My favorite items for baby #2

We are in that phase of life where many friends have recently had a baby, or are expecting a baby. Preparing for the second baby is in many ways easier, because you have the essential baby gear and feel like you kind of know to expect. However that second baby can feel like exponentially more work since you have a toddler to chase around (definitely not a linear relationship). I thought I’d share some items we found to be the most helpful during the transition from one child to two.

1. Nursery camera – we use this in lieu of a video baby monitor. We have a baby monitor we use for sound and temperature, then we use this Foscam to see what they are up to in their cribs. There’s an app you download onto your smartphone and can access from anywhere. Of course, we use it a lot at home, but it’s also nice to be able to see if they are napping while we are at work.

2. Baby Carrier – two words: hands free. Grocery shopping, family walks, playing at the park, getting through the airport, etc. I like the Boba 4G because it is super comfy, comes with an infant insert and sunshade, has handy pockets, and even has a little strap that snaps to secure your diaper ba

3.  Backpack diaper bag – because you will need both arms for wrangling infant car seats, holding toddler’s hand, etc. Bonus points for one that’s not ugly. I used to clip my diaper bag onto the cart/stroller, but found with a sit and stand stroller (see #6 below) that the diaper bag would hit Noah in the face if I clipped it on the handlebar. So having a bag that could convert to a backpack became a must. I love this Petunia Pickle Bottom bag more than words can say. It doesn’t show dirt, has a pretty quilted texture, and holds a ton of stuff. The backpack straps slip inside a pocket when not in use so it just looks like a cute tote bag. It stands up by itself when you set it down. I could go on and on.

4. Baby swing – Because you won’t have the time or energy to carry baby #2 around all hours of the day. A swing will free up your arms (see a theme here?). We would swaddle Harper and put her in the swing with a pacifier when she would get fussy. It usually helped her fall asleep, and we would then turn it off to save batteries and also give her more restful sleep. Lifesaver.

5.  Sit ‘n Stand stroller – this Joovy stroller is the lightest double stroller on the market. It has a Universal car seat adapter so you can plop the infant car seat right in it. Your older child will love being able to sit, stand, and hop on and off when they want. The back bench also converts to a seat if you just want a tandem double stroller. When the baby gets older you can snap on the snack tray in place of the car seat adapter. The huge canopy  and parent console are also convenient. Not to mention it’s also a total bargain for a double stroller.

6. White noise machine – I could quote Happiest Baby on the Block and talk about the benefits of white noise to recreate the womb for a newborn, but the reality is you need to mask noise while baby sleeps. This isn’t always easy when you have a toddler running wild through the house. The Dohme white sound machine is nice because instead of playing a recording on a loop, it just sounds like a fan. You can adjust it to be louder or softer.

Honorable mentions: We have used this sleep book as a guide with both kids, who now both nap well and sleep soundly at night (*knock on wood*). I also got good use out of my nursing cover since we were out and about a lot more with the second baby. And I know the Boppy pillow makes it onto every baby gear list out there, but for good reason. What can’t you use that thing for?

I hope this list can be of some use to mamas out there expecting their second baby. And for mamas of more than one I’d love to hear: what items you found most helpful?

Cloth diapering essentials

This is our second round of cloth diapering, and we are still loving our BumGenius diapers. We primarily use cloth on Harper when we are at home, with the exception of using Pampers Baby Dry diapers for overnight. We also use disposable diapers when we are away from home for convenience.

Since I get a lot of questions on using cloth diapers from friends, I thought it would be nice to share more specifics. Here are the things we use:

cloth diapers / bamboo diaper inserts / diaper sprayer / laundry detergent
wet bag / diaper pail liner /  diaper pail

Choosing a diaper

There were three main types of cloth diapers we considered: pocket, all-in-ones, and fitted.
Pockets are a waterproof outer layer with a pocket; an absorbent insert fits into the pocket.
All-in-ones have a built in insert that is not removable.
Fitted diapers are an absorbent (but not waterproof) diaper that requires putting on a separate waterproof cover.

We ultimately decided to to with the pocket design for a couple of reasons.
Reason #1: You can “customize” the absorbency by doubling up on the inserts or changing the type of insert. For example, our diapers came with microfiber inserts, but we switched to bamboo inserts to increase the absorbency. (We also double up on the bamboo inserts.)
Reason #2: They are easier to clean. Because you can pull the insert out and spray off the shell, the diaper doesn’t soak up a lot of water and get “soggy.” They dry faster than all-in-ones because they inserts can be removed and dried separately.

