And speaking of the upstairs remodel ($$$), did I mention this party was on an itty bitty teeny tiny budget? ‘Cuz it was. So much so that all decorations were free (and by ‘all’ I mean both of them).

Decorations:

See my really, really fancy decorations? There were a couple of these taped up around the house, and one on the front door that said “Caution: Birthday Zone”. Hardy har har… I know. I also used these signs to label the different playing ‘stations’.

How to make construction-themed birthday party signs: 

Supplies:

A printer

Painter’s tape

A “stencil” font such as “PortagoITC TT” which came installed on my Mac or download this free one.

Instructions:

In a word document, make signs with a large font size – I think mine was in the 200s – with phrases such as “Happy Birthday!” “Caution: Birthday Zone!” “Hard hats required past this point” and “{Birthday boy’s name} is {age}!”

Print the signs and hang with painter’s tape. The blue painter’s tape is awesome for 3 reasons: 1) it’s easy to remove b) we happened to have some laying around III) it fits the theme and (and the color) of the party.

My mantle, complete with a paint-chip bunting flag, befitting the remodel theme (and also free, made with color scheme paint chips we had from the remodel).

How to make a paint chip bunting flag:

Supplies:

Left over paint chips, either monochromatic or “color scapes” as shown here

Yarn, ribbon, or thick string such as twine

Scotch tape

Instructions:

Measure the distance you would like the banner to span, then times it by 1.75. Cut your ribbon to that length.

Cut paint chips into isosceles triangles. Take a moment to acknowledge the fact that you just used something you learned in high school geometry.

Tape the triangles onto your yarn or ribbon, leaving about a foot of length on the end for hanging. Space the corners out from each other about 1/4 to 1/2 inch to leave room for “swagging” – whatever looks right with your size of triangles. Continue cutting and taping triangles until you have your desired length, again leaving about a foot of length on the end for hanging.

Food:

The party was from 2:00 to 4:00 (after nap and well before bedtime – intentional) so a meal wasn’t necessary, but nobody likes a party without food, either.

We served finger sandwiches (ham & cheese, chicken salad, and “sunflower butter” & jelly – two kiddos in attendance had peanut allergies), fruit salad, a veggie tray, pretzels, Izze sodas, water, juice, and cupcakes.

Most of the food came from Costco. The cupcakes and their frosting were boxed mix/store bought because cupcakes from scratch are against my religion. (Against my religion to make, not to eat. It is very much within my religion to eat cupcakes from scratch, provided they were made by someone else.)

The cupcake toppers are yellow construction hats. I wish I had taken a better picture of them – they were perfect and CHEAP. Ordered from here for less than $4 for a set of 12. On the table there were tool shape cut-outs of paint chips (there they are again!).

O, and cookies.

These came cheap to me because of our awesome house guest – Ms. Ryley of That’s My Cake!. Can you believe that she and her kiddo flew out from Utah for OBoy’s party? She happens to have mad cookie making and decorating skills so these were like, professional grade cookies.

For a while there it was touch and go because the humidity was so ridiculous (as in more humid than the average day in the Amazon Rainforest. Fact.) so the frosting wasn’t hardening, but I think they turned out fabulously. We sent them home as favors and also had some out on the table.

The cookie cutters are from here and were $7 for a set of 5 – screwdriver, saw, wrench, pliers, hammer. After watching Ryley make these sugar cookies with flooded royal icing, well, I think I could *maybe* do it on my own. They wouldn’t look as great, that’s for sure. I also may have taken an easier way out and done regular frosting, because I’m a wuss.

Activities:

Around the house there were three areas for kids to play. This is where the penny pinching really came in handy. OBoy’s birthday present was this hardware store workbench complete with a cash register:

I stole bought it (and most of the tools you see on it) for $10 from a second-hand kids store.

TEN DOLLARS. As in 3 grande chai lattes. SO CHEAP.

{{Thank you, thank you! Here’s my back… would you like to pat it?}}

The store is Once Upon a Child. They are nation wide.  Do you have one in your area? Because if you do you need to go there for things like big play equipment, booster seats, winter boots, and some seriously good prices on clothes. But this is not about Once Upon a Child. This is about OBoy’s birthday.

The hardware store/workbench was not only a birthday gift, it was a ‘station’ at the party.

Do you see that adorable boy in an adorable yellow construction hat and Home Depot tool belt? We had those for every (child) guest and… wait for it… those were cheap too!

The tool belts were literally ¢77 a piece purchased at Home Depot, and I ordered the hats from here for $4.50 for a set of 12.

The next 2 play stations were 100% free to me.

The living room ottomans were moved aside and the main space of the room became a cardboard block building (and demolishing!) site. I had been collecting medium and small sized cardboard boxes for a couple of months with this play station in mind. They were assorted sizes and would have worked fine… but we found something even better the day before the party.

Remember how DanO’s younger brother got married in early July? Well, they got dishes – lots and LOTS of dishes – as wedding gifts and they all came in identical boxes.

