Building a Baby Registry: 10 Big Ticket Items

A lot of the items on a baby registry can be a real investment. You can pour a lot of money into these items and get a lot of use out of them so you want to be sure that you are getting something that is worth your money. When I registered for my baby, I had no idea what was important to look for when choosing the different items. I just asked a friend what she liked and thought, well, if she likes it, I'll like it. And that was the end of that. Then I realized that my wants, needs, lifestyle and baby were very different and what worked for her, wasn't the best choice for me. Obviously there is no way of predicting what your baby will be like but you do know yourself and what you need. You just need to be pointed in the right direction as far as what features you should consider when making your decision. Get other people's opinions on what they like and don't like about the product and use that to help you make your decision but don't just assume that because someone else liked it that you will.

1. Carseats: Don't pay more for a carseat because of it's safety features. Every single car seat on the market had to pass the same safety standards and any of the carseats you can buy will make your baby the safest person in the car. Companies will say they have this feature or that feature that makes them safer than other carseats but that is just how they convince you to spend hundreds of dollars more for their carseat. If a safety feature were something that made the car seat that much safer, all carseats would be required to have it. That being said, when choosing a carseat, choose one that works well for you and your lifestyle. Reading up on them and asking others what they used is a great way to get information but the best thing you can do is get to a store, pull the carseats off the shelf and practice. Figure out how to buckle the carseat, how to put it in the base, and how to install it in the car. Carry it around the store and imagine it 10-15 pounds heavier. Practice, along with your research, will help you to find the carseat that is best for you!

2. Strollers: Along the same line as carseats: TAKE THEM FOR A TEST DRIVE! Make sure that you are happy with how it moves and folds up. Strollers are a great one to find out from others what they like and don't like about them because there are so many features to think about when buying them. For example: how easy is it to fold up, how much space does it take once folded, how big is the basket for your diaper bag, is there a cup holder, how many seat positions are there, which infant carseats can be used with it, what accessories would you need to buy, how well does it move, how high or low is the handle bar, ect. Think about the features that are important to you in a stroller and look for one that meets as many of those requirements as possible.

3. Breast Pump: This can be a big ticket item or a not so big ticket item depending on what type you get. However, the good news is most insurance companies will now cover a breast pump so my advice: find out what they will cover and get the best one on the list, regardless of how often you think you will use it! I use mine here and there so technically I don't need the best one on the market but it sure is nice to have my hands free when I do decide to pump! The general consensus seems to be that Medela pumps are the best. I haven't used any other type but I sure love mine (as much as you can love a breast pump). If your insurance covers it, I recommend a double electric pump. A great accessory to add to your registry if your pump is not hands free is a bra to hold on your pump (if not sure on the size, go with the smaller one, you want it to be tight to get a good suction).

4. Cribs: along the same lines as the carseat, they all have to pass the same safety standards so just pick one that you like and matches your budget. I really don't recommend getting a used crib but if you must, make sure you know who used it and exactly what type of wear and tear it experienced. Also check the exact make and model to be sure there are no recalls.

5. Changing table: Do I really need one?! Well that depends on your lifestyle. I have heard from a lot of moms that have had c-sections that it is nice to have the baby up high for changing so you don't have to bend over and hurt your incision. I prefer to have the baby up high because I have a very excited dog that would be all over that stinky butt in a matter of seconds. Now that my baby is 13 months, my only way of keeping her in one place is by having her up on the table. When she's on the ground, she squirms away and I end up chasing a naked baby. I actually opted for the low dresser as a changing table which is a great space saver. I did have to put a non-stick liner (the kind you put in cupboard drawers) on the bottom of the changing pad to keep it from slipping off the dresser but that was a cheap fix.

