The inspiration for Little Evan’s room makeover was this piece of art:

Evan the Nap Monster, by ModTots.

I ordered a monster – any monster, since they didn’t exist yet – as soon as I heard ModTots would be releasing them. So I actually bought half the stuff for the room before I knew what this piece would look like. But I knew it would be adorable so it wasn’t exactly a hardship.

I thought monsters would be a super easy theme for a kid’s room. I was wrong. Everything was Monsters, Inc the Pixar movie themed – and even that was hard to find. But I’m going to predict right now that monsters will be big by the end of 2011. Just watch.

Before pics. The nursery theme was “nautical” slash “tropical island” slash “Where the Wild Things Are”. And also very messy.

View from the door

Left hand wall

Right hand corner

Right hand wall

And after pics:

View from the door (I know it looks like a different wall color, but that's just because I rolled up the black-out shades...something I forgot to do for the before pics)

Left hand wall (extra lines added by one very excited 2 year old)

Right hand corner

Right hand wall

Adorable monster prints from Lulufroot on Etsy (I think I need the green monster one too!)

Bookcase

Best bed friends - he kisses them both good night

Snake from Taradara, Bear handknit by me.

Daydreaming in his big boy bed

The rest of the details:
Bed: Ikea
Monster sheets & duvet cover: Garnet Hill
Dresser: Ikea
Ceiling lamp: Ikea
Standing lamp: Target
Rug (moved from our family room): Target
Curtains: Ikea
Bookcase: Target
Rocker: Ikea
Book caddy: P’kolino from Amazon.com

Close up of the book caddy because it's so freaking cute. Oh and also, when I bought it it was like $10, not $30+. Don't buy one until they go back on sale.

I’m sort of ashamed that the curtains are 84 inch curtains that you’re supposed to hem (and by hem I mean use the iron-on adhesive tape they came with) and yet I did not hem them. The problem is the radiator is right below the window on the right hand wall, so I’d have to cut them REALLY short to be safe. But I don’t want to hem the other set that short and I still want them to match, so I just tied them up. And truthfully, I kind of like how they look.

Also, we have a bed rail for the side of the bed so Little Evan doesn’t roll out while he’s sleeping. Not that I think he would – he’s not a super rolly sleeper – but he likes pushing his feet against something while he’s trying to fall asleep and since we took the crib rails away I thought it would be a good substitute. I just took it down for the pictures.

Night night!

So far, we’re having about a 75% success rate with the big boy bed. Wednesday was the first day nap time didn’t happen AT ALL, but he’s been pushing them back later and later since we made the switch. He does get out and run around and pull things out of the drawers and read all his books and climb in the chair…but when he gets tired he puts himself back to bed. And it’s nice that he can get himself out of bed and play in his room in the mornings so I have time to brush my teeth and get dressed before he starts yelling for me. But sometimes he cries a little because he misses his crib. I think he’ll get over it pretty soon though.

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored in any way. All items were paid for with my own cash money.

After trips to three different real furniture stores and a few half-hearted searches on our local Craigslist we ended up buying a twin sized bed for Little Evan at Ikea. I don’t know why we even bothered looking anywhere else when the bed I had pictured in my mind was clearly modern, minimalist and Swedish while all the furniture at the traditional stores was heavy and tall and wooden. The salesman at our local store tried to convince me we shouldn’t get a twin bed at all, because eventually he’d need a full sized bed anyways so why not buy one now? Along with the matching dresser? And hey, how about this $400 mattress too? I tried to point out that 99% of college students I know sleep in twin sized beds so Little Evan’s “need” for a full sized bed was sort of subjective single bed with tv. Besides, my little 27 lb toddler still fits just fine in his crib. It’s not like he needs the space of a full. Heck, I can lie in the twin WITH him and we both fit fine. So basically, I told the salesman to shove it (politely) and we went to Ikea. Besides, I had already ordered super cute sheets from Garnet Hill in twin and I hate returning things. Flawless logic, that.

We bought this bed:

ODDA bedframe with drawers

I love that it’s low enough for him to climb in and out himself and the extra storage space underneath. You can NEVER have enough places to hide toys and stuffed animals. So we bought the bed frame and the least expensive mattress they sell (my theory is between now and full potty training it’s going to get so gross we’ll end up tossing it anyways) and E swore his way through their wordless Swedish instructions and now it’s all set up and ready for Little Evan to start sleeping in it. Which is going…not so well.

Sunday night he lay on the bed but asked to sleep in the crib when it was time to turn the lights out. But for Monday nap time he climbed right up, lay down, asked for his milk and and kiss and told me night-night. I tucked him in, made sure he had his eight zillion different blankets and stuffed animals and left the room.

I listened outside the door. All was quiet. I came downstairs and listened over the monitor. I could hear him babbling a little and rustling his sheets. Then there was complete silence and I did a little happy dance of joy.

I texted E to tell him how I was AWESOME and that our kid was a big-boy bed genius and that when he got home we could totally take the crib apart for good because who needs it?! I made plans to hem curtains and move bookcases and blog the awesome new toddler room because the redecorating was totally going to be done super soon!

Ten seconds later, a little voice said “Hai!” and Evan peeked around the corner of the kitchen.

My heart totally stopped. My genius big-boy bed sleeping toddler was instead a genius room escaping (EVEN THOUGH there’s a child-proof cover on the door handle) toddler who managed to get out of bed and climb down the stairs in complete silence.  I am TERRIFIED of letting him climb down the stairs on his own so the thought of him doing the whole flight without anyone there to spot him almost made me pass out.

So. No more big boy bed until we get a gate for the stairs. And any recommendations for door handle covers that ACTUALLY KEEP CHILDREN FROM OPENING DOORS are appreciated.

Adorable bebehs in the adorable bed

Final room makeover results have been officially pushed back until we can take the crib down for good. I’m hoping some time before June.

He asked to have Caroline lie in bed. I think he’d sleep with her all the time if I’d let him.

Uh, ALSO needed: a way to make that outlet/cords a little less dangerous. Because right now I can imagine about 4000 ways he could kill himself either accidentally or because he’s a toddler and doesn’t seem to remember playing with outlets is danger! no matter how many times I scream it at tell him. Unfortunately, that’s the outlet that the light switch works not using it at all is the worst possible option. Well, worst besides some sort of terrible tragedy, so maybe not really WORST worst. I’m just hoping there’s a solution besides never having light in Little Evan’s room.

“OK Mom! Go away! We’re good without you!”

Yeah kid, that’s what YOU think.