Baby is napping so I’m squeezing in a super quick post for the nursery series :).
Here’s both a decorative and functional wall we put together for hanging clothes and things. The heroes of this wall are undoubtedly the adorable cloud, whale, panda bear, and polar bear hooks that are just to die for. All purchased on Etsy, all the way from England and Israel – see ‘Shop this Look’ below for links to the shops.
The elephant faux taxidermy is super cute and adds to the fun on this wall. I’m not huge on real taxidermy but these faux ones are so lovely in nurseries.
The shiplap wall continues to complement and I’m obsessed with it (might put shiplap in our bathroom, too)! And down below is a toy dump hamper. Yes, it’s a hamper, but it works just as perfectly for toys as it does for clothes :).
Beside the toy dump hamper is a DIY step stool that Chris put together for me, so I can reach the top of baby’s closet :P. We repurposed barnwood scraps from our basement renovation project that would have otherwise ended up in the garbage. To be honest though, it’s not the safest stool to stand on unless you were extremely, extremely careful (ha!). It loses balance. We don’t have woodworking expertise and didn’t know how to make it structurally safe. I do deem it safe for sitting though, so it’s not completely purposeless!
Stuffed animals in the toy dump (puppy dog and wolf) are just starters for now to finish the look. Colton will have a growing collection of toys going in there as he gets older and I’m sure it’ll be a huge mess soon enough!
Had another fun picture session with Chris today! I’m thinking it could be my last pregnancy photo depending on when the little guy decides to go into action. Otherwise, I may squeeze in another one at 38.5 or 39 weeks! Gotta capture these moments; it’s not every day that you’re pregnant! I’m totally going to miss my bump but will probably love a flat stomach again, too.
It was a cloudy, rainy day so lighting was not in our favour (I only use natural light) but honest to God, that new Canon L series lens I bought a few months back can conquer any lighting challenge (lens here). It is seriously a magical lens and is one of the best investments I’ve made in a while. I’m so happy with it!
And here’s one with the hubster. These ones are always the most difficult shots because we use a tripod and a remote control. Framing is limited and there’s no one to direct your poses or give you feedback on how the photos are turning out / looking. But we manage to get a few we like each time, so that’s all that matters!
I also just started to use Instagram stories; I know I’m a bit behind but better late than never! It’s really fun and kind of addicting — not sure if this is a good or bad thing (lol). Anyways, would love for you to join me on Instagram if you haven’t already @charleneprecious. :)
My legs are MUCH better than they were a week and a half ago. I can walk my normal pace again albeit still with a waddle :). Lying down is still uncomfortable and is when I feel the pain in my pelvis and groins the most but nothing unmanageable. Sleeping overall is on point other than needing to wake up every 2 hours to empty my bladder — it makes for a very choppy sleep but I have no trouble actually sleeping, which is really nice.
Alright, I’m ready to share another part of this magical room, yay! :) This is the other side of the nursery. I really don’t know which side of the room I like better – they both make me very giddy! It’s really my new zen place (perhaps until the chaos of a newborn comes).
So let’s chat quickly about the different pieces here.
DECOR TIPS:
1. Rocking Chair: What I love about this rocking chair is that it has the traditional arched legs vs the modern “gliders”. Not only that, the legs are made of wood, which added a nice touch and fit nicely in the room. We really wanted a traditional wooden rocking chair but the comfort is just lacking compared to modern rocking chairs, so it was awesome to find a middle ground between traditional legs and modern comfort. This piece is from Pottery Barn Kids and it’s called the Charleston Convertible Rocker.
2. Dresser: This super white dresser is the Jonesport Double Dresser from good ol’ Toys R Us. It looks fantastic and very reasonably priced. If you haven’t already noticed, I don’t love deliberately matching furniture pieces and tend to steer away from “sets”. In fact, I purposely make sure things don’t match but rather complement each other! That’s the real trick and changes the game!
3. Rustic Ladder: Boy is it ever tough to find a good looking ladder! After a few failed tries, we found one at a local store called Hearth Manor Fireplaces. This ladder was tucked away in a dusty corner and we happened to spot it. It wasn’t cheap but it had quite the beautiful rustic finish, so we took the plunge. We had to cut it down ourselves because it was a 12-foot ladder and we only have an 8-foot ceiling in this house! Other than that, I absolutely love it. Ladders are fantastic decor pieces and never fails to add character to a room :). Once the baby is able to walk/climb stuff, we’ll have to relocate this to another place in the house but ’til then, it can stay :).
4. Wall Shelves: Got these at VdeV downtown. They’re the 48 x 9″ pine shelves with small Demi Lune brackets. These shelves are super HEAVY DUTY. They weigh a ton and they are gorgeous with a finish that matched the ladder almost perfectly. The vision for the nursery was always whites and greys with rustic wood accents to add some boyishness to the overall baby softness, so these pieces delivered nicely on the “harder” accents!