6. Swings/bouncer seats/jumpers: this is a tough one. First of all, not every baby loves to swing and not every baby loves every type of swing. My best advice, if you have a friend who's baby has grown out of their swing, ask if you can borrow it. Find out if the baby actually likes it before you commit. We have 4 swings. Three used and 1 we bought brand new. My daughter wasn't a fan of the first three but she tolerated the forth. I'm just glad we didn't pay full price for the first three. Some people opt to buy a swing that can be also used as a bouncer. Although this is a great space saver, I don't recommend this because it is good for your baby to be in many different positions throughout the day. Babies in my house go from swing to tummy to bouncer to jumper to back to being held to bumbo and repeat all day long. This is good for them for many reasons including helping you to avoid a flat head issue. Some babies also tend to get bored of being in the same location and same position for a long period of time. So I do recommend having different options for baby to play and sleep in throughout the day. Look for used options incase baby is not a fan!

7. Rocker/Glider/Recliner: this is another common "do I really need one?!" And some parents do just fine without one. Personally, I wouldn't have survived without mine. When my daughter was born we lived in a smaller home and only had couches for lounging furniture. A chair that has an ottoman or that reclines tends to be more comfortable for nursing than the couch. I am also a huge fan of having something that rocks or glides in all areas that you will spend a lot of time with baby. When it comes to which one, my personal favorite for the room baby sleeps in is a lazy boy rocking recliner. If you are not big on bringing baby in bed with you and you have to end up sleeping in your chair when baby is sick or teething, you will be so happy to have gone with a comfy recliner! We went with a huge, comfy glider with ottoman with our first and as comfy as it was for a feeding or quick rock to sleep, it caused far too many stiff necks and back pains for mama on those long, tearful nights!

8. Pack n Play/bassinette/rock n play: There are a lot of personal factors that play into this one. Things to think about, how much space you have, how close you want baby to your bed, do you travel a lot, do you need something for play and sleep? I had 3 pack n plays with my first (2 hand me downs and one from my registry). My child hated all three. The bassinet portion of the pack n play is a very hard surface so it is not very comfy to sleep on and for those babies that need a little incline for reflux or tummy issues, it does nothing for you.. They also tend to take up more space than a rock n play or a lot of bassinets. However, a lot of parents swear by their pack n plays and get great use out of them I think of the three, my personal favorite is the rock m play. It is very portable, puts baby slightly upright and fits very nicely right next to your bed.

9. Baby carrier: in my opinion, baby carriers are a lifesaver! But there are so many different types and each have their own purposes. Most common types are structured carriers, wraps and slings. Structured carriers (Ergo, Beco, ect) are great for outdoor activities and lots of walking. They are also a great baby wearing option for dad's. Some women really love them for home use as well but I personally prefer wraps or slings at home. Wraps like Moby and Boba are great for squishy little babies, especially if you will be nursing. You can give baby lots of skin to skin time and still be productive or care for older children at the same time. One issue with the Moby or Boba wraps is they are cotton and will stretch out as baby gets bigger making it much more difficult and uncomfortable to hold them on. Woven wraps are great because they will carry over into toddler years and often make baby feel weightless! Slings are another great option with little babies as they are great for discrete nursing and a little easier to get on and off than a wrap. None of the above options really meet all of my needs in a baby carrier so I have several. Good news is, baby carriers hold their value well so as long as you take good care of them, you can make a good chunk of your money back by selling them when you are done. Here is my list of baby wearing items: Beco structured carrier, Moby wrap, mei tai wrap, two ring slings (why 2? because I'm a sucker for a cute print!) and a Solly wrap. I love them all and would recommend any/all of them. If you can only afford one, I recommend going with a woven wrap. It will carry over into the most settings and greatest age range. Two other points about baby wearing: 1. babies don't always like it the first time, you may have to build up the amount of time wearing them until they get used to it. 2. Please familiarize yourself with precautions associated with baby wearing and having baby properly positioned to avoid hip dysplasia.

10. High chair: if you want to save money, this is a great place to do it. You could spend $30 on a high chair or your could spend a couple hundred. What are you paying extra for? Features. Some great features in a high chair that make your life more convienent include: easy to clean fabrics, removable top tray that can be easily cleaned, wheels, can be turned into a booster chair, folds up nice and compact, easy to get baby in and out (for grandparents and babysitters), and different seat and footrest positions for an ever growing baby. Do you need a high chair right away? No. I actually recommend putting this one off because it just takes up space until you get to the point of needing it. Some babies don't start eating solids until 6 months and even at that point, if you have a bumbo seat, they can eat in that until they grow out of it.

