When we last left off in the nursery, we had painted the closet door green, but still had a few lingering functional things that we needed (like a changing pad cover, a hamper, and a bin for dirty diapers) as well as a plan for the wall behind the crib that we had been debating.
Update #1. You probably remember when we were considering this fun arrow wallpaper for that spot (among others) but thought it might be a little busy on that side with all the built-ins, so imagine our surprise to find a changing pad cover in the same pattern on Etsy. Teddy loves it. So much, in fact, that he has already peed on it a whole bunch of times. You know, to mark his territory.
We’ve heard a ton of tips (washcloth, wipe, clean diaper) to block the spray, but even with those methods we found that it still managed to run down and pool on the changing pad cover, meaning that we had to strip it off and wash it more times than we hoped in the first few days of being home from the hospital. To the point that even if we had 4 spares we’d still be washing them constantly. We had the same problem with baby Clara (good genes I guess) so we used a wipeable changing pad cover over her cloth changing pad during that phase (it was so much easier to wipe that down than constantly be washing the cover itself).
Which brings us to Update #2. Now that we use that vinyl pad in the car for changes on the go, I thought I’d make one for the house from oilcloth. Here was my process in a nutshell:
1. I grabbed half of a yard of “marine coat vinyl” in white from JoAnn for $6 (they didn’t have white oilcloth), and I actually got two changing pad covers out of that half a yard (so we can use one downstairs when we change Teddy on the ottoman as well)
2. I laid out our existing car pad by Skip Hop (the front is the shiny vinyl part and looks like this, so the black fabric is the back) and traced the shape onto the back of the white marine coat vinyl fabric with a sharpie (twice since there was room for two).
3. Then I just cut them out. Vinyl doesn’t have a fraying edge, so I didn’t even need to hem them or anything
So far it has been awesome. Just look at Teddy modeling his new waterproof cover. He actually peed through his diaper and his onesie while we took this shot. True story. It’s like he wanted to test just how waterproof it was. Thankfully, it worked like a charm. And it has been saving us a little bit of laundry (every little bit helps!) ever since.
Update #3. You can also see the simple white trash can that we grabbed at Ikea for diapers (we’re using disposables until Teddy grows into our cloth ones, just like we did with Clara). So far it’s working well. The lid (with the step-to-open mechanism) keeps smells in, and makes for hands-free opening, which is really convenient.
Update #4. In other “I’ll take all the small conveniences I can get while running on a lot less sleep” category, we also got this adorable navy and white Boppy cover from John’s sister as a baby gift (it was also from Etsy). I know some folks skip the Boppy and just use a pillow or something but I use it so much in these early days when the baby’s so small and nursing all the time. We debated bringing ours to the hospital and I said “nah, that’s overkill” and I actually wished I had it instead of using wadded up blankets and pillows, which surprised me.
Please avert your gaze from my dirty nails and focus on the cute baby.
Update #5. This is a little craft fair item that we bought here in Richmond at the annual Spring Bada Bing event (we’ve blogged about it a few times before). It’s always fun to support small businesses and browse homemade wares – and this one is made by The Little Bandit Shop. It’s an embroidery hoop with discontinued fabric (from Ikea a while back) that she hand-stitched with some cute green vines on each side. We thought it was so charming, and a great idea for a DIY project too.
Update #6. We also realized we needed a clothes hamper, so we grabbed a basket from HomeGoods that’s around the same size as the hamper that we use in Clara’s room and I quickly sewed a little inside-out pillowcase to create a liner. Why inside out? That way when you fold the edges over the side of the basket, they face the right way (and when you look down at the inside of the hamper the patterned side shows). It’s easy to pull out and wash, and I got half a yard of this soft gray ticking fabric at JoAnn for $4.
Update #7. Now for our little plan behind the crib wall, which we didn’t actually do yet – but we think we’re set on this idea. John came up with a repeating pattern of T’s (for Teddy of course). Although this photoshopped version leaves a lot to be desired in the “realistic” department, in our minds it’ll look awesome.
