When we moved into our house, one of the bedrooms was already painted blue and gray, which turned out to be perfect when we found out we were expecting a boy. And if our next child is a girl, the colors are still gender-neutral enough that the two kids could share a room for a while. Mr. H Jr will be in our room until about six months of age, but I still wanted to have the nursery ready before he arrived, just to check it off my list.
We don’t have decorations yet. I’m waiting for Mr. Handsome to paint some pictures, either ships or animals, and we might need better lighting at some point, but other than that, the room is ready.
The crib was a gift from Mr. Handsome’s grandparents, and the dresser was mine as a child. The “floating” desk was there when we moved in, and rather than take it out and risk damaging the wall, we decided to use it to store stuffed animals and books. The changing pad is on there for now, but we hardly use it because we have one attached to the Pack ‘n Play that Mr. H Jr sleeps in. It won’t be long before he starts rolling over, and then the changing pad will have to move to the floor for safety.
Little Buddy has been blessed with tons of books (gifts from my showers), stuffed animals (some gifts, some from my childhood), and homemade blankets (gifts). I laid him in his crib (for the second time ever) while I snapped these pictures (see top photo), and he fell right asleep. He must like it! The teddy bear in the crib was given to him by Daddy on Valentine’s Day.
(For those who may be concerned, I never let him sleep unattended with blankets or stuffed animals. The blankets will be removed from the crib when he starts using it, and the teddy bear was only there for the photo op.)
Anonymous
He looks so adorable in his crib!!! I like his room!
Ellie
Thank you!
Anonymous
The nursery looks nice. I can remember, it was so much fun getting the nursery ready for our son… Jane
Ellie
Thanks, Jane! What did your nursery look like?
Anonymous
My mother-in-law offer me the crib she used for her 2 sons. And offer me a dresser and chest of drawers she had in a spare room. Than I made curtains, a crib quilt and bought a few stuff animals. When my daughter was born I made her a crib quilt… Jane
Anonymous
Oh, the walls were light blue, curtains yellow, green and brown with bears. My grandmother gave me quilt pieces so I made a Christmas crib quilt, because he was born around Christmas. For my daughter, her crib quilt was pastel color pieces… Jane
Ellie
Sounds lovely!
Regina Shea
I remember getting the nursery ready for my first baby. It was so much fun and equally as much fun with each additional baby.
Ellie
What did your nursery look like, Regina?
darlene
oh what a cute room! gray is my favorite color and it seems to go with just about everything! like black or white!
maybe mr handsome could repaint some of the lighthouses from your maine trip to put in the room. its the perfect color(s) and would look great with the ships.
Ellie
Thanks, Darlene! I agree, gray is a great color that goes with anything. The lighthouses are a great idea! Hadn’t thought of that.
Ellie
Kay
Wow, good for you, you’re doing a great job with your handsome little guy!! Don’t feel rushed to move him out though. We had our babies in our room for a year to a year and a half.
Ellie
Thanks, Kay! That’s good advice. Are your kids sound sleepers now? I would think that a perk of keeping them in your room for longer would be that they would learn to sleep through noise.
Ellie
Kay
They are good sleepers! But more because of being on a schedule I think. The reason I kept them so long was more to do with SIDS… they say it helps for the babies to hear the parents breathing. Actually they all did well during the night so it didn’t bother us as much to have them in there. Actually I was sad with the first two when the time came. I missed them, but knew they had to be in their own room at some point.
anonymous
Your nursery is very safe and functional and nice. Have you ever watched nanny 911? No inference intended, its just a fun show to watch.
Ellie
Thanks! I saw a few episodes a long time ago. It’s an entertaining show. Is it still showing on TV?
anonymous
I don’t know, probably not, but you tube has some episodes. Just looking at the room made me recall the show. I was looking for a chair in your room, you could get a love seat or couch or something longer. Then you all could spend time in there, before junior moves in.
a.
The rooms are the stage, for the stages….
Kelly
Lovely room!! Baby H looks so cute sleeping away! When I was expecting my first child, we could not get a clear enough sonogram to determine the sex. My hubby and I both love Winnie the Pooh so that was our nursery theme. We were able to reuse all of it with our second child because it was so gender neutral.