Pipe cleaner fun

Oh how I love Parmesan Cheese Containers!

Whoever designed them was probably not thinking "hey this would be perfect for children to use for fine motor activities when the cheese is gone" when they designed it but it sure ended up a winner! I love that it has a cap that can easily be twisted off, a large opening and smaller openings. Perfect for "grading the activity" to meet your child's needs (as we OTs often say).

For this activity I bought some dollar store (fun and brightly colored) pipe cleaners and cut them in half. Then I put them on the floor and showed Joanna how to put them in the container. As you can see, Joanna holds them with a fisted grasp and rotates her wrist in order to get them in the holes. She hasn't quite developed the dexterity yet to use a pincer grasp but that is what we are currently working on. 

Not only does this activity work on grip and pinch, it also works on hand eye coordination. Joanna was challenged a bit at first to lower her hand down right where the hole was. With more practice she was able to get the pipe cleaner straight in the hole without having to move it around at all once she hit the surface.

Tah Dah!!!

We are also working on bilateral hand use and stabilization which you can see her doing here. This is a skill that takes some practice because you are making the brain work hard to do two different things at once. We tend to forget that something as simple as holding the container while putting a pipe cleaner in can be difficult for young brains and bodies and it does take practice!

So Proud!

This was Joanna's first time playing with pipe cleaners so she found their soft texture quite intriguing! Another great sensory experience! Other things you can use in the parmesan cheese containers: cotton balls, q-tips, puffy craft balls, straws, beads, toothpicks, the possibilities are endless!!!

Here is our next step: pipe cleaners cut into 1 inch pieces and placed in a plastic container with holes in the top. Joanna has not developed the pincer skills yet for this activity. We have tried it but it came with lots of frustration and tears. So for now, its just sitting on the shelf waiting for her to pull it off and give it another shot! No rush!

Fun toddler activity

I absolutely love this activity for an active 1 year old who loves to empty things out. One of Joanna's favorite things to do is pull the laundry out of the basket and throw it on the floor. Here is a mini version that and it doesn't involve unfolding my clean laundry and throwing it on the dirty floor!

What we did:

1. Cut up scraps of fabric into 8 inch squares with a pinking shears.

2. Fold squares over each other using the "wipes method"

3. Place the pile of fabric in an empty wipes container

4. Pull the first wipe through the slot and let your kiddo go wild!

Why I love this activity:

1. Works on pinch/grip strength

2. By controlling placement of the container, you can encourage crossing the midline

3. You can teach your child bilateral coordination by helping them learn to stabilize the box with one hand and pull with the other.

4. You can encourage your child to ask for help (or sign help) once the container is empty or if the fabric square doesn't come through the slot.

5. Your child has to practice their waiting skills while you re-fold the fabric

6. This can be a great sensory experience if you use different types and colors of fabric. Some of the fabrics we used were fleece, lace, cotton, suede, swimsuit material, tulle, and minky fleece. Encourage your child to rub them on their arm or face to feel the different textures!

12 Ways to be Successful with Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can be challenging for many, especially for first time moms. Our society is quite hush-hush when it comes to breastfeeding so a lot of moms don't know what to expect. Doing your research ahead of time can help you to be more prepared for what is to come once baby arrives. Here are 12 tips for how to be successful with breastfeeding.

1. Be prepared. Before your baby is born, read up and learn all you can about breastfeeding. If possible, take a class and absorb as much information as you can. How does breastfeeding work? What are possible challenges you might face? What can you do to get past those challenges? What is the best way to boost and maintain your supply? How often will your baby want to feed? How do you know if baby is getting enough to eat? All of these are questions you may face when breastfeeding and for many of them, knowing that they are coming may help you be prepared for how to deal with them.

2. Understand the concept of supply and demand. This is the most important thing you can learn prior to breastfeeding. When your baby demands, your body will produce. If your baby does not demand, your body will not produce. 

3. Trust. Trust your body, trust your baby and trust the diapers. If you are exclusively breastfeeding and you are offering breast when your baby gets fussy, your body is producing enough. If your baby is happy and growing, your body is producing enough. If your baby has 8-10 wet diapers a day, your body is producing enough. Don't second guess your body, trust it.