{{lightbulb!}}

We had 24 identical boxes that we reconstructed inside-out so that it was more of a tower building station and less of a Fiestaware ad. (Also? My brother and sister in law have 24 sets of Fiestaware. Holy dish envy, Batman. But hey! Sweet boxes for me!)

These boxes live, to this day, in our playroom. I have dreams of going nuts painting them with OBoy someday. Wouldn’t that be fun?

The third play area was the playroom which has a train table in the middle of it. Some days it has train tracks set up, others it’s duplos, but for the party it was an “Earth Movers” station.

We put out all of the trucks and cars OBoy owns and dumped packing peanuts (that came in one of those boxes I was saving) onto the table.

Then we set the kids free.

Be free, kids.

Sure, most of the peanuts were on the ground by the end of the party, and that was with a pick-up session or two, but the mess was minimal and the table was a capital h Huge hit. Apparently the chatty phone got in on the action, too.

The Earth Movers table was a hit. The Build Site was a hit. The Hardware Store was a hit.

The party was a hit.

So much fun and laughter, creativity and energy.

I love this age.

But it’s not.

OBaby found his dirty diaper after his nap.

I have no words.

Look out!

Imma…

gunna…

getchu!

:: eruption of laughter ::

(Not that I really could climb under the dining room table and ‘get’ him given the present state of my 32 weeks pregnant body… but he doesn’t know that.)

We are seeing the emergence of really big, really intense, really hard to recover from toddler frustration. Just these last few weeks OBaby’s tantrums have started to be capital t Tantrums. Today it was taking his toothbrush away that tipped the first domino, and after that everything – diaper change, snack, washing our hands, lunch, not having Mommy’s chai – was a cue for the hysterics.

And so this afternoon, over an apparently unwanted bowl of rice and chicken and right before my eyes, OBaby did an exact re-enactment of yesterday’s photo. (I’m telling you, I think he sneaks the ipod into his room and reads Mommy’s blog at night.)

A few moments after this, Mommy swept him up, gave him his binkie, and nuggled (not a typo – we call it nuggling around here) him until he was good and asleep. Then I kept holding him sweet and warm-breathed for a little while longer. I needed to look at his face when it wasn’t upset. It was a rough morning.

And thankfully, he has been out ever since. Epic tantrums often go hand in hand with epic naps.

O, buddy. There are much worse things in life than being fed cream of wheat cereal.

{So proud of himself.}

The sheer genius of my child, reading some Eric Carle to himself at 18 months old.

Notice how he associates the words with the pages being open? How he speaks, pauses to turn the page, then speaks again? How he points to the images on the pages? How he (mostly) turns the pages in the correct direction?

Those are emerging early literacy skills.

My little early-childhood teacher’s heart could.not.possibly. be more proud.

Next up? Shakespeare.

January 16, 201 1

Dear OBaby,

We celebrated your one and a half birthday yesterday.

{We sang ‘Happy half birthday” to you. You were not a fan.}

Every single month with you has been special, OBaby, but these last 6 months have been particularly amazing for your daddy and I to watch. You have gone from signing 2 words, to signing 5 words, to saying many of those words as you sign them. Your very favorite word is still “H i !” and you will say it to anyone and everyone. You have been known to say it repeatedly in the grocery store until the other person in the baking aisle says it back to you.

You can be stubborn like that. Ahem.

These last couple of months it has become incredibly clear that you love and adore Daddy. I am very much out of fashion these days, but I am more than ok with that because it means I get to watch you as you look up to and mimic Daddy. It warms my heart more than you could know. You got a tool set for Christmas that works just like the tools you see Daddy use and they were you instant favorite. You bring them upstairs with you when you go watch Daddy work on the house and you understand how to use them. In no time flat I am certain you will be Daddy’s right hand man on house projects.

Speaking of Christmas, Buddy, you were an absolute joy. You loved playing with and being oogled over by all of our extended family at the Christmas Eve dinner, and with the exception of when “Santa Clause” arrived, you had a smile on your face the entire evening (even well past your bedtime). Christmas morning was perfect. You were cuddly and excited, and you loved having your Nana, Papa, aunts and uncle over to celebrate. I think they loved seeing you on Christmas, too.

We got you three gifts for Christmas, just like the three wise men brought Jesus three gifts on his birthday. I think this is something we will continue to do, and hopefully the smaller-than-usual size of our “stuff giving” will help you see the value of true giving in Christ’s name.

It’s a time of big changes around here, and you have rolled with every single one of them so far. You are happily sleeping in (and O SO PROUD of) your big boy bed. Daddy and I were absolutely blown away by how quickly and happily you adjusted to the transition. You got the idea, you liked the idea, you acted on the idea. We are so proud of you, Buddy.

We’ve also had a busier schedule lately with work going on on our house and family functions that last later than you’re used to being out. You go with the flow on all of it. Sure, there are tantrums and moments of exhausted frustration, but far more often than not you are up for whatever your crazy parents bring your way (as long as it involves people and excitement).

Yes, people and flirting with them is still one of your first loves.

