The big girl room

On Saturday I decided to turn Lydie's crib into a big-girl bed and change her room around to celebrate. I had $20 to invest (a little pitiful). I spent $15 on artwork and $5 on a new frame. The other frames and things have been found at yard sales over the last year from pocket change.

No more babies in our sweet little crib. We were given the opportunity when I was pregnant with J 10 years ago to choose any crib that we wanted. We fell in love with the white, sleigh bed-stlye. It's held up so well. I have been very emotional about seeing it turned into a toddler bed. That little crib symbolizes so much for me- hope, innocence, everything sweet and lovely that a baby brings to a home. While I am a little heart-broken, Lydie has done wonderfully. She has stayed in her bed every night and only fallen out once. When I went to rescue her she had rolled over and found a comfy spot on the floor without missing a single snooze. The great thing about change is that where beauty is lost, there is always more to be found.

It looks a little different:

Come on in!

I took her dress from her first birthday party and another dress that I made her and displayed them this way. I picked up these frames and needlepoint circles at a yard sale, for pennies. Soon the frames will have black and white pictures- one with Lydie and me, and the other with Lydie and Andy. (*I use the word "soon" loosely.)

She loves to cook. I hung some pails on hooks for her food and tea sets. She can take the pails down, or just reach in and grab a thing or two.
Above her table is this little display. I bought the bird watercolor from our artist neighbor for $5. It looks great in this 10 cent frame. (The bird theme is carried throughout the room. Lydie loves birds and sings like one, too!) The mini tea set was my Grandmom's. The frame has a black and white of all three kids together. This potter's bench-stlye changing table that Andy made for her converts nicely for toys and baskets. She loves music and books and princess toys. Those hanging iron stars and dragonfly have been one of my favorite things in her room.

There is no way I was getting rid of our rocking chair. It too has been around since J was born, although I recovered it when I was pregnant with Lydie. I remember rocking and praying when I was pregnant 10 years ago, and then with each pregnancy. I wonder how many times I nursed these little ones right there? No, she will probably be an adolescent before I can bear to move out this chair!
The pink flower painting cost $10 from the same neighbor. The tree art was a free download. The mirror and green framed bird silhouette were all second-hand finds, too. That little yellow cross says, "Celebrate!". Someone gave it to me when we were pregnant with our third baby that we lost. And I love it! We try to celebrate life every day!
These plates used to be in the kitchen. Lydie loves them. So here they are for her to enjoy. We will add more above the bed as time and our budget allow. They are a little small for the space, but it's nice to have room to add and make a collection. We just used a baby quilt for her bed. I know she will soon outgrow this toddler bed, so I didn't invest in a nice bedspread. Her room is a very eclectic mix of color- anything goes!
Her little dress up area is fun. The mirror and hook are at her eye level. I remember buying them for her when I first found out I was having a girl. Her dress up clothes are just inside the closet. She LOVES this new area.

I had to frame her Gigi book cover above the dress-up stuff. If Gigi were real, she would be Lydie's soul mate. Every girly-girl needs a Gigi book or two.

So there it is, the big girl room. We now have no diapers, no crib, no babies. Time for a new chapter (sniff, sniff).

"A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot."

-- Alan Beck