Baby's Nursery

Nursery

The nursery design was implemented way back before either baby was born... 

I always knew that I wanted the nursery room to be relatively the same for all of the babies so that as they grew into toddlers and more siblings were expected then the older baby could move into their 'grown-up' room allowing their younger sibling to take up residence in the nursery.  

So when registering for Millie's baby shower I found this adorable Mamas and Papas bear pattern in neutral creams and tans that I just loved.  The sweet teddy bear and lovie that go with this pattern mean so much to me.  Millie was photographed by NILMDTS in this nursery and with these teddies.  Millie was wrapped in the blanket from this pattern and her lovie was placed across her belly in her casket.  Her baby brother also has his own teddy bear, teddy lovie and teddy blanket.

Heath and I had custom pine furniture made for Millie's room including a dresser and bookshelf that we were going to stain and paint ourselves but never got a chance to when we were so busy going to doctor's visits checking on her health every day of her last 7 weeks in utero.  Her room had a crib (that her cousin Avett used while visiting), a changing table, a rocker and a custom painted side table by Gramma Jean.  I really cherish the memories we were able to make in Millie's room while she got to spend her last 9 days at home with us.

Some parents of loss feel the need to change the room entirely. Whether it be to make it unique and special for the new baby or whether they feel the need to move forward from the grief that the room reminds them of.  But for me, knowing that my babies would always share their nursery, we didn't make changes only additions. I really look forward to the memories we will get to make with Millie's little brother in this same room.  To me it will feel more like uniting them rather than causing grief.

To bring the nursery up to speed we stained and painted the dresser and book shelf last summer, we built a ladder to hold baby blankets this spring and we have added more decor all along the way.  I have slowly taken out Millie's things in order to make room for baby boy's stuff, a seriously emotional and daunting process, but there are still a lot of touches of Millie in there.  Some will be impossible for me to take out and many things they will share but I will probably thin out even more of her things as he grows and gathers his own memorabilia.  

Baby Bear's Nursery is ready for him to arrive any time over the next week...

This picture was a gift from Millie's Godmomma for my 1st Mother's Day.  It so perfectly captured how we felt the moment she was delivered and her cry made us feel like she was born healthy.  I imagine the same feeling of joy will come over us when baby boy is born in the next week. The banner of ribbons is part of the decorations used at our little man's baby shower.

The ladder that Daddy built from scrap wood and stained himself to hold all of little baby bear's blankets

 Here is the bookshelf that Daddy stained, painted and distressed last summer...

The top shelf still honor's Millie Clara with her prints, her baptismal certificate, rosary and photos

The second shelf is becoming baby brother's with his baby book, piggy bank and Atlanta Braves gear (to honor the team that brought his parents together)

The changing table held many of Millie's medical supplies and her last outfit.  I was recently able to pack it all up and wash the coverings to be ready for baby brother.

The rocker holds the pillow I was gifted from my friend Tina for my first Mother's Day and it holds the camo deer lovie which was baby boy's very first gift.  His Aunt Laura knew the perfect gift the moment she saw it in a baby boutique.

 The side table my mother painted back in 2014 for her first Grandbaby King's nursery.  It was the gift from gramma at Millie's baby shower.  The radio flyer used to be Heath's when he was a little cub which now holds Millie's stuffed elephant and her Bama football that she will share with little brother...

Momma couldn't resist buying baby bear these adorable wood framed glasses when she stopped into target the other day!!

The dresser that Daddy stained and distressed last summer.  Several drawers hold Millie's memorabilia and her clothes that I hope a little sister will get to wear some day in the future.

The vintage milk crate was a gift from Gramma and Grampa Wiedmeyer which holds both Millie and Baby boy's sweet little toys.

Millie's Wall of prayers and love notes still exists and still gets added to all these months later.  It is a treasure and a memory vessel that I will never be able to paint over.  I'm pretty sure this wall will have to be cut out as is if we ever decide to move.

 Update from recent doctor visit is that baby boy is perfectly comfortable and basically no changes or progress towards delivery are happening at this time.  His c-section is scheduled for Friday 7/29 unless he gets this ball rolling sooner :)