Alrighty folks, after my post about Elouise’s big girl room I got lots of questions. You asked, so I’m answering. Here are all the teeny tiny details from Elouise’s room, scroll to the end to see where all the cuteness is from. Each and every thing was handpicked and intentional to make this space special for her. Let me know if I missed anything!
I’m not sure if it’s fair to call it her big girl room since she never had her own room prior to this, but that’s what we called it to get her excited about sleeping in there after we moved and it’s kinda stuck. Going from a mini crib in our walk in closet at our 900 square f00t one bedroom, to her own big room at our new house was a bit daunting at first so I knew that I had to make this space special for her. It took me a couple of months to pull it together, remember we started from scratch so give me some grace, and I can finally say that it is complete. I can honestly say that we are both incredibly pleased with how it all came together. You guys, she LOVES her room! Anytime that we have a guest over she wants to show it to them and bedtime and nap time are a breeze. Hallelujah! My most favorite pieces came from Birch Lane. The chest and nightstand matched the style of the room perfectly, they were affordable, and are such quality pieces that will grow with her even as her room changes in years to come.
I know that right about now you’re probably thinking “that’s not possible”, but I assure you that it is. However, it may not be the solution that works for you, your child, or your circumstances. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the most important thing that my years as an early childhood educator taught me is that every child is different. So, feel free to try exactly what I’m doing, alter some of it, or throw it all out the window. Let’s be honest, no child will be wearing diapers forever, even though it may feel like forever when you are wanting them to be potty trained. I assure you it will happen. I have watched lots of children in their potty training process and it usually goes one of two ways. The first way is that the parent decides its time to potty train based on the age of the child or some other external circumstance. The second way is that the child decides they are ready, whether it be all on their own or by showing signs of readiness and being guided by their parent. I am a firm believer in the second route, it typically means less meltdowns, tears, and accidents. I don’t know about you, but those are the things that I would like to avoid at all costs. We started potty training because Elouise showed signs of readiness, and now she is essentially potty training herself.
We celebrated our sweet girl yesterday with some of our family and closest friends. Since E is only turning 2 she had basically no expectations, we just opened our home, turned on the bubble machine in the backyard, made sure the door to the playroom was wide open, and of course set out lots of food. I vowed that this year would be low key and fun, and I think I sort of accomplished that. So, I’m going to share a whole lot of photos and also a few tips on how to create a stress free toddler party.
Okay, so let me start by saying that I actually love to cook. However, being an adult means that cooking is typically not a leisurely experience where I am trying out a new fancy recipe, wearing a cute apron, and listening to french music. Nope, like never actually. This means cooking has become a little bit more like a chore and a lot less like a hobby. I think the biggest reason why cooking isn’t as enjoyable for me is because I have to meal plan, grocery shop, and do all the cooking (luckily my amazing husband handles all the clean up). Enter my new obsession, Hello Fresh. I click a button and 3 meals are sent straight to my doorstep with everything I need to have a great dinner for my family. I can finally relax and have fun in the kitchen again and I even had the energy and patience to let Elouise be my mini sous-chef! Lucky for you I have a sweet coupon at the end of the post.
