So Many Gadgets, so little money!

Practical Parenting Tip

I can't tell you how many times I've gone into a store and seen something Elijah just had to have only to get it home and he finds the ceiling fan more interesting. No baby is the same and you will never know what your baby will like. Before buying these 'must haves' yourself, try them out on some one else's dime. Try borrowing  them from your friends first. Daycares are also a good source. They usually have most of the common items. let your baby try them out while they're away at daycare. I recently was considering buying an excersaucer for Elijah. I wasn't sure if he would like it or even if he was ready for it.  I had the daycare teacher put him in it. Glad I did, he did not like it.  I'm having her try it again after a few weeks. - This reminds me... never get rid of anything your child doesn't like. Keep trying it, oneday your picky prince may surprise you.

Are you a swinger?

Well some babies do, while others don’t.

Every baby is different and you wont know if your little darling is swinger until you try it out. The old me immediately fell in love with the MamaRoo (pictured left). I first saw it on 'Keeping up with the Kardishians'.  It really looks cool. And of course it boasts 'mom-like motions' to better soothe your baby.  I'm not sure if this thing is supposed to take the place of a swing, bouncer, or both. I just know it immediately caught my eye.  Once I talked myself down from the ledge and decided not to spend $200 on a swing/bouncer/both (I had already received a bouncer at my shower so I decided to go the traditional route and buy a swing) I went to the local 'Once Upon a Child' to see what they had.  Well, one look at the selection and it was apparent that only swingers had contributed to inventory! The swings were so dirty I could not imagine nestling my little darling into any of them.  I went back a few times hoping to score a ‘like new’ swing but was not successful.  I ended up getting a smaller travel swing. He enjoys lounging in it, but it does not allow him to sit up and now that he is getting older, he does not like laying back (he's just growing up so fast).  The fullsize swing allows the baby to lie back and sit upright. Next time, I will probably opt for the full size. Did I just say next time?

Cribs, Cribs, Cribs

My quest to find the perfect crib was long and exhaustive! I didn’t know much about crib manufacturers other than Jenny Lind cribs from circa 1980. You remember them, right?

So my first stop was to Babies R Us to take a look at cribs.

The first to catch my attention were made by Sorelle and Davinci

They were pretty stylish and well priced at under $300. Baby Cache is their high-end brand costing $500. After (gently) running my fingernail across the bedpost and leaving a dent, I quickly concluded I would not be purchasing the Baby Cache line.

Well… I then went to Georgia Baby as suggested by my friend at Baby Shopaholic. After seeing the Cadillac of cribs, there was no turning back for a recovering shopaholic! I quickly familiarized myself with brands like Munire and American Baby.  These cribs were a lot heavier than those at BabiesRUs and they did not have tons of visible screw holes. At $1600, this crib and dresser set was the one I fell in love with. The old me would’ve bought it immediately, no questions asked. The new me had some tough decisions to make.

1. To convert or not? Well it depends, How long do you expect to keep the crib? For me, I like change. Once Elijah is 3 or 4, I know I will want to re-do his room. Paying extra for a convertible was not a priority for me

2. How should I pay? Again it depends. How long do you plan to use the set. Some people will want to use it until little Bobby goes away to college (if it’s a converter of course). Others plan to have another child who will use the crib. Both circumstances will undoubtedly require a more sturdy crib and justify investing in a more expensive crib.

I like buying high quaility items but I didn't feel right about paying $1600 on a set I would probably give away after a few years.

My goal was to find a middle of the road crib.  High enough quality that it doesn't look cheap; durable enough that it will last longer than 4 years if I need it to.

Here are pictures of Elijah’s nursery

I wandered back to the clearance section of Georgia Baby and got the crib, dresser and armoire for $899.  As far as I’m concerned, I saved $700 and got a free armoire! I still like the Munire set better, but for $900, I can't complain!