Carousel Designs

When I was pregnant with Riley, my mother-in-law was kind enough to make all of his crib bedding. It was so fun to go to the fabric store and design everything just for him! I wanted to do the same this time, but just could not find the "perfect" fabric.
I stumbled across this website www.babybedding.com
I thought their stuff was darling, but it gets better! You can order all the fabric swatches to make sure the colors are just right and to see and feel it in person. You can also order the fabrics they use by the yard, so you can make anything you want to completely customize your nursery! I could find nothing but praiseworthy reviews of the company online. Apparently, it's owned by 2 retired military men and everything is made in the USA.
You can even completely design your own crib bedding (they also have toddler bed, etc.). I actually loved one they had for sale so I am buying some pieces of it and ordering fabric for Laura to sew the other pieces that we could do for much cheaper.
I'll let you know if for some reason I'm disappointed with the final product, but I'd thought I put the tip out there in case there is anyone else who spends as many hours on this type of thing as I do :)

Riley turns 2.5

I don't even know how to "summarize" this kid. He is one of the funniest, smartest, cutest, craziest kids I've ever met. Partial maybe?

He makes me laugh everyday and even cry somedays.

He's taught me patience I never thought I'd have.

He's taught me to love in a way I never could have imagined.

He's taught me to want to be, and willingly be, a selfless person.

He can make me want 6 more kids and NO more kids all in the same day. 

Just so I remember....

- Riley knows his colors, shapes, and can usually count somewhere between 10-20. 

- He sings the ABC's, but mostly from memorization, not because he knows all his letters.

-He speaks really well, I think. I understand 95% of what he says and he speaks in complete sentences and puts ideas together. He can answer questions like "why' with because....For example, today he never went to sleep for his nap and cried in his bed for quite some time. When I went in

I said, "Riley, you didn't take a nap, why?"

Riley (who immediately stopped crying), "Because I can't sleep."

Me, "Why?"

Riley, "Because I'm crying."

Me, "Well, why didn't you stop crying so you could sleep?"

Riley, "Because I need to go play.

- He's become a bit bossy, perhaps in preparation for being big brother.

- He still hates bedtime, though it's much less of an issue than in the past.

- He's napped very few times in the last 3 weeks, but he still seems to get tired and need them so we will see what happens there.

- He's more interested in Dada than ever, but still a Momma's boy.

- He tells me his misses me 20 times a day. It seems he uses it as an I love you, but he never says I love you unless coaxed. When I say I love you to him, he responds with "yeah momma' or "okay momma", but never says it back. Then he'll tell his baby giraffe he loves him. I'm pretty sure he's playing as hard to get as his dad did. Poor girl that has to deal with him someday!

- He's still a pretty good eater. Generally I let him eat what he wants because I feel like he makes enough healthy decisions to allow his unhealthy ones.

- Up until the past week or two I'd say the terrible two's haven't been so bad. We've had a rough go lately.

- He's a Copeland financially. When we are shopping, he'll tell me something costs too much money and put it back.

- He seems to be past (fingers crossed) the hitting/pushing phase. That was a rough period.

-He's not potty trained, nor does he show much interest. I go back and forth on giving it a try before baby #2, but I'm running out of time.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a million things I'd love to remember. I've been really bad at documenting things so at least I have something now! I've gotta do better at writing on here the cute things he says daily so I have them.

He's got 2 months left as the only child, it'll be interesting/fun to see how he changes over the next few months.