5. Crochet Pouf Ottoman: Instead of spending a fortune on a matching ottoman for our rocking chair (and also because I really hate matching furniture pieces :P), we got a pouf instead. This one’s from an Etsy Shop, Looping Home. The artisan is based in Portugal and makes all sorts of beautiful custom poufs in various colours, shapes, and sizes! It’s not the cheapest (but still cheaper than a real ottoman) because nothing is cheap on Etsy but a) I love supporting artists and b) being able to customize items, so I continue to be a huge fan of this marketplace!
6. Teddy Bear Faux Taxidermy: Also bought this super cute faux taxidermy at an Etsy Shop, Heidi and Finn Studio. They’re local in Georgetown, which made me want to support them even more. They make all sorts of super cute faux taxidermies but given the colour scheme of the room, the brown bear was the right one to go with :). Real taxidermies can be a bit creepy but plush ones are simply cute as buttons. Notice his little crown as well! So adorable. Turnaround time was also impeccable with this shop; the bear came within 2 days of me ordering!
7. Changing Basket: This might honestly be one of the most impractical things I’ve purchased for the room but am still kind of proud of it! I say it’s impractical because it’s not overly big and I’m pretty sure my little guy will outgrow it in no time. Having said that, it is just the prettiest and most unique change pad. I find the traditional ones a bit of an eye sore and couldn’t get myself to buy them, so I went with this Reva Oval Changing Basket from Olli Ella. :) I also just love the finishing touch that wicker pieces bring to a room!
8. Blanket: The blanket thrown over the rocking chair is from Indigo called the Cabin Cozy Sherpa Blanket. It’s so soft and cuddly, I adore it! Rocking chairs and couches always need some sort of a throw for a finishing touch, otherwise they look bare and incomplete :).
9. Teddy: The little teddy bear on the rocking chair is actually just an old Build-A-Bear that I gave Chris as a present many years ago. Now it’s being passed down to the little guy. :)
10. Floor Lamp: Because our ceiling light fixture is dim in nature (we didn’t want an overly startling bright light), we decided to get a secondary floor lamp in case we needed the room to be brighter for any reason. This spot light is the RANARP floor/reading lamp from IKEA. Super cheap and looks awesome.
11. White linen drapes, rug, and ceiling light fixture were covered off in my first baby nursery post here.
2018’s little bundle of joy here :). Photo credit to Chris! He’s getting really good with the camera; he just needs a tiny bit of help with framing and he’s off to the races ;). Framing is KEY.
The baby was sitting quite low last week and it was killing my pelvis and bladder but he floated back up this week and what a difference it makes!! It’s nice when you don’t have to waddle when you walk; I’m trying really hard not to :P but it really is just more comfortable to waddle around like a penguin most days.
A little bit sad that I’ve only got one more day left from the holiday break, that is tomorrow, and I’m choosing to use the day to catch up on work so I don’t go back to the office on Wednesday with a mushy brain. Oh well! Back to reality :). I’ve had an extremely fun yet restful holiday and truly, it’s time to get back to grinding for the next few weeks. January is going to be absolutely insane but I’m gearing up for it!
2017 flew by faster than most other years. Not sure if it’s because I’m getting older or if the year really just disappeared in a blink. I am so grateful for everything that happened. It was a year filled with blessings from God. I don’t know what life would be without him – it’s a true gift to know him.
TOP 7 MILESTONES:
1. Getting pregnant with our baby boy
While I did not get to enjoy an ounce of summer this year being so ill in the first trimester, this has been the greatest gift yet. It is a true miracle to create life – I don’t know how to think of it any other way. It’s a beautiful and humbling experience.
2. Getting promoted at work
I love General Mills, I love the people I work with, and I love what I do. It was a goal of mine to be promoted within 2 years of working at this incredible company. It happened and I am overjoyed to be able to fully own my brands and businesses and lead a very special and talented team.
3. Getting our backyard and basement renovated
So we’re a bunch of renovation addicts here. We designed our backyard oasis in the Spring and our basement in the Fall. I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the backyard since I was pregnant and sick shortly after but I plan to practically live there next summer :). We renovated the basement in preparation for our baby boy, to create more living space in the house.
4. Designing my new happy place to perfection – the baby nursery
It’s my new favourite room in the house and it was a complete blast putting it together. Everything is just so cute. I love love love it. Being able to be in a pretty nursery should make all the bad days better :).
5. Chris getting baptized
I am so grateful to be able to build a family together under God’s unfailing love, grace, and protection. We’ve also made time for church about twice a month, which is a significant progress from zero times a month last year. #winning
6. Chris and I bonding and loving each other in a bigger and better way
Our love continues to grow and I continue to see this incredible man in a new and different light every day and I can only say that I love him deeper and greater as the days pass.
7. Chris smashing it in his first year at Salesforce
This man is GREAT at everything he sets his mind to and has had a fantastic first year in his new role at Salesforce. He is the hardest worker I know and I am so, so, so proud of him.
The saddest part of this year was that we didn’t get a chance to travel and I’ve made time to travel every single year for the past 8 years. The pregnancy just kind of came at us and our renovation projects kept expenses quite a bit higher than usual, so we had to pass on a trip this year. It would have been a trip to Norway though! We’ll take a raincheck for 2018!
