Big Boy Transformation!

The moment we changed Austin's crib into the toddler bed and especially now it's changed into the full-sized version, I've been waiting patiently (HAHA!) to redo and repaint his room.  I knew I wanted a color scheme that would 'grow with him' and not be temporary (ie: last only a year) so I figured I couldn't go wrong with blue.  However, I had to find "THE" blue I wanted.  A few months ago I came across a blog from the DIY Showoff where a dining room was painted Shale Grey by Behr  It was THEN that I knew I found the color I wanted for his room.  I just had to get Scott on board - someone who LOVES white walls LOL - and decide what else I wanted to do.  I knew I didn't want it all a solid color.  I wanted some variety.  I loved the stripes in the kitchen but it was H-A-R-D work.  Granted, the outcome was worth it, I just don't think I'd want to do it again. 

After getting a few sample colors - the Shale Grey in addition to others just in case - and putting them on the walls, I went back to get a shade lighter for an idea I had.  Scott, of course, loved the lighter color so I figured I'd paint the whole room that and use the darker as the coordinating stripe OR on the lower 1/3 of the wall. . . I wasn't sure.  I really liked the stripes in the kitchen so I figured why not do horizontal?!  It definately would be easier with Scott's amazing Lazer Level that's for sure!

BEFORE:

What you see as you get near his door.  Sorry it's a bit dark :-/ 

His Bedding. . . compliments of Target!

During:

On Sunday, I was cancelled at work, so I used that day to get a head start on painting.  I knew the job would take a minimum of 3 days to complete: 1 day to paint the base color, 1 day to let it 'cure' and put the tape up and another day to paint the stripes, so I wanted to get started!  Carolyn was kind enough to watch Austin after church so that Scott and I could tackle the base color.  We wanted to get as much done as we could so that on Monday morning, mom and I could finish the base color and prep the walls for tape.

However, we did run into a crisis of sorts as we started painting on Sunday.  This is my thought as Scott was 'cutting in' the ceiling area: "ummm. . . why is there two distinct colors on the wall when it's coming from the same paintcan?!"  DOH! 

 So he headed back to HomeDepot - happily, right Scott? LOL - to get primer so that we can put it on the already existing painted wall. What a sweet Husband!! XOXOXO

Primer + tinted with the Blue Fox Base Color 

Our Base Color: Blue Fox by Behr 

We finished up the room late that night and waiting for the paint to dry.  LOL!  I'm already loving it!  Austin started out falling asleep on Sunday night & Monday night in our bed (for the first time ever!) and then we moved him over to a make-shift bed in the playroom once he was asleep.  I'm not one who thinks it's a good idea to have my child sleep in our bed.  He never has so why start now?   He did wake up Tuesday morning in a bad mood when he realized he was no longer in "momma's cool bed" LOL 

Monday morning, after I dropped Austin off at Preschool, mom and I tackled the task of putting the tape up on the walls.  It was a little premature (was barely 14 hrs) to do so but I didn't think it needed to wait a whole 24 hrs, like I've read? 

THE HARD WORKIN' PAINTERS! 

Thanks to a tip I read online somewhere as well as a tip a sweet friend of mine sent me, I 'sealed' the tape in by painting the base color over the area that I was about to paint with the darker stripe color.  It seals it in in a way where you have very little 'bleed through'. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it DID!!  We were so excited!   

WE L-O-V-E IT!!! 

COMPLETE:

Now all I need to do is put his Pixar CARS wall decals back on the walls somewhere and get a nightstand to go next to his bed.  Then his room will officially be complete.  I love the outcome and love that it can grow with him.  All I'd have to do is change the bedding - which won't be for a long while!  So easy. 

Scott thinks he's so funny and asked me when I was going to paint the playroom since that, and I quote, "is the only room left to paint"  HAHAHAHA  funny guy but you're wrong!  I have our bedroom, our bathroom AND the playroom to paint.  hehehehe  What shall be next?  Give me a few months then I'll decide.  At least I already know what colors I want to paint the Master bathroom and the Master Bedroom!  I just need the money and energy to do so!

Play Ball!

Thanks to the Texas Rangers, my son has found a new love.  Ever since the Rangers made it to the World Series, baseball fever is strong in his veins and he is in L.O.V.E. 

Pitching in Poppa & Nonna's kitchen as one of the Playoff Games were on 

Watching a World Series game and batting alongside the team!

Now don't you worry, Pixar CARS is still his #1 love, but I'm beginning to think that Baseball and the Rangers are a close second!  Everytime a game is one - since the playoffs - Austin's glued to the T.V.  If he spots a Rangers logo and he calls out, "Lets Go Rangers! Lets Go!"  When he sees a baseball he calls out "Go Rangers"  Austin asks daily when he can watch baseball and we sadly have to tell him he has to wait till February when the season starts again. 

For his 2nd birthday we purchased a Tee Ball set for him.  He played with it a few times here and there but no real excitement. . . until he saw what the Baseball players on TV were doing.  He gets that toy out every single chance he can get and won't put it away! 

As parents, you want to support anything your child loves.  Well we try to foster Austin's interests as best we can by giving him the tools to express himself.  For example: he loves music, so we've let him bang on pots/pans, purchased a kids style piano/drum toy, had sing-a-longs, given him guitars.  He loves his CARS - and well as you all know, he knows ALL of their names and can even disect the movie from scene to scene!  And now, baseball. 

Recently, Scott purchased a toddler-sized baseball glove and soft ball at Toys-R-Us and Austin won't ever put it down!  He practically begs to sleep with it!  It's so adorable.  He spots the glove and ball in the am, grabs Daddy's glove and wants to "pay baseball"

AND NOW OUR FAVORITE PICTURE. . .

We can't wait till this summer or next to put him into T-ball!

Trick or Treat!

Austin, er. . . I mean Lightening McQueen Race Car Driver, went trick or treating this year and had a blast!  I mean, come on!  Would Austin be anything else BUT Lightening McQueen!  LOL

 It was so cute.   Apparently (I was at work being a nurse for Halloween HAHA!) Austin figured out the concept of Halloween really quick.  After the first house, Austin kept pointing to the other homes saying, "THAT ONE!!"  He realized if you said, "Trick or Treat" some nice neighbor would give you candy LOL

THEN. . . one house had the Ranger's World Series Game on.  Well, it was all over after that! Ever since we've been watching the Ranger's Game during the playoffs and now during the World Series Austin's been loving anything baseball related.  He loves watching the games, yelling, "Lets Go RANGERS!" and playing with his baseball and bat!  At this house, Austin stayed at that house for about 20 minutes then yelled out, "Home!  Watch Rangers"  Ahh, my lil baseball lover!

hahaha!

Crazy Boy!

Austin is such a silly sleeper.  Here are some examples of the positions Lil Man has been seen sleeping in:

 In his crib

In his toddler bed

(sleeping with the unfinished sucker midway to his mouth)

In his carseat after Preschool

Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere!

Today, Nonna, Austin and I joined my MOMS group at the nearest Pumpkin Patch for storytime and pumpkin pickin'!  We had such a great time despite the fact it was unseasonably hot for the middle of Oct.  I kind of laugh at that statement since it was only mid-to-high 80's and Texas Summers are WAY worse but the past few weeks have been amazing so this was a shock to us!

We arrived before the scheduled storytime for some running around freedom and for pumpkin pickin' time:

Yea, don't ask!  LOL

GRRRR  the stupid timestamp!  Wish I knew. . . oh well - lets pretend we don't see it, okay?!  :)

Then storytime began: 

and after storytime the kids got to pick out their own pumpkins to take home!