I DO NOT want any overly theme-y, plastic-y, or noisy stuff for this child. We will not be doing Dora, Sponge-bob, Pooh, Bob the Builder, etc. At least not until such a fascination develops all on their own. In which case, there still will be absolutely NO Spongebob, he's been blacklisted. If they fall in love with Elmo on their own, so be it! But I do not want all pastel, jungle-themed, overly "cutesy" prints, or nasty minty green. Which has made shopping for a good swing exceedingly difficult, haha!
A lot of this comes from having been raised this way myself. (God bless my parents!!!) And the rest of it comes from spending 3 of my early years in Germany where wooden toys, beautiful books, playing at the park, and kindereggs were the entertainment of choice. All sorts of creative, imaginative play were encouraged. I was dressed in simple sweaters, corduroys, jeans, and eventually hand-made dresses (when I refused to wear anything that did not have a skirt). Ah the simplicity!
I know that in America, "baby" is defined by pastel colored rattles on flannel blankets, pink elephants and blue monkeys bouncing all over the nursery, and light up toys that scream all sorts of noises. But none of this makes my heart sing. I long for more sophisticated prints, wooden toys, classic books, and quality that will last from one child to the next.
I know that before long the gifts, blankets, and toys will be arriving from loved ones. I've been struggling on how to convey my desires and aesthetics as a a mommy-t0-be to the well-meaning masses who want to share in our joy.
I absolutely love wooden toys and anything that inspires imagination and creative play. Blueberry Forest has incredible stuff for little ones.
From the adorable blocks:
To the teething toys and rattles:
To oh-so-sweet baby dolls:
When it comes to clothes, I ADORE chunky sweaters! Anything that looks "classic". Preferably no silly phrases, and a sort of "rugged" look for the boys. Bring on the corduroy, classic patterns, and sophisticated prints. Or simple, fuzzy sleepers for that matter!
These are from Gymboree.com and BabyGap. All of them make ga-ga!!!
As for the nursery, I plan to sew most of it myself. Colors and fabrics obviously can't be decided for another 5-10 weeks once we know the gender. But I'm dreaming of quilts, handmade afghans, a glider that looks like a real chair, and maybe a vintage looking rocking horse.
I am so NOT the typical, post-modern Mom-to-be. Nor do I want to be. I'm just thankful there are still alternatives out there for those of us who want to take a slightly old-fashioned approach to raising our children.
So there you have it. My baby aesthetics. We are SUPER excited about bringing this little life into the world. Just keep in mind we intend to do so a little differently than with what's typically stocked on most of your store shelves.
