Changing Rooms!

Last Saturday (2/22/13) we took a day trip to Charlotte to visit IKEA.  I had researched bunk-beds and knew the ones I wanted were from IKEA and affordable.  I convinced B at the last minute to head there for these beds.  I also looked around furniture stores here and Craig's List but found nothing.  My timeline was by February, we would have W out of his crib and start prepping him for a big boy bed.  Then in March, we could get R's room read for Noelle.  A was pretty much outgrowing his baby bed (the crib with a side off) so he was in need for a larger bed.  Their room isn't huge so bunk-beds was the natural solution.

So off we went Saturday morning around 9:00 am.  It was rainy and cold.  The drive down there wasn't too bad as I dozed off and B talked on the phone some.  The kids watched How to Train Your Dragon.  We got to IKEA a little after 11:30 so our first stop was lunch at their bistro.  B got the meatballs and me + the kids shared chicken tenders and fries.  Lunch was yummy and took over an hour.  Before shopping we were going to drop R & A off at the play area that IKEA provides for shoppers, but they were full and wouldn't have an opening for another 30 minutes.  So in Hantla fashion, we took our kids along with us through the huge IKEA store.  They were great though and we saw lots of stuff that would be good for R as she and N get bigger and need a 'big girl' room.  There was a cute pink computer chair and lamp that we might get for R for when she starts school this year to put in her room for her little desk.  IKEA just has tons of stuff.

But we found our bunk-beds and were very pleased.  They are metal and that's what B wanted.  He did not want wood for some reason.  They are regular twin size but not super big and not bulky.  We only had to buy one mattress because we planned to use the mattress from R's trundle bed since that isn't used hardly ever.  If we need to pick up another twin mattress down the road we can.  No biggie.

Our ride home was a little cramped.  We had 2 big boxes plus the mattress.  My loving hubby made it all fit even though the kids were all separated and couldn't see each other.  That didn't really matter because they all feel asleep on the way home.  I took another nap as well.  We finally got home around 6:00 pm in time for dinner and bath time before bed.

Sunday afternoon B put the beds together and we began our room transformations. The boys' room is a little bare now because we had to take the shelves down with all the pictures on it, but we will put something back up soon.  A got new Spiderman bedding and W got Toy Story bedding.  We're going to give our old bedding and A's crib to Scott Love because they are due in July with a boy.  A was super excited about his spiderman bed and sleeping on the top!

R's room did some changing as well.  We had to take out the kid table and the puzzle cabinet to make room for N's crib and changing table.  We also rearranged her desk and bookshelf to make things fit.  It's a little snug, but everything fits.  We haven't gotten girl bedding just yet. R is very excited to help decorate for Baby N, and I'm excited to let her help.  We are making progress but not quite there yet.  Here's what we've got so far...