a room for a boy: ideas

I love a fun house project. It keeps me busy! Grayson is moving to one of our current guest rooms. Some people have asked why we are moving him & not letting him keep his own room. I love his room & really didn't want to move him. However, the nursery doesn't have a bathroom. His new room is connected to the Jack & Jill bathroom. I'm assuming he will one day not use diapers & that bathroom will be conveniently located...however, I'm not even close to thinking about that. 

I want this new bedroom to be a room that can transition from these last few months or so in a crib, to a toddler room, to a big boy room that he can hopefully share with Griffin later! We are painting the walls some sort of khaki. I hate themes but I do want to use things in the room that G is interested in. Right now? The boy loves trucks. Borderline obsessed.

I've been pinning things that I want for his room. Here are some of the ideas so far!

Source: potterybarnkids.com via Laura on Pinterest

I am almost positive that this will be the bedding that Grayson eventually gets. It's the PBK "Greyson" bedding..ha! I love that it's something that he won't get sick of after a few years. Classic! 

Source: projectnursery.com via Laura on Pinterest

I love the wall length bookshelf & fabric banner in this room! I think a colorful banner would love cute on the tan walls! 

Source: etsy.com via Laura on Pinterest

I've been scouring Etsy for some cute prints to hang on his walls. I love these fun truck prints! They can be found here.

Source: overstock.com via Laura on Pinterest

Potential nightstand lamp? First we need a nightstand. G would love a firetruck lamp!

We bought this canvas at Target yesterday. For $29.99, it was a steal! I know, it's all theme-y, but G is obsessed. He loves pointing out the cars and trucks!

I'm excited to start on his room. We need to paint it and clear it out. He has a tall chest of drawers in there already but I want to change the drawer pulls. I also want to hit up the flea market to find some old toy trucks to put on a bookshelf!

Question: toddler and big kig mamas, do you keep your kid's name on the wall as they get older? I was planning to repaint his nursery letters to use over his bed. Is that weird when they are older?!

So What! Wednesday

This week I am saying SO WHAT if...

• I practically begged for an elliptical 3 years ago & it's now been sitting in our garage for 2 years? Do you want it? Anyone?? Bueller?
• I won't drink water unless it's in my Tervis or other insulated straw cups? I'm not sure why, but I seriously will only drink it during the day if it's in one of my special water cups!
• I was REALLY excited when Tori Spelling announced earlier in the week that she's pregnant again? Hello, Irish twins! (secretly I think this would be fun to have) I love Tori and Dean & they make cute kids! 
• I'm afraid I will look like J Simp towards the end of this pregnancy? 1. Her boobs are so big that it looks like she can't breathe. 2. Pleaseeeeeee don't let me get fat face...pleeaasssseeeeee!
• I went to bed at 8:45 one night this week? 
• I get so sad every Wednesday when I turn on the tv & SVU isn't a new episode? It's such a let down. I already miss Stabler...why you gotta hold out on me, NBC??

Go link up with Shannon so you can say SO WHAT!

sunny days

We have had a crazy mild winter here in Tennessee, so it only makes sense that we've had crazy warm temperatures in March! Grayson loves to be outside & we have spending hours outside...everyday. I'm enjoying the 80's right now because I know in true southern fashion it will be up to 97 degrees in no time time! 

It was so warm last week that I whipped out one of the baby pools to see if G was interested. It may have just been a reason to see him in his cute seersucker swimsuit! 

In true toddler fashion, he showed no interest in the pool at first. So, I put him to work! I kid, I kid. But can't you see this same picture take place in like 13 years?!

We've never used our backyard much. Sad, but true. I decided that Grayson needed a true backyard to play in so we've been working on it a little at a time. We bought the turtle sandbox & G loves it! This was a big step for me. Similar to my chalk phobia, I loathe sand. Toes in the sand? Not a problem. Whole body in the sand? I just got chills. But if the boy likes to play with sand, we shall let him play in sand! 

I also took it upon myself to be the family pooper scooper. We have 3 dogs. Our backyard is like a giant toilet. I have been scooping every day so that G can run around out back. 