4. Understand that you may be feeding constantly the first month or so and you may feel like a pacifier. Many moms think that they are not producing enough milk or baby is not getting full when they are wanting to constantly nurse. This is not the case. Unlike bottle feeding, there is an emotional aspect to breastfeeding. Sometimes babies just want to be near mommy or they just want to suck. Sometimes they are so content and comfy nuzzled up to mommy that they fall asleep and forget to eat. This is completely NORMAL and does not mean that baby is not getting enough! Just keep offering the breast and be open to the fact that breastfeeding will be a 24/7 job at first.

5. Find a lactation consultant and use her! Most of the time, they know more than your doctor or pediatrician when it comes to breastfeeding because this is their specialty. I recommend meeting with one while still in the hospital (if possible) to really establish a good latch and ask any questions that you may have. Make sure you have them teach you about sucks and swallows so you can interpret how much your baby is actually eating vs. just sucking for comfort. You should also find out about different nursing positions and practice them with the LC. Have your significant other take pictures of you nursing in the different positions so you can look back on how the baby was supported or the angles they were positioned in later on when you are at home and struggling to remember.

6. Skin to skin time is a must! Get as much skin to skin time as possible, especially in the first few days when you are waiting for your milk to come in. The more exposure baby has to your breast, the more comfortable they will get with it.

7. Breastfeeding comes before visitors. It can be stressful trying to accommodate all the people who want to meet your new little bundle of joy. You may find that baby actually wants to nurse more when there are visitors. They may be overstimulated by the increase in people and activity around them and find your breast the most calming place to be. Request that visitors contact you before visiting and let them know that you may have to step away to nurse (or nurse in front of them if you are comfortable with that) if baby needs it. Don't feel bad taking your baby away from them, your first priority should be getting baby fed! In the hospital, have the nurse put a sign on your door when you are nursing so visitors know to wait until you are done (unless you are comfortable with them being in the room). 

8. Have a support system. Make sure your significant other is on board and knows their role and what they can do to help. Sure, they won't be doing much feeding those first few weeks but they can help you by getting up to change diapers, letting you nap when baby is content, making you food to eat, keeping the house clean, taking care of other children and anything else that needs to be done. Find a support group (face to face or online). Online groups are especially helpful for those times you need support in the middle of the night. Most likely someone else will be up and able to provide you with some kind words and encouragement.

9. When baby eats, milk comes out of you! One mistake that many moms make is letting someone else feed the baby during the night but not pumping while baby eats. Remember supply and demand? If baby is eating and milk isn't coming out of your body, then you are messing with your supply and at risk of losing it. Be prepared to do the majority of feedings especially the first few weeks while building your supply. Learn to nurse in the side lying position (your LC can help you with that) so you can catch some zzzz's while baby is eating. If daddy wants to get up with baby and bottle feed, than you need to get up and pump as well!

10. Drink lots and eat well. This is not the time for dieting! Make sure that you are getting enough healthy calories to support you and baby and you are getting lots of fluids. There are many foods that are great for lactation such as oatmeal. Research these prior to baby being born and have them on hand. Continuing your prenatal vitamin daily (with DHA) is also important. Remember, while breastfeeding, you want 300-500 (healthy) calories per day in addition to your daily recommended intake.

11. Consider baby wearing for hands free nursing. This is a skill that takes some practice and you may want to wait until baby gets the latch down and you are comfortable with it as well. But once the latch is mastered, wearing baby is a great way to get things done while breastfeeding (especially if you have other children running around!). My favorite carriers for breastfeeding a newborn are Ring Slings, the Moby Wrap and the Baby K'tan. 

12. Give it time and stick with it. Remember, breastfeeding usually comes naturally to babies but many do need time to figure it out, and so do you! Understand that it will get easier. At first, baby requires more attention and support and nursing sessions seem to last forever. Eventually, you and baby will get the hang of it and it will become second nature.

