Spring Break

Despite all the snow days we've had this year, Paul still managed to get a whole week off for spring break. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we had some really special days with Gray. There are a lot of pictures on this post-sorry but I'm not sorry! ;)

Monday was pretty busy trying to finish up some last minute things around the house since we were about to put it back on the market and I had to tutor that afternoon. But we found time to take a lunch to Tanglewood and let Gray visit the dog park and ride his four-wheeler.

Thanks to longer days and sunlight until after 7:00, we played bubbles that evening after dinner.

Tuesday we were off early to the Science Center in Greensboro. Gray loves it and we get half off with our zoo/aquarium pass so it's a win/win. We hadn't been since last fall so everything seemed brand new to Gray.

These two make my heart so full!

As much as there was to see at the museum, Gray's favorite part was seeing the school buses on the way out. That is so our boy!

Wednesday we were off early again to the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, which is about an hour from our house. We took Gray last summer when he was barely a year old and he loved it then but fell asleep half way through the wagon ride. We knew he'd get so much more out of it now and it was something we really wanted to do before it gets too hot and baby brother comes along making outings like this a little more challenging for a while. We had a 10:15 wagon reservation which ended up being perfect-it was warm but not hot yet and our wagon wasn't even half full. Gray was in animal heaven.

Like at the Science Center the day before, this was Gray's favorite part of the whole day. Our boy is obsessed with tractors and anything else with wheels!

Thursday morning we were off to Wilmington/Sneads Ferry. My Gram rode with us and stayed with her sister and her husband in Southport for the weekend. They met us in Wilmington to pick her up and then we went to see my cousin and her family for the day and evening, who we haven't seen in way, way too long. My aunt was also there which was an added bonus! Gray was so excited he missed a nap for the very first time since the 'ol colic days. He handled it like a champ though and played long, hard and sweet nonstop until we left that evening.

 

Ruby, Gray and Cole-third cousins!

I can't even stand the sweetness in these faces!!

After a long day of playing outside and grilling out, we headed to Paul's parents for the rest of the weekend. Thursday we headed back to Wilmington for the day. Gray ran around on the boardwalk admiring the boats and water and the many dogs who were out for a walk. We had a delicious seafood lunch at a waterfront restaurant.

On the way home Nana and Grandpa took us to Belk to buy Gray some summer clothes. Gray was such a trooper considering we didn't even get in the car to head home until after 3:00. He slept the whole way home, woke up sweet as sugar and ready to play for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Grandpa let Gray drive his convertible!

And his truck!

Reading books with "Nanny". First time we've ever seen him with his hands down his pants. Certainly won't be the last!

Gray LOVES their big boxers! Sharing milk with Jack.

Saturday morning Gray played outside with the dogs and then we went to watch Grandpa's soccer game, which was at the school that he and Nana teach and coach at. He wasn't one bit interested in the game but the buses were a whole 'nother story!

After the game we enjoyed yet another seafood lunch at our favorite local restaurant. They might have the best fried shrimp I have ever had. I made the mistake of sharing my lunch with Gray-that boy can throw down some food y'all!

After two days in a row of missing naps in his pack n play, Gray took a good long nap that afternoon. As soon as he woke up we headed for the beach. Paul's parents live less than 10 minutes from Topsail Island, which couldn't make me any happier! Gray hadn't seen the beach since last summer so I could hardly wait to see if he would love it the way his mama does. He certainly did and was completely fearless of the water. This day wasn't as warm as the day before but we were certain he wouldn't want to get in the freezing cold water. We were sure wrong! Thankfully we had a change of clothes in the diaper bag. Seeing him on the beach that day got me so excited for this summer!



This picture makes my heart want to burst.

We ended the night playing outside and making s'mores. No surprise that Gray was a fan and is still asking for "mar-mars".

Sunday we drove to Southport to pick up my Gram and see my great aunt and uncle's new house. It was such a cool little town and I wish we would have had more time to spend there. We did get to try out a delicious, water front local restaurant on our way out. It made for the perfect ending to a wonderful long weekend.

And this was our sweet boy just a few minutes into our drive home.

Next time we're at the beach we will have two little boys and I can hardly wait!

Gray's big boy room

Let's start with the toddler bed that Paul built from SCRATCH! We had a twin bed in this room and had always planned on using it for Gray when he moved from his crib. But it was pretty high off the ground and took up quite a bit of space, plus Paul had a hankering to build something. We found a picture of a toddler bed that we liked on Pinterest and just like that, Paul decided to build it. He had no plan to go by for building it, just a picture. He had not built many things before this and certainly nothing even close to this big or complex. Nana and Grandpa generously offered to pay for the wood and supplies for the bed, which we were and are so grateful for. We could have bought two or three toddler beds from IKEA for what this puppy ended up costing, but they wouldn't have been real, sturdy wood and definitely not as special. It took Paul about a month to complete the bed but that was having very little time only on some days to work on it. Since we have no garage or work space, he couldn't do much after Gray went to bed because the cutting and sawing was so loud. I'm not gonna lie, it was a little hard on my type A personality for a bed to be being built in our living room for a month but it was sure worth it and I could use all the refining I can get anyway! ;) We couldn't be happier with how the bed turned out. The drawers underneath are huge and I could just about pee myself with excitement thinking of all the storage space we have in his new room, especially when compared to the closet size nursery he has been in. We didn't want to get another changing table so we will store diapers and wipes in one of the bed drawers and just change him on the bed or floor until he is potty trained.

