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October 16, 2017

Weekend Adventures + Nursery Sneak Preview

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Hi friends! Matt and I had another productive weekend – but made time for a couple fun outings, too. 🙂

On Friday, we were celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary! (If you want a walk down memory lane, here are all the related blog posts: our wedding.) It was a rainy night and we weren’t feeling anything fancy so we went to an old fave restaurant, Il Radicchio in Arlington. We love this place but hadn’t been in ages – it’s really cozy and cute and reminds me of our early newlywed days since we came all the time when we first got married (we used to live within walking distance). Perfect!

il radicchio arlington

We shared one of their big salads to start (love the addition of pine nuts!), and then I had the tortelloni – it’s pulled rotisserie chicken and Italian sausage tortelloni in a rich chicken & white wine broth, topped with crispy kale. So good! Considering a baby is smushing my stomach right now I have to eat really slowwwwwly so I don’t get too full too fast – Matt was done like 30 minutes before I was, ha! Good thing we weren’t in a hurry and he was enjoying his wine. 🙂

On Saturday, Matt and I slept in, I had some microwave banana oatmeal, and then a little later we headed to Dupont Circle in DC to meet one of my best friends from college, Kris, for brunch! Kris was in town from Paris for a wedding this weekend – SO fun to get to see her!

IMG_3765

I love that Kris is dressed for a cold day and I’m still in summery clothes – I’ve definitely noticed that I’m way warmer than normal right now! It feels so good to have cooler weather.

We met up at Duke’s Grocery on 17th street – love their soft scrambled egg dishes.

duke's grocery brunch

Matt headed home after we ate and Kris and I strolled all the way down to the National Mall, continuing the catch up date. It was gray out but not rainy, and not too hot – perfect!

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We ended up settling on a bench on the National Mall for about an hour and chatting before I walked her back to her hotel and hopped in a cab home. Miss you already, Kris! <3

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As for the rest of the day, it was productive! I came home to find Matt putting up a cool tree decal we bought for the baby’s room (it’s from Wayfair)! We thought about painting or doing wallpaper, but Matt came across this a couple months ago and we thought it was so cute.

IMG_3775

I wrote baby shower thank you notes while he worked, and then when I needed a break I helped him finish up. It’s all stickers and took awhile to put each part up carefully – each of those leaves is actually a separate sticker! Kind of a pain but also nice because then you can make it just how you want it. We used some of the leaves to cover up holes in the wall! And it was fun to be able to make the leaves look like they were blowing up the wall. 🙂 We love how it came out!

baby room tree wall sticker

We originally had the crib over where the sticker was and the nursing chair was where the crib is, but we didn’t want to cover up the tree, and this configuration actually makes the room feel more spacious since the crib fits into a nook! Do you guys think it’s a bad idea to have the crib right by/under a window? We never open the blinds since it looks right into the neighbor’s house…

There’s another window over to the right by the tree, though, too – although it wouldn’t be RIGHT behind the crib because the crib would be up against the tree wall in that case, as you see below. (And yes, I know we can’t have stuffed animals in the crib with the baby at first – they are just there for now!)

baby crib with tree sticker

Here’s the position of the other window – you can see a furry someone is enjoying it. 🙂

baby's room tree wall decal

Thoughts?

As for yesterday, we did more stuff around the house (and more thank you notes, and some actual work – this week is going to be a busy one for both of us), but took a nice break for a hike mid-day with a couple friends.

hiking 34 weeks pregnant

We met up in Great Falls Park on the Virginia side – we usually do the Maryland side, so it was nice to mix it up! We mostly stuck to the wooded trails but did a little low key rock scrambling by the water, too, which was fun.

great falls va

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It was nice to get some fresh air! We hit up Rockland’s BBQ after the hike for a late lunch (plus a green fruit smoothie I got on the way from South Block Juice Co. – I was so thirsty and craving something fresh and fruity because it was really humid/warm out). Yum!

rockland's bbq

Time to get to it – I am working downtown today but need to leave early because the dogs are coming back to us early evening from their 2 week board and train program and we have a follow up training session with the instructor. We’ll see how it goes!

Have a nice Monday, my friends!

