Eleven Weeks and Nursery Design...a Long One

Balking at generic, pastel-hued romper rooms, style-savvy Boston parents are putting creativity (and money) into their children's living spaces like never before.

Except I didn't spend any money.

Here are some pictures of Hazel's room. I realized that I had never taken any, and considering how much work and thought I put into it, I think I would like something to remember it by before Hazel gets old enough to trash it. I really did NOT want the typical pastel-pink, fluffy girls nursery. I have never been a fan of the color pink (or anything pastel) and frankly, there is no reason for it. I wanted Hazel's room to grow with her, and to be a neural background. Her room is going to serve many purposes over the years and it is a large 13'X14' space that will have several "areas" for various purposes (a reading area, an art area, etc). Most importantly, everything will have a place. I think that it's important for a kids room to be just a more playful extension of the style used in the rest of the house. It should be able to blend seamlessly with mom and dads style, and when was the last time you saw me wear anything fuchsia or a Little Mermaid sweatshirt? I am so happy with the way it turned out. It is so bright and sunny, colorful and fun. Its relaxing when I want it to be and stimulating when it's playtime. It's easy to keep neat and clean, modern, and cool. I loved the article in Boston Magazine because it talks about design for various developmental stages and it is exactly what I was trying to do. Other than the Ikea changing table and crib, and the mobile in her crib, everything is from a grown-up store. And there is no Winnie the Pooh!!! (Click on any picture to see a larger copy.)

The mobile from Ikea (under $3!) over Hazel's changing table. She is obsessed with it!

All of Hazel's nursery furniture came from Ikea and it was $300 all together. The crib converts to a toddler bed and the changing table converts to a dresser.

Hazel's changing table. In addition to Seventh Generation dioxin-free 'sposies, we are also using gDiapers; cloth hybrids with a flushable lining. Genius, and so cute! I will post sometime about the products that we use for Hazel as we try to keep her toxin-free.

Hazel loving on her crib mobile. It consists of changeable cards with graphic, high-contrast images. She talks to them.

I guess if there is a theme, it would be birds. This rug came from West Elm. I love birds as design elements, but I hate them in real life. They have mites and will peck your eyes out. I'm afraid of them getting caught in my hair and flapping. *shiver*

Hazels floor quilt from Grandma Sandy, made from vintage fabric. Adorable.

More green birds. These decals are from blik and are so inexpensive and easy to put up on the wall. When you are finished with them, they peel right off without affecting the paint. They come in a million designs and you can even get custom work.

This is Hazel's Dining Room. The pillow on the glider was embroidered by my Grandmother Anna, for whom Hazel is named. The lamp is an antique that was in the house I grew up in and gives a lovely dim light for night-time feedings. Currently reading: Where the Sidewalk Ends. Currently Listening: NPR: This American Life.

More mobile excitement!

This is a little hand-knit dog-bear-cat-monkey from Sweeters. It's custom made with your kiddos name knit on it and in the colors of your choice. I couldn't resist at only $32 plus a 20% off coupon. It's so hard to find personalized things with her name. This came out adorably, and would make a super cute gift.

THIS! This is the first quilt that my mother made. She was horribly pregnant with me in a heat wave and occupied herself by sitting on the floor and quilting directly onto the big round coffee table. She called it Brer's World after her pet rabbit Brer who is snacking on carrots in the bottom left corner. *Note my parents skinny-dipping on the bottom right corner. Also note my mothers tattooed arse. This hung in my nursery (on psychedelic lime green walls) and I spend hours of my childhood staring into this little Utopian fantasy world. I still get lost in it.

Hazel's crib that she has slept in four times.

I got these cubes from The Company Store and the canvas bins from somewhere I forget. They are on locking casters for easy moving and provide a ton of storage for toys and books. I have always loved the Dwell Baby line of stuff, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay over $300 for crib bedding. Now that they have a line at Target, Hazel can indulge her champagne tastes on a Natural Light budget with these cute curtains. The photographs on the wall are from our summer hike in Isle au Haut, Maine.

So that's Hazels environment! I'm doing double duty with this post and adding a couple of pictures for her Week Eleven. Next Tuesday she is going to be hitting a HUGE milestone. I'll try to take lots of pictures. This past week has been busy and routine, as usual. We went for a nice walk with Hazel's new BFF Magnolia who we met in our Neurotic Mother's Group. Magnolia and Hazel are two weeks apart and live just up the street so they will be going to school together! Magnolia's mom Laurie is not at all neurotic, and she is even capable of having intelligent conversations about non-baby related things. Glory be!

This past weekend Hazel went to her cousin Owen's first birthday party in Roslindale. It seems like yesterday when we all were getting together to drink and smoke and swear, but all of a sudden there are like fifteen kiddos underfoot. There was minimal drinking, no smoking and silent spelling of swear words. Hazel was quite overwhelmed and slept for most of the party. Owen was spectacular, as usual. That night we had our second soiree of the evening; Aunt Jessica and Uncle Jeremy's joint 30th birthday party at the Kowloon. Jamie and I were exhausted, and Hazel had had it by the time we got there. It was so incredibly loud and crowded at the Kowloon that we just gave the quickest of Birthday Wishes, skipped the mai tai and rushed back out of there. Poor Hazel was a total wreck the next day; she was very fussy and slept almost the entire day right on my chest. She didn't want anything to do with anything else.

Today we are going to lay low and get back on schedule. Hazel needs time to re-attach and rest. She really needs a lot of quiet time to herself each day. When there are so many people passing her around like an hors d'oeuvre platter and talking in her face she shuts down, then melts down. I really need to get better at protecting her from so much stimulus.

I also need to get better about telling people to wash their hands. I thought it was common sense, but apparently not. I don't want to be that crazy lady squirting Purell at everyone who comes within ten feet, but like hell I'm going to end up back in the hospital so someone doesn't get their feelings hurt. It's like this; if you are sick, don't touch my kid. If you have not washed your hands since you last [insert food, child or bathroom activity here] then don't touch my kids hands or face. I have been assuming a basic level of courtesy and cleanliness, but I have been assuming incorrectly, so it looks like I'm going to have to start laying down the law. Also, your kid is adorable and I love him/her, but he/she is most likely carrying something that my kids immune system does not have antibodies for so keep them away. I know it's cute to see a kid handle a baby like a doll, but it's not really worth another spinal tap. Thanks for your cooperation.

Here are some pictures of Hazel being Grumpolina and some of her enjoying the Celtics games.