The Baby Registry. Part Six - Big Ticket Items.

This is another area where everyone has their own opinion.  Different parents have different needs, funds and ideas about how they will parent that affect these choices.  I can't really tell you which stroller will be best for you, but I will tell you which items I have, what I like about them and what I don't.

1. Infant Car Seat - Graco SnugRide32
    I adore our infant bucket seat.  We have the Townsend pattern, which we picked out for it's gender-neutrality.  It was also purchased as a travel system, but I'll talk about the stroller part next.  The only thing I was told about infant seats from a friend (Robin) was to make sure the straps were adjustable from the front of the seat.  Hers was only adjustable from the back and it wasn't very accessible.  I like that it goes to 32lbs/32in.  Tillie is still using it right now at 10.5 months.  She slept in it for the first 3 months of her life.  (It was the only place she would sleep.  I must be pretty comfortable!)  I've washed the cover and it still looks like new.  I can't think of anything that I would change about it.  We really love it.

2. Standard Stroller - Graco Quattro Tour
    I knew that I liked this stroller because it's the same model as the second stroller we had for Kizie.  (In fact, my mom still has it.  Tillie's used it.)  It takes up most of my trunk, and because of this there are a few scrapes on the "sunglasses case" on the handle and a few small tears in the basket.  But, those are all user errors and not flaws of the stroller.  Now that I've figured out the way to get it in and out easily those have lessened.  It's a good size, but because of that it always seems steady and safe.  I find it easy to push around the mall with one hand or two.  It had two cup holders which is one of my favorite stroller features.  I would make Kizie ride in the stroller for a little bit when she was 3.5 just so I would have the cup holders with me.  The one hand opening and folding works easily and I even impressed my brother Matt with the swiftness of it.  Some people complain that strollers like these are big and bulky, it never bothers me.
    The infant seat easily clipped into it and I liked the height Tillie was at when she was in it.  I've seen some seats where the infant seat looks so low in the stroller.  I loved being able to move Tillie from car to stroller while she was sleeping.  Random tidbit -- Graco invented the travel system in the mid 1990s.
    Since quite a few of my friends are having their second child (or twins!), I've been thinking about double strollers a lot lately.  The Graco Quattro Duo seems like the next step, but they seem so unwieldy.  But, side by side strollers seem to take up too much room.  I'm glad I have a lot of time until I need to come to that decision.

3. Highchair - Graco Classic Wood
   This has seen some pretty steady use since its introduction to Tillie at 4.5 months.  And, it's actually showing a little wear.  But, as with the stroller, it's totally our user error.  There are some knicks in the wood because of me running into it.  Our house is pretty small and I've stubbed my toe on it many times.  It usually just hangs out in the middle of our kitchen.  If we had a kitchen with a wall to put it against it would be in better shape.  The seat padding washes up very nicely and it dries(air) quickly too.  It comes with one plastic tray to cover the wood.  It says it fits in a dishwasher, but I would have to put it diagonally across the bottom middle.  (And maybe it would fit.  I almost wish it didn't have the cover because I'm so slack about wiping it down.  I just move it to the sink where it waits to be cleaned.  The wood tray, however, gets cleaned every time because there's no choice but to do it.  I love that it's wood and looks nice in our kitchen.  Even with bumps and knicks, it will last for many kids.  It also becomes a chair, but I don't think our table is the right height.
    Space saver highchairs that hook on to chairs are a popular option too.  I like the look of a wood highchair in a kitchen, so we didn't consider them. 

4. Jogging/Outdoor Stroller - Chariot Cougar 2
    Yes, we have the double version of this.  Tim knew it was a stroller he wanted as many of our friends do because it's sweet.  My mom found a single and double last year on sale for a good price because they had been floor models.  I decided to just go for the double because we knew we would have more kids eventually and I didn't want to have to replace it.  Also, it doesn't look rediculous with one child riding in it because the harness can be moved to the middle.  The fun part of buying floor models was the price, and the "extras" it came with.
     What makes this carrier so awesome is it's "transformer-ness".  This spring we plan on buying the bike adapter to make it a bike trailer.  You can all buy jogging wheels, skiing harnesses and hiking harnesses too.  It pushes and turns like a dream.  It's the perfect stroller for camp because I can enclose her in it to keep the bugs away and it's great on the trails.  Last summer we used the infant harness, but now she just rides in the seat.  I've been using it about every day since the warmer weather started.  If it's windy, I can pull the rain cover over and she's happy as a clam to watch the swaying trees on our walk.