That's precisely what he has done! You would have thought this kid had won the lottery...it's a whole new playground!

 

We've been having lots of fun lately. I'm soaking up these last few months of having G as my only baby! So, while he was running around like a mad man what was the mama doing?

 well? the whale was sunning, obviously.

21 weeks with Griffin

*How far along?: 21 weeks

*Total weight gain?: 11lbs....I do not like this at all.

*How big is baby?: a banana...Griffin is right at 1 pound!
*Sex: baby boy!
*Maternity clothes: I need to invest in more maternity dresses...I am hating the pants. They fall down ALL.DAY.LONG.
*Stretch marks: Nope. fingers crossed!
*Sleep: Other than the random moments when the toddler wakes up, I'm sleeping fine. No more nightly bathroom breaks!! At least for a little while:)
*Symptoms: We were car shopping ALL day yesterday and by the time we got home, my feet hurt so bad. My fingers were also starting to swell this morning at church and my rings got stuck--ahh! Seriously...what is going to happen in June/July?!
*Best moment this week: Grayson's conversion kit came in AND Griffin's crib is here! We have to get G's room all situated first before we can set up Griffin's crib. I'm just happy it's here! oh, and? We bought a new car!
*Movement: still nothing...lazy baby? small baby?

*Food cravings: nothing new!

 *Labor signs: hopefully not anytime soon!
*Belly button in or out: in
  *What I miss: my regular pants!
*What I'm looking forward to: hearing Griffin's heartbeat tomorrow!

the baby name game

The name game. It's difficult. I mean, giving a child a name that he/she will have FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE is a pretty big deal. 

The first go 'round was a piece of cake. Ben and I had discussed baby names many times before & had agreed on one boy name and one girl name. Seriously, just one of each. SO, going into our big ultrasound the first time, I knew our baby would have a definite name when we left. I was right....we left with a very active Grayson Benjamin in my belly! 

So now here we are, the 2nd time around. We still have the same girl name picked out...it's in the vault just waiting to be monogrammed on something pink & sweet.

I just knew Baby Dos would be a boy since Ben was 100% convinced it was a girl and we had not even discussed boy names. That would make since, right?

If I was naming a baby with my best girlfriends, it would be a piece of cake. Naming a baby with my husband? Holy headache! Love the man to pieces but he shot down 99.9% of all my suggested boy names. His reasons cracked me up.

That name? Oh, I went to preschool with him and he smelled like apple juice.

That name? Nah, he was a really weird kid in my middle school.

That name? Absolutely not! I didn't like his character on LOST.

Seriously...he kills me. I got a lot of laughs out of the name game!

I am happy to say that our sweet Baby Dos now has a real name! His first name is one of only 2 that Ben liked..ha! He will share a middle name with his daddy. Baby Dos (although I do love it so much) can now be referred to as...

Griffin Andrew

...let the monogramming begin!

So What! Wednesday

How is it already Wednesday? I'll be honest. I have lost all concept of time. I thought it was Monday all day yesterday...whoops. 

I'm linking up with Shannon at L.A.I.D for So What! Wednesday. Today I am saying SO WHAT if...

• I'm already slightly stressing about what to wear to a wedding in a few weeks? It's hard to look cute when you have a soccer ball in your belly. It's even harder to look cute when said soccer ball keeps growing.
• Baby Dos has a name in our house and I kind of like keeping it a secret? 
• I get totally skeeved out when people touch my belly? Just because there is a tiny human inside of me does not give you permission to rub me like a cat. No thanks. 
• a 10 minute car nap totally ruined G's regular nap yesterday? We had so much fun playing outside ALL day! 
• my toddler knows how to use the Keurig? Now, if only he could walk up the stairs WITH my coffee...

the one where I throw a lot of randomness at you.

It has been SO warm here lately. I'm talking 80's...in March. This is awesome right now but it makes me a little nervous about June & July! 

remember these AWESOME cankles circa 36 weeks with G?! Yeah. Me too, unfortunately. That's why I'm scared of the summer heat. 

We've been playing outside for a few hours everyday. Grayson loves being outside & I love that about him. I hope he stays that way! 