After doing some research, BumGenius 4.0 seemed to get the best reviews. They’re adjustable to fit babies size 8 lb – 35 lb with two different sized inserts – one for newborns and a larger one for bigger babies. As an added bonus they come in fun colors and cute prints. We used them for about a year with Noah and loved them, and have been loving them again this second go around with Harper.

Cleaning/Laundering

This is the part that is most intimidating to people, but honestly it isn’t that bad. Investing in a waterproof diaper pail liner, the right detergent, and having a decent washing machine certainly makes things go more smoothly.

Wet diapers – we pull the insert out of the diaper cover, then toss both the insert and the diaper cover in the diaper pail. It’s as easy as that.

Dirty diapers – we still pull out the insert and toss it in the diaper pail. We then take the dirty diaper cover (the outer shell of the diaper) to the toilet and spray off the mess with the BumGenius diaper sprayer. After the diaper cover has been sprayed off, we put it in a wet bag (waterproof, zippered cloth bag) that we keep in the bathroom to avoid carrying a dripping wet diaper on back to the nursery.

We use this Dekor diaper pail, which does a great job at preventing any odors from escaping and has a nice large opening to allow the diapers to pass through. We also use a cloth diaper pail liner (we have two of these), which comes in handy since you can just toss them in the wash with the diapers.

To launder the diapers, we just take the diaper-filled liner out of the pail and empty it into our washing machine (as well as the wet bag with the dirty diapers from the bathroom). The diaper pail liner also gets tossed in with the rest of the load. We wash on sanitary cycle (extra hot water) with the soil level set to medium-high, and add in an extra rinse at the end of the cycle to get them extra clean. After trying a few different detergents, I can’t say enough good things about how well Rock N Green works. I only use a rounded tablespoon of this powdered detergent, and it does an amazing job of not only cleaning the diapers, but also maintaining their absorbency. I initially balked at the price, but one bag of it lasts us over five months since we only use it for diapers. Good stuff.

Once the wash cycle is done, we air dry the diaper covers by draping them over the side of the laundry basket (they usually dry within a few hours in our dry Colorado air). We throw the inserts in the dryer. The only downside to having super absorbent bamboo inserts is that they do take a bit longer to dry, but throwing a few towels in seems to help toss them around so they dry a little more quickly. After everything is dry, we stuff the inserts back into the pockets of the diaper covers. This is a little time consuming, but it only takes a few minutes to get them all done.

And that’s pretty much it! A little wordy, I know, but I hope this information can be useful to those considering cloth.

Preemie essentials (for bringing home baby)

Bringing home your preemie is exciting but nerve-wracking. After spending all that time watching the NICU monitors alerting every episode of bradycardia and apnea, you feel a bit anxious about “unhooking” your baby. The important thing I kept reminding myself was that they would not be sending my baby home if she wasn’t fully capable of breathing by herself and regulating her own heartbeat. Here are some of the things we found most helpful in the first weeks at home with Harper.

1. I mentioned Dr. Brown’s bottles in my NICU essentials post. It was what our nurses recommended for reducing reflux, and Harper never did have an issue with reflux or spitting up. 4oz bottles will be plenty big in the beginning. Harper started on a preemie nipple when she was first learning to take a bottle, but by the time she was discharged she had graduated to a level 1 nipple..

2. You will likely need to fortify bottles if you had a preemie, even if you are breastfeeding. We used Similac Neosure (there is also Enfamil or whatever your doctor recommends).

3. A multivitamin with iron was recommended to us by our NICU docs and pediatrician. Preemies don’t have enough stores of certain vitamins and minerals like a full term infant, and therefore need a daily multivitamin.

4. Dr. Brown bottle warmer. This is my absolute favorite bottle warmer. It’s digital, which makes it super easy to set an accurate time to warm different volumes of milk. We’ve tried the Munchkin brand as well, but it doesn’t compare to this one.

5. Microwave sterilizer – so awesome and easy to use. We use it to sterilize bottles, pump parts, pacifiers, teething toys, etc. Keeping germs at bay is essential with a preemie, especially in those early weeks at home.

6. Angelcare monitor. Honestly any baby monitor will do, but due to the aforementioned apprehension we wanted this one to alert us if she were to stop breathing.