Tillie, 5 months, in the infant sling
Ki, 7 months, in the regular seat

T

Tillie, 1 month, in the infant sling

Tillie, 10 months, in the regular seat

Why, yes, I do love my Chariot and babies in hats!  Why do you ask?

So, those are most of the "bigger" purchases.  With that, I end my Baby Registry series. I had fun writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Which products are your favorites?

The Baby Registry. Part Five - Dreams.

There are a few baby items that I dream of owning, but I don't really need them.  (Or have the money!)

1. Superyard
    I just think these looks so useful for outside.  I would love one for at camp in the summer.  (Yes, I know I mention camp a lot in these reviews.  I LOVE camp, but living there hasn't always been the easiest for me.  I like to look for things that will make it better.)  Two of them together would be even better.  We could just pile all the little staff kids at camp in there. Hmm, maybe I should start a craigslist search of one of these.

2. Mei Tai Carrier
    We have a pouch sling, a BabyBjorn and a Kelty backpack.  Yet, I still find myself lusting after more carriers.  The Bjorn wasn't always super-comfortable to me and I think I would like a Mei Tai better.  I also am interested in an Ergo.  They rarely go on sale, but I've heard that they may have them on babysteals.com this week.  It's all I can do to hold myself back.  (I'm so tempted to just order it because I know I could easily sell it if I don't like it.)

3. Maclaren Stroller
    Every once and a while, it would be nice to have a lightweight umbrella stroller.  But, I'm too picky to just buy the $19.97 one they have at BRU.  Maclaren strollers steer and push so nicely.  When we go to Chicago during spring break it would be nice to have one of these instead of our Graco Quattro Tour.  I love it, but it does take up a lot of packing space in my trunk.

4. AngelCare Monitor
    I don't really worry about this anymore, but this monitor would have been so nice when Tillie was tiny.  This monitor has a sensor that can detect if your child stops breathing.  I know I'm not the only mom who would check on her sleeping infant just to make sure they're still breathing.  Apparently, peace of mind costs around $140.

5. Designer Diaper Bag
    This might be my most ridiculous dream.  It's something that I will never have, unless I mysteriously win one.  But this Cake by Petunia Pickle Bottom?  My goodness, have you ever seen a more gorgeous bag?  I think I would be happy as Mary Poppins everyday.

Do you have any of these items?  Are they worth it?  What items do you dream about?

The Baby Registry. Part Four - Fails.

There were a few things that I registered for, got, and didn't need.  There are a few things that Babies R Us thought I should register for that I didn't see the need for.  These are the things that were/would be a waste of money for us.

1. Swing
    We have this swing in another pattern (Catalina, like my pack 'n play).  Tillie never really liked it. At all.  Some kids love swinging, but she never did.  Sometimes I wonder if I had a different swing she may have liked it better.  I've heard good things about the swings that can swing from side-to-side as well as front-to-back, like this one.  Some swings have wall plugs as well as batteries, which is another thing to look into.  (We loved the owls on our swing.  Also, it was pretty cheap.)  There are some kids who will only sleep in their swing.  Tillie did that probably all of 4 times.  I did use it often for a photo prop.  It was a good angle to lie her in to get a cute picture of her outfit.

2. Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump
    I think it's obvious why this wasn't necessary for me.  I got nothing when I tried using it.  I had heard good things about this one from my breastfeeding class.  Since I was mostly going to be staying home, I didn't think it would be necessary to get an electric pump.  I had planned on pumping just so I could go away for an afternoon or so.  Mine is packed away, with hopes of breastfeeding success with future kids.

3. Bedding Sets
    Bedding sets are adorable, but they include so many things that you can't/aren't suppose to use.  I decided that this was one major area to cut costs.  They're pretty expensive and have quilts and bumpers.  Bumpers aren't recommended due to SIDS (some people still use them, I'm just too cheap.  They're so darn cute, though!)  Quilts can't be used in bed, but some people hang them up as decoration.  Tillie's room is so tiny that wasn't an option.  I bought a plain white crib skirt and a few few coordinating sheets.  Sometimes they have diaper stackers.  Yeah, I don't think I'd take the time to move diapers to the cute hanger after about 2 months.  The only problem is that it's sometimes hard to find sheet and crib skirt separates.  I've very happy with Tillie's room now, though -- it's my favorite room in the house.

