When Eloise first asked me for her own room I admit that my thoughts immediately went to Esther..her roommate. I communicated to Eloise I was not comfortable with the displacement of a sister unless another suitable rooming situation that she approved was found for her. And no, the local animal shelter does not quality.
The only other place Esther could go was to her baby sister’s room. A sister that is nearly 5 year younger than her, still in a crib, gets up at the crack of dawn, and can honestly still smell bad. I expected Esther to say ‘there is no way I’m rooming with my baby sister’ but instead she said ‘really?! I’m so excited to room with Astrid! She’s so funny!’
Problem solved. Eloise got her tween room makeover and a space all of her own and her own door to slam so very soon. May peace be with her.
Esther moved into the nursery and their bedroom makeover began.
I told Esther that she could pick the colors but somehow we needed to figure out how to shove them both into this 10×10 space and still have room to walk AND we currently are not in a position to buy new furniture. Esther said she wanted Caribbean Blue…not just any blue..but Caribbean Blue. Astrid wanted a room full of Raspberries.
Also I like to keep my children caged up as long as possible so Astrid is still in her crib in this room(thankful that none of my kids ever climbed out of the baby cage) – so when she moves out of that(when she’s 10, right?) we will have to decide if we can swing bunk-beds to help with the space constraints or if we will just have to find another twin somewhere.
They’ve been together now for four months and they love sharing. I thought Astrid’s early waking would bother Esther…but sometimes at 5:30 when I’m downstairs meditating blogging with a bong cup of coffee I hear Astrid wake-up and whisper ‘Esther Esther – can you hear me’ and I always expect to hear ‘Astrid please go back to sleep’ but instead I hear ‘Let me come lift you out of your crib so we can snuggle for awhile.’ Which is followed by soft giggles and sometimes a return to slumber.
When I go upstairs I sometimes find them both as two little spoons dreaming away in a sea of Raspberry Pink and Caribbean Blue. I bet their dreams are fantastic.
*****
Bedroom Make-over Details:
Colors – Benjamin Moore Seaside Blue and Razzle Dazzle Pink
Astrid’s crib and bedding – existing(Ikea nearly 3 years ago)
Esther’s bed – actually given to us many years ago by my old boss in The Netherlands.
Esther’s duvet - Garnet Hill
Desk – given to us by Kristi
Desk Chair – awesome desk chair from Ikea
Bean Bag – gift from their Auntie Amy from Pottery Barn Teen
Wicker bookshelf – from Pier 1 from like 1989 when I was in college(thank god I trashed the papason chair – raise your hand if you owned a papasan?)
Sheer panels and canopy – clearance from Ikea
We still have some more decorating to do…but all and all I think she’s pretty happy with the results…don’t you?
Wordful Wednesday with Parenting by Dummies.
Looks fantastic! We also moved a middle sister from her two year older sister’s room to her four year younger sibling’s room, but with much less positive results. So now she’s in what was once my study, and so now that I think about it I’m the one who really lost on that one…
Anna recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: How to eat a piece of cake, by Ziggy, age 2
LOL – Yeah I think you need to get that study back.
Their room looks fantastic! It made me a little teary to read about Esther and Astrid snuggling together. I hope my girls have that kind of bond with each other despite their 6 year age difference.
Delilah recently posted..So What?
Yes I am so blessed that they all currently get along well. Don’t ask me how it’s going when they are all teens.
Tracy … I always looks forward to your posts. The room is amazing … I love the colors. Do you suppose you could put in the bunk beds NOW, so that I could share the room with the girls?
Loved the spooning comment … what a joy it is to hear of the bond between them. I love it … Can’t wait to hear/read more …
LOL – they would love to have you join!
LOVE it! Love it! LOOOVE IT!
How do you make a small room look so amazing? Where’s all your stuff?
darcie recently posted..Box Tops for Education – You CAN make a difference!
Wide angle lens my friend. And really that is all their stuff. We have one other dresser with art supplies…but that’s it. All big toys are GONE!
Oh it’s just gorgeous! It looks way bigger than a 10×10 so good job there.
Love that they snuggle, that’s just the sweetest thing EVAH.
Some days I just want to go over there and kidnap all your lovely daughters.
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..A Gift and 39 Weeks
It looks great. I love the colour combination. And Esther looks so darn happy. I am ashamed my rooms are not even close to being done. Feel like flying to northern Alberta. I would make you Hot Chocolate with Baileys?
Dana
Dana @ Bungalow’56 recently posted..She’s Hit Her Stride
Saturday works for me!
If their dreams are anything like that room, they are most definitely fantstic. Oh, Tracy, that room is gorgeous. I loved Eloise’s but this…this is stunning. And please. Astrid and Zaid are just a couple months apart; he’s still in the full cage too. None of them climbed out (although he is threatening to be the difference). I figure before he turns 3 in September I’ll convert it to the toddler bed. Until then? He ain’t complainin’.
Arnebya recently posted..Listening
That is so cute! My son and daughter shared a room for five years and when we finally carved a space into a tiny house for a third bedroom, it happened to have a connecting window to the room next to it. Our kids begged us not to wall it up and instead kept it open. We could hear them talking to each other through it at night. They are in their teens now, and they are still great friends.