Working through my Struggles with Breast Feeding

For me, breastfeeding was one of the most difficult, rewarding experiences I have ever had (probably second to childbirth). It was one giant emotional roller coaster filled with ultimate highs and terrible lows. Prior to Joanna's birth, I met with a lactation consultant and she went over all of the basics about breastfeeding. Most of it flew way over my head but one thing she said stuck with me and is the sole reason that I kept working at it. She told me that breastfeeding is 90% mental. Yes, there are a small handful of people who's bodies just won't cooperate but most problems you come across with breastfeeding can be fixed if you are willing to really work at it. I knew the benefits of breastfeeding and I knew this was something I wanted to do for my daughter so right then and there, I decided I would do whatever I needed to do in order to make it work. And despite the several difficult obstacles I faced, I just kept on trucking along and ended up breastfeeding for 15 months! Here's my story.

Joanna and I struggled with breast feeding from day one. The first issue we faced was difficulty latching. Joanna had such a tiny little mouth and could not seem to figure out how to open her mouth wide enough to latch on. After losing more than 10% of her birth weight while we were in the hospital, we were introduced to the nipple shield before we left. The shield worked really well for us and she got better at nursing but then we had to start weaning from the shield which was when we really struggled. It took about 6 weeks to wean from the shield. I would try starting every feeding without it and she could never get the latch. Not only was she struggling with the latch but she was getting so frustrated with not being able to get her milk and she would cry and scream at the top of her lungs. Day in and day out I continued to try without the shield at every feeding. We were seeing a lactation consultant frequently and she continued to try new techniques to help my baby to figure out the latch. Finally, after about 6 weeks of attempting to wean from the nipple shield, something just clicked for her and she latched right on! From that point on, she had the latch down and it was never an issue again! The latch, that is. 

We were still struggling with other issues with extreme fussiness and difficulties sleeping. I started noticing that my baby would come off my nipple coughing and milk would squirt everywhere. I was engorged all the time, never seemed to get empty, and I was having tingly let downs every ten minutes. My baby was 2 months old at this point and since she was my first, I had thought all this time that I was supposed to feel that way.  My lactation consultant told me that I had an overactive letdown and was making way too much milk. She taught me how to train my body to slow down my milk production and decrease my let downs. After a few weeks, things settled down and I was making an appropriate amount of milk. We thought fixing these issues would improve my baby's fussiness so we sat around and waited for her to get better. After a couple of weeks, she was still fussing, possibly worse than before.

Our doctor brought up the possibility of a dairy allergy and she suggested eliminating it from my diet for two weeks. I tried it and saw no results. We then saw a GI specialist who told me that often times, when a child has a dairy allergy, they also have a soy allergy. So I did 2 weeks without both of those and she got worse! At this time, we decided to see an allergist. I thought about the changes that I had made to my diet and realized that I was eating a lot more eggs and nuts while avoiding the dairy and soy in order to make up for what I couldn't eat. I wondered if she might be allergic to one of those instead. We had her tested for all the most common allergies and sure enough, found out that she was allergic to dairy, eggs and nuts. My diet was limited by these allergies to pretty much nothing that I was used to eating. I couldn't go out to dinner, eat fast food or even eat much at friend's parties or get togethers. It was a HUGE lifestyle change for me and a constant struggle. Many moms would have given up on breastfeeding at this time but I felt in my heart that this was the right thing for my daughter and I needed to do this for her. So I did. I just kept going, taking it a day at a time. 

When Joanna was 5 1/2 months old, we had planned to take a trip to Cabo with some friends and leave her at home with my parents. I had planned to pump every time she would be eating. But as you can imagine, I got quite distracted by the vacation fun and instead of pumping every 3 hours, I would often stretch it out to every 5 or 6 hours. And I wasn't waking up at night to pump. When I got home my supply was extremely limited. I knew and understood the concept of supply and demand though and I knew that I needed to trust that and trust my body. I was not going to give up at this point, after everything we had been through. So I did not offer formula. I pretty much kept Joanna on my chest for a week straight. We had lots of skin to skin time and very long, frequent nursing sessions. Sure enough, my supply worked its way back up and things were back to normal within a month.

