Baby Jake- 7 months & Nursery Reveal

Wait, what? Uhm, isn't the nursery reveal like 8 months late, you say? Eh, technically, but what can a girl do? I could blame it on the move, but without the move Jake wouldn't have his own room and therefore no reveal. It didn't make sense to re-do Will & Jake's joint room as a nursery and I couldn't find a superhero/nursery combination I was happy with. So we all agreed to use Will's frog & duck baby theme until Jake got a little older or we moved into a new house giving them separate rooms (we discussed moving within the B'ham area before we knew about the TN move). Also, Jake's room has been finished for a couple months now, I just haven't been able to post about it. I'm making up for it now, 'cause this is a really long one, so sit tight!

Jakie-poo, before we talk about your room, I want to talk about you! So here's some things we've learned about our 7 month old baby boy:

• You really got this sitting thing down! You fall over every once in awhile but often you catch yourself when you start to teeter totter
• You've graduated from the Bumbo to the highchair
• You have not cut a tooth yet, but in addition to chewing on your lip, fingers/hands and anything you can get hold of, you're chewing on your tongue. Surely all this chewing is going to pay off soon and get you a brand new tooth!
• You can be quiet and observe your surroundings or talk with just a tiny little baby voice. But there's times when you just have something to say and pretty much scream it at us. It's so cute!
• You're still in 3-6 months clothes and size 2 diapers
• You love to bounce even when you're not in your bouncy. Seriously, you'll just sit on the floor or in the highchair, our laps, wherever and just bounce, bounce, bounce up and down and back and forth!
• We put you in a swing for the first time (at the park) and you really like it :)
• It sounds like you're trying to say ma-ma
• You are such a grabber! You grab anything you can reach and bring it straight to your mouth

Jake, you have the sweetest little laugh and are still such a cuddly little boy. I love watching you grow and your budding personality come through. It's also precious how much you love your siblings. You just smile, talk and laugh and them and your little eyes track them around the room. Will & Maggie both love talking to you and giving you kisses. Melt a mama's heart!! 

The Nursery
When I started planning for baby 3, I knew I wanted to make the bedding myself. I've never done it before and this way #3, now Jake, would have a 'first'. Will was our first child, Maggie our first girl and now Jake is the first to have homemade bedding by mommy. I did search for fabric to coordinate with a superhero room, but as I said, just wasn't finding anything I liked. One of the fabrics I did love was unavailable by the time we moved and I went fabric shopping. So we hung all Will's baby stuff in Jake's room because I wanted him to have something. I wasn't happy that it wasn't his 'own thing' but hand-me-downs are better than empty room.

Before

Then one day I went to JoAnn for something completely different and found exactly what I wanted. Bright and fun, but still baby boy and went with the colors already in the room. I like the green walls and had no intentions of painting. I left the curtains up because they're tailor-made and go fine with the new bedding even though they don't match. I found a tutorial here for the bedding and though it took me some time, it was easier than I thought it would be. And I just love that my baby boy has his own custom-made bedding. It's not perfect, but made with lots of love from mommy. :) 

walking into Jake's nursery

Along with the bumpers and crib skirt, I made the blanket draped over the glider. 

I made the letters and piggy bank before Jake's arrival.We bought a bookcase and Daniel assembled it...I wanted a place to set photos, decorations and books, of course. The blue frame above the bookcase was a gift from my parents when Jake was born. I found the other 3 frames from Goodwill for $1 each and spray painted white. I also found the lamp base from Goodwill for $3- it was brass so I spray painted it blue.

I bought the lamp shade from Hobby Lobby and added fabric to it. The other little items (cup that says little prince and two ceramic boxes for first tooth and first curl) on top of the bookcase were gifts from my Aunt & Uncle when Jake was born. 

Aside from the letters, I wanted to incorporate a fun, homemade element with Jake's birth information, like Maggie's, but different. I came up with this (below), designed and cut with my Cricut on vinyl. Because it's only 12x12, I needed something else and I love the idea of ABC flashcards...I first saw this several years ago when Daniel's cousin, Jennifer, kept a blog about her twin boys. It always stuck in my head as a cute idea. I found already made cards online (free), printed them on my home printer and attached to the string by mini clothes pins- left from Jake's gender reveal party. (I knew they'd come in handy!)

The shelf used to hang in the entry way of our B'ham house (for a short time anyway). I was glad to find a use for this since I just barely completed that project before having to take it down last year. The LOVE didn't work with the rest of the colors in the room so I covered the hooks with scrapbook paper and embellishments to match Jake's letters. I like that the shelf coordinates with the white bookcase- they both bring some brightness into the room. I probably would've bought white furniture if I had a girl first, but Daniel  didn't really like it for a boy. I purchased the J from JoAnn's and covered it with the same fabric as the lamp shade- I got this idea from my neighbor. The other items atop the shelf are hand-me-downs from Will's room. 

This accordion album was one of the final homemade touches and was also made 

to match Jake's letters. I talk more about making this here.  

I really like how my baby Jake's nursery came together and enjoyed adding all the little homemade touches to his room. Crafting is even more fun when it's for my babies. :) I still have one more project I want to complete but I couldn't hold off writing about this any longer. And who knows if I'll ever actually get around to it. I love you Jake!