Thursday, August 12, 2010

Canopy

We took a field trip to Ikea today. We live about 5 minutes from one, and since its pretty much the funnest store in the world to run through at top speed, its awfully appropriate for using up some toddler energy on a rainy day. Plus they have a great kids section with lots of toys.

The real reason for our visit was in search of a couple of oversized pillows for Sophie to lounge/jump around on and a new rubber no-slip bath mat. But after approximately an hour in there, we walked out with neither. Not for lack of looking on my part. But never let it be said I squandered an opportunity to spend money.

I have always, since I was a young girl, dreamed of having netting or bedcurtains (think Victorian era) around my bed. But poor, deprived child* that I was, I never got them. And now, as all good mothers do, I am living vicariously through my daughter. (Lucky for her I never dreamed of being a beauty queen. Although she's much cuter than I ever dreamed of being, so her chances would probably be a lot better than mine might have been.)

Because of this, I have been eying the canopies at Ikea for a while now. But I held off because we have a camera monitor on the wall looking down into her bed. It's been there since she was born and has enabled us to see if she was awake or asleep and more recently, if she was still in bed. Neil and I have absolutely delighted in watching her sleep on it. So much so that I have been loathe to move or get rid of it.

So when I couldn't find those things I was ostensibly there for, I wandered into the children's furniture section and looked once again longingly at the canopies. But today, something clicked in me and I decided it was time. I grabbed the one that clashed the least with the colors of her room and headed for the exit.

When we got home, I set her to playing with her new Ikea train set and I went about hanging the new canopy over her bed. First I had to take down the camera. Until the moment I actually unplugged it, I didn't realize how much it would affect me. But affect me it did.

I am big on being aware when the last time something happens is. I guess I want to know so I can savor that last experience to its fullest. It chaffs me when a last time happened and I didn't realize it, as it did today. But once I brought the canopy home, I simply couldn't not put it up. I'm far too programmed for immediate gratification to have waited another day just to see her sleeping on the monitor one more time.

I couldn't get rid of it completely, though. I moved the camera across the room where I have a more overall view of her room (roughly where the shot below was taken). I figure I'll get rid of it altogether soon, but this is the transition location. I can still see that she is in bed, but I can't actually see her sleeping. I'm going to miss that more than I can say.

I'll get used to this. Just one more in the long line of changes as my little girl grows up.

Sweet dreams, my love.


















Please disregard the ghettoness of the way the canopy is hanging in this shot, I haven't figured out exactly how to drape it yet. And also ignore the state of her room. This IS a 2 1/2 year old's room, tidy is an infrequent visitor here. But HEY lookit the wood floors! Love them.

* I was NOT poor or deprived.

19 comments:

  1. Well I can tell you how we HAD to drape them when we lived in India ... though ours were entirely to keep out the mosquitoes so we didn't get bitten and get malaria.

    Of course, I'm taking a wild guess that yours will probably be used more for looks... *wink*

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  2. Canopy. Floors. Little Girl Growing Up. It's all good!

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  3. My husband and I are guilty of the same...making sure our daughter has all the things we never did (we were not poor or deprived, either). Since she is an only child (and the only grandchild), it tends to get out of hand, but that certainly doesn't stop us!

    Enjoy every minute.. :)

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  4. I'm not letting N. see this picture. No way. She will immediately begin demanding her own princess canopy for her big girl bed. And it's already starting to look a little like a fairy threw up in her room... Know what you mean about tidy not coming around very much!

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  5. Does she like it? I want to get CRW one of the tents they have their. I secretly want a four poster bed in our new houes so I can do some kind of romantic draping. Ryan doesn't know this yet.

    I always check on Lily and watch her sleep. I couldn't do this with CRW cause he was a light sleeper. We are too cheap to get the camera. Last night Ryan came in with me (rarity) and we shared one of those "embracing each other while watching the baby sleep moments". So sweet. Good idea to do the transition. I too am sensitive to "last times".

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  6. awww. such a sweet post out of an ikea trip. I LOVE canopies. When I was little - I always wanted to put my bed in the closet. totally weird.

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  7. Awww...she is so sweet. But isn't it the cute ones that can ravage your heart (and your patience) so thoroughly? ;)

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  8. I had a canopy bed growing up and I LOVE it and she is going to love her's too.

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  9. What a sweet post...who knew a simple canopy would elicit so many memories? Love it!

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  10. I always had very girly rooms growing up and it kills me that my kids all insist on sleeping in the same room. Eventually Eleanor will want her own space though. Hopefully it won't be too late for my decorating (you know - if she ends up being one of those goth girls - or whatever the equivalent is her for pre-teen and teen years).

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  11. Beautiful post! Beautiful pic, beautiful canopy, beautiful mom thoughts!

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  12. Exactly what I would have done....I want to get a canopy for Shea's room...as soon as we get her brother out of it first....only 1 more bedroom finishing to go and then EVERYONE will have their own, WooHoo!!

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  13. I love her room with the fairy princess canopy over the bed.
    I, too, always wanted a canopy bed when I was a little girl.

    And yes, those wood floors are divine!

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  14. That's why God gives us daughters...to live vicariously through in those little "I've always wanted a canopy so now you get one" ways.

    I'm lusting over your floors; simply gorgeous!

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  15. My neice has one over her bed & it's the perfect little girl touch! The "new" floors look AWESOME! And I love that Sophie is playing and completely ignoring the camera.

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  16. Love the wood floors. I would have loved to have a camera in my kids rooms. Are you going to switch her to a big girl bed anytime soon? The canopy might do better without the high sides. It's going to look adorable nonetheless.

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  17. I don't have girls but I would love a canopy over my bed. Unfortunately my husband says no and only allows some pretty gauzy fabric to be looped around our four poster bed. I'll take what I can get.

    It's both difficult and so rewarding to watch them grow up isn't it?

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  18. Apparently I was poor and deprived. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a canopy bed until I was out of my parents house and on my own. I would love to own one of those big four poster beds with the netting draped gracefully from corner to corner. Tap, tap...yeah, sorry I was dreaming.
    I bought my daughter one of those too. It is still hanging in her room.

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  19. So adorable...and what a great story. They do grow up, sadly. And as to how it is draped.... once you do learn how, she will re-arrange it anyway. so better not to try :)

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Give me some sugar, baby!