Nancy
Hi Ellie,
I wanted to let you in on a good tip for helping a baby go to sleep. While holding the baby against your shoulder, you make the “shhhh” sound next to his ear. This makes a sound similar to what he heard in the womb. I used to do this for my baby sister and it worked like a charm all the time 🙂 It was a blessing that I happened to catch a baby whisperer on tv with this advice, when my mom was expecting my little sis. Congratulations btw!
Ellie
Thanks so much for the suggestion, Nancy! It does work like a charm. 🙂 Any other advice that the baby whisperer shared?
Ellie
Nancy
Unfortunately I don’t remember any other advice, I think it was a short segment I happened upon when flipping through the channels. Plus it was years ago 🙂 I’m sure you’ll learn a lot on the job, by taking care of your little guy. Thanks for responding to my comment, I enjoy all your blogs
Ellie
Glad you enjoy my blogs, Nancy. 🙂
Sarah
I love the book “The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems” by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau. So much helpful information! It can be hard to sit down and read through a book as a new tired mom. But I think she makes it pretty easy to find the help or answers you’re looking for quickly. A good investment if you feel like checking it out.
Ellie
I’ll have to check that out, Sarah. Thanks for the suggestion!
Karen
Those crocheted baby blankets are beautiful. I love hand made baby blankets. I had a great grandmother that made the most beautiful baby blankets. Good job on the nursery.
Ellie
Thanks, Karen! One of the crocheted baby blankets was supposed to be a baby gift for me years ago, but my aunt didn’t finish it in time, so she stopped working on it. She ended up pulling it out of storage and giving it to me as a wedding present four years ago.
Ellie
Anonymous
I’m surprised that you would leave the walls blue for a girl, since you and your husband seem to be VERY into traditional gender roles.
Anonymous
10:52, blue and pink don’t belong to a specific gender. God created all colors, and never once is there a mention in the Bible about some colors being for boys and some for girls. That is a man made idea.
Also anonymous
Are you just one person? Or like a group of persons who like to “hate” on this girl with your constant negative remarks. On almost every post i see such remarks from “anonymous”…she doesn’t deserve this….go find yourself a fun hobby to make you smile and stay of this blog with negative remarks.
anonymous
I ‘see’ a very strong woody, (like counter match piece), window space bench with storage space underneath.
Ellie
Very good idea!
anonymous
It just clicks that Mr H. could make a strong, wooden window bench seat that matches the counter and crib and has some storage space underneath.
Anon.
I think the window should be changed out. So the part that opens for fresh air is a way at the top and the larger bottom part is sealed never to open, but good for a view. Ellie do you have central air conditioning going in that room or would you need an air conditioner unit somewhere in a wall? Just curious.
(Once I walked into the living room in my third level up apartment and my one year old was climbing on the window sill of an open window that had no screen!)
Ellie
We have central air. All our windows have screens, which is nice.
anonymous
‘Storage space underneath’ should not be a place a child could get into. It would have to have a child proof lock of some sort. My Grandma used to use the term a ‘Going Concern’ for something like an energetic, curious, lively toddler.
Lisa VK
What a lovely room for Baby H! I think the floating desk is not only a unique feature but will serve a purpose for many years to come. Having 2 boys myself, I can already imagine special treasures and LEGO sets etc carefully placed there by a big brother wanting them out of the reach of younger siblings 😀 I also love your sentimental side and how you cherish the gifts given to you by showcasing and incorporating them into your decor. I can’t wait to see what Mr. H decides to create/paint for the room, I can see both nautical or animal working well.
Well done and a belated congratulations on your precious son xo
Ellie
Thank you, Lisa! That will be a great use for the desk. Hadn’t thought of that. And a great place to do schoolwork, as well. How old are your boys?
Ellie
Lisa VK
My boys are now 20 and 9, and I also have 2 grandsons ages 6 and 9 months old. I think you are going to really enjoy being the mother of a boy; I know I certainly do 🙂
Anonymous
The baby is gorgeous!
