With the addition of a 2nd little man on the way, Andrew & I decided it was probably time for Hunter to make the transfer from our bed to his own big boy bed. It's actually been a wonderful experience to share our bed the last couple years with Hunter - I mean who doesn't relish in a good nights sleep & then waking up to kisses & " Good morning - I wuv you." There's just something to be said about how comforting it is to have all your loved ones together, in the same space. (besides the sweet snuggles that will surely be missed). OK - I better quit thinking about how precious it was or how much I enjoyed it before I change my mind! ; )
So here was Hunter's nursery (that he maybe slept in a hand full of times.)
Andrew did an excellent job of re-staining & distressing this hand-me-down crib and some sweet friends lent us his bedding!
Our goal with Hunter's nursery was to make it "rustic boy" & something he could grow into rather than out of.
Then during our few attempts to have him sleep on his own, we converted his crib into a toddler bed.
So with a new baby coming - it was officially that time. Andrew and I made the decision that Hunter was ready to begin the transition to his own bed, but we wanted to make sure and keep it as happy & exciting as we could so that he wouldn't feel like the new baby was the reason for being "kicked out" of mommy & daddy's bed. We first started the process a few months ago when we decided that we wanted bunk beds for his room. With a second boy on the way, we figured it would be a fun way to share a room if that's what we decided down the road. The problem though, was that we couldn't find any that we just loved, that felt sturdy enough for two boys climbing all over it, and of course wasn't outrageously expensive. So after looking high and low, Andrew came to the conclusion that he'd just take on the challenge himself and build what we had been searching for. Hunter jumped on this idea and made it official telling everyone we met that:
"Daddy is building me bunk beds!"
"Daddy is building me bunk beds!"
Hunter says "they're pretty awesome."
And really enjoyed his part in "helping" Daddy build, clean, & stain them. :)
Staining - uhggg
Move-In Day
Once fully constructed, Andrew came back and added braces to make it more secure for 2 active boys that will soon be climbing on it. (last project is to stain braces to match & we are done!!)
I searched high and low for bedding that I liked and that matched his current room color. (which all colors are altered in these pictures & are much prettier in person.) I really wanted matching quilts for the top & bottom and FINALLY found one that would work. So far I am LOVING this quilt because it is sooooo easy to make the bed & I think it's going to hold up really well for my rough little man. Only problem - it didn't come in a twin. But being the thrifty folks Andrew & I are, we figured we could cut down a full/queen to fit the top bunk and still have enough material for Granny to make 3 pillow shams! It worked PERFECTLY & saved us quite a few $$ - Thank You Granny!!
I already had sheets for the the full on bottom, but needed a set of twin sheets for the top. I came across these construction sheets at TJ Maxx that matched great and gave Hunter a special new pillow case to use as well. :)
Happy Little Boy.
Kept this area the same, with the addition of a new lantern night-light that he loves.
Think we've read these books a few times? Haha Notice how the edges of his favorites (mostly the truck ones) are the so worn out . . .
I moved his name letters underneath the top bunk.
Granny must be rubbing off on me because I've been feeling a little crafty here lately. I made my first pillow applique & I think it turned out fairly cute. Hunter of course LOVES having a cement truck pillow on his new big boy bed.
Moved the shelf & changed it up a bit with his vintage bunny rabbit, a deer antler, and one of Andrew's derby cars he made with his dad when he was a little kid.
I created this poster special for Hunter, knowing he'd appreciate the variety of construction vehicles displayed in his new bedroom.
On the side wall I added this super cute vintage truck and have started on my last project for his room which is making a sign to hang just beneath it (I'll have to update later) . . .
I surprised Hunter a couple of weeks ago with bean bags - his own & also one for baby brother. (planning ahead)
He was so excited over them, especially the idea of his baby brother having one just like his, that they can read books or watch cartoons on together.
For now, one went in his little storybook reading nook and the other in the bonus room.
Granny's handmade curtains got to stay & match great!
Not much in the shelving unit changed either, which made me happy (since that was the plan from the beginning!)