7. Breastmilk storage bags. If you are breastfeeding, it may take quite some time for your preemie to catch up to your supply. This means you will need to freeze and store a lot of milk. My favorite are the Lansinoh because they freeze relatively flat. (I found the Medela bags to be bulky, even after removing all the air.) The thinner, flatter Lansinoh bags stacked well in a drawer (a shoe box also works well) in the freezer. I put my newest milk in the back which makes it easy to take the older milk from the front.

8. Hand sanitizer. Baby is leaving the safety bubble of the NICU, and entering the real world. It’s ok to ask well meaning friends and family to sanitize their hands before touching or holding your babe. They know what you’ve been through and they won’t be offended.

9. Preemie sized diapers. Our developmental therapists said it was important to have the appropriate size diaper so you don’t spread their hip bones. For many preemies being discharged, even newborn diapers may be too big.

10. Swaddleme infant wrap. Preemies get used to being swaddled in the NICU to give them that snug feeling of being in the womb. A SwaddleMe or Halo sleep sack works well.  We preferred the SwaddleMe in the warmer summer months because it was thinner cotton and didn’t seem quite as warm. They also run a little small, so Harper fit well in the small/medium size even though she was only 6.5lbs when we brought her home.

Other thoughts:
There were a lot of doctor’s appointments in the early weeks at home. Because Harper came home on oxygen, it was a bit bulky lugging around her oxygen tank, a diaper bag, and car seat. Having a stroller that the car seat snaps into made it easier to get from the car to the doctor’s office (especially with a toddler also in tow). Also, people love babies. Rightly so – they are precious! I never thought I’d be that mom that didn’t want people touching her baby, but with a preemie susceptible to germs, you just can’t be too careful. I found a car seat canopy to be helpful in discouraging any unwanted contact, and as an added bonus, shielding Harper from unexpected coughs and sneezes. Before bringing Harper home I also stocked up on saline spray, mylecon, and baby Tylenol in addition to the other baby hygiene essentials.

I felt anything but prepared to care for my sweet baby girl without the aid of our wonderful nurses and doctors. However, we made it through the transition (by the grace of God!), and each week got a little easier. My goal is not to give advice, but to share our experience in hopes that it may be helpful. I was certainly grateful to everyone who shared their NICU story with us during this time!

* You can find my NICU essentials post here.

Harper’s nursery reveal

I have finally finished Harper’s room, six months after her arrival and three months after her due date. I mentioned before that this nursery represented so much more to me than just a place for Harper to sleep. Nothing about Harper’s premature birth was the exciting, blissful experience I had anticipated when we found out we were welcoming a second child. After going into labor and unexpectedly delivering at 27 weeks, life was a bit chaotic. Creating a beautiful nursery became the one thing I felt could still turn out as planned. After visiting my baby girl in the NICU, I would come home and paint (and paint, and paint), plan, and work on things to create a lovely room for her to come home to. It was my therapy. But enough with the dramatic introduction. Let’s get to the pictures.

It took me forever to decide on colors for the nursery, but once I came across this fabric and this inspiration room on Pinterest, I fell in love. The crib skirt fabric is Caitlin Wilson’s Fleur Chinoise, and it set the tone for the whole room. I custom-ordered the crib skirt, changing pad cover, and pillow cover from Sally Jensen Interiors on Etsy.

The wall colors are Benjamin Moore Classic Gray and Dove White. Painting the stripes was a little daunting on our textured walls, but I followed this tutorial I found on Pinterest and it turned out great! My best friend Amanda was a huge help for this project.

The crib was a Craigslist find. Noah was still using his crib, and didn’t seem close to being ready for a big boy bed yet. (In fact, he still loves his crib!) I didn’t want to drop hundreds of dollars on another crib, but knew I wanted a Jenny Lind style. After a few weeks of hunting, I found this one for a steal on Craigslist. It was a dark wood finish, and I painted it white.

The Harper sign over the crib was a baby gift from my parents. It came as unfinished plywood, so I painted the edges a shimmery champagne color with Martha Stewart craft paint and painted the front mint green with leftover paint from the dresser.

A small table next to the crib holds a humidifier and the baby monitor. It was an espresso wood finish, and I repainted it white and gave the legs that gold-dipped style using the same champagne craft paint I used on the sign.