Overall an incredible year that we can only be thankful for. I wish you all a fantastic 2018! Make it a great one! xoxo
(In the mean time, a new print for all the surfers out there!)
Ahhh, my favourite room in the house to date. Here’s a sneak peek of our little nursery. Everything is done! I just need to upload more pictures. Aimed for something gender neutral but mostly for a baby boy. I’m obsessed! I also created a brand new blog category, “Mommy Life”! Things just got more real.
Okay, here’s a rundown of what you see. Actual links to items will be down in “Shop This Look”.
DECOR TIPS:
1. Shiplap Wall: What a difference an accent wall like this can make to a room. They’re not super cheap but not super expensive either. They’re totally worth it though.
2. Crib: This is the Rory Crib from Pottery Barn Kids. It converts to a toddler bed, which is nice. All the bedding including fitted sheet, bumper, and crib skirt are also from Pottery Barn Kids. I might as well have lived there these past few months.
3. Baby Animal Prints: From Etsy! I love Etsy so so so much for really cool, unique handmade items. More to come on Etsy purchases in other parts of the room when I get to posting them.
4. Barnwood Picture Frames: These are from Michael’s Arts & Crafts. My favourite frames. I have them all over our house :).
5. Book Case: This is the Cameron 4-shelf book case from Pottery Barn Kids.
6. Rug: From Wayfair.ca, literally delivered in 2 days with free shipping! Impressive.
7. Rocking Horse: From Amazon! You have to assemble it but it was easy.
8. Light Fixture: From Union Lighting. We wanted something that would age well as the baby grows up and I think it does the job well. We’ve bought a lot of our light fixtures from this store; the selection is absolutely mind blowing. Highly recommended!
9. White Linen Drapes: Pottery Barn for grown-ups. I’m obsessed with Pottery Barn drapes and won’t get drapes from anywhere else. They’re just gorgeous and super high quality. Not cheap by any means but worth every penny.
Went to an engagement party last night and thought to snap an update picture of my baby bump :). 29.5 weeks! This little guy’s movements are starting to change; you can feel every detail now, it’s so fascinating. I feel like I have a perma-buddy everywhere I go. I’m going to miss him in my womb I’m sure!
Christmas shopping – check! Already! Lovin’ my staycation. I just looove wrapping presents with pretty wrapping paper and ribbons :) although my back did start to hurt after a while; oh the joys of pregnancy! I felt so winded by the end of it, ha!
I’m so excited – my Pottery Barn bookcase is finally arriving this week. It’s one of the last pieces I’m waiting for in the nursery. I can’t wait to share pictures really soon so stay tuned! It was definitely one of the most fun decorating projects so far; everything is just so incredibly cute.
We’re having so much fun putting the nursery together – it’s coming along really nicely and I can’t wait to share pictures :).
Here’s a quick “almost 26-week” bump update. The photo was snapped over the weekend when I wasn’t quite 26 weeks yet! Getting bigger and more excited (and a bit scared) by the day but I truly can’t wait to meet this little guy. He’s a super active one; always busy in the womb with not sure what. :P Crazy boy. Love him to death already.
Also noting that 26 weeks marks roughly the time I’ve been feeling more energetic. Took long enough! Here’s to hoping I don’t lose it again as I enter the 3rd trimester. :P
Happy thanksgiving! We are thankful for sooo many things. God is so good and it’s a true blessing to know him. Thankful most of all for our little baby blue! Yes, we’re having a baby boy :). So extremely excited. The shopping has fully commenced. Gotta keep it in check though because stores like Pottery Barn Kids can be a dangerous place for first time mommies!! Everything is so cute, I want them all! We’ll be starting to put the nursery together in November when all the pieces are ready. We’re getting a shiplap accent wall installed this month, yay! I’ve always wanted one in the house, so why not the baby room? :)
Update on how I’m feeling: I never did get my pre-pregnancy energy levels back even now well into the second trimester but other than still being tired all the time, I am a very happy camper. Just gotta get those naps in and 10+ hours of nightly sleep, and I’m good. It’s worth mentioning that I go to bed around 8:30PM every night and wake up at 8:00AM for work (crazy, right?) LOTS of quality time with sleep going on around here. It’s as if I’m getting ready to bid it farewell, lol.
I’ve been feeling kicks and all sorts of baby movements since week 17. In fact, this little guy is quite an active one, like a little athlete in the womb. Feeling these movements is quite magical and every time I feel them, I am in awe all over again about the miracle of creating a little life inside of us. It’s truly so incredible! What a wonderful journey.
Also LOVING work and my new team. I am really, really enjoying having a team and coaching and developing others. I find it so very fulfilling. So I am thankful with my whole heart for these opportunities.
Last but not least, thankful for my amazing family (on both sides) and my all-star husband, Chris. YOU ARE THE BEST HUBBY IN WIDE WORLD. I am so lucky to be your wife :). I love you.
Hi, Charlene Precious here! Welcome to my blog that is both a life journal told with words and photographs and an evolving portfolio. I'm thrilled to be able to share my work and my world with you, so thank you for following! (Read more)
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