Tag: Calvin

Progress in the Nursery

Calvin’s nursery is coming along! It’s fully functional now, but there are pictures to be hung, toys and books to be brought in, and maybe a light to deal with. We’re thinking of putting a ceiling fan in the room eventually, and I haven’t decided if I should take down the pendant that’s in the room now, or just leave it until we’re ready to switch it out. There are three recessed lights in the ceiling, so we wouldn’t be in the dark either way.

The crib we’re using for Calvin’s nursery is the same one that both Eleanor and August slept in. It had a drop side originally, but we converted it to be stationary back in 2010 amidst massive recalls and changes in regulations. It’s safe and sturdy, and I still love the look of it.

The newly assembled crib was a novelty for the Balch children!

Weirdos.

I’m wondering if I should bring in some shelving or bins for open toy storage. The room is definitely not lacking for storage with all of the built-ins, but it feels a little funny to be hiding everything away behind closed doors. Maybe a basket or two is enough though? It all spills out into the room as they get a little older anyway — maybe I should enjoy everything being out of sight while I still can.

February 5, 2015
Four Months Old (Calvin’s Monthly Photo)

(I’ll be taking a photo of Calvin sitting in the Eames rocker and wearing his pin each month until he’s two years old. I also took monthly photos of his sister, Eleanor, and his brother, August.)

Previous Photos
• One Month Old • Two Months Old • Three Months Old • View All

*A technical note on the photography: I had been using my 24-70mm f/2.8L lens for these photos. It’s a very nice (and very expensive) lens, so I’ve been trying to force myself to use it more often. Today, I shot with the 35mm f/1.4L lens, and yep. Still my favorite. Still the best I’ve ever owned. If you’re looking to invest in a Canon lens, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

February 2, 2015
The Nursery, as a Clean Slate

I had been considering a few colors, but I decided to go with white walls for Calvin’s nursery. It just felt right.

It’s creamier than the stark white that’s so prevalent today, but it works nicely with all of the wood. (The color is Crisp Linen White, by Glidden.) Without white trim to contribute to a light airy feeling, white paint that was too bright would have fought with the woodwork and made the room feel cold.

Before and after time!

This is the best angle to look at the room from, to understand the changes to the hallway and relocation of the doorway. The sink is gone, and you no longer have to walk through this portion of the house to get from the front to the back.

Our Victorian was originally a single-family home, but it had been converted to apartments long ago (sometime around the Great Depression, I believe. We have some old paperwork and census information that I ought to write about!). Getting rid of this kitchen and turning it back into a bedroom is in line with how the house was originally designed.

The radiator was not moved, but we did get rid of each of those three doorways you see here. We relocated one of them to a new wall that was built and reused the door and trim.

I’m not in love with the cabinetry, but it is staying and will function as a closet, dresser, and additional storage space.

Now that the new room has been painted, I can finally get started on the fun stuff!

January 26, 2015
Starting on Calvin’s Nursery

Calvin is three months old and still sleeping in our bedroom, but I want to finish his nursery so it will be ready for him when we transition him to sleeping on his own. Let me give a quick recap here of how we created his room, which started as a kitchen that was leftover from when our house had been split into three apartments.

There was no stove or fridge, but the sink was still there. The hallway on the second floor was divided by a built-in next to the bathroom, and you had to walk through the kitchen to get from the front half of the house to the back. We opened the hallway back up, closed off a few doorways, added a new wall, and relocated one of the existing doors to create a new entrance for the room.

This was all super-fun chaos to live through while very pregnant and with two little kids underfoot! But now the room is done, the wallpaper has been stripped, and the walls are primed, which brings us to where the room is today.

I have made a few choices for the nursery that I’m keeping in mind as I decide on a wall color. We’ve had a set of four prints by Ryan Kapp, 4 Seasons in Chicago, for years. They’re a funny size that don’t fit in standard frames, and I never had a specific spot for them so I hadn’t gotten them framed professionally. I want to hang them on the wall behind Calvin’s crib, so I finally brought the prints to a local frame shop and I’m looking forward to getting them back and putting them up in the nursery.

The crib will be the same black Jenny Lind that Eleanor and August slept in. I have a light blue rug already picked out for the room, and the bedding too (a polka dot crib sheet and a toddler duvet in this print).

The windows let in a ton of light, but with wood flooring, wood trim, and a wall of built-in wood cabinetry, choosing the wall color has been tricky. I like our blue/gray bedroom color, but I also used it in the hall and I don’t want to use it in yet another space. I’ve been really drawn to a mustard/ochre color, but it’s too similar to the wood with its yellow undertones. I’m also not looking for a typical baby pastel. I’m considering black (like the parlor downstairs), maybe a deep, mossy green (like this), or white. I just need to choose so that Calvin’s nursery can be painted!

January 21, 2015
‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous

Three and a half months in, breastfeeding is finally getting easier. I had a hard time with the other two kids too, but it wasn’t this difficult for this long. I filled a prescription for APNO when Calvin seven weeks old and that helped somewhat. Ibuprofin helped too, and while I did take the maximum recommended dosage every day for longer than I’d wanted to, I haven’t needed any for a couple of weeks now. Plus I haven’t cried from the pain lately, so there’s that. Hooray?

I’ve been watching a lot of television while nursing; the distraction is good.

“I don’t think I realized how much I would just be sitting on the couch.”

“Pinned to it.”

“Yes.”

(from here)

The soundtrack to these sessions as of late has been Funny Girl, Funny Face, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. I now find myself wanting Barbara Streisand’s hair, wishing I had seen more of Paris, and feeling like my natural lashes are woefully inadequate. I’ve been watching a lot of Bob’s Burgers too, sometimes with Eleanor, which leads to her singing things like this.

Little babies! *kiss kiss*

January 14, 2015
Three Months Old (Calvin’s Monthly Photo)

He’s looking up at his mama, two months in a row. That’s where I stand — just out of frame — taking these photos with my camera remote. It’s good to be nearby while he’s still so little!

(I’ll be taking a photo of Calvin sitting in the Eames rocker and wearing his pin each month until he’s two years old. I also took monthly photos of his sister, Eleanor, and his brother, August.)

Previous Photos
• One Month Old • Two Months Old • View All

January 7, 2015