- anne
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66 comments
  • Laura October 16, 2017 · 10:31AM:
    I pray your dogs had a great time with their trainer and everything works out for you to keep them both! I know it's been causing a lot of stress!! Your weekend looked awesome! I loved seeing your meals--delish!! Question--was that your smoked salmon? For some reason I always thought smoked salmon was on the "no" list for pregnancy... I hope I'm mistaken, as it's one of my favorites!!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 10:33AM:
      Thanks Laura! <3 And yes, it is smoked salmon - it's a hotly debated pregnancy food and advice is all over the map, but in the research I've done I'm comfortable with having it. Everyone has to make their own decisions though for sure!
      Reply
  • Laurel October 16, 2017 · 10:44AM:
    Our house isn't super well-insulated, so I didn't put our son's crib near a window because it always felt a little colder near it. You may be fine. I love how the tree turned out!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 10:47AM:
      Hm I hadn't thought about insulation - our upstairs tends to run hot vs. cold, though... we'll see. I'll keep that in mind, thank you!
      Reply
  • Christina @ montessoriishmom.com
    October 16, 2017 · 10:48AM:
    Your nursery looks so cute! I love the tree. Personally, I would get blackout curtains / blinds regardless of where you put the crib because it makes nap time a lot easier. I think the crib looks great in the nook!
    Reply
  • Megan October 16, 2017 · 10:48AM:
    Look into getting cordless blinds if you have the crib by the window. It won't be an issue in the early days but once she starts grabbing things you won't want her to be able to reach it. I don't think having the crib by a window is an issue as long as there's not a string to play with.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:00PM:
      Good thought - thank you!
      Reply
  • Juliette | Namastay Traveling
    October 16, 2017 · 10:57AM:
    Looks like the perfect balance of fun and productivity! I LOVE that tree decal...no kids yet but I'm bookmarking this for later! Enjoy your week, Anne!
    Reply
  • carolyn m October 16, 2017 · 10:57AM:
    ditto what Megan says about cordless.
    Reply
  • Stacy October 16, 2017 · 10:58AM:
    I’ve read that it’s best to have the crib along an interior wall if possible. I’d definitely avoid the windows.
    Reply
  • Lisa
    October 16, 2017 · 10:59AM:
    I love the decal tree! It's so pretty and turned out great. I can see how it was a lot of work with all those little individual decals! We are looking for a house right now and likely won't find one before the baby arrives (I won't move any later than January as I am due in early March). If we don't find a house, we won't decorate. So I am kind of envious of the beautiful nursery pictures that other pregnant friends have posted! We'll have a make-shift guest room/nursery and probably won't even buy a crib as I'm hoping we will find a house and move before the baby transitions from a bassinet in our room to a crib. But we'll see. I love your glider! The chevron print is so fun!
    Reply
  • Allison October 16, 2017 · 11:08AM:
    I love your nursery! The wall decal is so pretty! I think a couple of others have mentioned to make sure the cord is out of the way of the blinds, as when you're daughter gets bigger she will surely pull on those blinds if she can reach them. we found this out the hard when our youngest snapped piece of our blinds (which look just like yours) right off!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:01PM:
      Oh man, yikes! Yes - I hadn't even thought of that until some of you guys mentioned it - having a blog is so helpful for tips like this!!
      Reply
      • Christine October 16, 2017 · 8:32PM:
        Even if you don't have a cord the blinds might get played with in toddler years!
        Reply
        • Anne
          October 17, 2017 · 10:08AM:
          Yeah true - maybe we can move the crib (it turns into a toddler bed with a convertible rail) at that point!
          Reply
  • Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy
    October 16, 2017 · 11:29AM:
    I love the way you have the room now, although I can't offer much advice on the window situation. I don't have any kids yet, but I think this setup is beautiful! And wow, that tree decal looks intense! I don't know if I would have the patience, lol...
    Reply
  • mary dolan October 16, 2017 · 12:00PM:
    ditto what everyone else has said about cordless blinds. i would also be careful about having the crib near the window - babies can't regulate their own body heat for a while so you'll want to make sure there isn't a draft and your girl is staying warm! i would also highly recommend blackout shades. there is still a fair amount of light coming into that room with the blinds closed and you will want it as dark as possible for the best baby sleep!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:01PM:
      Blackout shades are a great idea - I'm going to look into those! I bet they would help with keeping out cold, too... I'll have to see how drafty it feels in there come early spring when she actually starts sleeping in there vs. our room!
      Reply
  • Jenn October 16, 2017 · 12:10PM:
    Ditto the cordless blinds recommendation and blackout curtains are a must. I think the crib is OK there until your baby is mobile. In CA we worry about glass breaking in an earthquake, but that's not really a concern for you. I'd be most worried about my kid climbing up and tarzaning off the blinds.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:02PM:
      Lol to the tarzan comment - that paints quite the picture!
      Reply
  • Track Buddy October 16, 2017 · 12:14PM:
    Room is looking adorable!!! Nice work guys. +1 Cordless blinds and blackout curtains. You can get insulated blackout curtains too if drafts are an issue. And yes as soon as baby can sit up / reach she'll start messing with stuff, but you can always pull crib a little further out to thwart her. ;-)
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:03PM:
      Truth! Any recs for where to get the best blackout curtains that are still cute/not just black and emo? :)
      Reply
      • Track Buddy October 16, 2017 · 3:21PM:
        Yes absolutely! Lots of nice blackout curtains are white or other neutral colors - Target and Houzz both have a bunch of good options. Or if you already have non-blackout curtains you like, you can simply order these and hook them on the back - https://www.houzz.com/product/42093417-thermalogic-ultimate-liner-blackout-liner-45x77-transitional-curtains - I couldn't believe how easy these were to set up. I have these "blackout liners" in one daughter's room and they work well (as long as they are wider than the window so you don't have light coming in the sides or the middle).
        Reply
        • Jenn October 16, 2017 · 4:14PM:
          We got our nursery blackout curtains from Pottery Barn Teen (teen because they are larger than the kid ones and fit our windows).
          Reply
        • Anne
          October 17, 2017 · 10:07AM:
          Okay perfect! I'll check them out... thank you!
          Reply
          • Janice October 19, 2017 · 9:36PM:
            Hey Anne, We had cordless blackout blinds in H's room at our old house. We also got blackout blinds for our bedroom. Let me know if you want more info on them. I can also let you know more about the crib by the window and if it was a problem in our temperature crazy house. You're doing a great job!
            Reply
            • Anne
              October 20, 2017 · 9:15AM:
              Thanks Janice :) I'd love more info on them, and about the crib by the window, too!
              Reply
  • Mel
    October 16, 2017 · 12:18PM:
    I looove the tree!! Such a beautiful idea. And how great that you have such nice hiking trails near to your place, that's wonderfull. Fingers crossed for the dog-situation!!
    Reply
  • Brooke D October 16, 2017 · 12:26PM:
    They're not super pretty, but I recommend black out curtains for the nursery windows. Not only do they keep out any drafts, but they really help with nap times and early morning wake ups because they keep the room super dark.
    Reply
  • Laura
    October 16, 2017 · 12:30PM:
    I like how you set it up, with the crib in the nook so you can see the tree! I'd invest in a blackout curtain/blind though for the nook window so you won't have light waking up the baby. I think a bookcase would look soooo cute under the tree!
    Reply
  • Beth October 16, 2017 · 12:35PM:
    I love that decal and how the leaves are blowing. Was it easy to reposition if you made a mistake? Since I rent, that would be nice to put up and then take down if needed. Never knew anyone who used them before so I'm curious. I think if the cold air doesn't come through the window you are fine if you do the cordless blinds (same if you move the changing table over there). The same concern would be about the blackout curtains when she is mobile you don't want her reaching for those and pulling so may just need to pull the crib out a bit.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:04PM:
      I'm actually not sure how easy it will be to remove - we were just saying "oh man this is going to be a nightmare to take down eventually..." - we will see!
      Reply
  • Cindy Childers October 16, 2017 · 12:36PM:
    I love the tree on that wall all by itself! Such a statement piece. And yes to the blackout blinds and/or curtains. I have 3 kiddos (4, 10, and 12) and ALL slept much better with the black out curtains and the way you've got the crib slightly away from the window I think it's not an issue. Tell Matt well-done on the tree!!! It is stunning!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:05PM:
      Now I want black out curtains for our room, too... especially since she'll be sleeping in a bassinet in our room for awhile and our room gets REALLY bright when it's light out. I'll pass on the compliment to Matt! :)
      Reply
  • Emily October 16, 2017 · 12:52PM:
    The tree decal looks so great! I am due with my first (a boy) in April and am just starting to think about nursery ideas. How did you and Matt choose your crib? And what brand is it? Everything looks great, best of luck!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:06PM:
      We just liked the way this one looked - modern but cute, and it's eco-friendly/green and all non-toxic materials and paint, too. It's from Land of Nod!
      Reply
  • Jen Johnson
    October 16, 2017 · 12:53PM:
    That decal is amazing!! I think the crib looks great in the nook but I agree about the blind. Not only would a cord be something to avoid but your baby will constantly grab the slats as well. You look fantastic by the way! Such an exciting time!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:06PM:
      Thanks Jen!
      Reply
  • MOLLY October 16, 2017 · 1:00PM:
    Please don’t think I am judging your decisions, but I want to share something I didn’t know until I learned it in a childcare class. We had to take our crib apart and move it at the very last minute! According to the American Association of Pediatrics, room sharing (not bed sharing) reduces SIDS risk by up to 50%. They recommend room sharing for at least 6 months, but preferably 12. Obviously it is your choice, but I wanted to make sure you knew. I’m happy someone told me! https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/Preventing-SIDS.aspx
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 2:52PM:
