Good-Bye Nursery

In November 2006, just before I delivered Sam, my Dad painted and wall papered the baby's room with adorable little frog princes and a calming light green color.  You can see our newly finished nursery with double cribs here.   (Gosh this brings back memories...seeing those two cribs together.  It was so surreal to tuck in my two tiny babies, only 10 months and 10 days apart.  Having Irish twins is not for the faint of heart.)

A couple of months ago, I noticed a small hole had appeared in the wallpaper.  As the hole got bigger over the coming weeks, I knew it was a sign that it was time to update Charlie and Sammy's room.  It made my heart hurt.  I'm sad to say goodbye to the nursery, small toddler stage.  My boys are growing up, and ready for something a little more "boyish" instead of babyish in their bedroom.  I was also dreading having to redo something in the house that my Dad had done for me.  Having that wallpaper in the room was a visual reminder of his love for me and for his grandchildren.

Yesterday I bit the bullet.  I took pictures beforehand to remember the room by, and then I told myself that my Dad's love wasn't just put on the walls, it was poured into my heart.  And no matter how the walls look, my Dad still loves me.  I also reminded myself that a hole in the wallpaper would have driven him nuts, and he would have wanted me to get this makeover on the road.

Over the years the room has changed a bit...like Charlie's addition of his "art wall".  He loves to color, and insists on decorating our walls with his creations.

We added bunk beds in 2008.  You may notice that on these two walls the border is missing.  Putting Charlie in the top bunk allowed him access to the border as a toddler, and one day while having a temper tantrum, he ripped the whole thing off.  One of the times as a mother I have been most angry.

Yesterday I took down all the wallpaper, scrubbed the glue off the walls, and repaired wall dings.  We are off to get paint today, and soon we will start the transformation.  But there is one thing I won't change.  Whenever my dad would wallpaper or put up a border in a room, he would take a small square and put it on the light switch.  It added a creative touch to the room, and one that said "Dad" to me.  And so, even though it won't match, this will be staying just the way it is in their room.  A little piece of Poppo to hold on to.

 
I'll post some pictures when I'm done.  I hope the boys like it!