A Tour of Ellie’s Room

May 13, 2013 by Summer

Come join us for a tour of Ellie’s room…

I guess you can call Ellie’s room a Montessori-inspired room. (Here and here is a little bit about Montessori bedrooms. I don’t subscribe to everything Montessori, but I like some of it’s child-led approaches and so I have taken what I like and applied it here in her room as well as from other philosophies too). Being a preschool teacher and infant/toddler caregiver for twelve years before I quit to stay home with Ellie, creating an environment for the child was a large part of my job. It was one of the most joyful parts of my job. So when it came down to creating a space for my own daughter, I felt like I should have put this together a very long time ago. She’s just been so close to me for these past nine months, rarely leaving my arms and when she did, she was very close by to Mama at all times. That’s how she liked it and that’s how I preferred it as well.

Until about a month ago, when she mastered the crawl. Now she’s wanting far less to do with Mama and so very much more wanting to explore her environment. It was time to create a space all for her, a place where she could play and sleep and be safe and explore to her hearts content. I had a vision in mind and of course there was pinterest and many lovely blogs for inspiration. There are still a few more odds and ends I would like to add to the room, but so far, it seems to be pretty perfect for this little explorer I have.

A soft basket of stuffed animals, some are Mama made and some are gifted animals.

The floor bed is an Ikea mattress. We originally tried a crib mattress in here but it was just too small for our wiggly girl, so a twin worked better. The quilt is one Gramma made as well as the matching pillow. I made the ELLIE letters and would like to get them on the wall at some point. The Steif bear was mine as a child. The banner was handmade by me. The cloud mobile is from etsy and the art is a Maurice Sendak print from In The Night Kitchen. I have most of the art up high enough so that she can’t get to it, but low enough so she can see it well. I would like to put up some art at her direct eye level and for her to touch but haven’t had the chance yet.

This was a print that was a part of my own collection. I am a big children’s book collector and loved this piece when I saw it online. Funny thing is, the middle book in the painting is ELOISE. We didn’t realize this until after she was born! It looks perfect in Ellie’s bedroom.

I love blankets, so of course in every room there is always a few extra blankets lying around. There’s Ellie’s main quilt, but she also has her beautiful crocheted blankie her Great Aunt made her and a little blanket that belonged to me as a baby. The sheepskin was put down in front of the bed in case she rolls out, a little added cushion. These are Ellie’s toy shelves. They are just perfect for little hands to grab toys right off of as well as pull herself up on them to a standing position. I found this shelf at Target. The toys on the shelves will be rotated to keep her interest. The fabric boxes on top were also made by Gramma. The art is another Sendak print from Where The Wild Things Are.

The window sill is adorned with these great vintage blocks I found at an antique market a few months back. They are earthquake puttied to the window sill so they can’t fall down. The lovely stuffed animal is an etsy find.

The reading corner needs a bit of work, but it will do for now. I have a little soft basket filled with books I will rotate. The colorful mat is something I made years ago. On the wall adjacent to the reading corner is the full size acrylic mirror I got on clearance at a teacher supply store. Jeff bolted it into the wall and it’s been the big hit of the room.

As you can see, Ellie is very excited about her new room. We have been spending some time in here every day, exploring, crawling around, playing and napping. It’s a nice space for this growing girl, a space that will grow and change with her development and needs. Right now it’s simple, sweet and perfect for this nine month old. A space she can truly call her own.

Weekending!

May 13, 2013 by Summer

After a long and pretty tough week, I was looking forward to a nice Mothers’ Day weekend. My little girl is still teething and needing lots of extra love and attention these days. She’s also quite the mover and the shaker and this Mama here is pretty tired from chasing her around and trying to keep her little noggin’ from bumping into too many things. We also had quite the scare this week when our shepherd had a run in with what we think to be a feral cat who was brave enough to climb over into our yard. The cat seemed okay as he took off after Jeff split the two apart, but our shepherd was left with scratches across his face and paws as well as a fractured tooth which had to be removed the next day. I love my animals but I don’t always like them acting like animals. After spending a day with the vet, we brought a very loopy dog home. He’s fine now and lets hope the cats stay out of our yard! While Linus was at the vet, we took Charlotte to the beach to start our weekend. We let this dog run a long the dog beach side and she loved it! It had been awhile since she had been to the beach and it was fun watching her frolic in the sand. We visited the farmers market and were excited to pick up some stone fruits already! Yum! We also enjoyed seeing friends and their babies at a house warming party and finally we spent sunday with my family including my Grandmother (Ellie’s Great Grandmother). It was a VERY hot day. Perfect for a first dip in a kiddie pool that Ellie’s Aunties picked up for her. It was nice to spend time with my family. I’m so very lucky that I have such a close relationship with them. My first Mothers Day with Ellie (outside of my tummy). It’s so neat to be able to spend Mothers Day with Ellie, my mom and my grandmother. I had gone through old pictures of when I was a baby, last night, and came across a few of my mom and grandma in a kiddie pool with me as a baby. It’s kind of magical when life replays itself with a new generation. I guess I’m finding being a mother both tough as all heck but extremely magical and amazing the next minute. My baby girl has quite the personality already. She can be stubborn and strong-willed ( Dad says, “like her mother…” I say ” ahem… like her father.”), but at the end of the day… at the end of this long week and at the end of this lovely Mothers Day… I sat in the rocking chair, my stubborn, sweet baby cradled in my arms. Her blond hair smelling sweet and clean from the evening bath. I sat there rocking my girl to sleep and felt so very blessed and lucky to be her mother. I couldn’t help but get teary holding her and loving her so very much. This quote I came across on Jodi’s blog resonates with me so very much. I had to take it for my own and use it here today…

“The most difficult part of birth is the first year afterwards. It is the year of travail – when the soul of a woman must birth the mother inside her. The emotional labour pains of becoming a mother are far greater than the physical pangs of birth; these are the growing surges of your heart as it pushes out selfishness and fear and makes room for sacrifice and love. It is a private and silent birth of the soul, but it is no less holy than the event of childbirth, perhaps it is even more sacred.” – Joy Kusek

Happy Mothers Day to my mother, to my grandmothers and to all the mothers out there. We are all so lucky to be given this gift of Motherhood.