It’s subtle and sweet enough for both of us to like it best of all the other options we’ve considered, so now we’re just debating if we’ll end up making a stencil to paint the T’s on the wall like Clara’s raindrops, or if we’ll use contact paper or some other method to add them. Will keep you posted!
Oh and I finally remembered to snap a picture of the fourth wall of the room (it briefly flashed by in this video tour, but I don’t think I ever took a photo of that angle). Right now there’s just a floor lamp for function (it works on the wall switch, so we can flip it on when we enter the room) but eventually we’d love an overhead light on a dimmer and we think we’ll use that wall to make a fun little play area once Teddy’s a little older, like we did on this wall in Clara’s room.
Are you rallying to add a flurry of small things to a space that’s mostly complete? Buying anything fun from Etsy or at a local craft show? Peeing on changing pads, just for fun?
Psst- To read about all of the nursery updates from the beginning, here’s how we painted all the pink trim, laid new hardwood floors, got a rug, painted the walls & ceiling, added built-ins, tackled some baby bedding, hung extra thick crown molding, filled up the built-ins, added a storage cabinet/changing table, made a mobile, and made art & painted the closet door green.
Susan says
LOVE all these updates!! And I’m so impressed – seven! When my kiddos were that age, I would have been really proud of myself for even one. :-)
Meghan says
Not to be an alarmist- but is Vinyl a safe material to be using as a surface a baby will be touching? We eliminated our vinyl shower curtain lining some years ago because of concerns over toxicity. I’m not sure, but it may be something to look into.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Meghan! There’s a comment by Libra that helps (once it off-gases, which it likely does if it sits in the store a while, it should be a-ok). Ours doesn’t have a plasticy smell but airing it outside on a sunny day could speed that up. Or oilcloth would be awesome if we could have hunted it down :)
xo
s
Karen says
He is adorable and I love everything you’ve done for his nursery. One piece of advice given to us when we were expecting a little boy was to always point him down inside the diaper. That prevents him from peeing out the top of the diaper and getting his clothes wet. I’m sure you’ve already heard about that but wanted to pass it along in case you hadn’t.
Kara says
I was just curious how you like having a chair that doesn’t rock in your nursery? I am due with my first little boy in a few weeks and the chair we have is just a large wingback that is really comfy… but we have debated converting it into a rocker.
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t have one with Clara so I guess it’s all that we know? It’s cozy and really nice to nurse in :)
xo
s
Leigh says
As a boy mom I laughed at the pee problem :). My little man seemed to like to go everywhere! We’ll see what boy #2 has in store for us in about 9 weeks.
Diana says
Oh and speaking of water-proof vinyl…my husband is in the process of recovering our jet ski seats with that…your project sounds much much easier. =)
Kendra says
Hi Sherry,
I was wondering, now that you’ve got Teddy home, how is it working being in a two story house with all of his things up in his room? Have you found a solution to having a little area for him downstairs with his stuff? I.E. changing area, diapers, clothes, etc etc. So you don’t have to run upstairs all the time…We are in a two story and have to keep a lot of baby’s stuff downstairs but it gets cluttered. I would love to see a post about how you guys organize a area for baby downstairs!
YoungHouseLove says
We use one drawer in the TV stand (it’s really a secondhand dresser) for wipes and dipes and just change him on the ottoman down there, which seems to work. Upstairs we use his changing table of course, and I tend to nurse all over the dang house, haha! So far it’s working really well.
xo
s
Anna // Gone Banannas says
I love all the updates you made and I think the “T” for Teddy wall is a great personal touch to add. You really made such a warm and loving nursery for Teddy to grow in!
Steph Reiner says
I first thought you guys had already painted the T’s using the same color paint but in glossy finish! I love LOVE that you are using different gray fabrics for the room but they don’t clash at all! We had some small (12″x12″) waterproof pads from Babies ‘R Us that saved our changing cover constantly. Even with puddles, we could just grab the pad and toss it in the wash and throw a new one on. I think they were like $10 for a 6-pack so pretty reasonable.
Alice Coombs says
Where did you get the floorlamp in Teddy’s room?
