Room Re-Wrangle

We are coming upon a monumental landmark in our household... it's time to rearrange all the kids into new rooms!!! AHHHHH!

When we moved into our house, we still didn't have a clear idea for baby #3 {we built a 4-bedroom house yet Brent would flip back and forth over whether he wanted a third}, so we decided to put Trent {so sad, no 'official' pics of his room} and Drew {room tour here} in the bedrooms that shared a bathroom and leave the 4th bedroom - that has a private bath - as a nursery or guest room until Trent and Drew needed a little privacy.

Enter Paige {hallelujah!!!!}, and we set up her nursery in the private room because it was just easier and we didn't know her gender so we weren't sure who needed to share a bathroom. We knew we'd have to make moves since we had opposite genders sharing a bathroom - it just makes sense to give the solo gender the private bathroom. It worked out so well that Paige is a girl because the sharing a bathroom could be weird between Trent and his brother 7.5 years younger!

That was a lot of lead-up to get to the main point - Paige has started climbing out of her crib {and hurting herself}, so the time is upon us! Honestly, this is one of my LEAST favorite transitions as a parent - the cribless freedom! Fun reminder of Trent's first night in his converted crib!

So here's the plan: Trent moves to Paige's room with the private bathroom, Drew moves into Trent's room, and Paige moves to Drew's room since it's the smallest of the 3. Yup, you read that right - ALL CHILDREN ARE MOVING ROOMS AT THE SAME TIME PAIGE WILL BE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HER CRIB. To say I am overwhelmed and a little scared...is an understatement! {grin}

Tentative timeline:

• The kids have a week off school over Thanksgiving, and I plan to take off work with them - I think this is when we will tackle who is sleeping where. Paige has stopped climbing out for the time being {and tells me 'Mommy, I stayed in my bed and called for you!' so I think we're okay to wait a little longer}. Given the effort that has gone in to get our kids to stay in their rooms once they have freedom and GO THE EFF TO SLEEP, I think it'll be key that I don't have to work. If anyone has tips for how they effectively handled this transition, I'd love to hear them!
• We can take apart Paige's crib and Trent's bed, and put mattresses down for Drew and Trent in their new rooms. Paige can immediately start sleeping in Drew's bed - she is keeping the bed, bedding, dresser, and nightstand.
• Wall decor will get stripped off the walls during Thanksgiving break - except for some of Drew's stuff which is staying up for Paige.
• We will also work ssslllooowwwlllyyy over this week to start moving stuff from room-to-room. All the shoes one day, all the clothes in the closet, etc.
• Drew's new room will get some paint, I hope to do that one weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas and have her sleep somewhere else. She is also getting an antique bed from Brent's mom that we are going to get my dad to paint. Painting the room will be easier before the new bed comes in.
• Trent is getting bunk beds, so we'll need to order that to come in over Christmas as well.
• Then we need to decorate the big 2 rooms, but I'm not as worried about that.

What we need to buy:

• Trent's bunk beds - our tentative set has a built-in desk and dresser - it's so cool looking!
• Bedding for the top bunk - he wants to keep his current quilt so that makes it easy! And it's a standard print from Pottery Barn, so even 7 years after we got his quilt, they still have it!
• Book shelf for Trent! That kid has books overflowing every space in his room. There's a really cool DIY one with pipes coming out of the wall that I am entertaining the idea of...
• Wall decor for Trent {he's keeping his 2 Star Wars posters which surprises me, but his current room is pretty lame already, so we'll need to get him more}.
• Bedding for Drew's new bed since she's going from a twin to a full.
• Paint for her walls. So thankful Trent is being so chill about all this - he said he just wants the stars to come down off Paige's wall but the paint can stay!
• Possibly a new dresser for Drew - we're not totally sure what we'll do with some of the existing furniture we have. Her new bed is a Jenny Lind style {like her crib, which I LOVE}, and I found a Jenny Lind dresser...so I'm debating.
• Wall decor for Drew - she wants to keep just a couple of things from her current room.
• Wall decor for Paige - we won't need much since a lot of Drew's stuff is staying in that room - but we'll need a few things.

I'm sure I've forgotten to list out - and think of - some steps, but I think this covers the big picture and also hopefully highlights why I'm stressed out, ha.

Any good advice for 1) making this an easy transition for Paige, and 2) making this not a GIANT project for me?

Paige's Nursery

I finally finished Paige's nursery a few weeks ago, and after our cleaning lady came this past week, I thought it was high time I took some pictures and showed it off. I think it turned out fantastic if I do say so myself! {grin}

Since we didn't find out ahead of time what we were having, I was going for a relatively gender neutral room and knew I could add some masculine or feminine touches as needed. Originally I found a picture on Pinterest of a turquoise, gray, and yellow striped wall that I loved but had trouble nailing down the person who could paint it, so I decided to do a turquoise wall instead. Then I added gold stars to trickle down onto the crib. The crib was my sister's that all 3 of her kids used.

The focal wall {I added the pom-poms after Paige got here}

When you first walk in this is the wall to your left. Love the vinyl sticker of her name!