Anonymous
Curious about why you rent, not own. Mortgage rates have been low and the stock market going gangbusters. That’s the time to borrow money for a house and let your own saved money work harder invested elsewhere. Plus you build equity by owning, and when you factor in the percent your house increases in value each year, it should cancel out or exceed the interest rate on the mortgage. (For instance, our house loan is 3.25% but our local home prices are increasing an average of 12% each year.) While you’re “saving to buy a house in cash,” you could have owned a house and come out ahead in the long run. House debt is not “bad” or unsecured debt like credit card debt. The rich get richer by using “cheap” money where possible and investing the rest. Right now, your rent money is going down the drain, or into the pocket of your landlord, not into equity or increased home value.
Ellie
We own our house.
Anonymous
I too thought you rented. Did we all miss the memo?
Ellie
Yes, we were renting, but we purchased a home last year.
AmyRyb
FWIW…and I swear I’m not one of those know-it-alls…but you don’t HAVE to move the changing pad to the floor once he rolls over. As long as you’re with him (meaning everything is within reach), do your back (and knees and floor) a favor and keep him up there. I feel like bigger kid poop can get very messy and even with a big changing pad, it’s all too easy for poop to somehow make its way off as they squirm. I’d hate for it to get on the rug…the wood looks much easier to clean! Everything just seemed more contained up on the table, and I also had decals on the wall next to it so I could distract my kids with the pictures while they were being changed. You could probably do a mirror, too 🙂 And sometimes every second counts and every arm/hand is full, so to just leave the changing pad up there and not have to lay one out each time seems so much simpler! It’s your call, clearly, but just know there’s no rule to have to do that as long as you’re close by. My kids laid on the changing table right up through potty training, no problem! Your nursery is very sweet, though! I agree with the other commenter about a chair–babies get heavy and still need to be rocked and held, and sometimes that chair is a lifesaver during a marathon session! I had an IKEA Poang chair, which was great as it had a little “bounce” built in (and it’s cheap)!
Ellie
That’s very true. Our carpet is white, so getting poop on it wouldn’t be ideal. Might have to get a mat if we end up moving the changing pad to the floor. I know that Mr. Handsome and I would be careful, but I’m more concerned about others who might change his diaper as he gets older and can move around more. It’s probably an unnecessary worry, as we would only have responsible people watch him, but unfortunately accidents do happen. A mirror and decals are a good idea!
I would love to get a chair. They can be so expensive, but that IKEA chair you mentioned looks great. Thanks!
Ellie
B 😀
I changed my babies on the floor. I kept a caddy on each floor of the house that contained diapers, wipes, butt cream, etc. I also used an adult bedwetting pad that I got an Amazon. Nice size as baby grows, holds in spills, and can be washed over 100 times (per their instructions). Folds up and goes in the caddy between uses. Worked great for us.
Anonymous
We bought that same IKEA chair after visiting family out of town, it does have a nice bounce and is comfy to rock baby in!
MacKenzie
Ellie,
Your baby and his room are beautiful. The only thing that I would change would be all of the fuzzy blankets that are hanging around his crib. It safer to have all bedding put away.
The National Institute of Health published the following:
Bedding such as thick blankets, quilts, and pillows can block an infant’s airway, leading to unintentional sleep-related suffocation. This type of bedding can also increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the unexplained death of a child within the first year of life.
Infants should be placed to sleep alone, on their backs, on a firm sleep surface, such as on a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet. Soft objects, toys, crib bumpers, quilts, comforters, and loose bedding should be kept out of a baby’s sleep area.
I just want your precious baby to be safe.
Ellie
Thanks, MacKenzie. 🙂 Yep, they will be removed when he starts sleeping in the crib. Right now they are just there for storage.
Have a great day,
Ellie
Anonymous
A nice thing about the blankets is the children can grow into them. When they are big enough to not be at risk for all these warnings. Blankets can mean a lot and when the children get attached to their blankets they will want them for comfort and security. That’s why it is so special that loving people in the child’s life provide blankets, it expands the meaning to their beautiful world and isn’t just ‘repurposed pop bottles from a foreign or domestic factory’. After awhile you might think you’ve become too sentimental when scruffy bits of cloth are still cherished!