4. Crazy Diaper Pail
    We mainly use cloth diapers, so I just use a regular trashcan with a lid and a waterproof liner.  We used the same thing with a garbage bag before the switch.  Smell was never a problem.

5.  Dishwasher Basket
    This seems like a great idea in theory, but I never machine wash my bottles.  I need them again before it runs.  I finally packed the basket up with the newborn things in the attic because I was sick of it taking up space in my cupboards.  I'm sure some people love it, but it seems like most people I know hand wash bottles.  Am I wrong in that thought?

We never went overboard in our baby (gear) buying, so that's about all of our fails.  Was there anything you bought that was a total dud?  Let me know!

The Baby Registry. Part Three - Likes.

There are quite a few baby items we were given as gifts that were very nice to have, but we probably could have survived without.  However, I know for a fact that some people would view some of these items as "essentials".  (Babies R Us would also lead you to this belief.)

1. Pack n Play
    The pattern that we have (Catalina) isn't available anymore.  This is really nice for us because of camp.  While she didn't sleep in it (Tillie slept in her carseat for 3 months.  I know,  She's weird, but it worked), I loved having the changing table.  Now, we've used it at my mom's house, at our friends' when we go to a party, and now I have it set up in the basement for her to play in when I'm working down there.  The new style, which I linked to, has a "newborn napper".  I think that would have been useful to me because she would have slept in that like she did in the carseat.  Really, this is probably a must have for me because of camp in the summers.  Moving a crib for a month would be ridiculous.  But for short trips, I'm sure I would have been able to borrow one.

2. Bouncy Seat
    I have a no-frills bouncy seat.  Maybe if I had a "sweet" one, she would have liked it more.  It was very nice to have a place to set her down once and a while, but she never loved it.  I'm glad I had it, but I probably could have lived without it.  We used it from 2 weeks to 5 months.

This was just to take a picture of her dress.  I did buckle her in usually.

3. Excersaucer
    This isn't the one we have, because ours was a hand-me-down from Tim's sister.  I see these for a good price on Craigslist.  They're so expensive new.  Tillie used hers A LOT from 4-8 months.  They take up a lot of space in a room, but she would play there happily for 30 minutes sometimes.

4. Jumperoo

    We got this one hand-me-down from someone my dad works with.  They have some that act more like a mix of the jumperoo and the excersaucer.  Tillie really liked both of them, so I'm glad I had them.  But, I wouldn't have paid $100 for this.  She used this one from 4.5 months - 8.5 months.  She would probably still use it now, but I was sick of having it in my living room.  Some kids like to jump more than others. One like this would take up half the room, but could do the same job as both things.  I would probably recommend just one, but you should definitely look on Craiglist or ask friends and family.

Do you have any of these items?  Could you have lived without them?

The Baby Registry. Part Two - Loves.

 As I said yesterday, every baby and family is different.  But, just in case you're curious, these are the things I don't know that I could have lived without during Tillie's 10 months so far.  They don't include obvious things like car seats and strollers.  I'll probably talk about those later.

1. White Noise Machine.
    This is the one we have.  Seriously, I don't think we would have made it without this.  If I need Tillie to wake up, all I have to do is turn this off and her head pops up.  It's great because I can take it anywhere and it makes her think of sleeping.  There's a reason a message board calls it the "Baby Crack Machine."  She yawns when I turn it on.

2. Boppy Pillow
    I use this excessively.   Even when I stopped breastfeeding, I used it to hold her in my lap when I'm giving her a bottle.  She took naps on it when she was tiny.  (This is a "NO" on the boppy tag.  I only would do it when I was in the same room as her.)  When she was learning to sit I would put it around her. Oh, and it's also good for tummy time. I would recommend getting at least one extra slipcover, because babies can be messy.  Some people like the My Brest Friend better.  I hated the name, so I didn't look into it. 

