Nope.  Don’t worry.  This isn’t about the guys’ restroom.  Our lil’ guy, Everett (aka E.J.), just turned 2. 

That means he’s getting pretty close to sleeping in a Big Boy Bed.  Our older son, Layne (now 5), didn’t kick the crib until he was 3.  He never tried to climb out and was very content sleeping all cozied up in a corner of the crib.  I think he’d still be sleeping in that crib if we hadn’t needed it for Everett!  But, alas, Everett seems to be doing everything sooner than Layne did…the curse of the second-born, I hear.  He’s 2 going on 7.  He sees no difference between him and big kids.  Like when he pleads to ride a 2-wheel bike without training wheels even though he can’t reach the pedals OR handle bars OR see through the bike helmet that’s waaaay too big and slides down over his eyes.  If he could, he would swear to you that he can ride a 2-wheel bike.  (Politics may or may not be in his future.)

In anticipation of Everett ditching his crib sooner rather than later, we ordered a Big Boy Bed.  It arrived 2 weeks ago.

This is what the living room looked like once I finally removed all the packaging.  Let’s just say a few choice words were shared between me and the cardboard boxes slathered in a ridiculous amount of packaging tape.

Because I’m a mean Mom (and because I had to share a room with a sibling until I was 14), I’m putting my boys together in the same bedroom even though we have bedrooms to spare.  I think they may hate me now but love me later.  I’m hoping it will bring them closer since they are more than 3 years apart.  And I’m hoping it will make them appreciate their own space when they finally get it…at, say, age 12.  Of course, this could completely backfire on me and it probably will.

To avoid any added frustrations that may come along with pairing our boys up in the same room, I got Everett the same exact bed that Layne already has.  It’s a twin platform bed made of solid wood stained a nice dark mocha color.  I have visions of matching linen headboards (that I would totally DIY) and pops of fun color.  Nothing too theme-y.  Something similar to this…minus the floral drapery…

This is what Layne wants his and Everett’s room to look like…

Oh, the horror.  I really don’t want to decorate their room without acknowledging their love of cars (omg, they looooooove anything with wheels) but could we do it a little less conspicuously?  Please guys? 

The good news is that I reconciled with the cardboard packaging and helped Layne make a “Tape Box Derby” track while Everett napped. 

Initially, we tried running cars down the cardboard track but they kept getting stuck.  Rolls of tape worked much better.  Tape Box Derby kept Layne occupied for 2 hours!

I’ve found that some of the best “toys” are ones we invent ourselves with little or no money involved.  (See how Handy Hubby conctructed Mission Control for Layne’s super space-y birthday party here.)  Gotta love that!  Now, if I could just get him to let go of the Disney Cars theme.  I don’t want to redo their room in a year because they’re into a new movie.  We’ll see…