Masterbedroom Makeover--Baby Steps

Having kids is helping me become less selfish.

It's bound to, you know.

As much as I want to keep sleeping at 3 am, when that baby is crying, I can only be selfish for so long and ignore him.

Eventually I have to get up and help the kid out.

Or give the 3 year old a snack, or wipe some one's rear, or read someone else a story after they've asked for the 57th time.

When you're a parent, you are forced to be less selfish.

Unless you are a total jerk.

And I'm only that sometimes.

The rest of the time, I'm learning to let go of my selfishness.

Our bedroom is a perfect example.

It was almost a year and a half ago that I started to redo our bedroom.

All that really happened was I got rid of our old, iron bed frame.

After some searching, I found some new bedding and also decided to actually do something about the beat up old bedside tables.

That meant I put them in the garage.

With the intent of sanding and painting them, of course.

But, like so many other things in this house, the project lagged.

That was as far as I got.

My house is one giant, half finished project.

It used to bother me.

A lot.

When I had my first baby and couldn't even clean my closet in one sitting because of his interruptions, I was not the happiest mama on the block.

Half finished projects were not my style.

I like to start things and then get them done.  

Right away.

Having someone else determine my availability to complete a project was a big adjustment.

And not one I handled gracefully.

There was a lot of resentment, frustration and at times, anger.

Embarrassing to admit, but true.

3 kids later, I've come a long way.

I don't have the energy to waste on anger over my half finished bedroom.

Or the unpainted bathroom.

The finger prints and nicks on the trim of every door way.

Or.......fill in the blank.

It's just not worth it.

Things will get done when they get done.

We will devote time to them when we can.

But we won't stop living life just to stay home and get things "perfect".

We live here.

With 4 little people.

We work, we school, we play.

Our home, our whole life actually, is a work in progress.

And I'm OK with that.

(except on a bad day when I get all hysterical and vow to get this house in shape and make lots of threats and promises to myself and maybe to my husband.  but we won't talk about that, OK?)

So, the bedroom.

We currently share our little room with Baby Davy.

We don't really want to invest in new furniture or a headboard because we have dreams of getting a grown-up sized bed one day.

Right now we sleep in a double.

It was pretty hilarious when I was big and pregnant and a kid would end up in bed with us, and occasionally, 2 kids.

I was so tired I didn't even care and slept with my butt hanging off the side of the bed.

That's real life in a little house, baby!

Yes, we dream of a queen sized bed

But in the meantime, we just needed something to hang over our bed in lieu of a headboard.

We found this at an antique market in Cayucos on our vacation.

It does not "go" with our bedding, but I fell in love with it.
Aaron did too, and we brought it home.
Sometimes all it takes to get you started is a little inspiration.
And believe me, we needed inspiration.


Just to jog your memory, here's where we started.
Old, metal headboard.
Beat up beside table, ugly lamp and toilet paper. (i must have had a cold)

Another view of the same stuff.

And here it is with bed frame gone, tables gone, and it's dullsville.

Here's what a little inspiration looks like.

This art is actually a piece from a vintage pinball machine.
I love the way it is worn and chipped.
It has a definite patina.
Not really mid century, but we are not living in a DWR catalogue spread.
We like things with a story.

Hanging the art inspired us to paint the tables.
We sanded them last weekend and then Aaron spray painted them.
I'll show you the before pics next post.
I think they came out soooo great.
He also painted the lamp.

Yes, we still have more art to hang.
And we really need to do something about the ugly, worn, plastic roller shades in the windows, but it's all about baby steps, people.
Because after all, we do share a room with this baby.

And babies take time.
But he won't be a baby forever.
So I'll rejoice over our baby steps, just like I rejoice over his.

If we only find happiness in the big stuff, we'll miss all the little happys that fill our days.
And now this room is a little bit of happy for me.
Love from,
Greta