Michelle recently posted..The Sun In Her Eyes
Oh that is seriously adorable. I love that they are still great friends. My brother and I shared a room until we were 8 and I sure missed him when he moved into the converted family room.
I love the color choices. Very pretty and vibrant.
My 2nd oldest son decided he would share with my youngest son when we moved, which meant my twins were no longer rooming together.
My little twin daughter is now sharing with my oldest daughter
debi9kids recently posted..a milestone for my girls
Awwww. ::sniff:: ::blubber::
The rooms are beautiful. But the girls? Are gorgeous! On the inside and out. I love that Esther and Astrid snuggle in the morning. Sounds like my kind of wake up. Can I come over and snuggle too?
christine recently posted..A Little Thanks
The room is so pretty. You did a good job with it.
Terra Heck recently posted..Wordful Wednesday – Birthday Party and Drag Racing
Aww, I just love the part about them snuggling together…
Once we got our king size we moved our queen into the boys room and even though one of them still has a twin I still find them sleeping together in the bigger bed. So sweet!
p.s. I posted about K’s room too!
Elaine recently posted..I simply could not resist its charms
I think you should come help me decorate. It looks gorgeous!
Kimberly recently posted..It’s Not Always Puppies And Rainbows
Oh slide on over girls, I’m moving in! I LOVE the room and would feel right at home with those colors. What a sweet little solution for all the girls including their Mama!
It looks like a great room for those two to share. My husband was the baby of 6 (5 boys, 1 girl). He slept in a crib until he was 5 and his oldest brother went away to college. Then there was a space for him. Unfortunately he did learn to crawl out of the crib when he was about 2! You are teaching your girls great skills – getting along, sharing, you don’t have to get everything you want (ie your own room). Great life long lessons.
LOL – 5 – that is adorable.
Oh my goodness, what an amazing room! It’s gorgeous!
Oh, that sweet snuggled time is going to be worth so much as they grow together as sisters. There is so much love between all three of them.
xo
So glad it gives you more time with your bong too!
I love the colors they picked out. My daughter wants purple, and I am not a fan of purple (originally she wanted black, ummm, no.) My son wants his new room to be orange. He’s consistent at any rate seeing as he’s had or wanted an orange room for at least five years now. When (and really at this point it’s looking more like IF) we add another sibling, my daughter wants to share a room with them. I was all for it, but seeing as she could end up with either a 4 yr old brother or a ten month old sister, now I think we’ll make use of that 4th bedroom and give everyone a wee bit of space. My son’s room will be partly orange walls and he got giant Mario Brothers wall stickers for Christmas, so it’s going to be pretty cool in there. My daughter is doing a cowboy theme with word stickers (cowgirl, lasso, other cowboyish terms) and lasso rope and cowboy hats. At least these are the plans, we still have 28 days until we move. They could change their minds.
Don’t you just love Ikea for kids stuff? I always wanted to buy my kids the little pod chair where you can pull down a curtain across the front like an egg. If they made that in adult size, that’d be awesome.
Andrea recently posted..My {missing} sports addiction
Oh we LOVE the pod chair. We have it in our basement. My girls call it ‘the egg!’
I kept mine in their cages past 3, so I’m with ya!
liz recently posted..My {Handmade} Crush
I have three daughters as well. We have gone through so many arrangements, all three in a room, 2 in a room, each in their own room, back to all together. Now we have a bunkbed set up and a single room next door, they call the single “the private room,” and take turns in it.
Your descriptions of the soft whispers when Astrid lets Esther know she’s up, you touched on my favorite part of sisters. Oh, those tender moments…between the screeches. Sweet music.
Amanda recently posted..Staring it down
Yes I have a feeling that this arrangement is subject to change at any time. I love your solution!
LOOOOOVe it. TRACY, where did you get the beautiful artwork..especially the unicorn picture above the book rack and the picture above the rack???????
Hi Sabine – Here is the website! I love her artwork. http://ciciartfactory.com/
Thanx Tracy…you really should be an interior designer alongside being a photographer….and party planner!!! You are sooo talented!!!!!!
Sorry….the picture above the crib I meant……
Ohmygoodness it’s adorable! Love!!
(You are going to help us with our girls’ room, right? Right?!)
xo
Galit Breen recently posted..Bringing Home A Third Baby
Oh I would LOVE to do that!
What a lovely room Tracy! I never thought Caribbean Blue could look so lovely with raspberries, but how fabulous it is!
Jackie recently posted..Perspective
WOW I love it! My sister and I were the same age difference as Esther and Astrid – we had our own rooms but moved in together by choice. I still wish we were sharing. Also, please come decorate my house?
Jessica recently posted..Homeschool “Enrichment”
Thanks for sharing those colors with me. So, you don’t mind if steal them for Claire?
FYI, we’re moving into a bigger house next month and all she can talk about is painting her room blue. This just might work for her!
Lovely room and they sound as if they are the perfect roommates. Who knew!
m.