The dresser was also found on Craigslist. I knew I wanted a French Provincial style and it took me about a month to find one that was the right size and in my price range. It came in a beige and gold color, so I painted it with Olympic’s Sweet Pea to tie it in with the crib skirt (update: I posted the tutorial here). The hardware is original, and I left it untouched. The mirror was a clearance find at TJ Maxx a few years ago. It had black distressed edges, so I painted it white. The changing pad cover was custom ordered on Etsy. The rocking horse to the right of the dresser was a $3 garage sale find. It was wood and fairly beat up. My mom repainted it white and mint.

Vintage looking wall hooks are a fun way to display some of Harper’s adorable outfits. I have to admit that shopping for baby girl clothing is so much fun! The framed typewriter print says “You’re just my type,” and the other one says “And the child grew and became strong in spirit.”

I wanted a capiz shell chandelier from West Elm, but it was a bit pricey for me. I found one on Amazon that looked similar but fit the space better with smaller dimensions. The upholstered rocking chair is from Walmart. It used to be in Noah’s room where it had a denim slipcover. I re-slipcovered it in beige to stick with the color scheme. It has been used for many nursing sessions and bedtime stories, and is sure to see many more. The personalized pink chevron blanket was a gift from Blake’s coworkers. It has Harper’s first and middle name embroidered on it. The side table was painted white and gold and holds a few BabyLit books. I have to admit that Harper is still sleeping in her swing or Pack ‘n Play in our room for now, so once she moves up here I will put her white noise machine on this table.

Wall shelves feature a few accessories. The flowers add a pop of color. The alarm clock is cute, but functional, since it is the only clock in the room. I painted a gold dipped paper machet letter H. The sheep stuffed animal was a gift from a friend that somehow ended up in Harper’s NICU cubicle. That little sheep stayed in the hospital with her until she was discharged. It holds a special significance now. The print says, “Being yourself is the prettiest thing you can be.”

I saw this closet on Pinterest and loved the design. I drafted up a similar design, and my dad brought it to life by building the shelves and installing the clothing rods. I removed the sliding doors and replaced them with curtains. It makes it feel more like a boutique and less like a closet with all Harper’s cute clothes and accessories on display.

The top shelf has a glass canister full of Harper’s headbands, some board books, and a lamb that was given to Noah by Blake’s parents. the second shelf displays Harper’s birth announcement and a favorite pair of baby shoes. The mommy penguin wearing her baby penguin in her pouch is reminiscent of all the hours of kangaroo care (skin-to-skin time) that Harper got in the hospital. I would literally wear her inside my stretchy camisoles for hours at a time. I felt very much like an actual kangaroo.

And what would a nursery be without a precious baby?

There are a few finishing touches I’d like to add to the room. I’m thinking of adding some pom pom trim (white? mint? hot pink?) to the window and closet curtains as well as a mobile over the changing table. We also need to install a Foscam to spy on Harper. Overall though, I am very happy with how the room turned out. I just feel so grateful for the nursery and the healthy baby girl who gets to sleep in it.

Source List

Paint colors: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray and Dove White
Jenny Lind Crib: Craigslist (similar here)
Harper sign over crib: Etsy (kygracedesigns, sweetheart script font)
Crib skirt, pillow, and changing pad cover: Etsy (Sally Jensen Interiors)
Rocking chair and slipcover: Walmart (also found on Amazon) (formerly in Noah’s nursery)
Pink chevron blanket: Pottery Barn Kids
White ruffle pillow: Target
Curtains for window and closet: Ikea Lenda style
Faux sheepskin rug: Home Decorator’s Collection (bought on discount from Amazon)
French Provincial dresser: Craigslist (painted Olympic’s Sweet Pea)
Round mirror over dresser: TJ Maxx clearance a few years ago, painted white
Rocking horse: garage sale find, repainted
Picture frames: all from Ikea
Art work: found here, here, and here
Wall Shelves: Target
Alarm clock: Amazon
White baskets: Target (Room Essentials Y-weave style)
White wall hooks: Etsy (DiamondInTheRust)
Mint flower pot/vase: Ikea
Flowers: Michaels
BabyLit Books: Amazon
Side tables: From a set of three nesting tables on clearance at Lowes a few years ago, painted white and metallic champagne (with Martha Stewart craft paint)
Capiz shell chandelier: Amazon

Tomorrow

Now begins our new adventure. The start of life at home for Harper. Tomorrow we get to bring our baby girl home after 60 days in the NICU. Even though she will be home in our arms a month earlier than her due date, it has been two months too long. All at once we are feeling impatient to get her home, but unprepared to have her home. It’s a complex mix of emotions. We have been waiting for this moment for what seems like a lifetime (her lifetime at least), and yet now that it’s happening we don’t feel quite ready. After seeing a highly trained team of neonatologists, NICU nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, and physical therapists give round the clock medical care to our baby, who are we to take her home?

