Finley's Ocean

Before I started blogging, I spent weeks trying to answer 2 questions:

1. What kind of blog will I make?
2. What will I call my blog?

Obviously I answered #2, but I'm not sure that I ever really answered #1.  And if I did, I seem to have gone a bit sideways.  I blog about my work (women in medicine blog?), I blogged about my pregnancy (belly blog?), I blog about travel (but hardly have time for that anymore!), I blog about my cooking (lifestyle blog?), Zamboni (crazy cat-lady blog?), and I blog about my family a lot.  But i definitely don't feel like a mom & baby blog, and I'm sure they would never allow me in due to one big fail: my baby is 1 year old and I have not given my readers a tour of the nursery.   The reason, my dear readers, is that I just decorated the nursery!  In fact, it is not even a nursery anymore as no more nursing is happening up there (Finley self-weaned at 12 months).  So it is just Finley's room, and it is newly decorated.

I have slowly been gathering the decorations for an underwater nursery.  I never intended to have a theme nursery, but I was running with my sister two years ago on Christmas eve and she was asking me what the theme of the nursery would be.   I told her I didn't know.  She pressed the point (those of you  who know my youngest sister will not find this hard to believe.)  I told her I didn't really think I needed a theme.  She pressed further.  "Well, I guess I would be drawn to an underwater theme if I had to chose."  This answer seemed to please her and we spent the rest of the run discussing how lovely the nursery would look.

On Christmas morning the reason for my sister's insistence was revealed: on a trip to Maui she had bought a beautiful quilt to decorate the baby's room.  The theme?  You guessed it: underwater!  It was a beautiful gift & it sealed the deal on the nursery decorations!

Underwater is a great theme because it's gender neutral, colourful and timeless.  As a diver, windsurfer & coastal girl, I just love the ocean & its creatures.  I might be stretching, but I hope an underwater nursery might instill a respect for the environment and the ocean.

Welcome to Finley's Ocean!  This cool print came from a calendar my Aunt T gave me for Christmas last year

Here is the famed quilt around which the entire nursery is built.
 Also a Finding Nemo lamp which Finley broke but I repaired with duct tape (bet you can't even tell!)  

Whale toy chest, custom growth chart, and... 

whale & seahorse hooks for hats & jackets

Aquatic mobile

Our second hand change table came with jungle animals on the drawer pulls, which would not do!

I got all artsy & painted these ones!  You won't find them on Etsy, but I think they are pretty cute.

Home-made quilt from Yoyo!  

Do you like your room, little boy?

I think it's pretty awesome!

This week I am hoping to take my love for the local sea-life a bit further.  I have always wanted to try diving at home, but have been scared off by the cold temperatures.  I've only dived in warm tropical waters so far.  Everyone says the diving around here is fantastic, so I feel I need to check in out.  On Sunday I'll be going out with two friends of mine in Victoria to brave the cold & explore our waters.  Wish me luck!