March 2nd, 2010
I did my baby registry on Sunday. The first thing the sales associate did when I told her what I was there for was arm me with a gun. Otherwise known as a scanner. I immediately felt lightheaded with the gun in my hand, knowing the damage I could do. Thankfully I had my wonderful friend Andrea by my side to keep me from losing my mind in the store. If it wasn’t for her I surely would have drowned in the sea of bottles, nipples, blankies, and breast pads. That, or I would have scanned everything in site and ended up with 20 soothers too many at my shower.
I don’t know how anyone walks into these types of situations for the first time alone. I am so fortunate to have supportive and experienced friends and family to help me through. I was so overwhelmed, but Andrea was very good to tell me what I would need and what I wouldn’t. It felt like we were at it for a long time, but I feel good that it’s done now. Well almost. I have yet to register for the stroller and the crib bedding. The stroller is a tough one because I want it to be good quality, and at the same time I don’t want it to cost a fortune (which some of them do)! As far as the bedding goes, I’m having a hard time deciding on a colour scheme. Decisions these days can be hard enough to make… try deciding on bedding after you’ve already made a hundred choices on face cloths, and diapers, and teething rings.
I hope I’m not sounding like a spoiled brat. I know how fortunate I am that these items are going to be generously purchased for this little baby by friends and family. I guess I’m just feeling… I already used the word overwhelmed… ummmmm… nervous. Walking through the store it hit me pretty hard that my world is going to revolve around this baby boy when he’s born and I’m just feeling a little bit like I have no idea what I’m in for. Half the things Andrea pointed out to me I didn’t even know existed. All part of the excitement, right?!
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SO funny cause I checked randomely for a registry for you after looking at my sister's, and there it was! And I thought, wow, this is HUGE! hahaha It's great, plenty to choose from! xo
ReplyDeleteSo crazy right!!! I too just recently did the registry thing (at 3 different stores!) and holy crap was I ever overwhelmed! So you're not alone sister! As for the stroller and car seat(s), I say seats plural cause you'll need an infant carrier car seat that attaches and detaches from the base that stays in the car and then when the nugget gets too big you'll need a new car seat at anywhere between 6 months to 1 year!!! OMG, babies need sooooo much stufffff!!! I had many girlfriends tell me the same thing...don't go cheap on the stroller! So Chris and I decided what criteria was important to us, i.e. option for baby to face me or away from me, car seat adaptor to fit in the stroller, seat to recline or sit up, space to add another attachement for a second child (preparing for future), light weight and collapsable, sturdy wheels for cottage walks, etc...we went with the Uppa Baby. Room decore, I suggest picking a theme for you little one (i.e. beach baby, jungle, rock and roll baby, etc.) and then look at what bedding is available that you like and choose room colours from there...Chris and I chose Pottery Barn Kids "Little Planes Nursery" and its red, white and blue for our bean, it was easy once the theme was picked! Enjoy it honey, fun times!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Josie! Glad to see you have a blog! We'll be following along :)
ReplyDeleteYes Josie, it can be SO intimidating! At my first baby shower in 1993, I got anything you can think of for baby! 16 years later (after 3 daughters)I now know much more and I am much more wise.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing one should learn is that you don't need half of what you think you need ;) Being such a civilized nation comes with a price, a lot of gadgets that are virtually not needed (and a lot of times harmful for babies). Baby needs mama and papa, for the most part. A good car seat, sling and a stroller (for baggage's mostly lol). Of course the babe will need diapers (cloth is best of course) and clothing also. If you plan on breast feeding, you don't need much that way, if not the yeah it gets more complicated then. Co-sleeping is also very safe and eliminates the need for a crib. I would give to be able to sleep with my babies again.
Whatever you end up buying, if you don't need it, just find a consignment shop and voilà money is your pocket. Enjoy the pregnancy, and I will be following :)
HUH? We didn't see you at our store? (Belly Laughs) hehehehehe..... that's okay rumour has it, you have been in before!! Hope to see you again soon!!
ReplyDeleteHey Josie
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Babies do need a lot of stuff. For my first baby i thought i needed everything..then as i had my second i realized half the stuff i have i didn't really need to use. For instance..when you get a highchair my advice is get one that just straps on to one of your chairs. a) It takes up less room in the kitchen. b) It is great to travel with when you are invited to dinner at a friends house. Also the bedding..i got a whole set for baby #1 and used it for maybe 4 months by the time she started to roll i never used it, i found the blanket wasn't big enough to tuck in the crib. I ended buying a cute fleece one and used that the rest of the time and now baby #2 uses one as well and she loves to rub the soft blanket on her face when she is sleepy. Now these are just my thoughts and i am sure whatever you decide to get will work for you. Good luck and enjoy this wonderful time, it goes by way too fast.
