Kinley's "Big Girl" Room

Ahh! I can not believe I officially have a 2 year old in a few weeks. I always envisioned making this "big girl" room when she was like 3 or 4. . . but since she refuses to stay in her crib without a fight and climbs up and jumps out - it looks like we will be doing this now! 

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1 and 2: I love the Brigette Quilt from Pottery Barn Kids but absolutely hate the sheets and pillows which is why I found these white and gray polka dots (also at PBK) and am going to do a little mix and matching. 

3. I LOVE a good lamp. I want some crystal very simple lamps with simple shades. 

4. Catalina Daybed from Pottery Barn Kids . . . I would love to do a regular twin bed but the bedroom that Kinley will be in is not huge. I want an open feel and I also want her to be able to have some toys in there etc. I love this daybed because it has a matching wooden toddler rail (of course not included) and matching trundle bed. Since we are planning on having another child eventually, Kinley moving leaves us with only one guest room left. For most, this is not an issue. For us, with my family all out of town this is kind of an issue. I am choosing this bed for the few times they are all here at the same time. The trundle and daybed aren't ideal for my sister and husband but it gives them something besides a blowup mattress. Plus, how often are they ALL here at the same time? 

5. Monogram Pillow: Since I hate the pillows that come with the quilt, I want to mix in some throw pillows and other pillows to add some more color. Everyone loves a good monogram :) 

6. The room will have built in bookcases and a window seat, the shelves will be filled with books. K and I LOVE reading before bedtime, plus I have a small/teensy weensy addiction to children's books. 

7. I found a really cool vintage old dresser for 120.00 on our neighborhood Facebook page. I am going to sand it down and paint it/antique it a gray color to accent the bed. 

8. Sherwin Williams "Cityscape" is my go-to gray in my house! 

9. Beadboarding/Wainescoting: Thank goodness I have a super handy husband. He doesn't know it yet, but I think a nice accent to the wall like wainescoting/beadboard will complete the room. 

Crafting before Disney

Two things about me are true . . . I LOVE crafts and I hate to pay for something that I can make myself for way cheaper. With that being said, I refuse to pay top dollar for ugly things at Disney World when I can make them myself . . . who doesn't love saving money ?

Just a few things I made (from left to right): Binder with all of our plans + a few extras, middle is is a luggage tag (showing the front and back - I made 4, we aren't lite travelers) top right is a stroller tag, bottom right is her autograph book.

Those of you who know me know I have a binder for EVERYTHING. This is my binder for the week :) It includes flight/hotel information and confirmations, tickets, directions, rides and descriptions that are toddler friendly with no height requirements, ride closure schedule (traveling in February is "off season" and some rides close for refurbishment during this time) and event schedules. I went to the Disney website directly for most of this information and just put it into a word format. * working on attaching printable documents *

I have read a ton of blogs about Disney with toddlers and one of the number one things I see is label your stroller. You will have to park your stroller in a designated area outside of the rides and believe it or not, there was more than one black stroller made. I made this cute tag that I am going to tie on with yellow ribbon to the handle for easy spotting. It says "this carriage belongs to: Kinley Rozell (with our phone number below it)"

front of her autograph book 

back of her autograph book 

Lastly, I grabbed a few pieces of cute scrapbook paper and cardstock and made my own autograph book (which will save me about 20.00 from purchasing one at the park). I had it laminated (along with everything else with heavy duty lamination - especially the luggage tags) and had it binded at Office Max. Total cost for lamination of 4 luggage tags, 1 stroller tag, autograph book and binding = $9.42. 

Disney Style

With a Disney trip coming up quick I am super pumped (in case you couldn't tell). I love all things Disney and know that we will be taking lots of pictures andddd doing a LOT of walking. I refuse to do a few things . . . A. wear a fanny pack and look like a tourist with sunscreen on my nose B. look like a slob in pics that I will treasure forever (plus I don't want Kinley making fun of me when she is 20 C. be uncomfortable! 

With that being said . . . I think this is my style for the week. Yes, some of you are thinking "Disney? Jacket? Pants?" Well, we are traveling in the beginning of February. 

1. Obligatory Disney Tee > Of course I have purchased plenty :) 

2. black skinny pants > I LOVE to roll the bottom 

3. jean jacket > perfect in case it gets chilly! 

4. Ray Bans > I am a sunglass brat and can't go anywhere without them. I am usually prancing around with them on my head at 10pm. These just happen to be a pair of my favorites. 

5. Toms: Ok confession time, I absolutely DESPISE these shoes and think they are the ugliest things on the planet. They do however look cute on kids and I do think it is cool what they do with donating a pair of shoes. Anyways, a pair of flats is what I was going for, any cute/black/comfy flats. Plus, with flats you can throw in some ugly thick support soles for extra comfort and nobody will know :) When you have had 3 foot surgeries, Dr. Scholls isn't quite the grandma lingo anymore. 