The train tray is an old antique that Granny & Papaw had hung in their kitchen when I was growing up . . . and the red lantern & thermos were my Great-Grandpa Knight's.
Andrew found the Dr. Pepper sign tucked away in Grandpa Joe's barn, the children's books are probably 50+ years old from Granny's hoarding collection of all her kids & grandkids old toys. ;) But the neatest item on the whole shelf is the old wooden toy of Hunter's Great-Great-Grandpa Knight's. When you swing the toy & make the red ball twirl, it causes the wooden chickens to "peck" the board. Super neat & super old.
The baby boots were Andrew's & the Saddle Oxfords (remember those?) were either mine or Colt's.
Dug around Granny's old shed & found a few "vintage" toys from our past.
Of course Hunter needed a couple of his Daddy's deer antlers on display, and his Pa's old leather football & jar of marbles.
Aunt Amanda gave Hunter the little Radio Flyer and Uncle Colt gave him the Duck & Shells 'piggy' bank - which Hunter is really starting to enjoy filling up with all the "coins" he finds.
When the big night came, we started out with the old routine of brushing teeth, night time diaper, (which he rarely ever needs anymore - yeah!) and pjs. But instead of rocking to sleep & being placed in our bed, the new routine is that we (mommy & daddy taking turns) lay down with him in his bed & read 3 books (because he is 3 years old of course - and almost always about trucks), then say our prayers. (I've started asking Hunter for his own prayer requests & I'm going to have to start a prayer journal because the things he comes up with to pray about are both precious & hysterically funny; as in his #1 request the last couple of weeks is for Boss - Colt's dog - to "do more tricks." haha) Then it's lights out & we stay with him until he falls asleep. Eventually we hope to graduate to Hunter falling asleep on his own, but one major milestone at a time! Lol
Hunter loves this 'Monkey Tools' book because the monkey uses tools called a "pickle picker & putty slapper." He giggles & giggles.
The first night Andrew & I slept upstairs across the hall from Hunter, in what will soon be the nursery/our temporary bed. Obviously our good intentions to be -right-there- didn't go as planned, when Hunter woke us up at about 2am sobbing hysterically in our bedroom. Poor baby had slipped quietly downstairs only to find us "gone." I rushed to comfort him but he was distraught by the thought that we had LEFT HIM. We both felt terrible. After a while of calming & cuddling, I laid back down with him and tried to explain that we would NEVER EVER leave him and that we loved him so so much. He laid there quietly thinking about this and then through a few snubs said, "But you do weave me . . . yous go to work . . . and wif Grandmommy . . ." I couldn't help but smile, because he was exactly right. We do leave him - just not in the way I was meaning. Smart little boy . . .
For the next few nights Andrew slept with Hunter in his bed (my belly can't handle the bunkbed right now), just to make sure we didn't have any sad/scary repeats and to help him become more comfortable about the new sleeping arrangement.
So now it's been about 5 weeks and we are finally seeing some GREAT progress. It took 15 nights of middle of the night wake-up calls or sneaking into our bed but on night 16 - HE DID IT! His very first night to sleep all night long in his own bed without waking us me up! I was one proud momma.
During the next 2 weeks it only happened a couple more times, but still, that's improvement. So last week to help encourage our little man even more, we bought a couple new pair of pjs. Hunter helped pick them out and was especially excited over a particular pair (that he immediately changed into when we got back home).
The reward for filling up the chart? A trip to his favorite store, Wal-Mart, to pick out a new toy - which right now he has his mind set on a game called 'Pop the Pig' that he saw on a commercial. :)
He's very excited about the whole idea and I'm hoping that it's the extra push we need to make this a habit. Although mom asked me recently if we were sleeping better and enjoying our empty bed . . . honestly, I truly enjoyed and felt comforted with all of us sharing a bed and therefor slept better. With Hunter all the way upstairs, I think I am sleeping lighter so that I can make sure and hear him if needed . . . and to me, there's just something wonderful about all of us being snuggled 'together.' Andrew sleeps good and hard through any situation so it hasn't really effected him either. But - We are SO PROUD of our Hunter man and know it's probably the best thing for all of us with a new little man arriving soon!
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
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