the nursery: revealed.

My baby is almost six months old and I am just now getting around to posting pictures of his nursery. Better late than never, right?

I had so much fun putting together this space for our little man. The inspiration for the room came from a swatch of fabric and a couple of prints...and possibly Brooks' daddy's love for hunting (wink wink).  I didn't want the feel of the room to be too "baby." Instead, I wanted to incorporate pieces of furniture and elements that can easily transition into a big boy room or eventually be used in another room of the house down the road.

Due to the fact that we are currently renting, I pulled in the design reins. If I had it my way, the nasty carpet would be ripped up, the ceiling, doors, and trim would be painted a different color, the light fixture would be replaced, the drapes would be custom...the list goes on. Despite the room's "unfinished" state,  I am really pleased with the outcome. It has turned into our favorite room of the house. This may or may not be because of its current occupant.

Without further ado, welcome to Brooks' rustic retreat:

SOURCES

Wall Color | "Snowbound" by Sherwin Williams
Crib | Sorelle White Commuter Crib
Bumper Pad Fabrics | Spoonflower "crosscriss" and "linen orange stripe"
Crib Skirt Fabric | Spoonflower "southwest shrubs linen"
Crib Sheet | Land of Nod Grey Stripe Fitted Sheet
Pillow Fabric | Spoonflower "gray deer"
Mobile | Petit Collage Bamboo Mobile - Forest
Framed Chicken Wire | Handmade
BROOKS Burlap Banner | Handmade
Deer Antlers Prints | Etsy "Slate Grey"
Glider | Larkin Swivel Glider in "Quilted White"
Throw | Target Cable Knit Throw
Knit Pouf | Etsy "Rust"
End Table | One Kings Lane Heidi Tripod End Table "Oak"
Lamp | Pottery Barn Adair Floor Lamp
Baskets | World Market Jillian Rectangle and Jillian Totes
Bookcase | Etsy "Distressed White"
Chalkboard | Hobby Lobby
Rustic Chalkboards | Handmade
Dresser | Ikea Tarva 6-Drawer Chest "Pine"
Dresser Knobs | Esty Jute Rope Knot Knob
Gallery Prints | Etsy "i love you a BUSHEL" - The Animal Print Shop "Baby Deer" and "Baby Fox" - Etsy Hand Embroidery Hoop "Johnny Castle" - Etsy "Hello Sweet Little Boy" - Hobby Lobby Unpainted Wooden Letter "B"
Frames | Pottery Barn - Hobby Lobby - Walmart
Lamp | West Elm Kudu Table Lamp
Wipes Storage Crate | Hobby Lobby
Hamper | Land of Nod Single Laundry Hamper
Rug | World Market Light Natural Cowhide Rug
Books | Amazon and Gifts
Antlers | Compliments of John

snips and snails and puppy dog tails.

SURPRISE! It's a BOY for the Morrow family!

My bestie, Margot, and her sweet husband, Chris, welcomed little Gordon "Christopher" Morrow, Jr. Tuesday evening at 5:32 p.m. He is 6 pounds, 5 ounces of pure perfection! I went to visit mommy and baby this afternoon and both beauties are doing great. God is so good!

A mother's heart is a beautiful thing. The love that I have for my friends is so deep, but the love that I have for their babies is much deeper. I truly love them as if they were my own! I cannot wait to watch this precious angel grow and am even more excited to see the companionship and friendship between him and our Brooks blossom.

Best friends with best friends in the making. Yep, makes my heart happy.

memorable memorial.

We officially kicked off the summer season, lake house style. Last Friday we packed up the car and made the long, but worthwhile, trip to Greensboro, Georgia for a weekend of fun in the sun. This was Brooks' first trip to Lake Oconee, a place very near and dear to our hearts. It is where I spent my summers growing up and where John and I said our "I do's." What a special place for Brooks to experience many of his "firsts," such as...

...his first time sitting on the dock and putting his toes in the green, refreshing water,

...his first time taking a dip in the swimming pool,

(he was a little bit unsure at first, but quickly warmed up)

...his first time "driving" Pop Pop's boat,

"I'm on top of the world!"

...and his first boat ride.

(He lasted approximately one minute before the motion of the ocean lake knocked him out)

Cousin love.

We could not have asked for more perfect weather and company. We are so thankful for this time spent with our family, but are especially thankful for the men and women who fought and died for our great country. It was a memorable Memorial Day.

five month favorites.

1. BOB Revolution Stroller - Warmer, dryer days have called for more jaunts outside. Brooks and I go on one to two walks a day. He enjoys looking around and I enjoy the workout. While I haven't been actively jogging with the BOB (I attempted to once—more on that issue later) John has and he has no complaints. It is SO lightweight and easily maneuverable...sometimes too lightweight and maneuverable. HA! I still prefer my Orbit for travel and errands, but the BOB has proven to be great for exercise!

