Nursery Blues

January 27, 2009

Well, the day has come to say goodbye to Max's Baby Nursery. 24 hrs after to big event I am taking some time to remember. Here are some pictures right after Scott finished the room in 06 before Max's arrival. We thought it was great. The story behind the change is simple . . . as you will see. Since November, Max has had issues with his bedroom. At first he didn't want to sleep in there at night. He claimed he didn't like his room. So reluctant to paint over the wonderful murals, we agreed that he could sleep in the spare bedroom. (Great parents, huh?)

Finally sometime in December he voiced what was wrong with his room. He told us that he didn't like his animals. He wanted them to be painted. So still not wanting to paint over them, we continued to let him sleep in what he now called his "big bed" (the queen in the spare bedroom). He hoped and prayed he would get over the animal thing and come back in his room. Guess what? Yea, it never happened. By Christmas, Max was sleeping in his "big bed" (spare bedroom) for all his naps and at night. Except every time he woke up he hollered and screamed because he was "scared". He asked us not to paint animals in the spare room. Like we were going to paint more "scary animals" or something. When he awoke in these fits, most nights he was ending up in our bed. No, no, no. It is sweet for about 30 minutes, until he was good and asleep and started throwing arms and kicking feet. So our next move (remember not wanting to paint his room because "he will grow out of the scared stage" right?) was to place the toddler bed in our room. So when he got up in the night from the "big bed" he could be safe in our room, just not between us. Good thinking, huh. This arrangement last a few days and then he refused to even go to bed in the spare room. He wanted to start the night in our room in the toddler bed.

Are you following me? Why can't we just slow down sometimes and listen to our babes? All he asked months ago was for me to paint "Scott's animals". So on Monday I got up on a mission after a night with him in the toddler bed at the foot of my bed . . . we were painting. I got all the brushes, rollers, and paint out from when we did the room before his arrival. I placed the sheet on the carpet and a brush in his hand. We went to work. With tears in my eyes and a grin on his face, we first took out the elephant . . then the lion (he wanted to do the scary ones first) . . . then the ostrich . . . next the giraffe with its plant and lizard. Finally I moved to the monkey corner and started on the vines. From behind me he said I quote "WHOA, WHOA, Momma, what are you doing?" I turned around exhausted at this point and tired of controlling him with paint. I said "painting the animals, Max." He told me "No, not the monkeys, they're nice." Great !! I thought, here we go. So I stopped where I was and inquired about the zebra . . . "he's nice, Momma" . . . the bird on the closet? "He's okay too, Momma."

I knew better than to ask about the mural of Kix. I was refusing to paint that one anyway. But my little man of few words (NOT!) spoke up without me asking and said "Kix my dog can stay too, he's a good boy." Whew, missed that one for now. Here's Max at 7mo petting the Kix mural. It really used to confuse him.

So, now you know the adventure of his room. It is all blue now except for the monkey/zebra corner. We have no plans of what to do now. But I know one thing . . .he loves it. He couldn't wait to take a nap in there yesterday or to go to bed in there last night. So we are only one day into it, but he is happy. Again, remind me why we think we always know what is best . . .why sometimes we can't get on there level . . .and realize they might know what they are talking about . . . (I did say sometimes!) Until next time . . . . Here are some pics of the blank walls and my babe sleeping soundly in his "new not scary room".