A Boy and his Room.

We've been trying to make the playroom more comfortable and organized.  The kids, as kids often do, would bring their toys out of the playroom to wherever we were in the house.  A little of that is fine but we have such a small house and too many toys in the main room which serves as our living/dining and kitchen is too much.  Moving back here from NY was helpful as many of the toys were still packed up when we got here. So I was able to go through them and select our favorites to put back in the room.  The rest are in the garage in boxes.  When Michael asks for something specifically I get it out and secretly and put it in our toy bins for him to find.

Much of our toys fit on this shelf in bins.  The bins stay in the same place and are organized in play food items, Lincoln logs, matchbox cars, wooden blocks, our wooden road set, train and the last bit of random plastic toys that linger. 

The mobile I made when pregnant with Owen is in a corner.

The play clothes area with all our play capes, gnome hats, felt crowns, a train hat and yes, a spider man suit or two.  I painted the owl and tree branch.  I'd like to do more painting but I'm indecisive as we rent.  I don't want to put too much work in just to have us leave. 

We've been hoping to transition Michael in here as his bedroom and soon after Owen as well (that may be wishful thinking). As much as I love co-sleeping I'm ready to have my bed back.  So we added this moon over our owl.  It goes through the phases of the moon and it's beautiful at night.  It such a fun little night light and really looks like moonlight too. 

Here's a little basket of two little toys I made for Michael and Owen at Christmas.  You can tell we like owls.

 

This is our tiny play house area with basket cradle, a doll chair and hammock for the babies.  The "table" is only there sometimes.  I love the play silks clothes-pinned to a line.  I saw this in a Waldorf school photo somewhere and had to recreate it here.  We use our clothes pin dolls that we've made throughout the years. 

I have a DIY play kitchen in the works that I'm a little intimidated to create.  I found a solid oak TV cabinet on Craig's List for $15.  It's perfect! Now I just have a little work ahead of me, I'm hoping to have it made by Christmas.

 The boys in action.  We bought a couple more little wooden trucks at our Farmer's Market that inspired this play. The more comfortable and artful we make it the more they've been playing here.

And finally, Ta Da!!!  My eldest is in his own room!  We made it so comfy he's been more and more interested in it.  I also have a habit of reading in bed before sleep and Michael detests this practice.  He likes darkness to fall asleep.  So one night in a sort of desperate tone he asked me to please move his bed to the play room.  "I want my own room!" he boomed.  Okay, absolutely son!  He's been so happy there. We've tried this before only to have him waking up with nightmares. So we haven't pushed it, we knew he'd ask when he was ready.  It seems he is ready!

I'm hoping to get bunk beds soon and do a little reshuffling of furniture. So, it's in progress. As life usually is. 

Until next time...