It feels like a graduation. It’s a moment we’ve been eagerly awaiting for so long, but now that it’s here we feel nervous, excited, and sad. Nervous about what happens next. Nervous about Harper’s future and our skills as parents. Excited for the moment we’ve been longing for since our daughter was born. Excited to finally be at home with both our kids instead of having to split our time between them. Excited to get on with life and leave this frightening experience behind us. Sad to leave behind the nurses and therapists that became part of our daily life. Sad that things are changing just when we got used to them. Sad that this isn’t the jubilant homecoming of the healthy full term baby we had expected, but instead bringing home a baby with fragile lungs and immune system who will still need to be on oxygen for several weeks.

These thoughts have been running through our minds the past few days. Slowly, the anxiety is melting away and being replaced by eager anticipation. A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook the day I went into labor. It stuck with me.

“Sometimes the happiest ending isn’t the one you keep longing for, but something you absolutely cannot see from where you are.” – Shauna Niequist

This may not be the ending we had imagined for ourselves when we found out we were expecting baby #2, but it’s a beautiful ending nonetheless. God has been at work in our lives and in our hearts throughout this journey. This has been a humbling experience that has truly taught us to put our daughter’s life in his hands. We can look forward to tomorrow with peace in our hearts.

 

Noah’s Nursery Reveal

The nursery has been 85% finished for quite some time, but I’ve been wanting to add a few finishing touches before sharing it with everyone. You know, preferably before Noah graduates high school. The final touches involved hanging shelves and installing bamboo blinds, which with my dad’s help finally got done today *happy dance*. So without further ado, here is the room I lovingly decorated and put together for my little guy.

Here is the view from the door when you first walk in. The curtains are the Lenda style from Ikea. I sewed on the navy blue stripes with fabric from Joanne’s. The bamboo blinds are from Home Depot and really work well to darken the room for naptime. The art collage over the crib was something I had a lot of fun putting together. The crib was purchased with my Christmas bonus money the year before last (while I was still pregnant). I’m sad that since we lowered the crib mattress, the navy and white polka dot crib skirt I made had to be removed. Right now the drawer beneath the crib holds extra blankets and bedding. The chocolate faux-leather ottoman beneath the window was a steal from Ross {I’m thinking it was only about $40} and although it is currently empty, it will be used for extra storage eventually. The faux-sheepskin is from Ikea.

The changing table/dresser is immediately to the left of the door. It was a Craigslist find of yore. I love the mid-century lines and the way the white and wood ties in with the crib. It was a bit small for our master bedroom, but it is the perfect size for the nursery. {We’ve since replaced it with a larger Hemnes dresser from Ikea in our room.} The scrapbook paper mobile hanging above the changing pad was something I made awhile back to give Noah something to look at while he gets his diaper changed.

We are currently only use four drawers out of the six. The top left holds pajamas and socks. The top right holds Noah’s cloth diapers. The middle left drawer has all his pants and jeans. The middle right drawer holds onesies. All the rest of his clothes are hanging in the closet.

The closet is on the wall adjacent to the door on the right. I hung a homemade bunting to add some color. All his shirts and sweaters are hanging up. The white baskets on the upper shelf hold shoes, burp cloths, extra bibs, etc. The left side of the closet is still pretty empty, but there is a plastic set of drawers that holds extra disposable diapers and wipes.

The rocking chair in the corner was a birthday gift from my parents. It has a durable denim slipcover. I love it! The adorable owl pillow was a birthday gift from a sweet friend. The lamb skin was a baby shower gift from my mother-in-law. It’s specially made for babies and is machine washable. Noah enjoys it.

Here is the view standing in front of the window looking toward the changing table. The diaper pail and trashcan tuck in nicely beneath the shelves.

The shelves to the right of the dresser are from Ikea. I chose the Eckby style because I loved the nickel finish on the brackets, and the shelves could be cut to length to fit the space perfectly.

The top shelf holds storage boxes {Kassett from Ikea} to hold cards and mementos. The globe is there because I have always loved globes, but also because I want Noah to know the world is a small place. I don’t want him to be afraid of travel and new experiences. Also, I really suck at geography and I want my child to have a better understanding of the lay of the land. Seriously…up until a few months ago I thought the state of Maine was a peninsula {Blake tells me I shouldn’t admit that publicly}. And don’t ask me where the state of Wisconsin is. I’m really not sure.