OhioMama
It’s so nice, Mr. h making decorations for the room is going to be more special then what you can buy in the store. When my husband and I bought our house we did our sons room in a nice green color that we could use for any theme. Our son decided he doesn’t want to sleep in that room anymore and moved into our spare room so we are making that room his Batman room and his old room the nursery which makes it easier because we don’t have to move the crib. I just made my second son’s nursery set. His theme is dinosaurs. For the price I would have paid for just a crib set, I took that money and made a crib set, curtians and a changing pad cover. I also crochet and I made him a blanket just like I did for my other son. The crochet baby blanket is always my project I do for new babies. I made one for my niece and 2 nephews just a special little gift from their aunt to them.
Ellie
I’m impressed, OhioMama! I can sew, but it takes me a long time to figure it out, and I’m guessing the project you did would have taken me a few tries.
OhioMama
I’m lucky that my mom knows how to sew and is teaching me with her sewing machine. We were able to get it all done this past weekend! Took a lot of time and patience on both ends but I did it. My next project we are going to do is some dresses and skirts for me! Hey us momma’s need to be spoiled once in a while too.
Ellie
Sounds like a lot of fun!
OhioMama
It is, and so fun to see things take shape under you own hands
Ann
That is a very pretty color blue. It’s great you have so many children’s books! Which is your favorite story? The baby’s room does need some art! How about birds (I read you like birds.) There are some beautiful birds that would make the room more warm and kid friendly. You could print out some color copies of diverse birds photos from National Geographic Kids website, frame them, and put on the walls until the painting are ready.
Ellie
That’s a good question. I always liked the story ‘Hansel and Gretel’ growing up, but that’s for older children. What is your favorite children’s book? Birds are a great idea, too!
Ellie
Ann
Oh so many good books. For little ones I like – Max Talks to Me, The Story of Ferdinand, and The Velveteen Rabbit. One of my favorite holiday books is “The Legend of Mistletoe and the Christmas Kittens.”
Sara
I think putting a baby’s nursery together is just about the most fun thing to do in those pre-baby, nesting months. There is something just so special about getting a room all ready for the new little baby! I have an 8 month old boy and we decorated his room in a PNW beach theme (soft oyster grey walls, with a driftwood-ish feature wall with timberchic stick on wood, a seagull mobile, and other beachy touches) – I just love his room! I also have a 2 year old daughter with a pink, garden themed room including a beautiful oversized flower wallpaper (it is called jolie from anewall). Happy sigh. Nurseries are just the most fun!
Ellie
I love the idea of a beach theme! Do you live in the Pacific Northwest? (I’m guessing that’s what PNW stands for?) We visited a few years ago, and it was beautiful.
Ellie
Anonymous
I love all the crocheted blankets! My daughter has my baby blanket that my great grandmother crocheted me as a baby, it’s just so special!
Candi
I absolutely LOVE the long floating desk/table/shelf-whatever ya call it-in your nursery! That would be ever so handy to have and it’s the neatest thing ever for a nursery for all “baby” stuff and then for a children’s room…yep, that thing will see a lot of things through the children’s stages!
Ellie
Thanks, Candi! At first, I wanted it gone to have more space in the room, but it’s growing on me.
Tami
My first baby came 38 years ago! Mint green and yellow were what we considered “gender neutral” then, and of course, ultrasound was so new, very few people knew the sex of their baby until they were born. As I began “nesting” and preparing our nursery, I decoupaged a cute little whimsical picture I had cut off of a baby shower greeting card onto the footboard of our white crib. I also bought little wood medallions and decoupaged little cut out baby art figures onto the wood, then glued them to a wide mint green satin ribbon with a metal loop to make a wall hanging. We bought an old changing table that I thoroughly scoured and bought a padded white vinyl bumper pad as was the fashion, for our crib. Bringing a new child into the world was every bit as exciting then as it is today. We just approached these things much more simply than the custom today. My husband was newly graduated from university at that time and went on to become a CEO executive, but we will always cherish those humble beginnings…
Ellie
That’s very sweet, Tami. Thanks for sharing. There are definitely pros and cons of every generation, but the simplicity of the past is something that should not be forgotten. Do you have any grandkids?
Ellie