Monday, September 17, 2012

The End of an Era (sort of)

Well, it finally happened.

Two things, actually.

When my kiddo outgrew her crib (like 7 years ago) and went into a big bed, we moved her to a bigger bedroom in the house. For the longest time, we kept the "baby room" as is hoping I'd get pregnant again and have the room ready for the second one.
But that never happened.

So...last week we finally took away the crib, the Snoopy border, and painted it Cooled Blue from Sherwin Williams.
<--We plan on making it an extra office for moi/Wii room/kiddo's art room. :-)


The other thing that happened is...we got rid of our swing set.

*gasp*

It hasn't really been used in about 2 years, but still...the yard looks so barren now. So life-changing.

What are we going to replace the swing set with?

Hmm...I really don't know. I'm still trying to get over the swing set being gone. An end of an era.
NO more little girl. Sniff, sniff.

Kiddo apparently has moved on already.
She suggested replacing the swing set with a POOL, a PUPPY, or a HOT TUB.

Really? Wow, thanks. What choices. Gee, they all sound...

TERRIBLE!!

 I'm leaning toward puppy or hot tub, but I can't tell you how many people are trying to talk me into a small pool. But as much as it would THRILL the kiddo, I'm not sure it would still be used once she is in college. That means I'd have about...8 years of real use. Hmm...

What do you think? If you had the means, what would you choose, POOL, PUPPY, or HOT TUB?



31 comments:

Sandra Orchard said...

I vote puppy!!! :)

Jessica Nelson said...

That is too funny! My niece who is eight just informed my sister that she thinks she's old enough now to get her hair styled differently. *grin*
Girls are so funny! *hugs* on all the changes!

Maria Zannini said...

I vote puppy too. Obviously. :)

Interesting side note: I read recently that a pool is one of the least appreciable additions to a house when it comes time to sell. It looks nice, but you don't get the money back that you put into it.

Connie Keller said...

PUPPY!!

Just make sure you obedience train the puppy so you can enjoy him/her. We used a great program--The Perfect Dog by Don Sullivan. We have an obedient Lab that I can take outside without a leash because I know she'll obey me.

CJ Kennedy said...

Had the pool. Well worth it. The Young One never got out of it. I didn't have to pack everyone up for a run to the beach. Could watch from the comfort of the sunroom. Pool is down now. My hope is to turn the area into a Zen garden. I'm not much of a gardener, but I don't think I can kill sand.

Creepy Query Girl said...

I'd choose pool:) Kids grow so fast. It's depressing, really. When my husband first started trying to convince me to have another I just said 'what's the point? They just keep growing and then someday they leave you!' LOL

Old Kitty said...

Puppy!!!! No contest! Puppy or puppies even! LOL! Take care
x

Karen Lange said...

What about a nice little gazebo where you can sit and read or write, and enjoy the sea breezes? :)

Anne Gallagher said...

I'm opting for pool myself. We had a small one but Monster grew out of it this year, so next year we're getting a bigger one so Mommy can swim and maybe get my chicken arms to shape up.

Unknown said...

Oh I would so go for pool. I don't think I have the patience for a puppy but I sure have the patience to lay out on a float in a pool.

Georgiana Daniels said...

Hot tub--without a doubt!

Jessica R. Patch said...

Hot tub for sure and that's the same color we used for my daughter's bedroom when she outgrew purple butterflies! Sigh.

Southpaw said...

Change is hard enough, but when babies grow it's more than hard.

I say hot tub. Puppies are great, but they are lots of work. Pools are nice, but they are rarely used all year round. Hot tubs are year round and can be used even after the little one is grown.

Rula Sinara said...

I vote for puppy!!! Of course, whether it's a pool or pup, you'll end up taking care of it more than anyone else LOL. Puppies make for great kid companions, teach patience and responsibility, and she'll have the best memories :)

Linda Kage said...

Well, I was going to suggest gazebo, but a pool, puppy or hot tub sound okay too...and really hard work. Our little pool bombed this year because the upkeep was soooo time consuming. But I'll vote for whatever makes your little girl the happiest!

LTM said...

Oh! You just chilled me with the though of my babies not liking to swing anymore. I have a swinging fanatic in my house, and that made me sad... *sniff*

As for the vote, hot tub. Girl! :D <3

Debora Dennis said...

Ack...I'd love to say puppy - but that would just mean constant clean-up of the yard. Pool or hot-tub! (Although I think the hot-tub is less work...Geez, I guess I pretty much outed myself as being freakin' lazy, haven't I?)

Carolyn V said...

Pool. I have a son allergic to puppies. ;)

Diane Estrella said...

All are a ton of work that will fall to the mother, so I have no vote to offer.... ;)

Nancy said...

It's always a sad/happy time when changes like that are made. But your room looks wonderful. I'm sure you will love the extra space and gorgeous color.

I'd choose the puppy. You have such a great yard for one.

Sandra Cox said...

Good luck with that choice.....

Shelley Munro said...

Sounds as if there will be heaps of debate in your house. I vote for puppy. They're so cute when they're asleep. *grin*

Susan Fields said...

8 years is actually a pretty long time, plus a pool would be a big draw to get the grandkids over when the time comes!

Linda G. said...

Puppy! But only if kiddo agrees to pooper-scooper duty. *grin*

Terri Tiffany said...

We went for the pool when the swing set disappeared--oh and then the puppy...but never the hot tub--save that one for you later on.

Chelle Sandell said...

Um...all of the above. ;) Wow. Two big whammies in one week! I just recently gave away some of our baby things and Little Man is nine. LOL. As soon as I gave away the carseat...I started babysitting a friend's little girl occasionally and have needed it several times. *sigh* Not sure if I can part with the last remaining bag of baby clothes though. Some of them are 18 years old. LOL.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

We've had all three, and I definitely vote for puppy. When the kiddos grow up and a pool is no longer used every day, maintenance becomes more of a hassle. If you and your husband love to lay in the hot sun, and love to swim laps, fine, go for it, but if you'd only be getting the pool for your daughter's sake, you may end up regretting that decision later. As for hot tubs, some people enjoy them for years, I guess, but for most, the novelty wears off, and it, too becomes one more thing to maintain. (Plus, a warning: sitting in all that hot water can lead to UTIs.) We ended up filling in our in-ground pool, and the cedar from our former hot tub is now the bed in my husband's Model A rat rod. But a puppy? Everybody loves a puppy. (However, you DO realize that turning your back on the possibility of getting pregnant again almost assures that it'll happen, dontcha?)

Melissa Sugar said...

Letting go is so hard even when we are moving forward and creating new memories. I vote for a small pool. We have one and a large portion of my favorite family memories are connected to the pool. The kids are getting older now and I love that our house has become the official hangout for our kids and their friends. I just feel safer knowing they are here.

Kristin Rae said...

awww... changes like that are hard. i still freak out when i go to my parents' house and my room is completely not my room anymore. :(

pools are a LOT of work. and $. my parents have one and i'm not sure they would get another one if they moved. of course, down here in houston, by july it's already too hot to swim in LOL.

I vote PUPPY!!!! We have two boxers and I adore them!

MJFredrick said...

Pool! But I remember that feeling WELL.

Laura S. said...

A POOL!!! Though actually having all that yard space looks lovely. You could set up a badminton or volleyball net or play bocce ball. You have lots of possibilities; good luck choosing one!!