Nursery Progress

I've been busy, busy, busy these last couple of weeks cleaning out the baby room, assembling furniture, washing and cleaning, and decorating.  I figured I better start now while I feel good and am not as big as a barn yet, versus waiting until I'm miserable to do all this work.  And so, I thought I'd share some of my progress with you.

Here is the crib.  It's the same crib both boys used, and still looks great!

A closer look at the pattern on the bedding:

This is a wall sticker that I bought on Amazon.com for $3.41.  It peels right off, too.  Not a bad buy, if I do say so myself.

I had a friend introduce me to etsy.com.  Amazing, amazing website.  I spent a couple days just browsing.  Anyhow, I was inspired by some handmade bird wall art, and thought it would be easy to make.  Now, it doesn't do the artist (on etsy.com) justice.  Her work was MUCH better than this, but it is primarily because of paper choices.  I just used scrapbook paper and a brown marker to create these.  They were a breeze, and I think they're pretty cute! 

I made some letters too, to spell the name "Ella," but I'm not 100% sold on them yet.  They're cute, but not up to my expectations.  I might try something else.  Anyway, that's all so far.  I have curtains to hang yet, a bird mobile I'll make when my sewing machine gets back from the repair shop, and several other finishing touches, but we're making headway.  For the moment, I'm pretty pleased with my $20 bird pictures (all three) and $3.41 wall sticker.  Love the bedding, too, which was a gift from my mom and dad.

I'll keep you posted.  :)  Updates as I'm able to accomplish them!

New Sleeping Arrangements

The boys received bunk beds for their birthdays this year.  (Owen doesn't realize it yet, but he did.)  Jason and I, along with his parents and aunt and uncle, pooled our money together to buy them something they truly needed this year.  We've been contemplating getting bunk beds for awhile now, but only now have been able to get it done.

So, construction began.  The boys helped by ... having styrofoam sword fights, and making styrofoam airplanes and rainbows, and just enjoyed destroying the included styrofoam.  They also had tons of fun playing inside the cardboard boxes.  It was a huge mess in the living room and front yard, but it was cheap entertainment that cleaned up fairly easily.

 Finally, the boys saw the tools out, and it caught their attention.  They were willing and ready to help.  I should say "help".

Owen is double checking Corwin's wrenching skills, making sure every bolt is tight and secure.

And, O didn't care if there was a mattress on the bed or not.  He was ready for bed!  Finally, he conceded to us putting on the mattresses.

They played for a very, very little bit, then were anxious to put on their pajamas and head for bed.

Finally, all tucked in and ready for a good night's rest with BIG smiles on their faces, I must add.  Now, let's just hope and pray they don't kill themselves or break any bones over the next few years.

"WE FINALLY HAVE A PET!!!"

Those were Corwin's exact words Saturday morning.  We attended our community's local "Harvest Festival" Saturday morning (in the rain) which consists of a parade, and local booths set up by the area's clubs, churches, and organizations.  Corwin had some of his birthday money with him, ready to win some prizes at these wonderful booths!  First he played a basketball shoot where he won a cap gun.  Then, Owen went fishing and got a water gun.  Then the boys bounced around in a bounce house for awhile.  Then, Corwin wanted to try to win a gold fish at the FFA's booth.  You know, the traditional "fish bowl" toss?

Oh me, of little faith.  I doubted Corwin could land his ping pong ball into the little 2-inch opening of the small goldfish bowl.  And, I was almost right!  But, on his 12th and final pitch, that little white ball sailed and landed smoothly into a bowl.  My sarcastic thought was, "Great.  Just great."  While Corwin was thinking, "GREAT!!!  JUST GREAT!!!"  They bagged up the fish and handed it to a very, very excited 6-year-old boy.

"FINALLY WE HAVE A PET!" he said.  So, after Owen tried to win a bunny at a similar booth (and came frighteningly close a couple times), we loaded up and headed to Walmart to purchase all the necessities for parenting a goldfish.  A bowl, some rocks, a plant, and a "moon rock" (so 'NEMO' can go in and sleep at night).

I pray this fish makes it.  He hasn't eaten hardly at all, and doesn't swim around much.  Jason is concerned about the fish's breathing patterns.  Every morning I pray he is still alive and not floating.  But, for the moment, the boys are extremely excited to be the new owners of a fish.  A PET fish.  I just hope it lasts, or there will be one heartbroken, crying 6-year-old boy.

Crash Landing

In nearly six years we have avoided going to the emergency room with our children for anything other than a late-night fever.  In fact, I'm not sure we've even had to do that, thanks to urgent care clinics.  But... our unblemished record is no more.

We were at one of Daddy's baseball games today.  Owen and Corwin were sitting in the aluminum bleachers enjoying a bag of M & Ms when I heard, "SPLAT!  Waaaa!!!!"  Owen had somehow fallen from about the third step all the way to the concrete pad underneath.  Thankfully, a man was able to pick him up, but when he did all I saw was blood.  Sure enough, Owen had acquired about a 1-inch laceration to his forehead.

Thanks to several bystanders and a handy first aid kit, we were able to gauze him up and get him loaded in the van.  Corwin stayed behind at the baseball game under Dad's supervision while Owen and I headed to the emergency room.  We weren't even two miles down the road before Owen fell asleep.  (We'd had a busy day helping Corwin's class with a popcorn party, then the game, so there was no nap to be had.)

Again, thankfully, we were immediately brought back to triage, then ushered to a private room with a television.  Owen kicked back on that hospital bed and took in a little Nickelodeon while the doctor and nurses came and went.  They DermaBonded the boy up, and after some paperwork, we were out of there!  We were back at the ball field to pick up Corwin in under 2 hours.  Believe it, or not.  I've NEVER been to the ER and it not taken less than about three hours.

We came home, had a milkshake, took a gentle bath, got on some p.j.s, and are now settled down watching a short movie.  This boy was a CHAMP!  He cried after falling, but from the time we left for the hospital to the time we got home... not one peep.  The doctor and nurses were so impressed with my big boy.