I cannot believe Augustus is 7-weeks-old this week! Everyday he is becoming more alert and responsive and curious. He's turning his head toward noises and, despite dealing with a bad cold, he is starting to smile socially. It's wonderful! With all this alertness, we've noticed that Gus is starting to be more easily awoken by the noises in our home. So, this week has marked the first week of him transitioning to naps in his bedroom on his floor bed. Therefore, a tour of his Montessori newborn nursery is in order!
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Augustus' nursery is hands down my favorite place in our house right now. It is just that wonderful combination of peaceful and calm. I wish we could spend more time enjoying this space. I've tried to make the space work for him now, but also set it up in a way that not too many changes will need to be made as he gets older. Although, I do anticipate we will need to update again once he becomes mobile.
The room is basically divided into three areas. One is the sleeping area. Obviously, this is the main purpose of the room. For the first time, we decided to go with a floor bed from birth. The bed is just a toddler mattress from IKEA. We have intentionally kept this area free of things that could be distractions from sleep. So, no mirror or art. The mobile hanger (leftover from when Nora used this room) is still in place and we have occasionally used a mobile above the bed.
At the foot of the bed is a small basket of books. Once mobile, these will be perfect for Augustus to discover when he wakes.
The second area in Gus' room is the shelf area. This shelf {an old Expedit from IKEA} will become central to the room as Augustus grows. Right now, it's basically for show and a bit of function. The lamp is important for nighttime changes and calm down times. The plant {from IKEA} provides a bit of natural beauty that any Montessori space really needs. The little bear...well, that's just cute!
The shelf will eventually hold some materials that Gus can manipulate while in his room. I also plan to keep some of the things Augustus needs (like diapers) once he is big enough so that he can help retrieve them as necessary. For now, I've just included a couple of Montessori infant toys to make the space inviting.
The natural prints also help to add some visual interest to the space. The frames are from IKEA, but the prints are from a postcard book. Our rocking chair for nursing and cuddles is also in this area. {The cord coming down is from our Nest Cam which lets me check on Gus as he is sleeping.}
Related to these materials is the toy bar. Since we can't always be in Augustus' movement area, I wanted a toy bar where we could hang a toy/mobile/image anywhere in the house. We haven't really used it too much yet, but I anticipate that it will become a favorite item in the coming weeks.
The final little area in Augustus' bedroom is the small self-care shelf. Obviously, he is too young to use it now, but it contains his brushes, a small mirror and a cloth. Nora used the same set up as a baby and absolutely loved it. Having these materials out now, has actually allowed Nora to be an active participant in caring for Gus.
And, that's it! It's a simple space that has worked well for us in these early weeks! Hopefully that will continue as Gus continues to spend more time both sleeping and playing in this room.
Did you have a Montessori nursery? Or use a floor bed? How was your experience?