YoungHouseLove says
I think it was from TJ Maxx or HomeGoods a few years ago? Can’t remember…
xo
s
Kat says
I love the “T” for Teddy design for behind the crib. I know you guys have been happy with custom spoonflower fabric in the past. I would suggest ordering fabric of the “T” design and then using starch to wall paper it to the wall. We starched the fabric onto the wall behind our master bed and I can’t believe how great it came out. It was MUCH easier than I thought it would be and it gives a really cool dimension and slight texture to the wall. It was simple easy and had great results (I would post a picture, but we are away at the beach this week.)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too! Thanks to everyone who shared tips and ideas today :)
xo
s
Carol H. says
RE: the T wall…(Not sure if someone has already mention this but, how about just free-handing it with a metallic white Sharpie pen?
And really, cutting back on your posts? You are spoiling us! (But we don’t mind a bit.)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too!
xo
s
Codi says
When I first looked at the crib “T’s” I thought it was metallic and I loved that! A little manly bling with some silver or same-colored paint, but in a metallic tone?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too!
xo
s
Emmy A says
His room is so darling and boyish at the same time! Two things…we learned with our son to “point it down” when closing up the new diaper because sometimes his clothes would be soaked, but his diaper would be dry. Crazy boys! I don’t know if that’s what happened while you were taking the pic, but it definitely helped and kept him from wetting through pjs at night. No one wants an extra nighttime wake up just because the jammies are wet. The other thing I wanted to throw out there is about the T wall. I did a wall sized world map on my daughters wall using a paint pen. Eventually I’ll fill it in with white paint, but the outline looks good as it is and it was SOOOO easy. I think I saw the idea on design*sponge to use a paint pen instead of wall paper and I would recommend it.
Megan L says
Ooo! Love the baby pictures. Love the little bendy legs. My baby is coming in June and I am gaga over newborns! :)
Kathryn says
Oh, the Ts are PERFECT on that wall !!!!!
Sally G says
Love the T idea for the nursery wall. I like that it’s subtle and doesn’t overpower the other lovely features in the room.
Cassie Dearborn says
So I’m probably going to sound like a jerk, but really, I’m only commenting to help… Let me push up my nerd glasses and get started:
1) A few years ago I made cloth diapers and bibs (sometimes still do, actually). And…. a few years ago vinyl contained vinyl phthalates, and in general I’d avoid them around anything kid related. I have no idea if a new process has removed the phthalates from vinyl, I haven’t looked in a while.
But in general, I wouldn’t use vinyl in waterproof bibs especially, or anywhere near something that could go in a kids mouth/. I know you’re big into chemical safety as well, so I though I’d mention it, even though I know a diaper changing mat isn’t really supposed to be edible :)
An alternative which is used in diapers is PUL or TPU. It’s now sold in Joannes, I think usually in the craft/baby section (which is a little painful because I have a million and half yard here because it used to have to be special ordered). It won’t fray (much) either because of the laminate. Just a heads up in case you weren’t aware.
::Pushes up nerd glasses again::
2)Orical 631 is the craft vinyl I used for our walls. I mentioned it on Clara’s raindrop post, but in case you forgot here’s the link again. Since it’s vinyl, it probably has phthalates in it too, ha, but I was hoping my kids don’t lick the wall. It did come off clean after two years of having it up.
http://blog.bluedinosaurs.com/2011_06_01_archive.html
Cassie Dearborn says
Oh. I forgot to mention… This isn’t just your typical crunchy adversion to chemicals. It’s actually a chemical that is banned in all children’s products: http://www.cpsc.gov/phthalates
During the time I made diapers the CPSIA was enacted, and to remain legal I needed to started obtaining certification that the stuff I was selling contained little/no phthalates.
Okay. Now I’m done :D
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the info!
xo
s
beth says
Love love the t pattern. Just perfect! He is too….hope u get sleep soon.
Kathy says
Love the nursery idea I know this may sound crazy, but our son peed on everything until I finally broke down and got a wipe warmer (something I swore I would never need) seemed to out a stop to the accidents.
Dana@chocolateandsunshine says
You guys are so smart to wait for some of the last minute items. You never really know every single thing you’ll need until, well, you need it.
