My first baby is turning 13 in a few short weeks.
How can this be? It seems like just yesterday I was a 31 year old {ancient, I know!}
first time mother. To be honest with you, when I got married at 24 I
didn't even know if I ever wanted children - for reals! I was all 'miss career woman', workin'
9-5 and enjoying the double-income-no-kids lifestyle. Well, I hit the big 3-0
and the biological clock- more like the biological alarm - went off! I was
preggers shortly thereafter.
preggers shortly thereafter.
After 15 hours of labor, a beautiful bald baby girl was born
and our lives were changed forever......
In many ways it seems like her birth happened just yesterday
and in so many ways it feels like exactly 13 years ago....
ahhhh, life!
My big girl visited my parents last week for 5 days which gave me
the opportunity to do a thorough cleaning and a little re-decorating, giving
her a room befitting the teenager she will soon be.
I soon discovered the reason I had been putting off this task - nevermind
the piles of clothes, mementos, stuffed animals, soccer socks, and other various collections.....
going through her room meant facing the fact that she is growing up......gulp.
Oh sure, I have done 'the big clean out' before, but this time we were transitioning -
I put away the Brownie vest, Girl Scout sash, her first soccer shin guards, photos
from pee wee soccer teams, lacrosse teams, swimming ribbons won long ago, Webkinz,
Junie B. Jones books and rock collections......the things that represent
the childhood she is leaving behind...
 |
| Some beautiful 'before' shots! |
I am proud to say that I know my children well. Cleaning out my
first baby's room shined a bright light on all that I love and know about her....
* She loves to read, anything and everything, from the classics, Harry Potter,
the Lightening Thief, biographies, joke books and teen fiction....
* She is a collector, of soccer socks, rocks, books, soccer tournament
t-shirts, sweatshirts, friends and lip balm among other things!
* She loves inspiring words - the reason I chose so many to decorate her walls!
* She loves animals - equally the stuffed and real live varieties!
* She loves EVERYTHING about soccer - playing it and collecting
signed stinky shoes from her favorite players, books about her heros
{Mia Hamm} and jersey's from favorite teams.
* My daughter is resilient - in her room are yearbooks from three
elementary schools, a product of our "bloom where you're planted"
lifestyle......seeing them put a lump in this mommy's throat because
the challenges those moves brought is still so fresh. My first born
has handled every move with optimism and uses humor to deflate
any feelings of nerves or uneasiness.
Her bedroom is big and has chair-rail that was painted white. I chose to paint the chair-rail
the same color I had the walls painted (Benjamin Moore's "A Touch of Gray"). The color
is actually a very subtle lavender with a "touch of gray". Big girl chose lime green
as her accent color.
She also has a very big walk in closet that I organized - the bookshelves pictured above
are actually in her closet - the other side (not pictured) fit all her clothes. She is lucky.
I have collected vintage E's forever and have used them in various ways in her
previous rooms - I chose to mix them with Etsy prints on the walls. The E over
her bed is from Pottery Barn and the frame is a vintage one that I just spray painted.
I chose quotes to inspire a 13 year old like - "The glass is half full",
and "you are beautiful both inside and out".....
Ikea helped with lots of stuff......like the hanging light fixture, desk chair,
and bedding! Thanks Ikea - for cheap home stuff and meatballs!
Her bed is a vintage iron bed that I love and she strongly dislikes. She has her eye
on something more modern but for now, she is stuck with the one
good old mom loves.....for now.
The pillow on her bed says it all..... this special girl of mine
who is a student, a goof-ball, a giver of extraordinary hugs, a super
good goal keeper, a friend to many, a role model for her little sister,
a daughter to me and her dad......
a daughter to me and her dad......
is well on her way to achieve her BIG dreams!
I am proud to be her momma.....
** Forever*Cottage Tag Sale coming Monday!!!!
Posts
So lovely , she is a lucky girl! I also have two daughters (both names begin with E!) and have a few letters in their rooms. In a rental house just now waiting for our dream house to turn up so I can't wait to decorate their rooms when it does! Sx
ReplyDeleteSo her name starts with E, giggles, lovely suitable room for a teenager. My eldest is hitting the same age, i love it, she's still very much a child (pulled back by 3 younger siblings) but trying to break into the adult arenea too. Just love that she is taking her time. We live in Army housing, so we can't paint so i can only dream about painting their rooms such glorious colours, gorgeous work. While my guys are at camp (only 3 days long) i do over their bedrooms, every time. Only when my twins go it's twice the work on 2 rooms, that will be full on. Love Posie
ReplyDeleteBeautiful room!! She is gonna love it
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
I love the room you put together for E. I think it's a perfect teen room - and looks like she can really be comfortable there.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great room! I love all the vintage letters! What a great job! The quotes are perfect!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from
ReplyDeleteBend!! I had a
few minutes to
sneak over and
take a peek....
LOVE how E's room
turned out! More
importantly, I
hope that SHE loved
the transformation.
I love how proud
you are. You are
both darn special.
xx Suzanne
Love the pictures of Emma's room and we miss you guys!
ReplyDeleteThis one choked me up.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing the exact same thing:
transitioning my oldest son to his new room- he's been sharing with his younger brother forever, and now that he's about to turn twelve and start middle school, the promise of his own room is upon us. I had no idea how emotional the whole thing would be. How will I survive when he moves out?!
love every little inch of her room jill. soooo stealing some of your ideas...cause they are just so dang good. what a pretty spot for your special E!
ReplyDeleteoh and i didn't want kids either when we first got married. we waited 7 years before we finally tried it out. so glad we did:)
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ReplyDeletei love the room! it's so fun and yet adult like at the same time! i'm sure she's thrilled! what a great mama you are. she'll understand why you kept the bed later on. it's just gorg-eous!
ReplyDeleteashley
happiest of birthday wishes to your sweet thirteen year old. her room is darling (love the lime green accents), and she is absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeletexo
~molly
i love all the e's. i have 2 daughters 23 and 21 and then my son who is 14, and we call him e. just e. used to be little e but he's a good 3 inches above mom and dad soo...
ReplyDeleteanyway, thanks for sharing. it goes so fast. i was 20 by the time i had 2! thankfully my husband and god have been by my side or they wouldnt have turned out to be awesome kids!