Everything makes Grayson's day...everything. And this face? This is what we get to see on a regular basis when he gets excited. I love it. This is what G did as he saw the school bus last week. The kid loves waiting for his friends after school! 

Fun fact about yours truly: I don't do chalk. This whole chalkboard paint trend totally gives me the heebie jeebies. If you want to torture me, make me hold a piece of chalk. If you REALLY want to torture me, make me draw with chalk. I just got chills thinking about that. ew.

I decided to make homemade sidewalk chalk paint (thanks to Pinterest) on Saturday. All you need is water, cornstarch, food coloring, a brush, and coffee (for the mama). 

Grayson was curious about the chalk paint for a little while. It was so much better than real chalk. However, when our neighbor came out to play basketball, all interest in chalk paint was over.

I feel like my brain is about to spaz out on me. I want to clean out G's new bedroom, reorganize the nursery closet, decorate G's new room, & get our yard landscaped for spring. I wanted all of that done yesterday...ha! I just know how fast these 20 weeks have gone by and I know these last 19 will fly by. We have stuff to get done!

G is 18 months old!

G is 18 months old today! A YEAR AND A HALF. We just had his 1st birthday. How did this happen?!

The stats:

Weight: 21.9lbs (6th percentile)

Height: 32 1/4 inches (50th percentile)

Diaper: 4 during the day, 5 at night

Shoe: 4 1/2 & 5

Clothes: this makes me laugh. G is SO skinny. I just bought him shorts since it is so hot here. I bought 18 month shorts & they were HUGE. He stood up and they fell off. So? He is wearing 12 month shorts but 18/24m shirts & jon jons for length. I wish I had the same problem! 

What's Been Going On:

• Current obsessions: any sort of ball, trucks, and animals. We spend many of our days playing outside watching the construction trucks on our street. G loves it! 
• G loves to mimic animal sounds: dog, cow, rooster, donkey, owl, & elephant. He even does an elephant trunk--ha! 
• He can point to his nose, eyes, ears, and mouth! 
• G is so interested in books now. He loves picking out the books he wants us to read before bed! He loves any book with animals & his construction trucks book! 
• Grayson met his first newborn this month. We brought dinner to some friends who just had a sweet baby boy...G was curious about baby Grady! He kept going up to his carseat and staring. I am SO curious what he will do when Baby Dos arrives!
• G is such a big helper...loves to throw trash away, loves to pick out his shoes, loves to put his dirty clothes in his hamper, loves to recycle, & loves to feed his 3 dogs!
• He uses his left hand most of the time...interesting:)
• G is obsessed with older kids. We live on a street with lots & lots of elementary and middle school kids and Grayson loves playing with all of them! We wait for the school bus outside every afternoon and he loves shouting "heyyyyy" to all the kids!
• maybe my favorite new Graysonism? He knows where the baby is and gives his baby brother kisses on my belly. melt!

 Grayson had his first BIG boo-boo this month: he broke his right arm! G had his blue cast on for 2 1/2 weeks and was a champ! I was a little afraid of how he would sleep with a big ol' cast on his entire arm, but he showed me! It really never even phased him. The only thing he hated was having the cast bath...the bag/saran wrap around his arm was too much for him! We got his cast off a few days ago & he was so brave when the doctor was sawing it off. He never even flinched! I was so proud of our boy!

It is so hard for me to believe that Grayson is 1 1/2. He is acting so independent and grown up all of a sudden! I keep thinking of his big personality and how fun of a big brother he will be. I am so excited to see him with a little brother!

I know that each stage is great, but this age is so much fun. G has so much personality & makes me laugh all day! This growing up thing is flying by & I'm trying to enjoy the last of his babyhood while I can. He's turning into a big boy!

Happy 18 months, G!

20 weeks with Baby Dos

*How far along?: 20 weeks...that seems crazy!!

*Total weight gain?: 7 pounds at my last appointment..I'm sure that number has gone up. This dumb question may disappear from the survey soon!

