Nursery Rhymes

Hey, Diddle-Diddle - the cat and the fiddle; there's elephants all over the room!

Because I'm not into frills and lace and pink and cartoons and cutesty-cutesy "rainbow throwup" (that's what I call it), I knew it was going to take some time trying to find a way to decorate the nursery appropriately for a boy AND a girl.

It actually was not as difficult as I had anticipated...or I just "lucked out"!

I saw a lamp that I was instantly drawn to. It was cute, it was completely "bearable" and had nice-even-keeled colors I knew I could decorate a room around. Plus, it was an ELEPHANT lamp! Bonus!

So I found a crib set that matched the lamp (although the two were not together and took some web browsing - it actually WAS a set). Then I found a rug that matched the elephant lamp and the crib set. Now what? I searched and googled "toddler boy bedroom" and I came up with cutesy-cutesy stuff. No, I did not want Monsters, Inc or Dora the Explorer or CARS all over the bedroom. The elephants would not like that. Besides the attack of juvenile (ok, I know we're talking about a kids bedroom here, but I just can't appreciate it) bedding, there is very few bed sets available for toddlers for a full-size or double bed. Noams bed is a full-size.

So I picked out a color that I thought would be appropriate for a boy and could maybe match the crib set - ah ha, Blue! So I googled 'blue bedding full-size'. I did not come up with much and thought perhaps I would just have to get a plain looking comforter or blanket to put on his bed.

So I googled red. Nothing. So then I googled blue and red. I found something. It looked like it could match. Hmmm. What's this? Discounted? Clearance? Yes, it really does match. Could it be true? Well, let's see. If it isn't, I'll return it. So I ordered it. (online shopping is so convenient for a single mom). I just happened to find it on Overstock.com and paid $1 for shipping. Not bad.

Then I found a rug and a pillow set.

The boys' bed set came first. I immediately put it in the washer. Ding! Without allowing any time to pass, I put it in the dryer. It came out all rumpled and looking like a sheet that the bachelor everyone has in their office mistook for a shirt and walked into work with (smile). I put it in the dryer again. Checked the "wrinkle release" button. Yep, it's on. Ding! Took it out a second time, still the same. Darn material! So. I set out (this was more than a week ago) to iron. I ironed two pillow cases, a fitted sheet, a sheet-sheet (what are those called? Oh yea, flat sheet) and the duvet cover (I just threw the old comforter inside it-genius!). It took me a LONG time. I realized half-way through that it was just going to look "only slightly wrinkled" even if I did the best ironing job ever. Slightly dismayed, I set up the bed. Fit wonderfully and I liked it a lot.

More than a week later, the crib set came. That was a challenge opening up that packaging. I was like a one-thumb wonder with a bear paw for a second hand. Fun stuff. Washed that except the two longer pieces that were part of the bumper set. I set out to put it on the crib today. I considered it my physical therapy. Can you imagine tying knots with one good hand? Mission accomplished...teeth come in handy (sigh)

Here are photos of the end result. I'm actually very pleased, no -thrilled! I finally have a nursery in my home and one that I can tolerate. Everything matches perfectly. All that is left is finding some fun pictures to frame and put on the walls. I'm thinking elephants...or something fun like that. From the beginning of life - my kids will know it is not necessarily a bad thing to be the "elephant in the room". If you have no idea what I'm talking about read At Home in the Herd, a previous blog posting.