The middle shelf has a picture of my Papa Lou; the frame was a gift one of my co-workers gave me. Papa Lou hated that picture because he said he looked like a “sloppy sailor,” but I have always loved it. He had a successful Navy career {surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, among many other accomplishments} and retired as a Commander. He passed away three years ago, but my family and I will always be proud of his service. The cute little “NOAH” train was a Christmas gift from Blake’s Uncle Mike and Aunt Roberta. The white resin owl statue is from Home Goods.

The basket on the bottom shelf holds some books. There is a white shadow box frame that has a piece of framed scrapbook paper until I can find something better to go in it. There is also a Broncos piggy bank. We want Noah to be a saver. And a Broncos fan {that’s a given}.

Here’s a few more gratuitous shots:

All in all, I’m pretty happy with how the nursery turned out. There are still a few things I want to add, like some hooks on the wall to the right of the closet for holding a little backpack and jackets. But for now I’m very happy with how it looks!

Source List:
Wall color – Silver Screen by Behr from Home Depot
Bamboo blinds – Home Depot
Curtains – Lenda from Ikea (navy blue stripes sewn on)
Floor Flotaki (sheepskin) – Ikea
Crib – Walmart
Dresser – Craigslist
Changing pad and cover – Babies R Us
Mirror over changing table – Ikea
Shelves – Eckby from Ikea
Globe – Amazon
Broncos piggy bank – our local Walmart
Rocking chair and slipcover – Dorel from Walmart
Owl pillow – Etsy store whimsysweetwhimsy
Picture frames over crib – assorted frames from Target
NOAH letters over crib – hand painted by a family member
Clock – not sure, already had
Lamp – not sure, already had

Nursery progress: DIY paper globe mobile

This is a little project that I started on way back in February and didn’t finish it until just now. I found this tutorial for a making colorful scrapbook paper orbs on Heather Bailey’s blog and loved it. I decided to make a mobile using the orbs for Noah’s nursery. I used an embroidery hoop and fishing line to convert the paper globes to a hanging mobile.

I decided to hang the mobile over the changing table {converted from our craigslist dresser} to keep Noah entertained during diaper changes.

We also just hung the round mirror over the dresser. It was a $15 purchase from Ikea. I love that the mirror is on the wall opposite the window. It bounces around a lot of natural light and makes the room feel bigger. {Even more so when I’m not standing in the way!}

This nursery is taking longer to complete than Noah’s gestation. But we’re almost there!

Nursery progress: art collage over crib

It feels good to have one corner of the nursery finished. Especially considering that Noah is already 4 months old! Sometimes things don’t get completed on time. Eesh. This past weekend, Blake and I finally got around to hanging up some art on the walls.

Noah helped. (Don’t try this at home with your own baby.)

I had envisioned a frame collage over the crib, so I had been buying white frames from Target of various sizes. I had no particular plan, but just made or printed art to fill each one as I thought of it. In the end it all came together. Here is the finished product:

The letters were a gift from Blake’s sweet Aunt Gigi. She had them made especially for Noah – her niece hand painted them. I wasn’t planning on a Noah’s ark themed room, but I immediately fell in love with these letters as soon as I saw them. They had to be incorporated into the collage.

The whale was something I made on a website called tagxedo. It’s an awesome website where you can make a customizable word cloud for free. You can choose the words, the shape, and the colors. I used words from one of my favorite verses in Joshua and had them made in the shape of a whale.

The “i love you this much” picture with the infinity sign is something I made in photoshop. I saw something similar on Etsy, but didn’t want to pay for it, so I made one myself.

The owls were also inspired by browsing Etsy. I saw something similar and made my own version with scrapbook paper and burlap.

Last, but not least, I framed my baby shower invitations. One was from my Aunt Diana and the other from my friend Grace. Both of them put so much time and careful planning into all the details of each shower, including the invitations. I wanted to hang them in the nursery to represent how excited we were to meet little Noah.

Here’s a view of the finished “crib corner” of the nursery:

And how about a close up of the reason this nursery came to be (allow me to note that the owl pillow comes out of the crib when Noah sleeps in it):

This little bean lights up my world! I can’t wait to finish decorating the rest of the nursery for him!