Once I got my supply back up, it was smooth sailing for a few months. Then I got pregnant. Now I thought my nipples were sore when I started breastfeeding. But oh my goodness were they REALLY sore when I was nursing while pregnant. The latch was the most painful part, but there were times that it would hurt the entire nursing session. And when I say hurt, I don't just mean it was sore. It was excruciating. It felt like someone was cutting off my nipples with a razor blade. Joanna also went through a phase during this time where she would only nap (and sometimes even sleep at night) while nursing and if I unlatched her or even moved her the slightest bit, she would wake up. At this point, I actually wanted to wean her. I even tried a few times. But in my heart, I knew that I wanted her to self wean. I knew that she was mostly nursing for comfort and that she really needed that to help her get through the day. I wasn't going to take that away from her, no matter how much it hurt me. So I bit the bullet and stuck it out.

After a couple months she grew out of the needing to nurse while napping and actually started to self wean a bit! She was taking more of an interest in eating solids and also would get easily distracted by play and completely forget about nursing. I just followed her lead and within a couple weeks, she had decreased her feedings from 10-12 in a 24 hour period to 4-6. This was huge, especially for my nipples! Around 13 or 14 months, she had self weaned to 3 feedings a day. I was so happy that this had been a positive transition for her that she had complete control over. Then we encountered a big problem. I was 26 weeks along in my pregnancy and I was starting to have contractions. Not just braxton hicks contractions (I had been having those with nursing all along) but real contractions. I saw 3 different doctors who all strongly advised that I needed to stop nursing. At this point, I realized that I now had another child who's needs were more important at the time than Joanna's need to continue breastfeeding and self wean. So over a week's time, we went from 3 times a day to being completely weaned. It was a tough week for Joanna but I knew it was in her baby sister's best interest so I was confident in my decision.

Now that Joanna is completely weaned, she is much closer to sleeping through the night and less emotionally attached to me. I can now leave her with my mom or other family members to run errands, go to a doctor appointment or just have some "me" time. But we have also had negative changes take place. As soon as Joanna was fully weaned, she got her first cold (at 15 months!) that lasted weeks and eventually turned into an ear infection that was quite difficult to treat. I am definitely a believer in the antibodies that babies get from their mother's milk to help fight off sickness after experiencing that!

Seeing so many positive changes in Joanna since weaning, many of my family members have asked if I will still breastfeed my next child. My answer is definitely. Although I had a year of sleepless nights, an incredibly limited diet and faced so many ups and downs with breastfeeding, it was all 100% worth it to me. Looking back on our experience, I know that Joanna benefited in so many ways which makes all my sacrifices worth it. It's kind of like childbirth. When you are in labor and pushing, the pain is unbearable. You finish pushing that baby out and say you will never do it again and how could anyone ever forget that pain. Well, sure enough, many of us do it again and most of us do forget that pain because we have a beautiful child to show for it. So yes, that first year of breastfeeding was a huge challenge that made me want to pull my hair out and scream and cry many times. But now that I have made it through and look back on it, I would do it again in a heartbeat because it was all worth it in the end. 

DIY Nursery Decor: Sunshine and Elephants

When designing a nursery for my daughter, I wanted to accomplish a few things. First, I wanted a space that she could enjoy and find lots of fun things to look at and explore. Second, I wanted a space that was comfortable that I could relax in. And finally, I wanted a space that she wasn't going to grow out of too quickly. I started with the theme of Sunshine but then realized I had nothing tangible that she could hold, hug or play with so I decided to add an animal in. Elephants seemed like the perfect choice. They are big and protective, yet playful and fun (at least in my nursery they are!). And they fit perfectly with my color scheme of yellow, grey, black and white. What I love about the nursery is the majority of the decor is from do it yourself projects, completed either by my family, friends or myself. It makes the nursery even more unique and special! I am always looking for new ideas for cool projects for them room so the nursery is still "under construction!" Here are some of my favorite pictures of our un-done, work-in-progress nursery.