I put this picture on my last blog post but wanted to have it on this post about Gray's big boy room too. You know, for the sake of the second Hickster Happenings printed blog book one day.


Top picture-Pinterest bed, bottom picture-Daddy's amazing work!

Here is another angle of the bed...

We've known for a while we wanted to do somewhat of an African animal themed room, without it being too theme-y. Gray's second love in this world is for animals-his first being tractors and although I think that would have made a cute room too, we already had several things to make the animal theme work easier. My mom got some canvases made of animal pictures that I took on safari in Kenya a few years ago. We already had a giraffe stool that we'd picked up at Homegoods a year or so ago. We also wanted to use the four hand-knitted animals my mom made back before Gray was born, along with a sweet elephant chair Paul's parents got Gray this past Christmas and also some animal masks and other wood carvings from Kenya that I've wanted to use for years.

This room is not big by any means but is much bigger than the nursery. We knew we didn't want the bed near the window so all along it's been on the long wall opposite the wall when you walk in the room. We ended up getting two pieces from IKEA that are a dresser and shelves combined. It wasn't what I originally wanted but takes up less space and I am very happy with them. We had them right next to each other on the wall across from the bed, which is right to the right when you walk in. Then we had the IKEA toy box in front of the window. I was pretty satisfied with the room but it just felt smaller and more closed in than I'd been imagining it would be. I got the idea to put one dresser/book shelf piece on each side of the bed. I told Paul I was certain I wouldn't like it but wanted him to arrange it like that and let me see if it grew on me for a few days. As soon as he moved the pieces we both loved it. Now the toy box is where those pieces were and the elephant chair is in front of the window. I wish I'd taken a picture of it that way for comparison sake but I didn't and it wasn't worth moving back for. The room looks SO much bigger and open and he has a lot more floor space to play. It also solved the problem of needing a night stand for a lamp and his books to be next to the bed. We were both thrilled about that because we hadn't been able to find one we liked that matched and that didn't seem to cost way more than a nightstand should. The only negative of this arrangement is that we had a perfect place for each animal canvas the way it was before and we had to get creative with finding a good way to hang them all on the same wall with the way his room is now. My BF Lindsey told me that she'd learned when you have pictures that aren't proportionate or even, you are supposed to square up the outside edges and then it doesn't matter if the space on the inside is even or not. I would have never thought of that but I think it looks great.

My Gram was sweet and generous to buy Gray's bedding, which is from Pottery Barn Kids. I'm usually not a big fan of monogramming-I love monogrammed things, it just never makes sense on our budget to put Gray's name on something knowing we won't be able to use it for long or again. But I (or should I say Gram?) splurged and got a small pillow sham with Gray's name on it and also one with Walker's name (in case they stop making that particular bedding by the time he transitions to this bed). Paul took the bedding to Lowe's and matched up a can of spray paint for Gray's letters that had been a soft blue to match the nursery. We left the same white ribbon so it was a quick and easy project to almost finish off his room. I still need to put some recent pictures in frames on his shelves, find a shelf or way to hang/display the animals my mom knitted and maybe a few more little knick-knack things but the room is pretty much done. I really couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

I think it looks much better and bigger in person but here are some more pictures anyway...

This is from the door walking into the room

 

I definitely want to find a few little things for this shelf, though I'm sure it will be completely filled with books in no time.

Thankfully the right closet door still opens all the way even with the shelf/dresser that close to it.

We will probably move Gray into his new room next weekend or the next. I think the transition from his crib to his new bed might be somewhat challenging because he loves his bumper, loves to stand and jump in his crib (he won't be allowed to do either in this bed) and with the way he moves around in his sleep, I won't be surprised if he falls out while he's getting used to it, even with the railings. But hopefully he will adjust quickly and I know he will love having the space to play in his new room. The Lord continues to remind us that we have all the space that we NEED (and more). I never would have thought we could have two kids in this townhouse. Speaking of, we just listed our house last week with a fifth realtor and have already passed the FIVE year mark of when we first listed it before we were even married. Paul did a lot of little home improvements that will hopefully make our home stand out and be more desirable. And if not, it at least makes us enjoy it more as long as we are living here. I'll post more on the house if and when we have any news to share!