Nothing exciting

I finally have the kids room arranged in a semi perfect way.  I figured out a set up  in which the kids are able to keep it clean!

 We turned the bottom of the closet into the book fort/ safe zone.  I took the shower rod curtain thing and put it in the doorway (the closet door has been removed) so the kids can draw the curtain and hide if they want.

 Heidi's bed has it's own little corner and bookcase, something I hope will help keep her in bed at night.

 The dresser got moved out of the closet and into the open, it sort of gives Alex her own little bed nook and a home for ALL the stuffed creatures.

 This is my favorite part.  I organized the books by color, hoping Alex would learn to put them back when she was done. It has worked like a charm!

 Tyler's brother made the girls coat hooks for Christmas (how cool right?) and that is where they have learned to hang their coats and hats.  They have done pretty well at putting their coats away, and not just dropping them on the floor.  Underneath we have a shoe box to throw the shoes, so we can always find them.

 Then we have the letter wall, with the exact same prints that I remember having on my wall when I was a kid!

 Over Alex's bed I got a huge family picture print out on this fantastic sticky paper from 'Paper Coterie'. It is the coolest thing ever, like a giant sticker that never gets unsticky.

 We have yet to transition Heidi into an acceptable bedtime routine.  It seems that unless I lay in bed with her for an hour, no matter what we try it ends up with her wandering the room reading books until she collapses from exhaustion.

 It's pretty cute though, after the tantrum subsides.  This little girl is way ahead of the curve and quite the handful.  She talks like a pro and much to the surprise of the nursery leaders at church today, already tells us 75% of the time when she has to go (to the bathroom)!  Unfortunately she talks back like a 3 year old and children this age have no filter whatsoever.  She got in trouble a few weeks ago and I swatted her bum. She promptly went to find Daddy and told him (with bottom lip extended) "Mommy hit my bum!"  He then brought her back to Mommy to mediate.  Today in church she picked a boogie, showed me, and when I tried to clean it away she started chanting "This is MY boogie, DON'T take it away from me Mommy." When such a small child talks back so perfectly, it is very hard not to bust out laughing!

For Heidi's upcoming 2nd birthday we bought her a GIANT teddy bear.  One of those things everybody wants but can never justify buying (right?).  This is exactly what I wanted to get for Alex for Christmas, but couldn't find anything like it and settled for a big carnival St. bernard that is not cuddly at all.  So when Kate told me about these from Costco, I had to get it.  Since it arrived I've taken it out of the box to cuddle with every night after the kids are in bed.  Then, right before falling asleep it goes back into the box for the day.  It is that fantastic of a bear.  I can't wait for another week until her birthdayt!!!!