The little book shelf and rocker go all the way back to Trent.

And that door leads into the bathroom.

Above the dresser/changing table are what I am most in love with - 

These signs {made by my sister} are mostly songs I have sung to all my kids.

A lot are songs my mom sang to my sister and me.

Moonshadow by Cat Stephens

Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul, and Mary

If You're Happy and You Know It

Baby Mine {from Dumbo}

This 'G' is also from Trent's nursery and a friend made it. 

I just repainted the G in the same color as the wall.

Paige's closet

Another view of her name

And there you have it! I love how it turned out...and maybe soon she'll actually be sleeping in here?!?!

Updates

Disclaimer: I am writing this Wednesday night, so hopefully by the time you are reading this I've had a baby. But let's not get too crazy that this might actually happen. {grin}

• I am 41 weeks pregnant. That's a tie with Drew for longest pregnancy. I am mostly doing okay - nights are hard because I have trouble sleeping. I feel as good as you could hope at this point and am trying to focus on enjoying my last days of my last pregnancy. I'm also enjoying a lot of chocolate. {grin}
• The plan at this point is I will go to the doctor on Friday for an ultrasound. If everything is fine, I will go again Monday for a non-stress test and amniotic fluid index. If everything is fine, I would wait until 42 weeks {12/22} and be induced. So at most I have 1 more week. Seems a looooong way away, ha.
• The upside is Allison and I plan to see La La Land Thursday night when it opens in Austin. If we make it, that would be 6 potential Oscar Best Picture nominees we'd have seen together {Sully, Arrival, Moonlight, Loving, and Manchester By the Sea as the others} and 1 Brent and I rented {Hell or High Water - very good!}. Only a few left to check off with Smoochie in tow!
• The nursery is complete except for a few things that require knowledge of the gender and us having chosen a name {which we have discussed exactly 0 times}. So I want to share it when it's totally done. However, I wanted to brag on my really talented sister. She made 6 signs for the nursery that all have song lyrics I {or we} have sung to our children. Some are also songs that our mom sang to us. I love having these on the wall. So here's my favorite sign and one of my favorite songs {Moonshadow by Cat Stephens}. Isn't it perfect?

• I've been on a motivational kick you could say to gear up for another natural childbirth experience. I'm super excited but nervous {like did I rock Drew's delivery because it was so fast and if this one is long will I lose it? type thoughts}. And there's no room in here for self-doubt! I watched a documentary called Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives. Holy crunchiness. I love Ina May and have several of her books, and this was a great documentary...but man did it show a lot of births. Definitely more than I wanted to see at least!!
• I am trying a ton of natural induction methods - think raspberry leaf tea, walking, jasmine essential oil, evening primrose oil, prenatal massage... I think I've mainly just wasted some time and money because it is a FACT that my babies like it inside!

So that's a quick peak into what is going on around here. Hopefully a birth announcement is just around the corner!

Thanksgiving Breakdown

Whew! We have had a busy, but fun, past few days. I love, love, love the holidays, and I know I am annoying to Brent. Luckily he loves me, and I'm excited to share what we've been up to.

Our holiday week started Tuesday with Drew's Thanksgiving feast. Trent's class doesn't allow parents during this lunch - those elementary kids are too cool - but I still get to go to Drew's. After lunch, she got to come home to start her break, and then we had to go back at the end of the school day to get Trent.

Drew requested silly faces for our lunchtime picture.

Wednesday the kids didn't have school, so I took the day off. Drew had a birthday party for one of her best friends from school, and my parents agreed to watch Trent during the party and have the kids spend the night. So amazing as I worked on my long list of baby prep after the birthday party. {Sidebar: Trent's class took a field trip the week before the break and saw a Charlie Brown play, and T loved it. The night they stayed at my parents was when the Peanuts Thanksgiving special was on and my parents watched it with them and said T cackled the whole way through it.}

Chuck E. Cheese fun!

Let me tell you though - it is not fun at 38 weeks pregnant!

Thursday morning I picked the kids up from my parents' house and went to Brent's grandma's house {which is 5 minutes from my parents' house} to celebrate Thanksgiving with Brent's side of the family. The kids had a blast with a smattering of cousins, and I got to visit and rest!

Our last holiday as a family of 4!!

And of course a silly face picture!

Brent stayed at his Nannie's house while I went to my parents' house and had dinner with my family. Again my kids had a blast with their cousins! Miles wasn't there when we got there {my brother-in-law brought him later}, and I want to remember forever the 2 of them hugging when Miles got there - it was the absolute cutest!

Just a swingin'...

Bucket Head

We also celebrated my sister's birthday which was the next day.

Happy birthday to the best sis a girl could have!

Babs and Pops with their brood. 

We joked about letting my belly be in the picture.

Drew fell asleep at 7:00 at my parents and would NOT wake up.

I was a bit stressed about what that would do to our night - especially when she woke up at 8.

When we got on the highway, it was shut down and our normal 30 minute drive took an hour.

