Bedding

SO, I've been thinking about bedding for Bean lately... of course, we don't yet know if Bean is a "he" or a "she" (which is part of why I want to think about it now... to see what "gender neutral" things I can find before the poor girl is pinked out totally, or the little boy is enveloped COMPLETELY in blue.)

And this is what I discovered... I LOVE this bedding set (which is allegedly gender neutral)... but I think I'd only be able to put a little girl in it.

Actually, I should re-phrase. I LOVE the pattern on the blanket and crib sheet! I'd want the bumpers to be that pattern... but they aren't. They're striped. And you can't PUT a blanket on a baby in a crib. And I don't care about the "dust ruffle" either. So since I LOVE this pattern, but I can't get what I want in it... I started thinking about MAKING my own crib set. So I started from scratch and found the "color pallets" below... but am still IN LOVE with this one... so I'm contemplating buying the "Toddler Bed Set" which will have a fitted sheet (that still fits cribs, because they're the same sized mattress) and using the top sheet (or the blanket honestly) and re-fashion it into bumpers. Who knows what I'd do with the included pillow case, but it's just so dern cute!!

Now... on to the more logical "make it yourself" options. I'd probably make "quilt as you go" bumpers and fitted sheets and stop there (maybe some curtains too I guess...) All these fabrics are flannel (a prime choice for a winter baby, and apparently, crib sheets in general)

This would be the gender-neutral-to-the-max version. The outside of the bumper would be the gingham patterns, and the inside would be the letters probably, along with fitted sheets in the feet, letters and the "solid gingham" ones.

This is the "boy's polka-dot version. I may come up with another potential boy version... there were some cute argyle patterns I thought were adorable! (And would work well with just plain white sheets) That were a bit bolder. I like the idea of polkadots... but Hubby said they were too "girly" - I think these are very nice boy-polkadots!!

And this is the uber-girl version. I'm pretty much in love with those little birds too... can you MAKE flannel curtains? Is that OK? In this one, the bird pattern would be the backing of the bumpers, and all the rest would be "quilt-as-you-go" on the outside. Doesn't that just look so cute though?!?!

Needless to say, my "gender neutrality" doesn't seem to be working well... and after finding that bird pattern, I REALLY can't decide if I'd use the 1st or the last for a little girl (probably the 1st though... I really don't want to go uber-pink on the potential little girl. But those birdies!!! Maybe she'll just need a swaddling cloth or a car-seat-cover in those birdies...

What do you think?? (other than that I've gone crazy)



-Betsy

Disclaimer: I'm aware of the "risk" of using bumpers in a crib, however, as long as they are not super cushy (pillow-like so that baby can squish it's face in it), and tightly attached to the crib, they are not dangerous to an infant. And please know that once Bean can stand/pull up on a table/the crib side/anything else... the bumpers will be removed. BEFORE then, however, they are useful to keep rolling children from knocking their noggins on the bars, or getting their cute little hands and feet wedged between them. If you want to comment about the use of bumpers in cribs... find a mother's forum someplace else ;). Thanks!!