Baby Boy's Bright, Travel-Inspired Nursery

Baby's Bright Nursery by ericajackson

Baby boy's nursery is already turning out to be a lot brighter than the rest of our house, thanks to a vintage yellow campaign dresser I found on Craigslist. He was still about the size of a peanut when I found it, but I could just imagine the drawers filled with his little cloth diapers and onesies. Here's what else I've got planned:

• The dresser will also serve as his changing table, and I'm leaning toward this Keekaroo changing pad because it can be easily wiped clean and I don't have to mess with fabric covers.
• Cribs can be seriously expensive, but I found this one at Walmart, of all places. I love its midcentury modern look, which fits with the rest of our house, and that it converts into a toddler bed. Plus, it's on sale now, so I got a great deal on it.
• I don't love the look of gliders or rocking chairs, and I wanted something I could use after the baby (or babies) grow up, so I searched for big, comfy chairs that match the rest of our decor at home.
• We're planning some big adventures with our little one, and we're hoping he loves traveling as much as we do. For the art and decorations, we're searching for pieces inspired by our favorite places, like this Lisbon print and Mexican bunting.

The Elephant in the Room

When Todd and I decided we were ready to start our family in the summer of 2014, I ordered a little stuffed elephant on a whim. I placed it on a shelf in our living room, where it became a symbol of hope for our future child.

As the months passed, we continued to wait, our disappointment and frustration growing. Eventually, our elephant in the room came to represent something else entirely: Our failure to be able to do something that seems so simple for so many people, and our fear that, no matter how hard we tried, it may never happen for us.

It was two days before Christmas when we got the gift we'd been waiting so long for: a positive pregnancy test. Sitting in front of the Christmas tree, we watched in disbelief as the double lines appeared, and there were a few minutes when all we could do was stare as the wonderful reality sank in.

I took a test every day over the course of the next week, and placed them all — each one progressively darker — in the elephant's tiny arms.

Today, the elephant sits in its rightful place in our baby boy's nursery, waiting for his arrival. We still have a lot to do to prepare over the next six months, but baby's first toy will be more than ready to welcome him to the world.

P.S. I shared a bit more about our infertility journey with The Washington Post. Check it out here.