Ikea and HomeGoods are two of my favorite places to find great things, too. Love the inside out pillow case idea.
He is a little cutie pie!!!
Sally says
How is that running up and down the stairs with a baby coming along? Do you put Teddy upstairs for a nap, or just make do with baby equipment downstairs?
YoungHouseLove says
He usually naps downstairs during the day (either while being worn or on the sofa) but sleeps at night in his crib.
xo
s
Kelsey says
Loved this post my baby boy is coming supposedly June 3…Deep breaths I can do this. We are doing the cloth diaper route too and are planning on getting some newborn and aio and covers with inserts and pockets…but after reading your earlier post with Clara maybe we are making it too hard on ourselves and should just go with a few newborn sizes aio and aio one size fits all diapers. I’m just scared I will be doing laundry everyday all day or that I won’t have enough diapers. Any advice and reassurance would help. Congrats on baby boy. Love the nursery. And glad you are taking some time away and being with family.
YoungHouseLove says
We have heard from folks who do cloth from day one and love it, but we really like disposables just for that first bleary newborn phase since they are going to the bathroom a lot more times a day (so we worried we’d need a lot more cloth dipes to keep up with all of that) and it would add up to more laundry on a small amount of sleep. Thankfully when they grow into the All In Ones, at least in our experience with Clara, they aren’t going as frequently and tend to sleep better – so you’re more well rested and ready for more laundry, at least we hope that happens again this time ;)
xo
s
Holly Minutaglio says
We did a trial with JilliansDrawers.com that allowed us to try all different types and send back what we didn’t like or want, which was awesome. I got to find out exactly what I liked before I made a big investment. We ended up loving the BumGenius newborn AIOs and FuzziBunz extra smalls, and when he got bigger we did pockets because I learned that’s what I liked. For the first week or so, we still did disposables (because the meconium is reallllly hard to get out of cloth). I really stressed about the diapers because it’s such a big investment, so the trial eased a lot of that for me. It really didn’t feel like that much more laundry because we pretty much had laundry running 24/7 anyway. Just know that if you’re going to do newborn, you need about 10-12 per day. But you’re putting half those through laundry at the same time, so you don’t have to go crazy buying them. I liked having “back up” prefolds and covers for the times when my preferred dipes were still in the laundry.
Grace says
A good compromise for the beginning is a diaper service, if there’s one in your city. If you’re local to Richmond, I have to recommend The Stork diaper service – it’s fantastic. We really wanted to do cloth, but since my husband and I both work full time I didn’t want the commitment of all the additional laundry. And the great thing with prefolds and covers is that they are small enough to use right away; our daughter was 7 and a half pounds at birth and the smallest size prefolds and small Thirsties Duo covers fit her just fine. We started with cloth the day we got home from the hospital with no issues, and we’re still going strong with cloth two and a half years later! I really wanted to use cloth straight from the beginning because newborn skin is much more porous and vulnerable than the skin of older babies; if you’re worried about chemical exposure, the first six months is the most crucial.
Another great option is to look into local baby stores in your town – a lot of them will do cloth diaper trial packs so you can try out a bunch of different diapers and styles so you can find what you like. Cloth diapering can seem intimidating but it becomes second nature really, really quickly!
Alin says
The T wall is a sweet idea, and knowing you it will look even better in reality. For the peeing. I got tired of it with my girl and came across “Elimination Communication” like this http://www.amazon.com/Diaper-Free-Baby-Natural-Training-Alternative/dp/0061229709/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398818543&sr=1-2&keywords=elimination+communication … I just made the “zzz” peepee sound when she went and held her over a potty or open cloth diaper. She is “potty trained” and 2 and a half now. Just an idea, cause I know having newborns take every single energy out of you … best of luck.
Jenn says
I have got to say, with our twins we couldn’t have lived without the IKEA “Len” (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40143304/) “mattress protector”. I say that in quotes because it’s too small to cover the whole mattress, but PERFECT for the changing pad! We had about half a dozen of them and just threw them in with our diaper laundry when they got messy. They are soft on the top but the liquid won’t leak through! We got SO much use out of them because they were also perfect to keep in the diaper bag!
