For like ev-er: nursery reveal

I've finally gotten around to taking pictures of Carla's nursery. Up until this week it has sat empty (aside from diaper changes) since she came home.  We, *ahem*, I finally pulled the trigger. NZ was ready from night one, I'm sure. However, it took some time before I was comfortable having her across our flat. We have a good quality audio monitor, but due to our concrete walls, reception from her room to ours is crap. Now that she usually sleeps in a seven hour stretch, waking at 3:30-4:00 each morning, I feel more confident in waking to feed her without use of a monitor at all.

So here it is..a pink explosion that would make Elle Woods and the 818 proud. 

                     

We utilized some existing furniture, and bought a sundvik crib and coordinating dresser at IKEA. The dresser is the perfect height for diaper changes, with just enough space on top for a changing pad & wipes. The drawers are nice and deep for storage.

 I was able to maximize storage by using zippered boxes from IKEA to organize diapers, toiletries and clothing. The long narrow ones are perfect for onesies and cloth diaper soakers, while the large square ones easily fit folded sleepers and two rows of disposables. 

I attached two little dog booty hooks to the side of the dresser using 3M tape which are the perfect height for her to hang her coat or hat when the time comes for her to become independent.

On the walls, I made a collage of prints that fit my color scheme above the changing table and finished it off with her framed birth announcement from tinyprints. Frames used were from IKEA. Channelling my crafty side, I painted a couple canvases with two of my favorite Valley Girl-esque quotes. I fell in love with the "for like ever" print way back when pregnant with my first girl, but having it shipped here would be a lesson in futility, so I made my own to go above her crib. 

                             

Above the futon, I painted " love you more" in gold on an aqua background, and weathered it with sandpaper. The angle and lighting of this photo doesn't do it justice--it's cuter in person. The pillows are covered in an extra receiving blanket and Victoria's Secret "one size fits all" wrap dress that no longer fits (explain how that works?!). I followed a pinterest pin on no sew pillow covering and these were a snap! The pillows that were on the futon were even more chinese (& hideous) than the futon itself.

                             

The flat came furnished with the fugly futon and a bookshelf. I've used the bookshelf to store burp cloths, bibs, blankets, and her shoe & bow collection. One of my college besties sent us a bow board full of texas sized bows, and my sister has been buying headbands off etsy to fill our bow apothecary jar. Carla better grow some hair so I can put them to use--no pressure, my bald little baby. 

                          

Since we are short on space and this room was our office B.C. (Before Carla), I purchased white magazine and storage boxes from IKEA to disguise our paperwork, office supplies, and extra stroller parts to keep mischievous little hands out. 

                             

Here's my favorite part...the linens!

My super-awesome-couldn't-ask-for-a-better-best-friend, sister made fitted sheets for the crib using a tutorial over at the Dana-made-it blog (see link at end of post). I purchased fabrics within the general color scheme and she whipped them up and sent them our way.

                  

 

 I like to change out the linens to change the look of the room. My favorite sheet is the chevronish herringbone print, but I also have a dainty gray & pink floral sheet and festive turquoise, coral and yellow one waiting for their time to shine. I don't use crib bumpers because they freak me out, so changing crib sheets is really easy because there's no disassembly of a crib bumper to contend with each time the sheets need changing. 

Well, that's Carla's "crib"...hope you liked it...but I must say, my favorite part of her room is walking in to find this little girl waiting for me...

Like the crib sheets? Want to make your own? It's easy..follow Dana's instructions here:

http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-crib-and-toddler-bed-sheets.html

Like the burp cloths? Visit my uber-talented sister-in-law's etsy shop, Coral Tree, here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CoralTree?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav

Like the birth announcement? Here it is on tiny prints:

http://www.tinyprints.com/product/33589/girl_photo_birth_announcements_sweet_salutation_begonia.html#color/01/pid/33595/paper/2

Home Sweet IKEA

NZ and I were lucky enough to find an IKEA in Wuxi, which convienently opened just 2 days prior to our arrival. Nick had never experienced IKEA, so I warned him about the instructions and how frustrating assembly can sometimes be. We ended up buying Sal's nursery furniture there, as I fell in love with the simplicity of the SANDVIK crib and changing station.

Nick had no problem what-so-ever following the paint by number directions, and had Sal's new crib up in no time!

We spent most of today unpacking bags and assembling the nursery.

Sal spent much of his day in his brand new crib catching up on some lost sleep.

Shopping adventures

We set out this afternoon with Frederic, a colleague of NZ's who has been living in Wuxi for the last 6 years to have him show us where the best places to buy housewares and day-to-day necessities were. He took us to a pizzeria, which turned out to be Papa Johns, a totally American pizza chain. Only, in China, Papa Johns is a sit down, dine in restaurant. Crazy, right? The pizza was delish. A taste of home.

From Papa johns we loaded up in Frederic's car, cranked the A/c ( it's a very muggy 90 degrees farenheit today) and set out for METRo, which is the equivalent of COSTCO or Sam's club in the U.S.A. One must have a business account to gain membership.

We parked the car and met with Frederic's interpreter and a driver from his Company who brought a van to help transport our purchases to our apartment. This my friends, was our entourage. Five adults and a baby, shopping together for housewares. It was nice to have Frederic's advice on what brands of toothpaste to avoid (bleach?!) as well as Irene's assistance in dechiphering the difference between shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Lord knows I'd have a hissy fit in the shower if I had unknowingly purchased three conditioners instead of one shampoo, one conditioner and one lotion. It could (and probably will) totally happen.

Our biggest obstacle today, aside from deciding if a king size bed was the same as a 2 meter mattress, were Sal's fans. What was so endearing the first 24 hours has quickly become my pet peeve. People just can not leave their hands off of him. We were in an aisle making silverware decisions, and I had just gotten Sal to sleep. I had my hand on the stroller, but turned my back to help NZ choose between two patterns and when I turned around just seconds later, a Chinese woman had her face wedged in under the canopy of his stroller, and was touching his face!

I turned into mama Bear and said a very clear "no!" and pulled his canopy back down, but the damage to his only afternoon nap was done. He spent the rest of our METRO shopping trip on NZ's shoulder so that he could police the touchy McTouchersons. It's seriously a major issue we will have to overcome. I think they mean well, but never in a million years would that type of personal space invasion take place in the states.

Boundaries do not exist here.

This is clear.

From METRO we made it over to IKEA which just opened a couple of days ago. For those who are wondering, IKEA in China is just as confusing as IKEA in the U.S.A.. We felt right at home. We ended up buying most of our linens and bath goods there, as well as a crib and changing table for Sal. I'm not too wild about the mattress we found, but it was the firmest one available. Nick found a super neat rug for Sals room, that has a little road printed on it. I imagine in a year or two he will be driving little cars over it.

Right now, Sal and I are back at the hotel, in our nice air conditioned room, taking what I hope will be a nice long afternoon nap to make up for the two he got slighted on earlier today.