Settling: Levi's Room

It all started with a train.

Levi got this little train set for his 2nd birthday.  As soon as Herb set it up on the living room floor, we realized it really needed a more permanent home.  (Someday I'd love to build something like this, but we'll get there.) A few days later I started my "settling kick" and Levi's room was the first to get hit.

Step one - get rid of the huge twin size bed that has literally never been used.  I blogged about Levi's room last November, but here's a little reminder:

The "Before"

We held on to the twin when we moved because a) my dad made the bed and dresser and I wanted it to be Levi's big boy bed one day and b)  I thought having an extra bed in our house would be good, even if it was in Levi's room.  Well, our couch has been working just fine for overnight guests and I finally found a solution of the unused bed and terribly valuable real estate in Levi's room.

The twin mattress got sent to our storage unit and the wonderfully sturdy, solid captain's bed (made by my dad) became a train and car table.  

Also, I stole Levi's dresser/changing table for myself (as seen here).  Levi really didn't need all the storage that the dresser and bed offered, in fact, half of the drawers on the bed were going unused.  But I still needed a place to change my baby's diaper.  Thank you Craigslist and lady in Lititz for the $5 changing table.

In rearranging the room, I realized most of the things hanging from the ceiling and on the wall needed to get moved around too.  The little shelves moved with the changing station.  The red lanterns which were crowded in the reading nook now serve as a mobile.  The large floating shelves finally made their way home to Levi's room after a year hiatus since we moved.  The birthday pennant banner now lives in a 2-D location instead of crossing the room.

I had some fun "styling" things on the large floating shelves - although I'm not sold on their placement.  The shelves house Levi's baby gift zebra, several trucks from Herb's late grandfather, a sentimental picture frame, a basket of baby necessities, and a sentimental airplane print.

Actually, the airplane is printed/stuck to the glass and there was a picture of a sunset behind it.  This picture hung in my dad's office for most of my childhood, and when it was on his "goodwill pile" a few weeks ago, Levi picked it up and said "Airplane!!"  Levi loved and and I swiped it for sentimental value.  I did swap out the picture of the sunset for some gray and white chevron, but the sunset pic is behind the chevron if I ever want it back.

Levi loves playing in his room now.  We went from just books and stuffed animals in his room to a afternoon of occupation.  He loves turning on his music, putting money in the "money pig," and playing with puzzles or trains at his table.  Another favorite activity is to see how tall he is.  Most nights before bed he says, "TA!"  Which means "tall."  Notice that huge growth spurt between May and June?

It's still not my dream house and a little more cramped than I'd prefer, but it will do.

For now.