Holly B. says
Hi,
I noticed what looks like a piece of Ikea furniture with wood around it, that his changing table is on? Did you do a post about that? I LOVE that idea and would love to see what ya’ll did to it!!
YoungHouseLove says
If you search changing table Expedit that post should pop up. We just wrapped it in wood :)
xo
s
Brier says
I like the T’s best of all the other options, too. Subtle, yet interesting.
I’ve just fallen in love with head wraps lately (fabric head bands? Whatever you call them) for my not-quite-long-enough for a decent-looking ponytail. Also, for the (many) non-shower days in my life. And I even don’t have a little baby anymore. I just got one from a sweet Etsy shop called b. handmade designs.
Totally recommend!
(link right here! https://www.etsy.com/shop/bhandmadedesigns?section_id=14551162&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2 )
Bridget G, says
Awesome nursery. I love all the personal touches. Something we learned with our diaper trash can: Use velcro to secure a baking soda disk (found in the diaper aisle at Target)to the top of the trash can. It really helps to reduce the smell when you open the lid. Can easily be change out too.
YoungHouseLove says
You guys are so smart! Love all the tips you’re sharing.
xo
s
Monica says
Ahhh! Couple things. First of all, congratulations on your tiniest new addition! I wanted to let you know that Theodore/Teddy is one of my all time FAVORITE names, and if I had a boy 6 months ago, that was to be his name! Instead, we have a girl named Cecilia. ;) Secondly, I stumbled upon your end-cap at Target and I was so excited to see you guys there! I purchased your book since I’ve been following your blog for so long and I figured it was the least I could do to continue to support you guys. Love the book, so many great ideas. Anyway, congrats again!
Addie says
Just a word about newborn boys peeing through diapers–
No matter what diapers we used, our son peed through EVERYTHING when he was a newborn (diaper, onesie, swaddling blanket, bedding…). We finally figured out that it was because his penis tended to aim liquid straight up and through the gap that is left between the diaper and his tummy. My hypothesis was that this happened because of 1) the notch that is left to accomodate newborn umbilical cords and 2) the fact that he spent a lot of his time with his legs curled up in the fetal position, but when peed he straightened them out, thus creating the tummy-diaper gap. We fixed it by just making sure that things were aimed downward rather than upward and the diaper was always secured snugly. Worth a try if you’re tired of changing him every 5 minutes.
(And you don’t need to publish this if you’d prefer not to– I just wish I’d figured this out myself a few months before I did– it would have saved me a LOT of laundry!)
Tara @ Sock Monkey Smiles says
LOVE the T’s! That will look really cool behind the crib, and have meaning. :)
Theresa says
Love the T’s for the wall behind! That is going to look great!!
Mindy says
Dang girl. This room is so cute I want it for myself. Speaking of etsy, I just bought this
IMG_2970.png
Because we just moved in our house and solicitors are everywhere!!!! Thanks a lot public record. But I’m sure this is scare them off hopefully. Someone tried to sell me cleaning supplies today and when I kindly said no thank you he said, “ok keep being dirty and disgusting then” and ran off.
Anyways, love the room and you guys!!!
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
That’s such a brilliant idea on the change mat! I have four and I am still washing at least one a day with my little man and he’s 13 weeks. There really is no trick to stopping them. They’ll find the split second you let your guard down to widdle everywhere!
Never would have even looked at the fingernails if you hadn’t pointed them out. Way too concentrated on the gorgeous little guy.
Chanelle says
Hi! Just a suggestion to your peeing problem, are you pushing your baby’s little pee pee down when you put his diaper on him? That will help direct the pee into his diaper and not everywhere else. I have two boys and I did not figure this out until the first one was a couple months old. It was a game changer once I did! The nursery looks so cute! Those built ins are too die for!
karen @ Sugar Nest says
Welcome to sweet Teddy! I love the fresh green you used in his room. That will easily ‘grow’ with him. Not too babyish (if that’s a word!).
karen
Ashlee says
My dad actually told me about this when our little man was born last year, you can change him on his belly and that way the pee goes straight down instead of all over the place (we had a fire hose issue once, peed all over the nursery, kind of impressive really). It’s only for a few moments so it’s not harmful to his back/belly, and it’s pretty nice, until he’s mobile.