Kinley's Playroom

When we purchased this house and saw a large awkward room at the top of the stairs, my husband instantly envisioned his man cave (filled with a pool table, giant TV, poker table, etc). Obviously, I gave him a reality check that we were planning on starting a family and this would be the perfect playroom. Also, I was going to be staying home with our daughter and no longer teaching (which I was obsessed with) so I needed a place to make my "mini classroom." Long story short, we turned that large awkward room into Kinley's playroom (of course, you didn't think my husband was going to win that battle did you?)

Overall view of the room with terrible lighting. 

This is Kinley's chalkboard and alphabet wall. The letters are homemade (you can see directions below) and the bottom of the wall is chalkboard paint. The paint color of the room is "Cityscape" by Sherwin Williams. I am OBSESSED with it and it is my go to gray! 

Kinley loves this Little Tikes table! When we have friends over, they love to have a snack there and color. The perk is it is only about 35.00 so when it is covered in crayon and destroyed, no biggie. 

I love an alphabet wall (I was a teacher, duh!) I kept searching online to buy one and was blown away by what people were charging on Etsy- so I was determined to figure out how to make it for much cheaper and just as cute. Thanks to Pinterest and patience, I made it myself. * * CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO MAKE IT * *

This is the other side of the playroom. I LOVE children's books and the teacher in me can never have enough. They are currently separated by fiction/non fiction and raised to the top of the shelf where Kinley can not grab them. We are still working on "loving a book and not ripping it apart (literally). I love that she loves to read as much as I do and can not wait until she can read and pick a book herself. The shelf is the classic IKEA bookshelf seen in 95% of American homes and is attached to the wall in fear that it would've fallen on her. On the floor are her current favorite toys, I am constantly rotating and switching them out so she doesn't get bored. To the left is the magnet wall. We are working on letter identification which will later roll into phonemic sounds etc . . . Teacher in me rambling . . . Long story short, the magnetic pan is an Auto Drip Pan from Walmart and the Foam Magnetic Letters are Lakeshore Learning. The boxes on the bottom of the shelf are filled with typical kids toys (they were also purchasd at IKEA) and are perfect to throw toys in quickly! 

Alphabet Magnetic Wall 

TV area (ignore the wires, we just switched TVs and haven't hidden them yet) and another IKEA shelf. I love having the boxes for storage and toys! I will organize them eventually when Kinley understands, but for now they are all just randomly filled. 

This is Kinley's Step 2 Climber. She climbs EVERYTHING and I wanted something that she could safely climb in the house. Although it is technically made to be outside, I love it inside. She can use it everyday - rain or shine. Above it is another Pinterest project! See the pic below for more details. 

Underneath the climber is a designated "sand box" if it was going to be placed outside. I purchased a bag of those plastic balls and just turned it into a ball pit.

Confession time: I really wanted a canvas in this particular spot because a thermostat was there. I HATE HATE HATE thermostats in awkward places in the middle of walls. I wanted to find something to cover it and never did. Worse part about this story, another thermostat had to be installed and was relocated to the wall next to the canvas (you can see in pics above). Now I have 2 ugly thermostats :( Once again, I logged on to Pinterest and saw this. It was SUPER easy to make. 

Quick and simple instructions: 

1. Glue the crayons in whatever pattern you want with a hot glue gun 

2. Use a hairdryer and watch the crayons melt! You would be surprised at how quickly the crayons melt. 

3. The only tip I can give is to keep the hairdryer about an arms length away and angle it down. You can then control the run of the crayon - if you go straight onto the crayon IT WILL SPLATTER. 

Here is her kitchen/house area. I love this kitchen because it can grow with them, takes up minimal space, and doesn't cost $300.00. 

As you know my family is my life. Kinley doesn't see them all everyday and it is very important to me and them that she knows who they are. Every day or so we always look at their pictures and say each of their names. As the days have gone on, she now knows all of them and gets so excited to see them (even after not seeing them for months at a time). I love when she calls them by their name! 

Halloween 2013

Better late than never :) Kinley is obsessed with Minnie Mouse! I hunted and hunted for Minnie Mouse costumes and either couldn't find one or was not willing to pay $60.00 + for a costume she was going to wear for only an hour. So of course I jumped on pinterest, got creative and made one myself. Total cost about 10.00. * Directions on how to make the tutu and costume coming soon. *

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PICTURE. 

Tips for Traveling with a Baby/Toddler

With my family being in Indiana and us in Texas, we fly A LOT. Kinley is now almost 2 and has managed to fly about 12-15 times (2 of the times being to Mexico) and most of the time I fly by myself early and meet my husband there. People always ask me how to do it or how to manage the flight . . . here are a few tips that I can suggest. 

1. Pack smart and accessible. Minimize your luggage/bags for carry on. I always carry a backpack (yes go back to the 90s and dig yours out - you will be happy you did) and diaper bag. Inside my diaper bag I carry 4 baggies. I think baggies is the easiest way to do it because you are never digging in your bag and you can pull it out just as quick as you can pack it back in. 

Baggie 1: Diapers, wipes, and cream/powder

Baggie 2: Toys (quick and accessible) 

Baggie 3: Food - remember you are somewhere around 30,000 feet in the air and you have a baby in your lap. Leave your spoons and all of the food that is a pain to feed a baby on your lap or even next to you. I always bring Plum/Gerber pouches, goldfish, bananas, etc. 