Mark recently posted..Closure
Of course you can – this is a really pretty blue and the pink just gives it a pop of ‘girlie’ xoxo
Love this room. And I LOVE that A & E are so happy together. That is so sweet. And for the record, I also like to keep my children caged in cribs as long as absolutely possible.
None of my girls wanted to move out of their cribs. I finally made Eloise when she was almost three because Esther could no longer fit in the bassinet and Esther only agreed to move out when she was 3.5 when I bought a double bed for Eloise so Esther could sleep with her.
Squeal! LOVE what you did with the desk! They are going to make so many wonderful memories in this room, full of hugs and whispers and dreams.
maybaby recently posted..MAY DAY!
Their room looks incredible!!
Barbara recently posted..Missing
Papason chair – raises hand and blushes. I actually moved it from the basement to my (nearly) 3 year old’s room a couple months ago.
Kimberly recently posted..Alexa
LOL – LOVE it!
gorgeous girls and room. my three–two girls and a boy–share a pink and green room. poor henry…
wendy @ mama one to three recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Stopping at the End the Day
Wow! That turned out amazing!
Stacy Uncorked recently posted..Having Fun Creating with Clay
I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again, but you’re doing this parenting thing right. I suspect that there won’t even anywhere near the number of door-slamming incidents that you’ll expect.
And having one kid willingly take care of the other? Well that makes me really happy. And jealous. Really stinking jealous.
John recently posted..Where I think about the blogger that I want to be
It’s just fabulous! You are the best mommy.
Yuliya recently posted..My teacher
I love it! You’re girls are such dolls. Seriously. The colors are so fabulous together.
Paulettle recently posted..Smile and Pay Attention
Notwithstanding what you said about Astrid, this room is so cute I feel like it would SMELL fruity and delicious. Like a Starburst.
Great job!
Not only owned a pappasan, but TWO pappasans that we STILL own. One is at the lake, the other is a cat bed in our spare bedroom.
Love the colors, the room and your middle girl’s enormous heart.
Kate recently posted..knee touch
Okay – it would be the perfect cat bed…maybe I should’ve kept mine. xo
What a great room for little girls. I love the colors!
My boys currently share and they are 5 years apart in age. As my oldest approaches tweendom I wonder how long this arrangement will last. For now, it works.
ML@My3LittleBirds recently posted..The State of the Nest
Your kids clearly got your great taste.
My husband’s third brother (5 boys all together) was relieved when his mom had another baby. He was 5 at the time, I think, and was worried he’d be stuck in the cage forever.
Lady Jennie recently posted..I’m late, but …
What a beautiful room!
Jen recently posted..That Healthy Orange Glow
Oh gosh, I love that she gets her out of the crib and snuggles with her. That is like the sweetest thing ever.
Jennifer recently posted..Cinco de Mayo Chicken Enchiladas
My kids had different bedrooms but slept in the same bunks by choice until Jack was 12 and Karly was 10.
Really.
(And it wasn’t even Flowers in the Attic or anything. They just felt safer at night and liked having the other one there.)
I love love love when siblings share.
And I wish to the Gods of Decorating that I had your taste.
julie gardner recently posted..Today call me well-examined
I love their room! Great colors. And the fact that Esther picks Astrid out of her crib and snuggles?? Too cute. Jasper just yells at Everett to be quiet and that he’s not ready to wake up yet. To which Everett responds, “I wanna wake up and I want YOU to wake up too!!!” We too kept the boys caged up as long as possible. I think that the fact that they wore sleepsacks until they were almost 3 might have had something to do with it…
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Under Armour Women – What’s Beautiful
Sleepsacks until they are 3 – dying laughing.
it is absolutely gorgeous….
I think we’re going to buy a new house this summer and the thought of decorating gives me hives….
Not a Perfect Mom recently posted..It’s a Mother’s Day Giveaway Hop!
That is so sweet that they snuggle together! What sweet sisters!! I love their room!! It’s so pretty! Great job!
Anjie @ Of Pandas and Pirates recently posted..Maverick’s Vet Appointment
The story of them snuggling in the morning, is absolutely adorable. Absolutely.
Also, raises both hands, I had TWO of the papasaian chairs. I kind of want one now that you mention it. Loved those things. Especially taking it off its stand and rolling around.
Marta recently posted..Call Me Beautiful
Hilarious – you deserve another papason I think. lol
Just yesterday I saw an ad in a flier for a papasan chair! I actually commented about it to Jeff. I didn’t have one, but he did back in the day.
Anyway, the room looks A-mazing! And I can’t believe how grown-up Esther looks in that first pic. Such a lovely girl!
Really beautiful job on the make-over. The room looks so cheery & calming, at the same time, if that’s possible…but a perfect combination!
I love the pinky bedroom and I guess most kids would love to have their own rooms in pink like this..
Jeline recently posted..Sharepoint Hosting
It’s so adorable, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from you and your spectacular taste
angela recently posted..Small Surpises and Little Kindnesses
I’m so honored to have my paintings on their wall!!!!! Great color choice by Esther!
They LOVE those paintings!