You have also begun to enjoy music and dancing in these last couple of months. In the morning you will wake up, walk straight over to the sound system, and sign please. We listen to various Pandora radio stations pretty much all day long, taking the occasional chance to have a dance party when a favorite song comes on. You love your music, Buddy, and I love watching you love your music.

I mean really, I just love watching you. Watching you learn, watching you grow, watching you enjoy, watching you try new things, watching you watch your daddy.

You, your boundless energy, and your endless enjoyment of life have helped me be a better person. Thank you so much for showing me what a joy life is everyday. I love you.

To the moon and back,

Mama

PS: I’m sorry about the purple cupcake. Apparently grocery stores think that customers only want Valentine baked goods for an entire month before Valentine’s Day. It was that or pink.

.wordless Wednesday.

So we up and did it. We put the bed together Saturday morning, and by we I do mean all of us.

Monkey see, monkey do, much?

(Kind of terrifying, actually, that he will repeat exactly what he sees DanO or me model. Hope he turns out ok.)

After all of the ‘last bed in stock’ hubub and feeling a bit rushed/frantic, it turned out to be a really fun family project to put the bed together. DanO directed the efforts, OBaby brought tools and (light weight) parts on demand, and I did a wee bit more bending a lifting than my pregnant back would have liked me to have done.

Once the bed was together, the crib came down. And just that fast, it was big bed or bust. Like whoomp, there it is. (Hello early 90s reference.)

We set up the bed, OBaby helped put the sheets on, we put all of his stuffed animals at the foot of the mattress, (which is something one of YOU, my friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet) suggested to us. FABULOUS idea.) and we generally made it a really great place to be.

There is an opening in the railing, which is good because then OBaby can safely get up and down on his own without trying to climb over the rails (and you know he would), but we do need to keep a step stool under it because he is still a wee peanut. He kicked the stool out of the way once accidentally when trying to get down, which had me worried that it wouldn’t work, but once it was gone, he slid down on his belly, got down, and put the stool back.

Smart. Kid.

Conveniently, once we had finished all of this work, it was almost naptime. We did most of the naptime routine on the bed instead of on the rocker like we used to. I think this time on his bed with his Daddy (his most favoritest person in the whole entire worlds) was really good for OBaby – very first association with this new space was calm, positive, and unforced.

They did a little cuddling…

…and then OBaby…

…wait for it…

…dramatic pause…

had a completely successful naptime in his big boy bed, zero stuggles or hiccups!

Granted, no one within a mile radius of our house was allowed to breathe, you could have heard a pin drop for the entire duration of the nap, and DanO and I were completely glued to the video monitor, but it was a raging success. All parties were pleased. When OBaby woke up, he did what he had normally done in his crib: he rolled around a little, played with this toes, did some baby yoga (downward dog is his favorite), and then he got out of his bed. Just like that, he was a big boy bed user.

Can I just tell you how much that nap lowered my blood pressure? O My Serotonin levels, that nap was such a relief and gave us such confidence come bedtime. I imagine that relieved state of his parents helped OBaby with the change, too.

We did bedtime routine as usual and before you could say “They grow so fast”, OBaby was fast asleep for the night in his new bed. It was just as seamless as naptime had been!

At least… until 2:30am…

when DanO and I woke to the sound of little feet padding down the hallway and into our room.

“hi…” he whispered, waddling up to DanO’s side of the bed.

I absolutely died and exploded from the cute. HOW COULD YOU NOT?! I will cherish that memory forever – the sweetness of my little toddler wandering into our room in the middle of the night on his first night in his big boy bed. LOVE.

Except, it was still 2:30am, and he did still need to sleep several more hours. DanO brought him into his room and tried to help him calm down (apparently waking up at 2:30am and being able to walk into your parents’ bedroom puts one in a rather playful mood). We worked on that for an hour, rocking, calming, cuddling, but didn’t really take. Finally we told him that it was time to go to sleep, and we closed his bedroom door.

Please hear me out: I am not one to leave my baby to cry, I’m really not. When he was younger, we did a humorously short stint of trying to teach him to “self-soothe” as it’s called, and after an hour my entire digestive system had turned itself inside out. It just does not work for us.

But.

We knew that OBaby understood where to sleep, we knew that his room was a safe place for him to be, and we knew that he was not scared or disturbed by the situation based on the sounds he was making (a mama knows her baby’s cries). So, we let it happen. He whined, he banged, he complained, but he never bawled. And then, after less than 30 minutes of protest… silence.

Except we couldn’t see him on the video monitor, which meant he was not on his bed.

I’m pretty sure he slept on the rug by his door from 4am to 9am, and yes I feel kind of badly about that. However, he has not done it since. Our entire road since that 4am struggle has been an absolute cake walk. Next day’s nap was a breeze. The next night’s bedtime it only took going back in there once to reinforce that the bed is the place to sleep, and he got it (actually, when he dropped his binky, he climbed down, grabbed it, and climbed back in bed). Since then? Entirely uneventful.

My son sleeps in a big boy bed.

CAN I GET A FREAKING AMEN?!