Flip that house

I've mentioned that the fireplace project was one of the few big things we'd really wanted to change when we first moved in. But Meh had many more plans around the room; the fireplace was just the catalyst or centerpiece or something. Anyhow, this week, we flipped that room (which was the dining room) and Zachary's play room (our 'music' room, though the number of toys made stepping to the piano a bit treacherous at times). Friends J and S graciously came over and helped me lug the heavy upright piano and the awkwardly wide dining room table around, and we moved Zachary's toys and their related storage as well. Yesterday morning he was mildly confused when I brought him down to breakfast to sit in the same high chair in the same spot, but with the whole room transformed around him. And after breakfast, he was confused and annoyed when he couldn't find his books and trucks; Meh had moved the books into a cabinet and the trucks into what had been his treasure chest of books. Once we showed him where everything is, he took to it well, and was zooming his push cart through his new much larger play area much of the day. His behavior around his "library" is my favorite; Zachary now casually walks over to the book cabinet, opens it, and browses his collection fairly thoroughly -- before bringing us the exact. same. book. every time.)

Today we drove down to everyone's favorite (well, perhaps not everyone's? :) blue and yellow Swedish store to pick up a few more pieces to complete the room transformation. Naturally Zachary fell asleep on the way, and we busted out the old classic ergo (I hadn't worn him in months!) for an attempted transfer. He was awake, but happy to snuggle with daddy for the walk around and through the store. We stopped for lunch at the halfway point, where I enjoyed a yummy pear cider and Zachary sang in between snacking on cookies and strawberries while sitting in a fashionable European high chair.

(With all of these sporadic links, I'm starting to feel like this post is the blog equivalent to that scene from Fight Club.)

In the end, we got a new chandelier (featuring both electric lights and candleholders) for our now-dining room, a little love seat that the little man will practically climb onto for story time, and a nice big shaggy carpet on which the little man likes stomping around, scattering his legos, and pushing his cart, which thankfully doesn't get stuck. I really do think he likes the larger space, as he spends a lot of time playing in a room that just a few days ago was very boring indeed for him!