Bedroom Makeover

We are in the process of re-doing my 9-1/2 year old's bedroom. She's had the same (Pepto) pink bedroom since her 3rd birthday when she got her "big girl bed." She's entering middle school this year -- 4th grade -- and we thought it would be nice to give her a fresh start with a more mature looking room. Paint is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to make a big change, so we are painting and rearranging her furniture.

We have negotiated over a paint color for the walls -- she is SO over pink... She wanted green, but she "inherited" a kelly green plush rug that came with the house. We bought the house from my grandmother Mema, and Mema's mother Nanny had previously lived in our girl's room -- green was apparently Nanny's favorite color. The rug is in good condition and my girl would prefer to have a rug instead of the hardwood floor which is underneath. (Something about snow days and being cozy, and what if she had to get up and walk over to get a book off the shelf... Really, we had that conversation on one of the hottest days of August.) Anyway, her choices of green would not go well with the green rug, so the discussion of paint was tabled briefly. Recently, she decided she wanted to paint the room purple. Daddy brought home some swatches from Lowe's and we quickly and painlessly agreed on a nice shade of lavender called "Mystic Purple." Daddy brought the paint home last night!

Today my girl and I started to take her curtains down and her pictures off the wall. Then we sat on her bed and we each drew a plan for how we think the furniture should be arranged. And then a miracle occurred! After at least a year of trying to convince her to let us move the Barbie house out of her bedroom and downstairs to the family room / play room -- miraculously she made the suggestion herself today! She is constantly complaining about her little sister coming into her room to play Barbies. We thought the solution was easy -- move the Barbie house down to the family room! That was met with a big NO. Honestly, I cannot tell you how many times we have had this conversation -- and today, she said to me, "You know what? I want to move the Barbie house and the Barbie stuff downstairs -- or my sister can have it, either way!" REALLY? I nearly fainted from the shock! It's so wonderful when your kids come to things on their own -- and SO much easier than when you try and nudge them along...

Wish us luck with the makeover -- I'll make sure to take some pictures and post them when we're done.