Christmas in July

While trimming our bushes today, I took down our last string of Christmas lights.

We only turned them on once.

Well, We're Riding in the Car

Lila was bugging me in the kitchen yesterday by grabbing important stuff off of the kitchen table.  She got a hold of Johnny's keys, and I said, "Ugh! Just go use them to drive your little car!" Thinking that might get rid of her.

It certainly did.  She even hung them on the plastic key the car came with.

A Threatening Message

Now that Olive is sleeping through the night (knock on wood), we decided to move Lila out of the guest room and back into the girls' shared room.  Tonight was our first attempt, and Lila was not happy about it.  Screaming, kicking, crying, the whole shabang.  She eventually calmed down, but when I went upstairs to get something I noticed that she had slipped something underneath the door.

Why yes that is her play knife from her play food cake.

Message received loud and clear, Lila.

Bunk Beds

Besides the credit card points, one of the great things about buying $798 worth of groceries at Costco for my bulk cooking group is that we have approximately five million boxes to take to the recycling.

Lila decided to take advantage of the situation and build some bunk beds for her doll and her giraffe and her weird circley monster.

Only the giraffe actually got a blanket.

Weird circley monster had to just suck it up in the corner.

And don't worry, the rest of my cooking group paid me back.  Or had their knee caps broken.  Whichever one they chose.

Baby Chloey's Nursery

I've been wanting to do this post for FOREVER.  I was lucky enough to grow up down the street (and around a corner and down another really long, steep street and then up a smaller hill...I mean I probably wouldn't walk there or anything unless I had to...) from my cousin who's a month older than I am.  And now our girls are lucky enough to grow up walking distance from each other too.  Anyway, my cousin Melody is super talented when it comes to decorating, and her daughter's nursery is the most adorable nursery I have ever seen.  I finally got over there to snap a few shots.

The paint color is Lazy Days by Valspar.

The crib was an Ikea purchase. $99 for a super cute crib? Yes please. I hope Olive and Lila like playing in the wooden shoe at Ikea daycare because that's where they're going to be every day when it opens.  Maybe they'll teach them Swedish. 

The polka dots were an Etsy purchase.  I don't know how she got them on so straight.  I definitely would have given up after about two.

These book baskets are one of my favorite things about the room.  I did gutter shelves in Lila's Big Girl Room (which by the way is being changed back into a guest room...wish us luck with convincing Lila to sleep with Olive tomorrow night), and for the amount of books they hold, they are quite pricey and not all that cute.  

These baskets from Hobby Lobby look a lot cuter and hold a similar amount.

The flamingo print is what inspired the room as well as the baby shower our book club threw for Baby Chloey.  The flamingo print as well as the sparkle print were both Etsy purchases, and the sparkle print was an instant download! I would have never thought of that. So cute.

Melody originally painted this piece to be used as a sideboard in her dining room, but then moved it up here for a changing table.  She attached one of the same baskets she used for books to the side for holding diapers.  My favorite part about the room, though, has to be this little door that leads to a secret storage space.  When Chloey is older, Melody plans to put a little ladder up to it and finish it off as a play room.  So fun.  I'm hoping she's also planning to host sleepovers...every weekend.  Between Ikea, my parents on Fridays, and Aunt Melody's house on Saturdays, I might never have to see my children again!

I love how all of the closets in Melody's house have these cute shuttered sliding doors.  Sliding doors are never cool, but these actually look nice.

Now just FYI, Melody decorates for other people too, not just her own adorable baby.

Isn't that a cute card?

 Love it all.

Lila Says

Lila: Mama? Where are you? I miss you! I want to let you guys be with me always!

______________

Rachel: So what do you think you want to be for Halloween?

Lila: A Teacher! Or a mommy!  When I grow up.

Rachel: I think you are confused about the difference between Halloween and growing up. For Halloween you could be a ladybug...or a princess...

Lila: I will be a princess.  When I grow up.

______________

Upon playing with Daddy's stud finder for the fourth time.

Rachel: Lila! What did I say!?

Lila: But it's wonderful!

__________________

While playing pretend with Aunt Lauren's roommate's cat's toys.

Lila: You are in time out!
Lila: But we want to be with our Mommy and Daddy!
Lila: No! You are in time out!
_____________________

Lila: I'm Track Star Lila!
______________________

After waking up in a very bad mood from nap time.
Rachel: Don't you want to go to the park with Daddy after he gets home?
Lila:  No! I want him to go back to Army!

Fort Buildin' Time

In an attempt to be a "cool," "hands on," "involved" mother, I helped Lila build a fort over the weekend, a fort that she promptly decided looked like a bed and commenced playing her favorite game: "Pretend You Are Sleeping."  She never even went in the fort.  She just kept fake snoring.

PS. I saw something a few days ago on Pinterest bemoaning the fact that there are only something like 940 Saturdays between birth and when your kid goes to college and how you should make the most of those days.  Only?! (insert furrowed brow).  That's a lot of unused forts.