Susan M says
Teddy looks so tiny on that changing pad. I always seem to forget how small newborns are! He is SO adorable!! I respect your decision to scale back your postings. Just curious…was the crush of completing the show house during your last weeks of pregnancy the last straw for you? Or was scaling back something that you guys were contemplating for a really long time? I can’t imagine how you were able to do all that–physically and mentally–with a nine-month old baby in your belly!
YoungHouseLove says
I think it was definitely a ton of factors, so it wasn’t just the showhouse at all (we’re also working on our second book, had a lot of family things we were missing, knew we had a baby on the way which is a full time job in itself, etc) so it just felt like “we either have to slow this train down or goodness knows where we’ll end up.” It was scary to say it out loud, but also an incredible relief.
xo
s
Leigh says
Love the T’s. I found that the diaper brand that worked so well for my daughters didn’t work well for my son, at least when they were small. It’s been a while but Pampers worked best for my boy.
Leslie @ Oh, the Fun of It says
What a great idea to use “T”s for behind the crib… so cool!
Erica Thomas says
Where are those star blankets from on the changing table shelves?
YoungHouseLove says
They’re by Aden and Anais. The best swaddle blankets ever!
xo
s
Holly Minutaglio says
They really are the best! Worth every penny!!!
Christine says
Thank you for sharing so much at such a hectic time in your life! The updates are so cute! :)
It might be cool to make a stamp for the pattern; and maybe you could have Clara help design the “T” -I thought it was really cool when you guys made the fabric pattern out of her art. Very sentimental and meaningful!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too!
xo
s
Lindsay G says
I can’t figure out how to reply directly to previous comments, but to add to what Luisa said, you can get oilcloth from the Vermont Country Store online.
The room looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks!
xo
s
Amy S says
Have you tried undoing the dirty diaper up front, swapping it out for the new one immediately, and then cleaning up baby? I did that with my son; it caught anything that pooled underneath while changing, and then it was just the newly soiled diaper I had to switch out, rather than a mess to clean up.
(I also found that when I changed him early on, it worked well to open up the diaper but not remove it at all for a few moments – it seemed like the cool air hitting the, er, baby parts sometimes triggered an automatic, er, pee-release. At least until he got older.)
Anamarie Rebori says
Love it! It’s just perfect for a boy!
JoDi says
I love that you were able to use that arrow pattern in the room somehow. The pattern is fabulous, and it’s just the right amount on the changing pad.
I like the new pattern for the crib wall too. It’s subtle but it adds a little something extra that was missing. My favorite option is still the stripes though! :-)
Holly Minutaglio says
The boy peeing thing stops eventually, but in the early weeks (and months!) we used a lot of cheap flannel receiving blankets and those waterproof crib pads cut to fit. And we still rotated through our 3 changing pad covers daily. The winning combo seemed to be pad cover, waterproof liner, receiving blanket (folded in half). I might make a couple of those ones you made for baby girl (coming in June/July!).
Oh, and I’m totally getting into panicked hurry-up-and-finish-nursery-projects mode since I’m 30 weeks and all we’ve done is paint. And of course that room is housing all the random junk of the house. Ahhhhh!
Kathleen says
Can you link where the lamp is from, if possible? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry, it’s from TJ Maxx or HomeGoods a few years back but I don’t have a link for ya.
xo
s
CanadaJanelle says
Hello! Here’s a wee (ha ha) bit of unsolicited advice that may help: when our son was born the midwife had a neat trick to prevent getting peed on by boys: undo the diaper, then pull it back but just for a second to let air flow over the boy bits, then put the diaper back over and hold it for a second. Apparently it’s the air flowing over the boy bits that stimulates the peeing, so you facilitate the breeze by pulling the diaper, then block the stream by putting it back for a sec. Worked for us! Sure enough, lots of times when we peeked back under he was weeing away.
CanadaJanelle says
Oops – never mind, I see Amy S already made that suggestion :)