*How big is baby?: a mango
*Sex: baby boy!
*Maternity clothes: wearing all maternity pants and hating them. It has been SO hot here already and I forgot how miserable the spandex panel is when it is above 80 outside. I would compare it to wearing a sauna suit.
*Stretch marks: Nope. fingers crossed!
*Sleep: I have slept great all week and I figured out why! Jack has always slept in the bed with us because he is a spoiled rotten duman (dog/human) and he always likes to lay RIGHT next to me, under the covers. He is like a 7 pound heating pad. I've tried to get him to sleep next to Ben this week and it is so much better...I don't wake up sweating bullets! hooray!
*Symptoms: nothing new really...other than it is really hard to reach my toenails.
*Best moment this week: We figured out the sleeping situation for both boys...glad that is over! Baby Dos now has a new crib coming soon! oh, and I am 99.99% sure we have a name. Like so sure that I bought a clearanced PBK monogrammed stocking yesterday morning....and then got an email 12 hours later that it was completely out of stock. Is that a sign?!
*Movement: not yet...I didn't feel G move until 23 weeks. I keep waiting to feel this little guy!

*Food cravings: nothing new!

 *Labor signs: hopefully not anytime soon!
*Belly button in or out: in
  *What I miss: reaching my feet and being able to breathe at the same time:)
*What I'm looking forward to: starting on G's new room!

Oh, the second child. What they say about you is true. When we went furniture shopping for Grayson we bought one of the most expensive crib sets. This time? We settled for plain, sturdy, and inexpensive. We bought a Grace Lauren Signature crib and it should be here in a couple weeks! 

We went back and forth trying to figure out the living situation for our boys. Toddler bed and crib? 2 cribs? New nursery for Dos? New room for G? 

We finally decided to keep the nursery the same so that Baby Dos can use it. We will just change out the personal touches for Grayson and make it special for this new baby. I'm in love with G's nursery and I am so excited to use it all again.

Grayson will be moving to one of our guest rooms and we will make it like a transition bedroom. I already know what big boy bedding I want for him & we will just work around that. I'm excited to get started! But, yes, he is staying in a crib for as long as he wants!

So What! Wednesday

Is it already Wednesday?! I love that. That means G gets his cast off tomorrow! ....and hopefully they won't put it back on after his x-ray. Fingers crossed! I'm linking up with Shannon at L.A.I.D for So What! Wednesday. This week I am saying SO WHAT if...

• Grayson rarely gets a bath these days? Cast baths suck. That is all.
• I hate the time change at night but LOVE it when it makes my kid sleep until 7:30 instead of 6:30? Yep. I'll take it. 
• I am SO FREAKING EXCITED about The Hunger Games movie? Seriously. I never pay to see a movie at a theater...but this? ABSOLUTELY.
• I organized all of G's baby clothes this week and realized I have an addiction? I own an absurd amount of little boy clothes. Absurd.

 My brain is so sleepy that I literally can't think anymore. That's all she wrote! Happy Hump Day! 

I'm a Kelly's Kids rep!

A few weeks ago I signed up to sell Kelly's Kids clothes! I have always loved their clothes for Grayson & decided it would be something fun I could do on the side. I've always loved getting their new catalogs in the mail and staring at the cute clothes. So? I decided to join the team! I am excited about getting started! 

Have you ever heard of Kelly's Kids? I love their classic style for kids clothes. Their clothes are also great quality and will last. That's important with a busy kid! I seriously could have one of everything in their Spring catalog! 

Here is a peek at some of the things that are in the current catalog:

I added a page at the top of my blog that will lead you to my Kelly's Kids website. You can order straight through my personal website! 

Want a catalog? I'll  be happy to send you one! Want to host a party? You can do that too! Local girls, I will be happy to help you host a home party! Blog girls, you can host an online catalog party! 

Hostesses receive 10% of your party total in FREE Kelly's Kids clothing! There are lots of other prizes and rewards that hostesses can earn, too.  Let me know if you are interested! 

If you order out of the Spring 2012 catalog, you can get free shipping on all orders over $100. Go to my website & browse the catalog...their stuff is SO cute!

I have also created a facebook page to keep people up to date with Kelly's Kids news!

