled with cupcakes, helium balloons and gifts galore. Her party will be on Saturday here at the house.

The Two Year Progress Report:

Height: 82 cm (52 at birth)

Weight: about 24 pounds (we'll find out Friday at the doctor's for sure) (8 pounds at birth)

Teeth: 16 - still waiting on her molars (gee, won't that be fun)

Hair: Yes, she finally has some (as evidenced by the pigtails in the video above)

Words: way too many to list but my current favorite is "hippo-thomas" for hippopotamus. She is speaking in sentences and can even use pronouns.

Potty Training: we're working on it, going hard core in the summer when I'm off work

Favorite foods: rice noodles, cookies (opps), spaghetti and meatballs, yogurt, fruit, toast, cheerios and milk

For fun we: look for squirrels and birds in our backyard, read, read, read, play paperdolls (color), go for walks, help Mommy cook, play with "Bruce" (Brutus, Oma's dog)

Can't wait to see what the next year brings. I'll post some pics of the birthday party next weekend!