The Girls' Room Progress

Last March we decided to move our newly-two Magnolia out of her crib and into Adelaide's room, making space in the nursery for our newest baby. At that time, Lily (who had her own room) began sneaking her way into the girls' room at night. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a slumber party every night of the week? So, the mister and I finally gave in to the idea of having all the girls intentionally in one room. Yes, even Poppy in the near future. 

It isn't for lack of space, but rather a desire to foster camaraderie and friendship between the girls, while also lessening the inevitable struggle and combativeness having just two in a room can cause. Have you ever notice when two kids share a room, they inevitably blame to other one for all their woes? But when several kids are squished together, the issues get more evenly distributed, and the kids tend to help each other out, since there is not "one person" to always blame. 

Once the decision to put them all together was made, we decided to go all-in and build some bunks that would take up the least amount of floor space (i.e. scrunching them together). But we also wanted them to be easy on the eyes and fun to be in. 

Over the years (and many different homes) we have tackled our fair share of DIY projects. Most of them with little foreknowledge to the scope of time, skill, or money a project would actually cost. I think we both prefer to be ignorant of these facts on the front end, lest we loose our nerve. Truth is truth. With that in mind, we jumped in head first last November. The mister designed these himself, sketching out a couple of ideas on some scrap paper, and then went at it. He built the main part of the bunks over a long weekend and then moved the girls in for a couple of months for a test run. They loved them! This holiday weekend he finally finished out the trim and caulking, and sent me to the hardware store to pick out the paint.

I chose this cheerful green, hoping not to go too girly, even though it is for four girls. Keeping in mind these need to grow with them for the next several years. The girls were thrilled with the color. Phew! 

The mister built in a shelf for each girl with an outlet for an LED lamp. This is Magnolia's bunk, and, much to her chagrin, she remains lampless until she is old enough to keep the light off after bedtime.

This one is Addy's bed. The bar across is removable for leaping off during the day, an absolute necessity. The lamps help at night, since we allow the girls to read and draw after lights out for an hour. This gives them a separate nook for doing their own thing, and has helped when one girl wants to sleep earlier than the others. 

It is rather dark in those caves  after all the lights are out. The first night in the painted bunks I was informed it was "pitch black and spooky, Momma!" So I picked up some lantern lights at Walmart and Addy and I wrapped them in yarn, each starting at one end and racing to the middle. They give enough light to ward off the spooks. Win!

A few months in and no one has taken any tumbles, although I won't hold my breath. Our time is coming, I am sure. Right now, the bunks are still new and delightful to the girls and to their momma.

Oh, and the uppers provide loads of...

entertainment.

As far as the To Do List goes, we plan on adding a long drawer across the front of the bunks, and then finishing the trim around the bottom once the new floors are in. Before we get there, we want to finish ripping up the carpet in the closet and making that space more functional for all the little ladies. We would like the whole upstairs to have the same floors throughout, so it will be some time before these projects are completed and the girls are not walking on sub floor. But as you can see below, they don't seem to mind too much, even the crawlers.

You're turn's a comin', little Poppy. One more year and that bottom bunk is yours!