Wednesday, March 17, 2010

St. Patty's Day Flashback

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!
Hope you're celebrating in style...

As I was taking Barrett's 2010 St. Patty's day picture, it made me curious to look back at our St. Patty's day celebrations over the last few years. 

{ST. PATTY'S DAY 2007}
The days before Barrett...we partied with friends.

{ST. PATTY'S DAY 2008}
Our first St. Patty's Day with Barrett Russell
He looks so tiny in his green pants!


{ST. PATTY'S DAY 2009}
Barrett was 14 months, and we were visiting my brother and his family in South Carolina!
Again...he looks so tiny in his green pants!

{ST. PATTY'S DAY 2010}
No green pants this year ;(

Saturday, March 13, 2010

my favorite room

Barrett's room is my favorite room in the house. 


 I guess it's not really a "nursery" anymore, and soon it will have a big boy bed in it.  I'm sad for that day. He sleeps SO great now, and has only climbed fallen out ONE time...about two month ago.  It scared the crap out of him, and he hasn't done it again since! AND we have no new baby coming anytime soon, so we're not in any hurry to move him to a big boy bed. We already have the bed, so we'll do it when we're all ready.

So, back to my favorite room...

I think I love it so much, because I dreamed about this room for so long. I am a planner. I am a perfectionist. And with my degree in Interior Design, I had waited my whole life to design a nursery. 

I could not wait until that August 2007 afternoon, when we found out what we were having. I think I was probably drawing floor plans and searching online for baby bedding the next day! I found the crib and changing table online, and knew I wanted a dark wood. We bought the rocker/glider at BRU, going for a neutral color that we could use in any future nurseries. The other furniture was handed down from family...making it so special. 

Some BEFORE ---> DURING ---> and AFTER shots

Yikes!! When we moved in, we painted the walls a soft yellow, and it had furniture to be a guest room.
After a couple years, I glazed over the yellow walls and DID NOT like it. It stayed like that for about a year, and the room became "storage" space. I was glad to finally have a good use for the room!


 My sister-in-law, Kim, painted all the walls for us while were were at work one day. I loved the color...it was so cozy (Sherwin Williams: Sandy Ridge #7535). Justin and I spent several hours one evening painting the stripes. These were all Sherwin Williams colors as well. The dark brown: Java #6090. Lighter green: Ryegrass #6423. Darker green: Tansy Green #6424. Then we put up the custom name decal we ordered off the internet. And NEW carpet!

November 2007...ready for our baby boy

Once we had the room all finished, we showed it off to our family and friends.
It was the way we revealed Barrett's name to everyone!


This rocker is my favorite place in the house...
I spent many nights there during Barrett's first year. Nursing, rocking, and falling asleep with a baby in my arms.  Oh, how I miss those days. 

But I'm thankful now, that Barrett still asks me to "rock, Mama."
And we cuddle and rock, in my favorite place. It always feels so cozy.


Frame over the changing table...
Maternity pictures taken by my friend and fellow photographer, Making Smiles Photography.
The verse in the frame says:
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when is is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid.
One who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

His room is full of many beautiful things; gifts from friends and family, and handmade treasures.

This is Barrett's view while he gets his diaper changed :)
He always looks up and says "hi moose"
(his daddy picked out this moose on our 5th anniversary trip to Branson, before Barrett was born)

We got that Wee Block at one of our baby showers. It cracked me up...
We used it a couple times when he was new. But really, if a baby is gonna to pee on you...a baby is gonna to pee on you!
There's no stopping it. Now it just sits in the basket.


AND this is what Barrett's room usually looks like...
when I'm not taking pictures of it.


Just the way it's meant to be...
Toys and books scattered everywhere. A little boy emptying out a basket of cars. The sweet sound of laughter. All the more reason I LOVE this room, and it has become everything I ever dreamed it would be. I don't know how long will be in this house, but I know that I look forward to watching this room grow and change with my little man while we are here. And I will be so sad to say goodbye to it...my baby's first room.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Kickin' off Grilling Season!

We had gorgeous weather over the past weekend.
On Sunday evening, we did one of our favorite things...

Grillin' steaks!

Justin does the grilling.


Barrett plays on the back patio.


  I take care of all the "side dishes" in the kitchen.



I loved being out on the back patio with my boys.
The fresh almost-Spring air was wonderful, and Barrett loved getting reacquainted with his outside toys.
They've had a long winter in the outdoor toy box.

I can't wait for the time change this weekend, so we can spend more evenings outside. I'm curious what it will do to Barrett's 7:30pm bedtime though?!?! Any suggestions on an easy transition for that? It will still be light out then, and when it's light out longer, we tend to be out and about more. Maybe we can adjust his sleep hours to 8:30 pm-8:30 am...instead of 7:30 pm-7:30 am? I guess we'll see!
 
Blog Designed by Rita of CoffeeShop