Hi Josie,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, love you! You're the highlight of my mornings! Secondly, congratulations on your baby. Thirdly, as a first time mom to a brand spanking new baby boy I highly recommend you put 2 things on your registry if you haven't already.
#1 - Wipes warmer. This is a great thing to have especially with boys. The warmer their little tushes are the better.
#2 - Peepee Teepee. This is basically a little teepee like cover for the baby's little weewee that you use when you're changing him so that he doesn't spray you. Ever seen the Huggie's commercial where the father is changing his son and he pees all over the room - it really happens.
Another really helpful, is something called a "Mei Tai". It's a baby sling that you can put the baby in and your hands are free to do other things. You can get them in any colour with any pattern you like. I bought mine at a store called "Milkface". There's one on Bank St and one in Westboro. You can also check out this website www.babyhawk.com for more info on the slings. I researched a lot on the baby slings and this one was highly recommended.
I'm so very excited for you! Will definitely miss you when you're on mat. leave though!
Congrats again!
Davonne
Okay, first of all...breathe! My daughter is 3 and we're planning #2 so I can say that the first time around is much more stressful! No, you don't know what you are in for but no one does with the first one. You can plan as much as you'd like, but that baby has a plan of his own whether you like it or not!
ReplyDeleteCar seats...get the stroller combo with the infant seat included. Get a more compact stroller and one that has a baby seat that is maybe a bit more lightweight. We bought a combo that was nice and solid looking with big wheels. We're buying a new one for the next! The stroller was too big and the seat was too heavy and bulky!
Make sure you register for a 3-in-1 (5lbs - 80lbs) carseat. Best decision I EVER made! My daughter ended up outgrowing the length of her infant carseat at a year but not by weight. She still had to be in one for under 22lbs until she was almost 2. Having the 3-in-1 was a life saver since she could use it rear-facing until she hit 22lbs and now that she's 3 (27.5 lbs) she's still using the same one. They are more expensive for a good one and many people would say that a 2-in-1 is fine, but you could end up buying an extra car seat down the line if he's lighter than the average.
Bedding...I went with white eyelet even though I knew she was a girl (rather than the jangle animals I originally wanted). I wanted neutral in CASE she came out as a boy. Plus, you can use decor in the room to make it for a boy, girl or theme but still use the bedding for a future child regardless of the sex or theme!
It depends what the sexe is but if its a boy then i would say go with light blue or something like that but if you want to be unique than you could probably do something else.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for sharing all of this valuable information! May I just say women are amazing. I'm feeling the love from the sisterhood! xo
ReplyDeleteJosie, for the stroller/car seat, go to Kiddietown. They are the best in Ottawa and carry everything from lower end combo packs to the more expensive Bugaboo like the celebrities use. They will find a stroller that will suit your needs. The saleslady even got into the stroller and let me push her around!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd for the car seat, in my experince, buy the largest one you can. I have a Graco that can be used to 30 pounds. If you get the one for 22 pounds, the baby could out grow it by 6 months (my son did). So you will have to buy multiple seats - which can be costly.
Anyways, these are my 2 cents. :)
A really great website to check out for some different ideas on nursery decor, all of which are made of 100% cotton flannelette, and they even have an organic cotton line, is www.preciousbloom.com. All the products are made by a loving Grandma (my Mom), and she has a little store set up in her home located at 196 Sherway Drive in Barrhaven, where you can check out her products. She's open ever Saturday from 10am-2pm and also by appointment. She can also set you up with a gift registry if you like. Happy shopping and best of luck with your pregnancy!
ReplyDeleteHey Josie,
ReplyDeleteAs a mommy of two, I know now I made a huge mistake with my 3-1 carseat/stroller. LOOKS MEAN NOTHING!! Go for the lightest carrier you can get...TRUST ME!! Those suckers get so heavy and awkward as the baby grows, you will ruin your back. I too am a little shorty and it is a pain in the rear to lift that bad boy all over town! Especially if you have number 2, holding onto a toddler and carrying a little bambina can be taxing, not to mention your Chiropractor bills!!
Good luck mama you will do great, you sound like you have energy to burn and a great sense of humor, two things that will get you far in mommyhood.
Debs :)