photoblog

nursery and play space tours

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

I’m participating in Mama G’s Toddle Along Tuesday Blog Hop once again. Today’s topic: Your child’s room and/or play spaces. Hmm. Disclaimer: No rooms were cleaned in the making of this post. (Maybe I moved a couple things around in Dexter’s room, but the tornado that is Theo’s room was left as is).

First of all, what part of my house isn’t a play space? This post will make it all too evident to everyone else why I have been complaining that WE HAVE GOT TO MOVE. Stat. It was never our intention to raise two babies in this house. But yeah – ya know!

Here we go.

Behold: The area of the living room where all things baby are shoved. The Jumperoo which Dexter refuses to use anymore. The pile of blankets we no longer bother putting on the floor because he crawls right off of them. (Hello, kitty!) The basket of toys that Theo dumps over at every opportunity. The giant red Target bag full of extra fake food for Theo’s new (used) kitchen that we literally have nowhere else to hide. The bouncy seat that Dexter uses as a jungle gym.

The aforementioned play kitchen that now plays a starring role in our real kitchen. Theo’s little step stool. Hiding behind the step stool, you can see Dexter’s booster seat that we will start using ASAP (as soon as he quits leaning forward to take a bite, therefore requiring us to recline his Space Saver High Chair seat). (Oh, hello there, Elmo. Cooking dinner tonight?)

Dexter’s room. We’re using the old old old telephone cart for the humidifier right now. I’d love to get rid of that dumb thing altogether.

Oh, hey there peanuts!

Little bit better view of Dexter’s room. Small clear tote on the floor holds a few toys. Dresser is overflowing with baby clothes, size 6-9 and 6-12 months mostly. Sigh…the baby boy is getting too big! The glider/rocker to the right in this picture has gotten lots of exercise. It has been on loan from my mama for a couple years now and I’ll be glad when we can free up the space that it takes in the next few months.

I couldn’t resist sharing – Dexter got some rad new shoes for Christmas! I can’t wait til these fit.

Another view of the dresser corner. Why, yes. We are still rocking the baby Christmas tree.

Dexter’s bed, complete with handmade blankets, Twinkle Twinkle Little Scout, Lamaze Northern Lights Soother, and Kimberly Grant Zoom Zoom Bedding.

Finally, the changing “table.” This is a super old, cheap, and junky dresser that I’ve been using for years because our closets are so small that I have to keep my clothes in a separate room. Well, I gave up the top two drawers for Dexter’s burp cloths, receiving blankets, extra wipes, diaper genie refills, etc. The dresser originally was too low for a changing table, so my awesome father-in-law whipped up the nifty platform that the dresser is sitting on to make it the proper height! He’s amazing. The small tub on top of the dresser hold diapers, lotion, and ointments. Diaper Genie to the right. Rolling plastic storage thingy to the right of that for blankets, extra diapers, and the like.

See? I told you…he is awesome.

Moving on to Theo’s room…

I told you I didn’t clean anyone’s room for this post. Here’s the proof. I do it from time to time, because the fun of playing is apparently the process of dragging everything out, but it proves to be a futile effort if I ever do it for any other reason.

Ahh, yes. The room we actually decorated in great anticipation of our baby boy’s arrival. Sorry Dexter, we will hang something on your walls someday. Maybe.

Theo’s bed, complete with Pillow Pets, Fisher Price Projector, a couple of Elmos, and Migi Alphabet Bedding.

The dark blue ITSO cubes hold quite a few toys, but not enough obviously.

Theo’s changing table could use some re-organizing. We just don’t use it for the things we used to use it for (burp cloths, receiving blankets, etc.) so we could probably make better use of the space.

Ah. I just realized I forgot to take a picture of our giant bookshelf, full of baby/kid books. First thing you see when you walk into the living room. Yes, it is time to move. And when we do move, we will have a playroom where so many of these things can be tucked away. Oh, I can’t wait for that day.

If you want to know what my “dream play space” looks like, just flip through the pages of a Pottery Barn Kids catalog. Have you ever seen such rooms!?

Here’s a taste.

Seriously!? Who lives like this!?