*linking up with Amanda today.

Portrait Project

May 12, 2013 by Summer

19/52

eloise: It was so difficult choosing a portrait this week from the fantastic shots I took of you playing in the grass. But this one stuck out for me for some reason. Maybe because after a long, tough week of teething upsets and restless sleep and fussing because you want to keep moving and not go to sleep at all… these moments in the yard were precious. You kept picking up leaves that had fallen from the orange tree and crunching them in your hands. You were fascinated by them and for once in the past couple weeks, instead of crawling and standing everywhere, you just sat there exploring. It was neat to watch and document and of course gave this Mama a bit of a peaceful and much needed recharge.I could have chosen one of the adorable shots of your smiling face, but this one seemed the most appropriate… you are completely engulfed in your important work of the child. Carry on and enjoy my love.

– joining the lovely Jodi and the 52 project!

-last week’s favorites : this one was neat! I always look forward to seeing what Ruby paints, this week’s was a lovely red painting! And I thought thisa was a neat shot!

{this moment}

May 10, 2013 by Summer

“A single photo. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. “ – joining Soulemama. Happy Friday!

Making + Listening

May 9, 2013 by Summer

MAKING- It has been a busy, tiring week of teething but in between the walks and the extra cuddling, I’ve managed to start another little softie for a friend’s baby due this summer and finish up on Ellie’s room (for now). (The Ellie’s room post will be coming next week).

LISTENING- We’ve also had a breakthrough in the bath tub department. Ellie has hated taking a bath for months now. I’ve been trying to get her used to it ever so gently, but it always ends up in tears (she’s just fine in the shower). Well, just last week I tried making the water a wee bit hotter and sure enough, she was just fine! So we’ve added bath time to the night time routine and it’s been wonderful. While we bathe, Daddy turns on the record player in the next room and lately, we’ve been enjoying Debussy’s Clouds. A little classical for me and my girl.

-linking up today with Dawn’s Making+Listening.

Eloise’s Monthly Photo

May 6, 2013 by Summer

Ellie you are all over the place these days. I can barely keep up with you! You are crawling like a pro and now want to pull yourself up on everything. We are trying to baby proof the house as best we can so that we are not constantly having to redirect you. We thought you were getting a tooth finally, but it has yet to show its toothy face. You are loving listening to all sorts of music on the record player these days and you have finally taken to baths. You took your first bubble bath tonight before bed! Nursing has turned into an olympic gymnast sport and you seem to be uninterested in solid food either these days. You are moving and exploring and you have no time for anything else. Including sleep and diaper changes. Watch out world! Ellie is moving!

Weekending!

May 6, 2013 by Summer

Doggie walks, yard sales, hot weather, cooler weather, nine month old photo shoot outtakes, driving by the fire damaged hillsides, visits with Gramma, Grandpa and Auntie Katie, listening to the Reading Rainbow theme song over and over, springing up areas of the house, a baby girl making it all the way up the stairs (yikes!) and getting a mirror for a special someone’s bedroom. These are all things that made up our weekend. How was yours?

*linking up with Amanda.

Portrait Project

May 4, 2013 by Summer

18/52

eloise: your mama has been very busy making you your very own room. You have always been near us, sleeping with us, in a carrier close to our hearts… but now you are crawling and pulling yourself to a standing position all over the house and all of a sudden, you are getting farther away from us then ever before, exploring the world around you. So now I’m wanting to create a safe space just for you. Somewhere you can play and crawl and climb and relax. A special place all about you. We’re still working on it but you seemed pretty happy with what we have done so far!

*joining jodi for the 52 project

This week I loved crumbbums, oanabefort and those spring time flowers, and expatriababy and that beautiful head of hair!

{this moment}

May 3, 2013 by Summer

“A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.” -joining Soulemama. Happy Friday!

A Room To Get Crafty In

May 2, 2013 by Summer

Welcome to my new and improved craft room! It’s starting to really look crafty these days and not just like a “catch all, spare bedroom”. I’ve always wanted a room to organize and make into my own crafty space. An atilier, a studio, a room I could spend all day in sewing and crafting. Of course, with a little one in tow, crafts, specifically ones that you can not finish while nursing are off the table for now. But some day soon, I will be able to really get in there and start crafting. This past weekend, we moved a couple large pieces of furniture out of Ellie’s room and down here. I emptied the craft chest of cloth diapers and picture books and replaced them with my fabric supplies. I moved the other shelf into the closet and organized craft and office supplies in there and we moved my old desk into the room (Jeff found a beauty of a desk on craigslist a couple months back for his office, so this one is mine again). This desk serves as my sewing station and at the moment the diaper changing station as well. Cloth diapers are stored below in a wire basket that was gifted to us. (If you hadn’t guessed it, this is the changing baby room as well as Summer’s craft room).

The main wall of the room is hung with one of my favorite antique market finds- a very retro crazy quilt made from really rough and colorful materials. It’s nothing you’d want to cuddle with but I think it gives this room an awesome colorful vibe. I store my modest collection of records here too and these days you can find Ellie and I listening to some vintage Reading Rainbow or Gershwin albums. I have a long way to go with this little room to make it into a true craft room, but it’s getting there and I like what I have so far…