Photo credit: 3Buttons Photography

My sister made us this beautiful piece of wall art with an old canvas, some dowels from the craft store and some paint. I love the quote and hope it stays in Joanna's room for years to come! Great words to live by!
Here are the linens we used throughout the nursery. The crib skirt and curtains were home made and the plain yellow sheet was from Babies R Us. My mom made the Minky quilt and used the leftover fabric to make large soft floor blocks. (DIY tip: As Joanna got older and we lowered her crib, there was no longer a need for the crib skirt but we did need crib bumpers since she went through a phase of violently banging her body parts against the crib rails. We saved money by repurposing the crib skirt that we were no longer using to make the bumpers! Once she grows out of the bumpers I plan to repurpose again and make pillows!)


I love the Minky quilt! It is so soft and full of texture. It was also our star background for our monthly photographs!  (DIY tip: Minky fabric is expensive! Always buy it with a coupon!!!)

Photo credit: 3Buttons Photography

The blocks were 50 cents each at the craft store. I painted them yellow and stenciled the letters with black sharpie. (DIY tip: next time I would nix the sharpie and go for stencil and modge podge. I burned through about 5 sharpies in this project!)


I love the poofs! They were not initially made for the nursery. They were actually decorations from my baby shower made with tulle and ribbon. They were so pretty, I couldn't just throw them away after the shower! They made a great addition to the nursery! The pink elephant (I know pink was not part of the color scheme but a little touch here and there doesn't hurt!) was actually a card I had saved from my baby shower as well! And what are the chances that my childhood Carebear just happened to have a sunshine on it?! 


I know my theme is Sunshine and Elephants, not yellow flowers, however the flowers add so much brightness and cheer so I decided to bring them in as well! (Our curtains and crib skirt also have flowers on them). On the dresser we have framed pictures of Joanna with her grandparents and another elephant card from our baby shower.

This dresser was another one of my big DIY projects. It was my childhood dresser that had marker drawn all over and metal knobs. I painted the dresser and replaced the knobs. While replacing the knobs, I took some craft store flowers and stuck them through the screws so that they were screwed behind the knobs. I LOVE the way this turned out! 

Photo credit: 3Buttons Photography

Another little touch of pink! 

I absolutely love this piece. One of my friends who goes to art school made this work of art with colored pencils. It is perfectly customized to our theme and the little girl even has mixed skin! This was a shower gift that I'm sure we will be keeping forever!

I am not as talented as my art school friend so my artwork contribution was made with scrapbook paper and stencils that I made from elephant silhouette printouts that I got off of google image. Super easy project for non do-it-yourselfers!

This framed photo canvas was a great gift from Joanna's Godfather at her baptism. He ordered it from Walgreens online one day and picked it up in the store the next for a very reasonable price! It was one of our first family pictures and sits over our changing table. Whenever Joanna is getting changed, she always looks up and points at Mama and Dada. It is such a great "conversation piece" during diaper changes!

These were another cool project that my mom did with scraps of fabric and embroidery hoops. They provide a lot of high contrast and visual stimulation for the baby. We kept them close by her changing table when she was real young and than later put them up on the wall over her crib. 

***Since all these photographs were taken, we have moved into our new house! We took all of the old nursery decor but have not yet set it all up! I plan to add some new items too since we now have a larger nursery than at the old house! Stay tuned!

Fun DIY Baby Boy Gift!

I have done so many baby girl DIY projects and am so happy that I finally have friends having a little boy that I can try out some of my cool baby boy projects on. This project was pretty easy but does require a little bit of sewing.

I used 1 yard of the brown fabric, 1 yard of the packer fleece and 1/4 yard of the white fleece. To cut the football shape, I folded the rectangular piece of fabric in half the long way and then in half the short way and rounded the corners to make it look like a pie slice. Then I placed the brown folded pie piece over the packer folded fabric and cut an identical pie slice. My outer white stripes were two inches wide and sewn about 10 inches from the ends. The inner stripes for the laces were one inch wide and about 4 inches long. I eyeballed the lengths for all the of the laces and moved them around the blanket until they looked like they were in the right location and were the right length. I sewed the white fleece on to the brown first and then put the two right sides together and sewed the football almost all the way around. Then flipped it right side out and finished it off.It was a pretty simple project that made a great gift for a sporty little guy. I got the directions for this project from here. My next project will be to make Brewer baseball and Badger basketball blankets! More to come on that!