A Chair for Kate

When Hank and I first got married, we always talked about our future and our to-be children.  We always knew we wanted them, and we always knew we wanted three of 'em.  Yep. One. Two. Three.  So along came Alison, then Henry, and then several years passed.  And then, finally, Kate.

During the pre-Kate years, everything came neatly in pairs.  Mama and Alison.  Daddy and Henry.  Hank and I played one-on-one quite easily, and parenthood was pretty darn fun.  It still is, don't get me wrong.  Just adding the extra little body makes things kinda chaotic at times. Like Amanda (fellow mama of three) once stated, adding one more kidlet is more of a logistics issue (though she said it much more eloquently, I'm sure).  Like take this, for example:

3 Kidlets(own minds) + 2 Cookies = Chaos

Yeah, things like that make life nutty (and funny).  Sometimes the youngest kidlet gets the short end of the stick. . .and they end up with no cookie (so to speak).  In our case, Kate almost wound up with no chair.  You see, years ago I handpainted a table and chairs (IKEA!) for Alison and Henry, and they spent years and years playing and eating and coloring and playdohing at that table. And because I always knew kidlet number three would someday make his/her debut, I went ahead and bought a third chair just for him/her years ago. 

People always wondered why we had a single white chair, and for the first year of Kate's life, the chair remained white, dingy, and oh so lonely!  So finally (finally!) I went ahead and painted a chair for her.  Here, take a peek:

I feel so relieved to have checked that off of my to-do list! And next up?! Her Christmas stocking. . . I know I still have that wool felt. . . somewhere.

Comments

[Adrienne]

What a fantastic little story. You are a super mom, I swear! I think my uterus just twitched again. Why do you keep doing that? :P No, no, no baby yet. Not for a few years if I can keep my act together! ;)
You did a great job on the table and chairs. Great theme and colours! I am sure that Kate is so pleased to have a handpainted chair just like her big sibs. Lucky girl.

[Giao]

Leslie, what forethought! Such sweet thought in every little thing you do for each of your three beautiful babies. I need to take notes. I want to be a supermom like you. =)

[joyce]

you are such a talented artist leslie! my brother was the 3rd kid in our family but b/c he was the 1st boy he never got the short end of the stick!

[Alicia A.]

Such a nice story... and the table and chairs are amazing!

[debbie]

These are adorable!! What a great tradition for the kids and so special for them to have years from now!

[Lilie]

Beautiful!! I don't know how you find the time to do all you do :D

[gillian]

Okay, I LOVE Kate's chair. It's amazing!

[justJENN]

I'm glad you didn't paint that chair early and write "THIRD ONE" on it. Cause that would suck.

[Yvonne]

Your chairs and the table are ever so cute Leslie. I also love the whole middle name story you mentioned over at Flickr.

[jesser]

that's awesome! What a neat idea. I'll have to keep it in mind ... though I don't know that my chair would come out looking nearly so well. :)

[hannah]

oh yes. the third one. i have many things on my list for the third. namely for her to have at least one piece of clothing that is hers and not big sisters. doesnt seem entirely fair does it? the table and chairs are beautiful leslie!

[Kelli]

Oh, that table and chair are just so sweet. Love them! One of my favorite stores is "Fireworks" in Seattle. They have all kinds of handpainted furniture I admire.
Kate is a lucky girl!

[shokufeh]

I love these, and that each chair has their names - first and one of their middle. And that you bought Kate's chair, but waited to paint it until there was a Kate to use it.

[Kathleen]

Lucky Kate! I was the third child in my family, things like this always passed me by, so I completely understand. I had to hear "that was before you were born" way too many times in my chilldhood! ;)

Fantastic job, it matches the set perfectly! :)

[Megan]

That is beautiful!

[mama k]

Beautiful set! Painting furniture is so fun. It's like a giant blank canvas screaming for bold colors!

[jes]

I just love 'em! (and love those kidlets you keep talking about aint so bad either!)

xoxox

[Blair]

Lovely little story, lovely little chair, for a lovely little sunshine of a girl : )

[Nanette]

Love it!

[jenny vorwaller]

awww! this is the sweetest thing *ever* !! little kate gets her own chair! i can only imagine what it must belike to have more than one...someday i hope it happens, but until then, i love reading about your adventures with two cookies!!

now on with that wool felt!! :))) more power to you :)) and thanks for the spanish well wishes!! i need all the practice i can get!! haha...

[dawn]

Leslie - Kate's chair is beautiful and worth the wait. Does she love it?

[hope]

I swear I commented about this adorable chair - maybe it was on Flickr. Anyway, it's adorable!!!

[Marilyn]

It's so cute! Just like her these days, I'm sure. ;)

[Maddux Sports Blog]

Cute table and chairs. My daughter is getting a set from Ikea for Christmas and that inpires me to give them a neat paint job too.

[Kang]

Just miracles! I admire your artistic techniques and your deep love for your dear kids. You all really live a colourful life.