About a week ago, my husband looked at me and told me that the toy room had to go. The kids simply made a mess of it one too many times. He was tired of arguing with the kids to clean their room AND the toy room and it was time to move on. So, the mission was issued - empty out that toy room and turn it into a kid-free zone. HA! This is what happens when vacation time comes for a firefighter and his wife still has to teach. However, I was the own doing the moving and shaking when all was said and done.
Now, I usually take pictures of before and after, but the room was in such a state of disarray, that I could not bring myself to do so. Not only did I have to clean out this room, but I also had to figure out WHERE all this stuff was going to go. Please understand, I am a mommy that ADORES creative play. So, we have a train table, kitchen, nursery - with bed, high chair and swing, a tool bench, dress up clothes, dinos - you get the idea. Where am I supposed to put a ROOM FULL of toys?
So the sorting process began - if it did not have all its pieces - tossed. If it has not been played with in a while - donated. The tool bench went to my cousin - he was the original owner after all - for his 18 month twins. The BIG dinos who make sounds and stomp as well as the toddler sized cars went to the same new home. The rest - a trailer FULL of toys and baby clothes - donated to Goodwill. And of course, the kids start playing with those toys - who have not seen action in at least a year - the moment I decide to get rid of them.
Now, here is where it is silly. I have some weird emotional attachment to the kids' toys. I love buying toys, I love seeing the surprise in their eyes. Some I want to keep as grandparent toys - so I am allowing myself some toys at every stage. I am not sure where I will store them, but for now J is placating me by allowing me to do so, with only a shake of the head and raise of the eyebrow.
So, as it stands, I need to move a dresser out of the girls' room and the train table in its spot. Then I can start painting - which is another story, it does after all, still have the bumblebees and flowers from the nursery. <sigh> Time marches on. The loveseat for mommy and daddy will be here Wednesday, the TV and stand will be here tomorrow, my huge desk will be brought up and make room for the dressing table my husband is lovingly working on refinishing for me. I am saddened and excited all at the same time. I am SO excited to have space we can call our own. At the same time, it was B's room when we moved in and brought him home from the NICU. Then the girls' made it their own. The toy room - it was a noble experiment, doomed to failure from the start - no love there. <smirk> And now, it is our room. Full circle I guess.
Time to choose paint - I am thinking a nice sand color, in lieu of the yellow and bee infested flowers.
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