Normally that would irritate me to no end - but by the time we got home:

A Thanksgiving Miracle!

Friday I decided to take the kids to see Trolls. OMG - we LOVED it. I bought the soundtrack as soon as we got in the car, and if we aren't listening to Christmas carols, we're jamming to JT!

SQUEEEEEE! 

Did anybody else watch? I'm still processing that ending.

Um, they'll have to do another season, right?!?!

Saturday we finished off our tree! We had to buy a new one after the lights went out on our tree last year. Brent wanted a bigger one, so we got a 9 foot tree, and it is MASSIVE. Brent had to do a lot of the work this year because I got in trouble for getting on a ladder earlier in the week - Brent and both of our mothers scolded me!

The finished tree {minus needing a new topper}

And look at all those presents - I'm almost done!!! BOOM!

We put a movie on for the kids before bedtime and they were sitting the same.

Sister had to copy Bubba, and it was too precious.

Sunday my amazing MIL wanted the kids for a few hours. We met her at a local hamburger place, and after she bought us all lunch, I hightailed it home and they played. Win-win for all!

While home, I finished the nursery! There is still some wall decor to add, but that won't happen for a while {need to know what to name the baby before we can put the name on the wall, ha}, so it's as done as it's going to be.

The beast of a dresser Brent and I put together.

He did the frame, and I did the drawers.

I also made the last 2 freezer meals I had planned, and

I got 2 pounds of Trent's spinach hamburgers in the freezer.

{I doubt he will eat most of the meals I cooked, so he's got pork chops,

grilled chicken, and hamburgers in the freezer.}

I finished the night sitting on my duff because that all WORE ME OUT. Today is my 38 week appointment - the scale will NOT be my friend after this weekend but such is life. Here's hoping for a healthy update and that everyone had as equally a good holiday! And happy birthday to my dad!

Life Lately

What has been going on with the Gurleys lately {besides not blogging much this week}?? Well, let me fill you in!

I never blogged about going to see Newsies a few weeks ago with my mother-in-law. Years ago, I had season tickets for 2 seasons but stopped because I didn't enjoy enough of the shows being offered. My mother-in-law kept up with it and occasionally I get the opportunity to go with her still. Well, Newsies was AMAZING! Unfortunately, the national tour ended in Austin, but if you ever have the chance to see it - IT IS A MUST DO!

We didn't get to see my dad for a few weeks when he was sick and first out of the hospital. I think you can tell that Drew missed her Pops when we finally got to see him!

'Look at me! I'm Daddy!'

Manning a station with my little man at a fundraiser at school.

Trent reading to Drew at bedtime. LOVE.

Someone slept hard, huh?

{Sidenote - girlfriend is doing pretty good with her sleeping in panties. We had a few bad nights in a row, but we started getting her up before we go to bed for 1 more trip to the potty - that has been huge! I think we have had 1 accident in the last 10 days.}

Making morning faces

Sneak peak - one of these colors is going on the nursery wall!

A sweet snuggle moment that went wrong fast. {grin}

Lots of swinging at a friend's house - Trent in this swing cracks me up!

Picking flowers at church for me. Swoon!

Last chai for a WHILE...sob. Doing a modified pregnant Whole 30.

Sleeping HARD!

Last year spelling homework for him was such a battle.

He has been so good with it this year. 

My boys are doing a sit-up and push-up challenge together. So sweet.

We had a family movie night and introduced the kids to The Sandlot.

Bath time together - we haven't done this in a while and I remember why.

That's a little peak into what we've been up to! We have a busy weekend planned, and I'm going to tackle a lot on my October goals list. Whoo-hoo!

Baby Gurl Nursery Reveal!

Get ready! I am done with Baby Gurl's nursery (at least until she has a name)!! This is a majorly picture-filled post for a room that is really small, ha.

View from the doorway

{I got the curtains for our apartment, I love how perfect they are in her room.}

Collage wall...I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this turned out!

I hope to add onto it in the future, but I think it's perfect!

As a reminder...this was the inspiration

Close-up

GAH! Couldn't you just die over her crib?!?!

And her bedding...love it! (From PB Kids...the Brooklyn collection)

And the poms were an Etsy buy too.

Can't wait to be rocking/nursing my little gurl in that glider!

Her name will go on this wall...someday!

Attempt at a panoramic #1

Attempt at a panoramic #2

Can you believe all these clothes? Thanks, Blair, for the hand-me-downs!

I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites from her collage wall... A lot I bought at Hobby Lobby (and most 50% off too!), some came from Etsy and some was recycled from Trent's nursery.

Bought from this Etsy shop.

Perfect colors and hearts galore!

I mean, seriously, how much do I rock for making this?

Trent had a 'Sweet Baby Boy' sign like this, so I had to get this!

Totally cheesy, but I love what it says.

Bought from this Etsy shop.

My fave little section!

So there you have it! It is as done as it can be for now, and I literally walk in there multiple times a day just staring. It turned out so much better than I even hoped it would. Now we just need a baby!!! {grin}