Okay, so the makeover isn’t actually that extreme, but the emotions are. My baby is now in a big-girl bed, and the room has been transformed for the third time.
When we built our home seven years ago, the corner bedroom was “the guest room”. (In three years, I think maybe we had guests sleep in it half a dozen times! Maybe because it was so plain and uninviting?)
The Guest Room
Planner that I am, the room was originally painted yellow so that it would be ready to go when (and if) it were repurposed as a nursery, which it was in early 2006. I laugh at myself when I look back now and remember some of the items I had all ready in what was to be Frannie’s room, such as the toy bin, all stocked and ready to go (full of items which, as you know, baby won’t even look at for two months, let alone play with).
The “Me and My Mummy” picture frame on the dresser was a sympathy gift from husband when the first round of “morning sickness” (a post in itself) set in, and I informed him that I would never be pregnant again. Ever. Then came the miracle of Diclectin…(which, again, will make for another great, if not controversial, blog post.)
I really wanted to buy a diaper bag in advance (surprise, surprise!) so I went with a somewhat neutral but clearly predominately blue item…which of course I hated as soon as my little girl was born. I promptly passed it on to my sister-in-law, who had her second baby boy three months after Frannie was born and was in need of an updated tote. Ironically, I actually didn’t even choose something girly after all that; insead I went for a classic black which I still use now.
The Nursery
Oh, and can you see the two VHS cases on the bookshelf? Yeah, those are informational videos from the 80’s on breastfeeding and baby care. I thought maybe I would use them, and enjoy them during all of my time at home after the baby arrived. I was wrong. As a teacher, I also thought the ABC, 123 wall theme would be very educational…though I doubt the girls ever really noticed it! (Wow…it’s amazing how nostalgic I feel as these memories are stirred up!)
The gender-neutral bedding was purchased at a local shop (I spotted it when shopping with a friend, but hadn’t announced my pregnancy yet so I had to go back for it later!) I saw something very similar in a celebrity nursery featured in a magazine around the same time, so I was confident that stripes were “in”. Because of course, the baby would care. Oh, and the bumper pads were used as decoration before Frannie arrived and transitioned from bassinet to crib. I realize we aren’t supposed to have those anymore, so no need to comment and remind me!
Frannie turned two right before Maggie was born, and we spent our March Break transitioning her to a big-girl room next door (I’ll talk about that one another day), leaving the nursery as-is for her baby sister. It’s been just over two years, and last week we decided that we were ready: no more nursery!
We went cold-turkey: all of the changes were made on a Tuesday morning, and by naptime Maggie was in her new bed, with the crib stored away in the basement. (If you’re looking to avoid having more kids, try spending a morning disassembling a crib and carrying heavy furniture up and down stairs with your husband. Works like a charm.)
So, voila, Maggie’s big-girl room:
In a “if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it” move, we left the walls yellow, and worked with them. The captain’s bed was actually mine as a teen, and was then painted brown for my cousin’s room. We got it back, returned it to its original white, and put new white knobs on the drawers.
The flowered bedding (which I am hoping will grow with her, moreso than a licensed-character theme) is from the Sears catalogue, and the rails were purchased at Wal-Mart for Frannie two years ago.
The art on the wall beside her bed is actually cross-stitch quilt sections that I made while in university, and had framed for a future child’s room. (Yes, I was already assuming that someday I would have a daughter.) I had a terrific part-time job as a receptionist at a convent (seriously) where I had time to read, do homework, and obviously cross-stitch while waiting for the Sisters to receive phone calls or visitors. Best job ever.
As for the wall stickers, they were an impulse buy one evening at Canadian Tire, when I spotted them and realized how well they would match the bedding. The girls had a great time directing me as to which stickers should be placed where.
Maggie absolutely adores her big-girl room, and proudly shows it off to all visitors. (For some reason, the FedEx guy wasn’t interested. Can you believe it?) The only snag is that in the morning, although she is excellent to announce “I awake!”, if we don’t immediately give her permission to get up, she just assumes it, and waltzes on in to our room. Frannie was too much of a pleaser to do that, and still waits in her bed until we give her the go-ahead. She also has her bed made by the time we get there. Really.
I think our girls are very lucky to have such lovely big-girl rooms to themselves, and I know we are lucky to have these big-girls in our life. Next up (gulp): potty training!
That looks lovely! The bedspread is so sweet and you're right — the flowers on the wall match it so well!
I think I might have that same cross stitch pattern book! It looks so familiar to me! Beautiful work. (That does sound like a great job!)
Well Kate…I remember when I finally said good-bye to my daughters nursery! It was bittersweet but it was also fun to decorate my girls "big girl" rooms! Love what you did for Maggie's room! Great job!
Krista S.