"Just let me hold you..."

Even a year later, I still lovelovelove PJ's bedroom!

This is the chair.
I remember planning it all out, curled up in our armchair with one hand on my belly and the other searching away on my laptop for the perfect paint color, furniture, decor.

I poured over websites like Etsy and Ikea and did searches for ideas. I had settled on an "Owl" theme and had exactly what I wanted in my head- I just needed to somehow get it onto the walls!

I had found the perfect starting piece- an owl on a branch wall decal. It was looking on Etsy for some ideas and stumbled upon the little dude sitting on a branch and centered my whole idea for the nursery around it!

This is the owl.
Soon after, I found the perfect furniture at Ikea- clean and organic-looking. Simple and uncluttered. Even better, it was safe (as per Consumer Reports!) and inexpensive. I think the entire room ended up being about $750.  There was plenty of room in the drawers for teeny baby clothes; loads of room on the shelves for books, and in the middle, the changing table, where my newborn son would lie for countless diaper changes!

As the big pieces fell into place, so did the little pieces. We painted the walls a creamy, glowy golden color.



There was a handmade owl mobile over the crib.


The Etsy store that made the owl that inspired me created this gorgeous tree for PJ! 


His name was over the crib, and a soothing-sounds lamb was hung on a crib rail. 


And the changing table that was made to hold a plump baby butt was ready!

It was the nursery I had dreamed of and when we welcomed PJ home, it was like there was no other baby in the world it could have been made for! Over this first year, we have filled the drawers with tons of clothes, and switched out sizes at an alarming rate! We played on the floor, under that tree. There were countless diapers changed upon that changing table.

Lately, that sweet, soft changing table had become an Elevated Ledge of Death! The more mobile PJ got and the stronger he became, the more difficult it was to safely change him at his table. Today, for his own safety, Pete and I decided that the table needs to be off limits, and we took the attachment off of the dresser.

I'm sure it must sound silly, but without the little table attachment, the room looks completely different! The shelves are still filled with books, the top of his wall unit lined with stuffed animals. Our rocker is still in a corner, and his toys sit in baskets along the wall. Owls peep out of random nooks and the walls are still glowy when the sun comes through the windows. But that changing table being gone signifies that gone with it is the fragile, tiny little babe whose every diaper I fretted over ("Is he wetting enough?" "Is that enough poop?" "Is that too much poop?" "Does his booty look red?").

In his place, in the room that's largely the same, is a bright, handsome, funny, active, noisy 1 year old that I still rock in that rocking chair!

It's a pretty good trade. ;-)

all pictures (except the owl decal) are by the amazingly lovely and talented michelle bottalico

2 comments

Jenn said...

This made me tear up a little. It's crazy and surreal how fast you go from pushing like mad on your tummy to get them to kick, to determining that they've outgrown their changing table to dropping him off at college. Okay, so maybe that skipped a few other milestones, but I think you know what I mean. I wish you the best at savoring every little hug and giggle. Just out of curiosity...where will you change his diapers now? I will be in your shoes soon. With the older two, it was the floor, but I was wondering if there was a better option that I didn't know about.

Brie Latini said...

Ha! My husband asked me the same thing! PJ is such a wiggler that either the floor or our bed is the safest and easiest! I tucked his changing pad under his crib to lay him on, but if he rolls off it's no biggie! And, girl, pul-leeze! I cried the whole time I was unscrewing the tabletop from the dresser!!