I am so excited about joining the Kelly's Kids team. Let me know if you have any questions about parties, catalogs, or our products!

weekend recap

My parents were supposed to come up last weekend, but the sickies took over our house. Instead, they came up on Thursday night & were able to watch Grayson while we had our BIG ultrasound on Friday morning!

Our appointment was at 9:30 and I made it a point not to drink my coffee that morning. (I know I shouldn't drink any caffeine, BUT, when G wakes up at the crack of dawn...I can't function without it.) I just knew that after my doctor told me this was an active baby last week that coffee would make him/her go crazy! Well, we got into the room and seriously within 10 seconds she said..."want to know what you're having?!" duh. Sweet baby BOY proudly displayed exactly what we needed to see! 

Then? He turned into a sloth baby. He was facing my ribs & would. not. move. I'm pretty sure that my doctor will send me back for more pictures of the important stuff. But? It's a boy!!!!! :) 

We immediately headed over to my favorite baby store at The Factory and picked up something sweet to let G & my parents know what Baby Dos is. We came home with this..

Nothing sweeter than a teeny baby gown! Okay, let's be real. It's not teeny, it's 0-3 months...this mama doesn't make teeny babies! 

The more I think about having 2 boys so close in age, the more excited I get. Bunk beds, sports, trains, trucks, getting dirty, broken bones...ha!! Grayson is getting a built in best friend!

We spent Saturday at Centennial Park in Nashville. I'm not sure why I have never been down there...it was so nice! We had a picnic & just roamed the grounds. It was a beautiful day! 

Grayson was fascinated with all the ducks and pigeons. I love that he is old enough to really notice animals now! He kept waving to the ducks as they ate bread. Friendly little guy:)

The cast hasn't slowed G down at all. He had a great time running around, looking at the train, throwing his ball, and finding sticks. He is ALL boy! 

my mom, G, & my dad

We went out to eat on Saturday night to a little place in downtown Franklin. They had the cutest family band playing country music..including the little boy! His microphone & guitars weren't plugged in but he was rocking out. It was so cute! It kept G entertained for a little bit...which is no easy task at a restaurant these days. 

We had a great time with Nana & Poppy!

19 weeks with Baby BOY Dos

*How far along?: 19 weeks

*Total weight gain?: 7 pounds

*How big is baby?: a mango
*Sex: sweet baby boy...who will remain Baby Dos until we can come up with a name!
*Maternity clothes: wearing all maternity pants and hating them.
*Stretch marks: Nope.
*Sleep: pretty good when G decides to sleep all night!
*Symptoms: I'm just feeling big all of a sudden...when I sit down, I look pregnant & not just fat.
*Best moment this week: We got to see our baby boy & it literally only took the ultrasound tech 10 seconds to find the goods. Trust me, he is ALL boy! I am so excited that we will have boys so close in age! ALSO? I am HALFWAY through this pregnancy already. How did that happen?!
*Movement: not yet...this baby was SO still at the ultrasound; very different from my OB appointment last week. Maybe he's not as active as I thought?

*Food cravings: nothing new!

 *Labor signs: hopefully not anytime soon!
*Belly button in or out: in
*What I miss: my toddler consistently sleeping 11-12 hours at night:) I know, I need practice...but at 19 weeks?!
*What I'm looking forward to: naming this baby! 

drumroll please...

Baby Dos is a sweet little...

 BOY! 

 We are SO excited that Grayson will have a little brother! Guess I am a boy mama!...for now, anyways:) 

spring wants

Spring always has me itching for new things; fun clothes, springy nail polish, cute sandals. I'm not sure how cute my wardrobe will be this spring and summer, but here are a few things I have on my wish list!

Call me a bandwagon jumper, but I have heard SO many people rave about the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I've seen the Naked 2 palette but I think I would use these colors more. I'll take any excuse to explore Sephora & these are calling my name! 

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I'm not sure I can pull off a maxi skirt, but they sure do look comfy!

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Okay, these are not for me. These are for G...but HOW CUTE would they be with his seersucker shorts?! I mean, really.

Now, all I need is some money & warmer weather!