Hope you’ve enjoyed the tour!
~C~

project 365 (jan 1-8)

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest
Project 365, Days 1-8:

1/365: Theo snuggling up next to his cousin’s new kitten, Pikachu
2/365: The view from my in-laws’ back porch
3/365: Daddy and Dexter at Don Pablo’s (yum.)
4/365: My awesome new Simples
5/365: My baby boy sleeping while we (I) walked around the neighborhood on a warm day
7/365: Puffs on the bed
8/365: Having fun at the indoor water park

So there are the first 8 pictures of this project.  Obviously, I have taken way more than 8 pictures in the last 8 days and it was really hard deciding which ones I would post.  This is going to be harder than I thought!

Hope you enjoyed it.  Which picture is your favorite?  I can’t decide…I really like them all.

Oh, and y’all.  That Tuscan Chili was to-die-for!  My only complaint – there were no leftovers!

snippety snappin’ left and right,
~C~

See all Project 365 posts here.

holiday cheer photobliggy

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

Somehow, one way or another, we managed to have no plans this weekend.  Nothing but a Saturday morning haircut for Theo.  The only other goal was to see Santa and get the boys their Christmas ornaments.  When I was little I got a new, personalized brass ornament every year with my name engraved on it.  I don’t know where you get those anymore, but I wanted to carry on the tradition in our own way. 

By the way, Theo is so funny with the decorations.  We have the big Christmas tree in the living room.  One little Christmas tree in each of their bedrooms.  A strand of lights on the entertainment center and small paper lanterns hanging beneath the mantle.  We have a lighted ceramic snow house that R’s grandma painted.  A string of snowflake LEDs around the sliding glass door in the kitchen.  When we get home from anywhere…every light must be turned on.  Nothing else can be done until every bulb is glowing. 

Decorations Inspector Theodore, reporting for duty.

We got the presents wrapped and the new ornaments hung.

Apparently everyone Theo sees on a regular basis has been singing Jingle Bells to him.  He’s decided it’s his all-time favorite song, ever, in the history of songs – Christmas or not – and he thinks it’s hilarious when anyone sings those silly words.  He laughs and waits til you finish before shouting “More! Again!” I think this is the first song I have heard him actually sing.  His voice gets so soft and sweet.  Jinkle bells! Jinkle bells! Jinkle bells! Hey!
One other little thing about that boy.  I sing Rock-a-bye Baby to Dexter some times while sitting in the glider with him.  Theo followed me into Dexter’s room Saturday and started pushing the glider back and forth, softly singing Rock, Rock, Rock, baby.  My heart might have turned into goo a little bit right then.   
Alas, despite my very best blackmails and bribes, Dexter just refuses to ssslooow down. 
Hey guys, I’ll just be standing around somewhere if you need me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Holy crap, I love these kids.  Have I ever mentioned that?
I would say our Santa visit was pretty successful.  I always thought I would make my kids sit on his lap, no matter what, just for the sake of a good funny photo, but I think I had a change of heart.  There was a little girl, maybe six months or a year older than Theo, that was throwing a fit because she was scared.  She was doing that real UGLY cry.  You know the one.  You’ve seen it.  Her mom was trying to put her on Santa’s knee and the poor child must have had mommy magnets on her hands and feet, because none of those appendages would part ways with the mother.  I felt super sorry for her – I don’t think I could make my kid do it if he was that upset.
Theo sank right into Santa’s pillow belly and could have stayed all night.  Dexter did fine at first, then started panicking a little.  Never cried though. 
 Better than last year.  Remember Theo’s blank stare? (Same Santa, did you notice?)
Just a couple more, then I’ll wrap it up.
Finally, it was Sunday afternoon. Dexter was lying across my lap smiling and being silly when, lo and behold, there it was.  The culmination of all that drooling and gnawing and the answer to those poofy swollen gums I had noticed on Friday. 
A line.
(disregard the dried, crusty baby food.  I bet you don’t look so hot in an extreme close-up either)
Little Desser (Theo’s current pronunciation) is getting teeth.  The next few days nights should be hell interesting.  All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, huh?  Man, I wish I had known.  Wouldn’t have bought you so many presents, kid. (Lies). 
less than a week til Christmas!
~C~