Room Tour

When we started the IVF journey is when I started really dreaming of how I wanted my future baby's room to be. I wanted something simple at the core...a theme either gender could love. My husband isn't the type to just let me design anything I wanted in our home, but for our baby's room, he really let me have at it. I mean I of course incorporated his ideas and asked his opinions and such, but it was my baby...pun intended! I think with being a photographer and loving the outdoor look, I immediately pictured a wilderness and forest theme. I thought well if this baby or babies end up being girls, I'll add colors like mint and peach. Something to give it pops of girlyness...I don't think that's a real word, but I made it one. And then for a boy/boys room I would stick with the neutral tones, add blues and creams, but focus on the wood work and forest theme I have always been obsessed with.

Finding out we were having a boy, I held tight to my room ideas and ran with them. Literally couldn't stop dreaming and believing it all in my mind. I think when you long for a baby and it takes you so long to bring one into your life, you cling to anything you can to keep the hope alive. For me that was dreaming of the future. It took me a while to collect everything, also lets be honest, it took me a while to afford to get his room exactly how I wanted it. IVF if no walk in the park...emotionally, physically, or financially speaking. But finally as our sweet boy is now almost 14 months old, I photographed his room. And what better way to capture it then to include him!

Lets get to it. I've been waiting to show this off! The photo above on the left was the first photo I took and it makes me laugh. He was pretty confused why I put him in his crib with no black out curtains up when he was far from tired. But he knows me so well that when he saw my camera, he must have figured oh okay, photoshoot time. So when you walk in the room that's what you first see and then the wall on the right has the light switch. I found that cool switch cover at Hobby Lobby along with the love you to the moon tiny photo frame. That precious fishing photo was taken by my talented and dear friend over at Whimsical Moments by Jennifer Hess. That cool fisherman display was given to us.

Those amazing wooden displays with the animals on it were made by my dear close friends over at Laser Focus Engraving. They also engraved that awesome giant arrow that hangs over my bed which I found at Hobby Lobby. Jackson has always been a favorite name of mine and when a few of my photographer clients had cute little boys with that same name, I was pretty hooked. The moment I looked up what the name meant I was done. I found the name for my son. I'm all about God's grace for me and how He sees me thru the hard times. IVF really showed me that. God was so gracious the entire time. Thru the heartache and pain, He was there. Obviously why I named my blog what I did but truly Jackson's name spoke to me. I wanted it to be a big focus in his room. That arrow was the last piece to his room. I just couldn't decide how I wanted to display his name and meaning and good old Hobby Lobby didn't let me down when I was slowly walking down each aisle waiting for inspiration to hit. To the right of the arrow is a drawing I colored from a special book I bought on Etsy. The book was filled with pages of inspirational scripture. I didn't have the easiest pregnancy so I would often find myself curled up in bed coloring in this book. I found this sweet page and verse and knew I wanted to frame it. Found the frame at The Dollar Tree and had my Hubby hang it up proudly. I want to instill in my son at an early age to always choose joy.

His crib we found at Toys R' Us I believe. The twin bed and bed spread cover already all went together as it was given to us from my husband's mother as an extra bed to have for guests. Funny how the coloring totally fits the room. I should add, we didn't paint the walls blue, previous owners did. Again worked for us. The "God loves you to the moon and back" canvas print was given to me at my baby shower by one of my Aunts. I had to hold back tears because it went so perfectly with his room. The cross was given to me by one of my best friends and on it the verse I held close to my heart the entire IVF journey. 1 Samuel 1:27 "For this child, I have prayed..." The "Give it up to God" arrow is from Hobby Lobby. His little lamp was given to me by my Dad as just a random thing he no longer wanted, I instantly thought it would fit perfectly in his room. The little table it sits on is from Hobby Lobby. Yea big shocker, huge Hobby Lobby fan over here. The sound machine was gifted to us by one of my best friends at my baby shower...let me tell ya, LIFESAVER! My baby loves him some white noise. To the right of his crib is the giant bear from all of his monthly pictures I would take. It was my childhood bear my Mom gave me. It's sitting on a crate my husband bought from Home Depot, sanded, and stained for me. The bin of stuffed animals is from Marshalls.

In the corner of his room sits the rocking chair. His favorite place to be with Mama. If I would let him, he would sleep in my arms and have me rock him the entire time. The rocking chair I found online from someone selling it. Had it majorly cleaned and I love it. Super comfy. That pillow is super special because it is the very first gift I allowed myself to buy for my future child. IVF had just begun and I needed a pick me up. It was perfect. To Jackson's right is a wine barrel I bought from a newborn photographer and had my husband add a shelf. The baskets inside are actually from my bridal shower so I found that pretty special. Favorite family shot of his from his newborn studio shoot sits on top. To the left of the chair is another wine barrel filled with diapers and wipes. Last but not least above the chair is a bear picture that has always been in my childhood home and then given to me.

Our changing table/dresser I found online with someone selling it for super cheap. This is my favorite wall of his room. Items I found at Marshalls, Ross, Target, Hobby Lobby are displayed about. The shelving unit I saw on pinterest and needed my friends over at Laser Focused Engraving to recreate it. On top is the "Where the Wild Things Are" book and inside are signatures of all the people who attended my baby shower with some sweet messages for Jackson. To the right is a sign I made that sat on my husband and my wedding table the day we said, "I Do!" Aside from random pieces I found here and there, a couple more sentimental items on the shelf are the wooden I <3 U that my husband got me when we were dating and visiting the Del Mar Fair together. Along with a little engraved treasure box from Colorado, where we took Jackson on his first trip to visit family. The framed canvas pictures are from my maternity shoot with So Sassy Photo, who graciously let me edit them knowing how insecure and particular I am. Also she just so happens to be one of my BFF's so there's that. To the right are my favorite images from his newborn shoot with the amazing Susan Scott Photography! You need to check out both of those ladies work along with Whimsical Moments because they are all so talented. The rocking chair my little man is sitting in was my little brothers rocking chair and then the chair that all my dolls sat in. To see him sit in it is beyond special to me.

I feel like I'm writing a novel over here but this post is so special to me and something I want to remember for always. I would spend hours on Pinterest or google or stalking fellow Mama's pictures of their little ones rooms just waiting for inspiration to hit. To see my ideas come to life and come together, just makes my heart skip a bit faster. Anywho getting too sentimental over here. That bookcase in his closet my Dad built in middle school! On top is a train set my Grandpa carved and made. How talented are they? So so cool my little man has both those items in his room. The rest of the items in the bookcase are random unique things.

I had to include the below gems of photos because I mean he was so done with me at this point but was definitely still trying to please me. This kid is the best. His toy bin is filled with bear stuffed animals I was given as a child along with things he is into right now like anything trucks trucks trucks and building blocks. The sign above with the ABC's was found at Target. Okay I'm done showing off my hard work. HA! I have wanted to share this forever and I thought including him after he became a one year old would be so cool! I also this this is a room that can grow with him for the most part. That was important to me too. Didn't want to make it too babyish or one major in your face theme.