Strollers, Slings, and Car Seats oh my...

REGISTERING.  Wow.  What a confusing nightmare!

A couple days after we found out our wonderful baby was a "she" we decided to go register for items at Babies R Us and Target in San Antonio.  Fortunately, we have both of those stores in Lubbock as well, but they're bigger in San Antonio and we had the time over Christmas break, so took advantage of it.  I thought it would be fun and relaxing...wrong!  It was overwhelming!!

So, I'm gonna make a list of top 10 things I think EVERY couple should make sure to register for.  I'll tell you which individual brands we chose and why, but items change with time, so our suggestions are only so helpful.  I'll do 5 items today cause all 10 would be such a long post...I'll update the other 5 sometime later this week.

First: where to register.  Babies R Us seemed like a given and then it was between Burlington Baby and Target.  I decided to register at Target instead of Burlington for three reasons: it is more expensive than Target but has much less variety than Babies R Us, and Burlington Coat Factory gives me the heeby jeebies.  It smells like old people and moth balls. Last, I'd rather get gift cards to Target for obvious reasons...Target rocks.

When adding items to the list, I often compared prices from Target and Babies R Us.  For instance, the cradle swing we registered for was $20 less at Target, so I registered for it there.  I figured somebody would be more likely to spend $150 versus $170...I was right.  That was the first item to come off the registry.  So, that was a reasoned enough decision...on to the items.

(1) Bumbo - a bumbo is this rubbery thing where you sit the baby when trying to feed them.  They're a must!  There are other brands out there that are about the same price, so might as well get the most commonly bought brand.  It works for other Moms too.  I was BIG on reading people's reviews on Babies R Us.  Sometimes, their reviews are stupid: "the color wasn't what I wanted." "I like name brand stuff only."  But sometimes, they were warranted, "this stroller was so flimsy that when the wind blew, the stroller fell over with the baby in it!"  YIKES...take THAT stroller off the registry!

(2) Monitor- Neither Evan nor I were too picky on what monitor we got...just make sure to get a decent one.  We didn't think it was too important to get one with a screen on it, but my brother and his wife insist that we'll be happy we got one with the screen.  Therefore, with the screen it is.

(3) Stroller - the stroller was probably the item that I was pickiest about.  We didn't register for one.  Instead, try and find someone that is willing to give you the stroller as your gift and then you're not confined to Babies R Us or Target.  Something we learned: you don't NEED a travel system.  In fact, they're bulky.  We got a stroller that works from birth (by reclining it), paid a little less than a travel system, but were able to get a better quality item and folds so tiny!  I went on youtube and watched the Babygizmo videos for about 40 strollers.  I know that sounds excessive, but you see, I don't have a big car.  I have a little Hatchback Mazda 3 so I needed to make sure it folded down enough to fit in my car.  Also, Evan in about 3 or 4 years will probably get a truck and turn in his Toyota 4 Runner, so we needed something that would fit in the back part of the truck (don't want it in the truck bed: will get dirty, what if it rains? etc.).  We already have the stroller and although Liliana's not here, it's my FAVORITE item so far...it's just as great as the video said.  Here's a link to the youtube video.

(4) Car Seat- another secret we found out while registering (also, from pediatricians around town).  See, we were lucky...through the ENTIRE registry process, Evan was in his pediatrics rotation and kept asking pediatricians about things.  My brother's wife (this woman knows EVERYTHING baby...makes me feel like I'm gonna be the worst Momma ever) had told me to register for the convertible car seat since they're so expensive and that way I wouldn't have to buy it when Liliana was one and we were even more broke.  Great advice.  Well, I started reading up on them and they said "good from birth."  What the hell did we need the infant car seat for then?  Evan starts asking the pediatricians and they told him most parents on their second, third kid don't' get infant ones any more and pediatricians actually prefer the convertible ones because the baby isn't so tightly confined in an area.  The bigger one forces the baby to move more and therefore helps their development some.  Granted, the infant car seat is really helpful to have them when you're just sitting at restaurants etc., so we're just borrowing my brothers and his wife's for a few months.  Nice...  As for the actual car seat, I know most couples try and share one.  Evan and I are really gonna be 50/50 parents and switching the seat each time would have been a pain in the ass.  So, we're getting two.  I got our main one (Britax Roundabout 50) for free from the legal website I work for.  I had built up enough points in researching so damn much through these three years for a $220 car seat...amazing.  We got this car seat because it's good for small cars!  As for Evan's car, we got an Evenflo one that had the best safety and user reviews for a much cheaper price ($99).  Below is the one I'll have in my car.

As for the infant car seat that we're borrowing, it's a Peg Perego.  I do warn though, Annie told me that if she had to do it all over again she WOULD NOT get this car seat because it's so heavy.  Since we won't be using it full time though, I figure it's still great for us and we appreciate them letting us borrow their stuff!!  Free = who cares if it's too heavy??

(5) Rocker- obviously, you need a glider/ rocker etc.  I decided I didn't want a glider because they looked like they HAD to be in a nursery.  I wanted something that I could use around our house or outside after the baby had come.  Also, Annie had told me to register for a nice WIDE rocker because the ones that they sell at Babies R Us are too narrow for you to wear your boppy.  How stupid to make them so narrow!  We got sooo lucky with ours.  We happened to be at Pier One looking for curtains, and found it.  I'm in love with it and think it makes the nursery look so classy and yet welcoming.