3. Aden + Anais Muslin Blankets
    These blankets are amazing.  They're huge (47"x47"), so they work for a million things.  They're lightweight and breathe, which is great in the summer.  We used them for swaddling, sun shade, nursing cover, and just snuggling.  Target has a version too, but they're a little smaller (42"x42").  The smaller ones were nice when she was a newborn.  I bought these myself in June and felt like I had to justify them to everyone since we already had so many blankets.  My mom thought they were great and bought me the non-Target big ones.  She thinks they're awesome.

4. Kidpottomus SwaddleMes
    Tillie would not sleep as an infant without being swaddled. (Okay, this was the case until she was 6.5 months old.)  These wraps made it so much easier because she couldn't break out of them.  Some kids don't like to be swaddled, so it may not be worth it for you.  Some people say you should stop swaddling them around 3-4 months.  I tried, and it did not work.  We just kept swaddling her until one day around 6 months she just fell asleep without it and just like that, we were done swaddling.  We registered for two, one knit and one fleece.  We bought two flannel ones later.  I think the fleece one was easiest to tighten, but it wouldn't work too well in the summer.  The knit one stretched better, but the flannel ones were cute gingham, which is why we probably ended up with two of them.  We actually went out and bought the flannel ones when she was about a week old.  Yes, we made a big trip across town to BRU.  That's how important they were.

5. MAM Pacifiers
    When you take the breastfeeding class, they recommend not introducing a bottle or pacifier for 3-4 weeks.  At the hospital, Tillie had a really good latch, but seemed to have a strong need to suck.  Since I didn't want to be a human pacifier, I decided to give her a pacifier once we got home.  I had registered for Nuk pacifiers, because I think they're cute.  Tillie didn't really seem to like them.  At two weeks we had to give her formula because of supply issues.  She instantly took to bottle feeding and still had no problem breastfeeding.  We tried Avent pacifiers next because we were using their bottles at the time.  It was better, but she still didn't love them.
   One day as I was feeding her I noticed that when she sucked, my nipple was almost flat.  (I know, way more than you ever wanted to know.)  It looked a lot like the MAM pacifiers.  So, I decided to give one more design a shot.  It was so worth it.  She loved them.  We're still using the size 2 (2+ months) now.  I tried to give her the 6+ months, but she's so used to the other size.

6. Sling/Baby Carrier
    Tillie wasn't a very happy baby until around 4 months.  (Yeah, that was when I started giving up breastfeeding because it wasn't working.  Turns out she was kind of unhappy because she was always hungry...Yeah. Mom of the year over here.)  But, she adored being worn in a sling.  I would say she spent 70% of the day time at camp last summer in my Lucky Baby pouch sling.  It's a basic pouch sling, and they have a lot of brand names.  We also have a BabyBjorn.  The Bjorn is nice because Tim wears it too.  It's adjustable so it will fit anyone.  Other popular baby carriers are Mei Tais (I think I'd like one of these), and Ergos.

7. Playtex Drop-In Bottles
   Tillie will take pretty much any bottle we give her, except for the cute Nuk bottles I registered for.  We mostly use the cheap Gerber bottles.  But, for breastfeeding babies, I would definitely recommend the Playtex Drop-Ins.  I got one free in the mail as a sample, so it was in my cupboard.  We first tried the NUK, formula just ran down her face.  Since I had an Avent breast pump, I decided to try their bottles.  I knew Tim's cousin used them.  Avent bottles were good at first -- Tillie really liked them.  Then they started to leak and I couldn't get them to stop.  Plus, they were expensive!  (About $8 a bottle for the 5oz.  But, I have heard that they've redesigned again to prevent leaks.)
  Then we tried the Evenflo glass bottles, because they had been a decoration at one of my showers so I had them.  We liked those too, but they leaked.  We were at camp during this time and  my friend Rebecca had the cheap Gerber ones for her daughter.  I bought some of those because I was so sick of leaking -- and Tillie had no problem switching from bottle to breast.  When we got home from camp I remembered the Playtex in the back of the closet.  Tillie really seemed to like it.  Plus, with the drop-in design babies swallow less air.  They don't leak, they're not expensive, the nipple is wide and the drop-in liners are recyclable.  I use the Target liners.  We had one 4oz bottle.
  Around 5 months she started drinking more than that at time, so I might recommend just 8oz bottles.  Or at least most of them that size.  You might not need many bottles, since some kids who breastfeed refuse bottles.  (That was me as a child.)

