So now at 20 weeks (phew) I'm halfway through my pregnancy. Happily no longer feeling like I am going to throw up at every minute, I've begun nesting in earnest & thinking ahead to when our little one arrives at the beginning of February. The 2 year old has moved in with the 6 year old... I have high hopes for late-night laughter and secret-whispering over late-night fighting and getting out of bed... and her old room will be the nursery. I've been trying to think of how I can make some little changes to the room to make it the new baby's instead of just Aida's old place, with a different baby sleeping in the crib, you know? But nothing that requires spending much money because that just seems silly.
I wonder why we nest. (And, incidentally, as I just typed that thoughtful question, I witnessed the 2 year old eating a nugget of dog food. Thankfully she chose to spit it out. Just FYI). Because I guess a cute little nursery doesn't really matter so much in the long run. When our son was born 8 years ago, we lived in the tiniest little apartment in San Francisco on top of Mt. Sutro and he slept in his stroller next to our bed for the first 6 months of his life. And it was great. I guess mostly the fun of it is in thinking of the new life that's coming -- bathing newborn toes, unclenching their tight little fists to clip those sharp little nails, smelling them. There is so much about raising children and keeping them safe that is hard and stressful and ambiguous that at least planning a nursery is simple in it's purpose and pleasure, you know?
So, ideas, anyone? I'm planning on making the new baby a new blanket for the crib, and perhaps a new little muslin bedskirt, but I still am waiting to be struck with just the right idea for some artwork or a sweet little mobile. We've moved the little red toddler bed into the 6 year old's room so now the nursery contains: 1 empty crib, 1 empty dresser, 1 pair of plain white curtains, 1 empty tiny bookcase, and lots of old clothes strewn over the floor waiting to be sorted into the right hand-me-down bins.
Hmm...
23 comments:
Congratulations!
nesting? yes, quite familiar!
After a few little ones I think the best thing to do is keep the baby room simple, comfortable and a place where all the other little ones are welcome to enjoy the new baby. Some new little things, some home made little things and an abundance of love!
I'm so happy for you! Babies are precious and bring such a brilliant spirit to the home.
congratulations on the new babe in the making! how about painting the room a new color?
glad you are feeling better
since babies love other babies maybe some of your favorite photos of your other children where the baby can see them.
also small magazine has a blog with some very sweet crafty ideas. i liked this one but haven't tried it
http://smallmagazine.typepad.com/smaller/2009/05/small-projects-summer-tweets.html
or some kind of wall hanging with all pretty trims and fabrics stitched into a collage
When we moved my son out and the nursery went from neutral/sort of boy to girly for my daughter, we added a couple touches ... we changed out some of the artwork, added a Peter Rabbit border using Wallies, and then I tied girly ribbons from the curtain. It's a floor-length tabbed curtain, so I tied bows and let them hang down about 1/3-1/2 of the way. I'm sure you could think of something cute to do with the bookshelves - paint them or use fabric or patterned paper on the back? Can't wait to see what you come up with!
as for the art....how about having the older children create the art...maybe have them paint something for the baby, like something they want the baby to see...to know...maybe each of their handprints in acrylic...i dunno...you could limit the colors that will be used in order to coordinate with your room and also to help them look cohesive. You can get canvases so cheaply at places like michaels or ollies...
I echo the earlier Congratulations!
Oh enjoy - I love making new things for new babes!
A mobile is always a lovely touch I think - my little girl was transfixed by hers from the moment she could actually focus on it!
I made her an orange and blue bird mobile using the tutorial on Spool sewing.
We strung it up on small branches and it moves beautifully. You can see it here if you like.
http://and-so-i-sew.blogspot.com/2009/04/flying-high.html
HEy so the news arrived here, too :D
Congrats from Luxembourg ;)
We kept the "nesting" and rearranging quite simple, as we lived tiny, when the 1. one was born and moved house shortly before number 2 made us complete.
I would suggest painting much white and just let some fairy-tales walk in ... Haensel und Gretel, Snowwhite, Goldilocks (just pick one or two or three of your favorits)
OR you paint the lower part of the walls in any given color and put a border along the walls (for exsample handprints of the proud older siblings?)?
Best wishes from Luxembourg
Simone
who ordered a village frock the other day and still has tiny hopes on a servant frock ^-^
20 weeks, hooray!
I know it's probably a tired idea, but I still really like vintage fabric in different sized embroidery hoops hanging on the wall.
And I really like those Martha Stewart tissue paper pom-poms in nurseries, too.
Lynne:
I really think you should write a book. Every word you write is so thoughtful and fresh and interesting. I've missed reading you lately, but understand you've been busy...
congratulations!!! i totally understand!!! the nausea and all the nesting!
i am not quite as brave and ready to put my two girls together so fixing up a baby room will have to wait until baby is about 3 months. I am nervous about putting a 3 and 2 year old together in the same room. But I am having fun readying the rest of the house for baby! Yesterday, I purged through the hallway cabinets and cleaned out two closets. i think i am going nesting crazy!!!
check out cookie magazine's website. there is a section where people post pictures of rooms in their homes....great inspiration and also, i think i have mentioned before that the two of you could easily be featured on that page as well with all your beautiful rooms!
Congratulations !
After 4 little ones I find the simplest (and cheapest) decorations are so much fun. For one of my children I knotted some colorful fish to hang on an embroidery hoop as a mobile. For my last little one I found beautiful paper and created little butterflies and and some fabric to create birds to hang up as a mobile and wall art. I simply took a beautiful piece of wood that I found outside and put it on the wall for the birds and the trusty old embroidery hoop for the butterflies. Hope this helped!
what a sweet entry! i actually like nesting, but i got sick of it after being overdue this time. I'm sure you have some very creative ideas for the baby's room- new curtains or a valance? Good for you to do something affordable!
The new arrangement looks so very sweet and calm. Congrats.
Also, I love bottle brush trees...where did you find yours? Can't find them anywhere?
Congrats! Seems lie everywhere new babies are brewing--or maybe it just seems that way since we learned we're working on #4. Our oldest is 11 years older than our #2 baby, so #2 and #3 share a room--and all three of the littlies will share once this new baby arrives (that, or we send our teen to an outbuilding; jury still out). I LOVE having our kids share, and have found it makes them much better sleepers all around.
I love the idea of having the older kids make tribute/welcome art, and then framing that. I also love the graphic nature of letterpress, and think something in a high-contrast letterpress poster would catch tiny eyes.
And when in doubt, remember what Elsie deWolfe said: "I believe in optimist and plenty of white paint."
Ahem. That would be "optimisM" although I'm sure she believes in optimists, too.
I made a mobile for my second daughter, to hang over her changing table, with the faces of her sister, dad, cat, and myself alternating with black and white designs. I used printed photos, foam core, wire and fishing line. You could also do something like that to hang on the wall, the faces of those who love her.
BTW, Love the headboard fabric!
Lovely little blog I've been enjoying this afternoon.
Cheers!
Lynne, How are you? This is Jenny Volcansek. My friend just made the most beautiful mobile. She knitted 4-5 birds with leftover yarn, and it turned out adorable. Let me know if you would like me to email you some pics. I am just on Tiffany's computer today.
Re Names
Adele. We love the name Adele Lucille. And Isabella Rose.
Post a Comment