Baggie 4: Clothes – You may not have had a blowout in awhile or a child that has peed all the way through their diaper . . . but at 30,000 feet ANYTHING is possible and for me it has happened several times J

In my backpack . . . . I don't carry a purse when I travel (I pack one), it is just one more thing I don't have hands for. Like I said, I travel alone most of the time - good luck getting down the airplane aisle with bags, a baby, and a purse. Anyways, back on topic. Inside my backpack . . . I carry my wallet, bottles of water (that of course I purchase after security), my daughter’s favorite blankie and stuffed animal so she is cozy on the cold plane, and extra clothes. You never know when you will need them!

2. Bottle time. If you are flying with a bottle baby or breast fed baby (I have done both) - I will say the breastfeeding is a lot easier . . .  Pop the cover on and you are good! I never pumped in the airport, I managed to always book direct flights to avoid it. As far as breast milk, you are allowed to bring it as long as you keep it in baggies and show it to TSA as you arrive to the security area. If you are using formula, make sure you buy bottles of water once you get through security so that you are able to make bottles on the plane. Flight attendants are not quick to get you water and they won’t give it to you during take off when you need it the most.

3. Bring your child’s birth certificate/passport if they are flying on your lap. Most airlines require proof that your child is under 2 and Southwest is VERY strict about it.

4. Take off and Landing. This can be one of the most difficult times on the whole flight especially with the changes of pressure and altitude. The BEST thing to do is have them suck during take off and landing. I sometimes will make Kinley VERY mad in the aiport when she wants her milk because I will hold off until take off but you won’t regret it. Now that she is off of milk, I will give her a fruit pouch, pacifier or anything that can be sucked on to prevent her ears from hurting. You definitely want to do this during take off and landing. 

5. Stroller or No Stroller? Ok, I have heard people go both ways with this one. Personally, I love having a stroller. Kinley is now 25 pounds and too big for a carrier and even when she wasn’t, I didn’t want to carry her, a backpack, and a diaper bag. However, I have seen people that fly with their spouse (like I said I usually go ahead of my husband and he meets me) carry their child in a carrier and it looked fine. But, read the next section for a perk to having your stroller with infant car seat (if your child is still in one).

If you do take a stroller, take a cheap one that you don’t love. Remember, the people that “gate check” your items, don’t give a **** what you paid for it. . . .

6. Make friends with the people at the counter before you board ASAP. Despite what you think about these people, they have more power than you think J When they are standing behind their little computer, clicking away on the keyboard, saying they can’t help you – THEY CAN IF YOU ARE NICE TO THEM. Kinley will sleep an entire flight/car ride/train ride/space ship launch WHATEVER if she can be in her car seat. If you have a stroller with an infant car seat that is detachable I highly recommend taking it. Walk up very nicely to the counter and politely ask them if the flight is full, when they say no ask them VERY nicely if you could please keep your child in your FDA approved car seat because they will sleep during the flight. The majority of the time it has worked like a charm. A few times we had a full flight and they really couldn’t do anything. Then gate check your stroller and wait for it on the ramp when you arrive at your destination after the pilot turns off the fasten seatbelt sign J

7.  Before you board. Take out one of those blankets that you packed to use as a “play blanket” on the nasty airport floor and have tummy time, stretch time, roll around time, etc. Make sure you don’t use that same blanket on the plane . . . ewww gross. Also, squeeze in one last diaper change. Some airplanes have changing tables but good luck fitting in the closet sized bathroom to make it happen.

8.  Ignore everyone sitting around you. Admit it, you have given the eye roll too. Luckily, you will NEVER see these people again (besides at the baggage claim). When they roll their eyes at you just smile back or flick them off . . . just kidding don't do that . . .

9. Load up your IPAD/IPHONE/IPOD. It has been my saving grace on a flight. Load some of your child’s favorite shows (ours is loaded with episodes of Scooby Doo and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) and don’t forget apps too! They come in handy when you need to entertain them . . . just don’t forget to charge it up the night before J

10. Travel comfortable! I get it, I like to travel cute also but reality is when you are confined to a tiny area with a toddler/baby anything can happen. Chances are you are going straight to a house when you land, you can change there. If you are going somewhere important, bring a change of clothes and change at the airport. I have had amazing luck and have been thrown up on, peed on, and even had a drink kicked off of my husband's tray table onto my lap. Long story short, I now usually travel extremely comfortable and easy - sorry I got so dressed up for you mom :)

11. BE FLEXIBLE & Pick your battles! Flying and airports are stressful enough without a kid. Throw a kid into the mix and it can be a nightmare or not bad at all. Remember, the whole day is off track for them and their normal routine is shot for the day. Try to plan your flight accordingly if possible. For example, we always try to fly early in the morning before naptime but delays and things happen. Don’t stress about naptime, healthy lunches etc. If they want the pacifier, give them the pacifier! Kinley has found entertainment with barf bags, magazines, and putting the shade up and down. Whatever makes you happy Kinley. You win (today only of course :))  With a little bit of luck, they may sleep the whole flight.

Good luck! If something works great for you, please share :) As much as we fly, I am always open to new ideas!