8. Bumbo Seat
    I didn't register for this because a few people told me their kids didn't like them.  Katie, who I work with, bought me one because her friends all loved it.  We packed it away this month and started using it consistently around 3 months.  She loved being able to sit up and look around.  I loved not having to hold her 24/7.  It was especially nice because she didn't start sitting up by herself until 6.5 months.

9. Sooth and Glow Seahorse
    I bought this on a whim because I had a coupon/gift card that had to be used.  It is amazing.  It's like a glowworm, but it plays classical music -- and it's nice music.  It turns off after 5 minutes.  Tillie loves it, and cuddles it in her crib.  A lot of people have this and rave about it.  I thought it was a lot of hype, until I bought one.  I can put Tillie awake in her crib with it and she'll just fall asleep.  Not until she moves into a weird position though.

What items were must haves for your baby?

The Baby Registry. Part One - Tips.

One thing I was excited about when I was pregnant was registering again.  (Okay, I was excited about a lot of things.)  Then, I started registering and I was completely overwhelmed.  Babies R Us gives you a list as a guideline.  Target gives you a list as a guideline.  Your co-worker who is 20 years older than you tells you what you Must. Have. for your baby.  The 15 year old neighbor tells you what you Must. Have for your baby.  So does your mom, mother-in-law, aunt, best friend, and sister.

What do you really need?

The problem is, it's different for every family and every baby.  I could tell you that you absolutely must have a noise machine if you ever want to sleep again.  But, you might not need it.  I could tell you that if you don't have a baby swing you'll pull out all your hair within the first 2 weeks of being home.  But, I think that's a lie because we really only used our swing as a photo prop.

I've decided that this week I'll post the baby items that we loved, liked and could care less about.  I'll also post some registry tips.  I've had some people ask me, so I thought I might as well make a blog post about it!

1. Remember the buyer.

• I tried to make nearly everything I registered for available in the store.  A lot of people buy last minute.  Also, people hate paying for shipping.
• If you're registering for something that they have at both stores, chose the store that's most accessible to your shower guests.  This meant I put more on my Target registry than my Babies R Us registry.  Most people are going to Target for something anyway, so they don't have to go out of their way to pick up the gift.  (And, BRU is one the opposite side of town from most people where I live.)
• If it's something they have at both stores, chose the store with the cheaper price.  This seems like common knowledge, but I see it all the time.  Especially things like diapers, lotion and baby wash will be cheaper at Target.
• Include a large variety of price points.  After I went to the store I would go online to my registries and sort them by price.  That way I could see if my registry was evenly spread out of price points.
• Make notes on your registry.  You can do this on Target.com, but I don't think it's available at BRU.  For example, I registered for some newborn sized diapers.  I included a note with that saying we planned on cloth diapering after the newborn stage so I didn't get a lot of bigger diapers.  (As it turns out, I sometimes still use disposables because of rashes or traveling.)

2. Think of yourself.

• When you register for bottles or pacifiers, make sure they're available at a store close to you.  You're not going to want to drive across town on an emergency pacifier run.
• Even if you know you're having a girl, don't overload on the pink.  If you plan on having another child, it could be a boy.  Do you really want to have to buy a new bouncer, excersaucer, swing, bumbo, etc.  (Yes, I know boys can use pink, but why not just get gender-neutral to begin with.)
• Try out strollers in the store.  If you're like me, your feet just might kick the basket of half the strollers when you walk at a normal pace.  If you're in the market for a stroller than they don't sell locally, don't be afraid to ask a mom at the mall if she likes her stroller.  I'd be happy to talk about mine.  We're all moms now.  It's like you're part of a not-so-secret club.

3. Think of the baby.

• Don't register for a convertible car seat.  They have a five-year expiration date from the date of manufacture.  Most newer seats kids can use for that full five years.  If you get one at a shower and the baby doesn't use it until they're 9-12 months old, you might be missing 1 or 2 years of its use.
• No one's sure what bottle, pacifier, blankie the child will take to.  Don't register for 4 packs of Gerber Nuk pacifiers.  Maybe your cute little daughter won't like the darling flower or dragon fly ones.  (I speak from experience here.  I think Nuks are so cute!  Tillie had another plan.  Namely, trying out 3 styles before settling on MAM.)

Leave a comment if you have anything to add to my list.

Check back tomorrow for Tillie's "Must Haves".