Nora's Big Girl Room!: Part Three

Nora came home right as we were finishing up today. I had her wait a few minutes while I set up her tent, and then I called her to come open the door . . .

She was so excited! Her first reaction was to just jump up and down, and then explore everything. She said her new room is "soooooo beautiful!" Another quote: "I love my big girl bed!, and my new mag-a-nets (magnets), and my campout!" She wasn't in there for very long before she was lost in playing and reading in her tent. ;) It was a great surprise!

Happy (early) birthday, little Nora. We are happy you are enjoying your new room!

Until next time . . .

Nora's Big Girl Room!: Part Two

It's done! ;)

Well, mostly. I still have some things to hang on the walls, but the room is 98 percent done! FINALLY! It took a lot of effort on our part, but we were able to get this done in 6 days with almost no issues. My mom and mother-in-law were a HUGE help in getting this done - trying to paint and drill into the walls with two kids around is tricky. But it's done now and it turned out awesome!

Anyway, here are the photos:

The official "big girl bed", complete with the bedding that Nora chose herself. We also used one of the ledges we had originally built for Gray's room above her bed - and I LOVE it! Above her head it says: "she leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes". So, so true for Nora!

This is the nightstand. I got this for ten bucks on a swap site, and I painted it and added new handles. It turned out fantastically! Plus - lots of storage. ;)

Nora's short dresser, with her own little mirror. She's a bit short for it now, but I am sure will be able to easily see herself in it much too soon. Also a little shout out to Fish Is Fish, who is happy to be out of Gray's room. ;)

Here's where I ended up putting Nora's magnet board. I really wanted her to be able to reach it so she could hang things on it, and so here's where it ended up. Also, a ton of her books are stored in the bin below.

A view back towards her right wall. This wall will look a little different as I hang her "gallery" here. It also houses her book rack, which she can now reach - even though it doesn't hold nearly close to all of her books! One thing she begged me for in her room was a tent - she had even specifically picked one out. It wasn't possible to get the tent she wanted in her room, so I was racking my brain trying to come up with another idea. My first thought was "bed canopy", but I couldn't find one that wasn't completely tacky. I saw this tent on clearance at Michael's for 40% off, and I picked it up!! This tent was 12 dollars, and it's Nora's new favorite thing - I call it her "Reading Tent", she calls it her "Camp-Out". Whatever you want to call it, it's awesome because it can be easily taken down if needed. WOOT!

A close-up of some of the items that will end up in her gallery.

Toy storage. The labels on the bins are dry-erase and are from Target. I think I may need a wet-erase marker to make sure they don't get rubbed off so easily! I am also entertaining the idea of using vinyl, so we'll see what works best as we go along.

A view of her tall dresser, with her new hook board on the wall. I still need to remove the Command Hooks from her closet door.

The view back towards the closet. You can see the growth chart Great-Grandma Pat made.

The view when you walk in.

Another view of her bed.

So that's it! Stay tuned for the next blog entry: Nora's reaction to her new room. :)

Nora's Big Girl Room!: Part One

Can I tell you a secret? Nora is turning FOUR this year. Seriously. She's practically in college already. *SOB*

Nora's room is still pretty "nursery-like". The rocking chair, changing pad/table, and diaper pail are gone, but the decor is still "baby". When I decorated this room, I had no idea who the little person was that it was being decorated for - or even if it would be a boy or girl! Now that we have had four years to get to know this beautiful, smart, creative, and exhausting child - it's time for a change. ;)

Before I dismantle the room, I thought it would be a great idea to show how Nora's room has "morphed" over the past four years. It still is nursery-like, but we made changes as necessary of course! I did a post on Nora's newborn nursery that you can see here. But this is what it looks like now!:

Nora's toddler bed, and the makeshift "house" I made her one day out of a sheet and a curtain rod that for some reason never went away. You can also see her train table.

The view walking in the door. You can see the book sling I made her long ago, that she has wayyyyy too many books for!

Her old changing table, that now houses "Fish Is Fish" (her fish). Also her not-very-old toy bookcase, that never looks like this! ;)

Another view of her old changing table. Here you can see her Pottery Barn magazine rack, that I intend to utilize much more in her new room design.

The view looking back. You can see her new magnet board and the wall hanging that has been there since she was born. *SNIFF.*

Another view of the magnet board and the growth chart that her Great-Grandma Pat made her.

Another view of the wall hanging.

I must admit: as I snapped these photos, I got a little teary. This room represents who Nora was as a baby very well - but she's just not that baby anymore! She's grown so much, and changed into this beautiful wonderful little girl. Her new room WILL represent that! Change is good of course, but I'm sad that this room has to change already. Didn't I just bring her home from the hospital yesterday??!! No? . . . Hmmmmm.

Nora's birthday wish this year is a "blue room and a big girl bed". That's where we will begin!

Until next time . . .