      Don't worry - we have a small bassinet in our room right next to the bed where we plan to have the baby for the immediate future - the nursery and big crib won't be used until later. I should have mentioned that in the post! I appreciate you sharing this with me, though! :) We just figured we might as well get the nursery ready while we have more time, even though it won't really be used (besides the nursing chair!) for awhile!
      Reply
  • Lolly October 16, 2017 · 1:02PM:
    Our baby is 6 months and has only recently moved into his nursery as here (UK) recommendation is for them to sleep in same room as parents til then. Fair to say you are way more organised than us with nursery stuff - that looks gorgeous. With windows, as others have said temperature is the main thing. So long as it's consistent enough there then no problem.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:07PM:
      Yeah, she'll be in a bassinet in our room for awhile, but we figure we might as well do the nursery stuff while we had the time/things were less chaotic! :)
      Reply
  • Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off
    October 16, 2017 · 1:11PM:
    Your weekend sounds absolutely wonderful, and I adore that tree decal! Also love your configuration in the nursery :)
    Reply
  • Erinn
    October 16, 2017 · 1:12PM:
    You are the cutest - love that dress! And congrats on your wedding anniversary, that tortellini dish looks delicious! Your nursery is adorable :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 16, 2017 · 3:07PM:
      Thanks Erinn! :)
      Reply
  • Jen October 16, 2017 · 1:54PM:
    Adorable nursery!!! Just love it!
    Reply
  • Kelli @ Hungry Hobby
    October 16, 2017 · 2:13PM:
    Looks like a great weekend and the nursery is simple and ADORABLE!
    Reply
  • Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups
    October 16, 2017 · 2:18PM:
    Your nursery looks beautiful! Our crib has always been right under a window, but I did get black out curtains for it, so they light would not keep them up during naps.
    Reply
  • Chelsea @ Chelsea Eats Treats
    October 16, 2017 · 2:25PM:
    Eek!! Can't wait to hear how the dogs are!
    Reply
  • Caitlin October 16, 2017 · 3:34PM:
    ah! Can’t wait to hear how the pups are doing! I know y’all have some decisions to make once they come home, but it’s worth mentioning that our dog continued to improve for weeks when he got home! It was like he had learned to listen to Scott (who is so consistent and so good with the remote) and he had to figure out how to translate that learning to my husband and me. Good luck!!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 17, 2017 · 10:07AM:
      Scott was awesome at our take home lesson yesterday... he knows his stuff!
      Reply
  • Brooke October 16, 2017 · 4:17PM:
    Looks great! I don't think the blinds by the crib will be an issue, just get cordless blackout blinds. They have a version at Home Depot that's good and not expensive.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 17, 2017 · 10:08AM:
      That's good to know - thanks!
      Reply
  • Jenny Paxton October 16, 2017 · 11:08PM:
    We have blackout, cordless roman shades in all our bedrooms (even with no kids yet) and LOVE them. I ordered the Levolor brand from blinds.com during one of their many sales. If one ever has an issue, they replace it for free - for life. Love your nursery and that you are still eating smoked salmon :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 17, 2017 · 10:09AM:
      I've been meaning to get blackout curtains for our room forever - this is good incentive to make it happen finally! I'll check out blinds.com - thank you!
      Reply
  • Kris S October 16, 2017 · 11:46PM:
    Yay! Haha I feel so famous ;) It was great seeing you both and having time to catch up!! Nice work on the decal tree, it came out great! She's gonna love it :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 17, 2017 · 10:12AM:
      SO good seeing you my friend! Hoping we can make another hang out sesh happen when you are here next month!! xo
      Reply
  • Renie October 17, 2017 · 7:59AM:
    I like the crib where it is. I noticed your cat. My daughter made a park scene in her nursery and because she has cats they put a screen door in the nursery so they can see the baby and keep the cats out.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 17, 2017 · 10:12AM:
      I think Zara will be fine - she's not aggressive at all - but we're definitely going to monitor the situation!
      Reply
      • Renie October 17, 2017 · 1:18PM:
        My daughter had 6 cats at the time. 6 can you believe that. Down to two now. Lol
        Reply
        • Anne
          October 17, 2017 · 1:22PM:
          Wow - that's a lot of cats!!
          Reply
          • Renie October 20, 2017 · 8:51AM:
            Down to 2 now. My daughter put the screen doors up to make Mama happy. I have an unnatural fear of cats. Your nursery is beautiful
            Reply
  • Sarah @ Bucket List Tummy
    October 17, 2017 · 6:54PM:
    I think that sticker tree came out awesome! Great idea to decorate the room. Really hope the dogs coming back goes ok!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 18, 2017 · 9:43AM:
      Thanks Sarah! I saw your big news on your blog - congratulations!!! So fun that so many of us IE RDs are pregnant at the same time! :)
      Reply
      • Sarah @ Bucket List Tummy
        October 18, 2017 · 11:23AM:
        Thank you! It is crazy how many of us there are :) I've enjoyed reading updates and progression posts from all of you!
        Reply
  • Roadrunner October 19, 2017 · 7:50AM:
    That nursery looks awesome! Very nicely done!
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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