Lay Baby Lay - Nursery Inspiration & Delights!

This week, Vivi had her last day of school for the year.  The summer has completely snuck up on me, and I was a bit unprepared for the charming little “graduation” ceremony her sweet teachers had for her class.  Each little student received a certificate for a quality about them that the teachers identified, and it took all I had not to cry when she got her rolled up certificate for being compassionate.  She was ecstatic about the whole thing, mostly because it also involved an ice cream party, and it was fun to see how much she has changed throughout this year.  I had Chip take our photo on the steps to benchmark it.  My precious girl has changed so much, and it’s amazing to see how she has grown.  I have to say I have been truly relishing the days with my girls here lately more than I ever have.  It may be because I am more acutely aware of the passing of time now that I am watching a second one grow and change at a rapid pace, but regardless, I am loving watching our little family change.  Things have been so different for me with baby number two – I am enjoying it so much more.  I was a bit of an anxious mess with Vivi; I just felt so overwhelmed and clueless and honestly I think I was in complete shock for awhile there at how much life had changed.  With Brigette, I can hardly stand to put her down.  I feel the time slipping through my fingers, it seems, and I can’t keep myself from cuddling her chunky little self all the time.  We certainly have some tough episodes – sleepless nights (between one who is still waking up and nightmares with the other continuous sleep is a rare treat I can only fantasize about), tantrums, discipline struggles, and crying – but the sweet moments make it all worth it.  My favorite part of the day is naptime.  We all three snuggle in Vivi’s bed and read books before the girls go to sleep, and I am careful to tuck those memories away somewhere special in my heart.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas!  It’s a tough job, for sure, but I wouldn’t trade any of these sweet snuggles for anything.  I hope you all get some rest this weekend and feel treasured for the gifts that you are.  Happy Mother’s Day to my mama, too.  You are the best in the world, and I hope I can be at least half as selfless, compassionate, and giving as you are.

(And thanks to all of you who entered the Paper Box Quilt Co. giveaway!  It was clearly a favorite!  Congratulations to Mary Britton who is the winner!!)

Today’s post is just about what is on my mind . . . as I wrote recently, my sister is expecting a baby boy!  I’m throwing a shower with some of her friends this weekend, and I can’t wait!  Above is some of my inspiration for the feel of the party (links to sources to the right).  It’s sort of a cowboy/farm thing.  Here’s hoping for no rain so we can celebrate with the dogwoods and azaleas . . .

I also have to say it has really been nice to have an event to look forward to.  Those first few weeks with a newborn are exhausting, seemingly endless, and really tough (at least for me!).  Being able to look ahead and plan for something fun reminded me that my head would be above water before too long, and sure enough, here I am!  Along with that is Brigette’s 3 month birthday today!  I feel like it’s such a big day for her – can’t wait to see her little personality really begin to emerge!  Her sweet cheeky grins just make my heart soar.

First, don’t forget to enter the Young America Kudos crib giveaway!  It ends tomorrow!! Just one more little detail from Brigette’s nursery . . . the curtains.  I love these fine prints panels from the Land of Nod.  They have tiny little x’s and o’s (and there are a few other fine prints options, too!) and I thought they were perfect for Brigette’s room.  I wanted to add a little extra detail, so I found some super inexpensive pom pom trim and stitched it along the edge to add a little bit of extra femininity to the panels.  I love what it adds . . . makes for curtains that look custom for a lot less!

Another favorite part of Brigette’s nursery is my little “nursing station.”  It’s so helpful to have a comfortable space to feed baby.  Before I had Vivi, I didn’t really comprehend just how much time I would be spending holding her and feeding her, and that many of those times I would be fighting exhaustion.  I made sure this time around to have an ottoman to prop up my feet (I have also read/heard that this really helps with nursing as well, so aside from comfort, it is a practical thing to have) as well as a space for items I would frequently need, like a glass of water and tissues.  Since Brigette was a January baby, I have a warm throw for middle of the night feedings and I stitched up some special pillows for propping her up while feeding.

Several of you have inquired about the comfort, etc. of the Empire Rocker, and I was really curious myself before getting one.  First, it really is a showstopper.  I love the way it looks, and was not disappointed.  I do think it is pitched at somewhat of an odd angle, making it necessary to have an ottoman.  It’s not overly comfortable without one.  I have really loved it, though, and haven’t regretted it one bit.  My favorite part is the very high back and the wings on the sides.  I can’t count how many hours I have sat in that chair with my head nestled into the side of it.  It drove me crazy that I couldn’t rest my head while feeding Vivi in her glider, so the high back is a huge plus for me.  I have also dozed off quite a few times, for perhaps hours longer than I intended . . .  Another thing to note is that it is really wide, so wide that you can’t use both of the armrests at the same time, but I found that having a pillow there works just as well and you can adjust it to your height.  Vivi and I can also sit side by side in it, which is really fun.   I love the streamlined, not overstuffed look, and the neat, tufted back.  Because of that, it doesn’t feel like a cushy glider, so if that is what you are looking for, this rocker isn’t for you.  It feels like a rocking chair, but a little more comfy and with more head support.  I hope that helps a little – it’s tough when a lot of these chairs aren’t in stores to actually try out beforehand!  All in all, I really love it.  Feel free to ask any questions about it if you have any.  As mentioned above, I love having extra pillows for propping up baby while feeding (and they also come in handy when you start spending more time playing on the floor – it’s great for baby to prop on or for you to lean up against).  Brigette’s pillows are made with the same St. Barth’s fabric from the valances along with hot pink pom pom trim, and the letters are hand cut from a dark gold velvet and stitched with metallic gold thread.  The heart is hot pink corduroy.  I tried to give the letters a hand-drawn look, and I love how they turned out!

I bought a vintage tray to put on the black hutch to hold water, tissues, and other nursing mama needs.  It’s a fun little detail that makes it feel special to me.  There are so many interesting options – below are a few great ones from etsy (metal and lucite are great and non-breakable)! No. 2 is the one I have in Brigette’s room.

And, p.s. don’t forget to enter the Young America Kudos Crib giveaway!!