2. Fisher Price 1-2-3 Crawl-Along Snail - I can chalk this guy up to making tummy-time more fun for Brooks and getting him to roll over for the first time. He is so intrigued by the mirror, music, lights, and the fact that it moves. It is a must-have on his activity mat. Thank you Aunt Katye and Uncle Jeff for the awesome hand-me-down!

3. lifefactory teethers - These are perfect teethers for little ones. They bend, which makes them easy for Brooks to hold onto and fit into his mouth to chew on. Of course, I love that they are PVC, latex, and BPA free. And an added bonus: they can be refrigerated or frozen to soothe sore gums!

4. Safety 1st Winnie the Poo Walker - No, I do not recommend walkers. To be honest, I am opposed to them, as is my pediatrician and pretty much every other mom on the planet (well, except for Baby Boomers). However, when we went home to visit my family back in April, my brother and sister-in-law brought this bad boy over along with the exersaucer. I gave a thumbs up to the exersaucer, but Brooks wanted nothing to do with it. I thought to myself, doesn't hurt to give the walker a go; little man's feet can't even touch the ground yet. We will just leave it at Nannie and Pop Pops if Brooks takes a liking to it. Yeah, well, he LOVED it. And guess what? It is chilling in our kitchen, as we speak. It has a high back on the seat which supports Brooks' head well. And he gets the biggest kick out of the musical honey pot that lights up. It also has a mirror and teether that baby boy likes to chew on. So, until he is on the move, this walker will be a staple in our home. 

5. Moby Wrap - I really wish that I had started using this wrap sooner. I used it a few times when Brooks was itty bitty, but that was just around the house when I was in desperate need of two free hands. Now Brooks and I ROCK it on grocery runs and big shopping trips. We have officially mastered the Moby. My advice is to put it on before you leave the house instead of in the parking lot at your destination. That way you are all tied up and ready for baby. It is really comfortable and Brooks loves to be in a position where he can check everything out. It is a must-have for trips to the store when baby is still too small to sit in the shopping cart and you are planning on filling it to the rim. You can't do that with a car seat inside the buggy!

6. Outside - What little boy doesn't have a heart for the great outdoors?! If it isn't raining, you can probably find us outside. Brooks loves to watch the cars and trucks go by...especially the garbage man who has gotten in the habit of honking his horn when he passes through. JB also loves to lie on his blanket and play with his toys, walk around the yard, sit and stand on mommy's lap in the chair, and go for walks. Fussy baby? Head outside! Works like a charm...

7. Baby Einstein Bendy Ball - The Bendy Ball has become one of Brooks' most prized possessions. It is easy for him to grasp and pull towards his mouth. He loves the caterpillar and I get the biggest smiles out of him when I tell him what each color is. We even put it in the tub during bath time for him to play with. I wouldn't be surprised if his first word is "ball." 

first taste.

I wanted to hold off on introducing Brooks to solids until six months, but our growing boy has been showing signs of being ready to transfer to the Moms on Call "4-6 months" schedule for a couple of weeks now. The reason why I didn't switch to this schedule at four months is because it includes three feedings a day that include solids.  At four months, I didn't feel as if Brooks was quite ready for that and I wasn't ready to jump on the "solids" train yet. However, around month five his naps were getting difficult, his bottles contained six or more ounces of breastmilk/formula, and he seemed more tired at his last nighttime feeding. He was also showing extreme interest in what John and I were putting into our mouths. In my heart I knew that it was time to switch schedules so on Monday, May 20th, we made the leap. 

But, Monday was not the first time Brooks had his first taste of rice cereal. We actually hit this milestone Sunday evening so John could be a part of it too. 

So, before his 5:00 bottle (yes, I know this is backwards), we stuck him in the Bumbo and I whipped up 1 1/2 ounces of Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal. 

We put his bib on and were ready to go...

John got his first reaction on video while I fed him. And then I let him sit down and take over the spoon while I captured this big moment on camera.

It was definitely a learning experience for all of us. One word: MESSY.

Some tears were shed (surprisingly, not by me). We aren't sure if it was because Brooks was unsure of the situation, texture, or taste of the cereal or if it was because he wanted more. It could be because he was most interested in chewing on the spoon and was not down when we pulled it out of his mouth!

Whatever it was, he reached a breaking point and we decided that it was time to call it quits.

I would also like to note that Brooks is not a fan of getting cleaned up. POO HIT THE FAN when we tried to wipe his hands and his face. And to those of you who haven't had an experience with rice cereal: it is sticky. An icky sticky mess.

Today marks Day 2 of the schedule change and we are slowly adapting. Mr. Fussy Pants is definitely a creature of habit (he gets it from his mama), but he seems to be enjoying mealtimes a bit more each time. In just two days I see progress. He is doing a great job "chewing" and swallowing. Hardly any cereal makes it way to the bib now! And once he starts wiggling and becoming fussy, we say "all done." I am trying to keep this time as stress-free and fun as possible! I plan on keeping him solely on rice cereal for a week or two and then will slowly add other yummy solids to the mix. Hopefully we won't have a picky eater on our hands. Stay tuned!