Four kids in two shared rooms

We transitioned Reverie's nursery into a shared room for the two little girls. Now we have the two big kids, Serene and Valor, in a shared room, and the two little girls in another shared room. Love anticipating how each pair of kids will make memories together in their respective shared room. 

Our simple Christmas

Our Christmas was simple and relaxed. We don't decorate a ton for Christmas, except for a tree with mostly handmade ornaments. I tell myself every year that I'll make stockings, but alas, another year has passed and I still haven't done it. This December has felt so jam-packed with to-dos that I yearned for this Christmas to be one where we cherished each other's company while reflecting on the ultimate gift of our Savior's birth. We spent a couple of evenings celebrating with extended family, but also set aside time for just the four (almost five!) of us. Since we were going to be at service with our church family on Christmas morning, we had our little family celebration on Christmas Eve. The kids woke up to a communal gift in the morning - a slide - which they have yet to cease playing on since. Serene and Valor each received three gifts, including something to wear (shoes) and a couple of toys to play with (magnetic wooden blocks to start their collection, and animal figurines to add to their collection). I whipped up an easy breakfast - freshly griddled coconut pancakes with cheery chocolate chips and sprinkles, cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit. We reflected on the hope of Christ's glorious birth, sang Christmas songs all day long, made gingerbread houses, lounged in our pajamas, and just spent time enjoying one another. I was in such a merry mood that Serene kept exclaiming, "Mama, you're so happy!" It was a jolly Christmas, indeed.

A shared toddler girl and baby boy room

Serene and Valor have been sharing a room since Valor turned six months. Because we live in a two-bedroom rental, having the kids room share is necessary (before Valor was born, the room was Serene's nursery). We also put them in the same room in hopes it'd foster their sibling bond. I was nervous about the transition for a host of reasons, but it has worked out beautifully these past seven months. They're comforted by each another's presence at night. They giggle and chatter with one another before going to bed or upon waking up. In fact, Valor didn't start sleeping longer stretches and through the night until we put them in the same room. We were desperate for more sleep, and not having him in our room anymore, along with sleep training, did the trick. Still, the kids take turns waking up in the middle of the night at times. Thankfully, when one of them wails in the middle of the night, the other sleeps soundly through it (with the help of a white noise machine). Best of all, they'll remember always rooming together growing up.

I set out to optimize the 10' x 11' space for two kids. We put Serene's big girl bed (gifted from the grandparents on her 2nd birthday) next to the window against the wall. It's a reversible bed that serves as a single twin, loft, or bunk bed. We flipped it onto the single twin position and instead of inserting the slatted mattress base, we put a mattress on the floor so raised slats surround Serene as she sleeps. It's perfect for the toddler stage. Once she and Valor are older, we plan to flip it over into a bunk bed. Next to Serene's bed is the chippy bookcase that was already there from the nursery. A vintage side table creates a division between her bed and Valor's crib (formerly Serene's). Valor's crib is nearly right up against the closet; it takes extra effort to get into the far end of the closet, but most of their clothes are housed in a large mid-century dresser for easy access anyhow. The dresser is my favorite piece in the room and a fortuitous Craigslist find. The previous owner had already painted it white so all I did was swap out the handles for ones I liked. To the right of the dresser are two giant stuffed toadstool houses I made for Serene's first birthday party; they serve as a reading corner. The floor lamp previously in the nursery was replaced by two pendant lights suspended above the toadstool reading corner. They're a kid-friendlier option now that we needn't worry about a baby knocking over a lamp. To the left of the dresser are a couple of toy storage pieces that sit below an accessory rack. The room is functional, with sleep, play, and storage areas.

I brainstormed for months on how to transition from a baby girl nursery to a shared toddler girl and baby boy room. I strove for differentiated boy/girl areas that exude overall cohesiveness. I think it's getting there. I tried to utilize plenty of white so that the room appears larger, including white furniture and sheer white curtains that let in lots of light, especially since the walls are not white but a light beige. Because we rent, I had to think of ways to decorate without making permanent changes. Everything is thrifted, gifted, vintage, or handmade. Valor's side of the room is accented with black while Serene's side is accented with pops of color.  In Valor's corner, I used black washi tape to create a mountain landscape on the sliding closet doors. It serves as a fun backdrop for his crib, which houses his beloved stuffie, tree pillow, and monochrome cross blanket. I cut out felt x's and o's to make a mobile hanging from a vintage hanger to tack above the crib. Wooden knight figurines and a badgerman are displayed on thrifted storage basket shelves to the left of the XO mobile. A hand-me-down monochrome rug in the center of the room serving as the play area covers brown carpeting, which makes the room more gender-neutral. Most of the decor above Serene's bed was already there from her nursery. I just switched out colorful feedback bunting for a white cloud garland to lend a more airy feel. I also added a thrifted basket to display more vintage children's books and handmade dolls. I inserted vintage doilies into embroidery hoops to hang on the wall by the foot of her bed. A crocheted granny square blanket adds charm to her mostly white bed, embellished with her very first stuffies.

A few toys are scattered throughout the room: a thrifted wooden doll cradle next to Serene's bed, toy piano next to the bookcase, 1990s vinyl Madeline doll and dollhouse situated on the toy piano, vintage metal dump truck on the rug, and antique Brownie camera on the white side table. A working 1960s fan, tiered stand containing hair accessories, and vintage wooden dollhouse rest atop the dresser. Although everything has its place and all looks tidy in the pictures, the kids' room is never this clean. I cleaned a section of the room to photograph while the kids played in other parts of the room until I tidied and snapped pictures of it all. Nevertheless, I'm thankful the messes they make show they love to live and play in here. I'm looking forward to seeing how this room evolves as they grow up.

Renovations and updates

I'd been itching to redecorate our living and dining rooms since the start of the new year. Alex encouraged me to do so in a creative way without dipping into our monthly budget, so I purged our nooks and crannies, selling a slew of old furniture and vintage decor from our wedding on Craigslist in order to acquire new pieces for our little home. Nearly five months later, and we have two newly renovated spaces that feel more airy, gender neutral, and kid-friendly. So thankful we have a place we can more enthusiastically call home. Alex loves the renovations, and the kids do too. I still feel like the rooms are not fully finished, but I suppose that is usually the case since homes continually evolve over time. I wanted to incorporate the kids into the making of our new space, so I commissioned Serene to paint on a big white canvas that we hung above one of our couches. She left a bunch of white space though, so I'm thinking once Valor can grip a paintbrush, he can add onto the canvas. Room tours to come in future posts, perhaps.

Really though, I can't believe it is already almost May. Life has been a whirlwind. Alex left for a one-and-a-half week missions trip to the Philippines a couple of weeks ago, which was the longest we've been apart since we've been married. Caring for two kiddos two years old and under without him was no easy task. So blessed by our families, church family, and friends who came alongside to encourage us while Alex was ministering in the Philippines. Thankful for the opportunities God provides for Alex to make Him known at our local church and elsewhere.

Wedding season is here, full force, and I'm blessed to help with our family's finances by coordinating weddings. I love seeing all the details come together and ensuring events run smoothly. Between event planning for our apartment community, loved ones' milestones, and weddings, it is an ongoing rhythm we've grown accustomed to and are embracing. So grateful I get to do what I love with the ability to be home with the kids. The next major milestone for our little family is Valor's birthday. Our littler love turns one next week! Praising God for the abundant grace I cannot fully articulate in a blog post. His kindness knows no end.