Hootie's Nest and a loose plan for using it....

We have lived in our house for a year now and we have never really done much in Hoot's room, aside from putting her furniture in there and grabbing laundry or something for her to wear from up there occasionally.  As you all know, she doesn't sleep up there and never has.  Naughty parents. But that all has to change before September 1st (or there abouts) when we gain a sister - unless I lose my mind and crate a "family bedroom" for all four of us like Garrett suggested....  I don't want it to come to that.  LOL

So we have started phasing Hayden's room into less of a receptacle for her clothes and more of a space for her to play and relax in. 

We took some toys up there and we decorated a little bit and now she is obsessed with going in there. She wants to spend all day in there.  She can go up an down the stairs now, which freaks me out and we keep it gated when we aren't watching like hawks.  While it is scary, it is a good thing that she can safely navigate the stairs, though, because she has snuck up there on occasion when we forget to re-gate the entryway...  :-/ Again, naughty parents. 

You all know how I hate to spend a ton of dough on things I have or can do myself, and I am proud to say that this little spruce-up cost all of $0 so far.  Go me!!  This is thanks to a combo of creative rearranging of things we had, some cute hand-me-downs and gifts - and of course that darling bookshelf from Grampa.  I still have some little ideas that need to be taken care of (which will no doubt change the $0 price tag, but not by too much) but for now I want to show you our Garden Girl's room.

This crib turns to a toddler bed for when she figures out how to climb out of it.  I am hoping that is when she is 10. LOL Okay, that won't happen, but for now, she has no clue. 

I also need to find some cherry frames for these pictures.  They were passed along to Hayden by my cousins Amy and Christina.  We were going to paint a tree on this wall (we may still someday) but when Amy and Christina brought these pictures over, they were perfect!!  I love Peter Rabbit, and we are aiming towards a Garden-ish, girly theme in here. :)  Thank you, Amy and Christina!!

These are the pom-poms from her birthday party...  I think we need some over the crib, too.  They are super easy and cheap to make and make an adorable statement.  (Look HERE to see how to do it yourself.)

The little (okay, huge) Piggy bank in the corner was something that Garrett's family had in their house when he was a kid.  We have had to sitting in the garage for a year, and every time we would come or go, Hootie would say hi and bye to it, stick her fingers in his nose, and kiss him.  We decided what better place for her friend than in her room.

These are Garrett's dishes from when he was a baby.  What a happy coincidence that they are also Peter Rabbit!!

 The famous dollhouse bookshelf, now housing toys and books.  She likes it. :)







































So, that is the (mostly) completed big-girl nest. 

Now the plan is to spend time up there playing and hanging out an next week start taking naps up there, followed by sleeping up there at night.  It is time.  She is not a tiny baby anymore and the pack and play isn't gonna cut it forever - and we are not having a "family bedroom" no matter what my husband tells you.  LOL  I am actually hopeful that someday in the future (maybe not until both kids are like 12 and think we are uncool losers because we are their parents, but someday) I will be able to sleep without a little person joining me in my bed to spend the remainder of the night kicking me in the kidneys, punching me in the eye, and yelling "MAMA!" three inches from my face in the dark of night. 

A mom can dream, can't she?