Every day the inside baby is getting closer and closer to being an outside baby. Sometime around Christmas my wife and I will get to hold our little guy for the first time and I am sure that will be one of the greatest moments in my life. I am gonna love him, care for him, laugh with him, cry with him, help him, teach him how to throw a football, help him hide my wife’s expensive yarn that he tangles into a bird’s nest, clean him when he is messy, make him messy when he is clean, and all the other wonderful stuff that comes with being a dad.
But why do babies need so much stuff???
Earlier this week my wife and I went to Babies R Us and started our baby registry. We had previously started one at Target but for the most part they really had a limited selection so we decided to switch to Babies R Us. They had a much better selection, similar prices, and more stuff in stock to test out like strollers, car seats, etc. We have also added a bunch of stuff to an Amazon registry as well. Just to make it easier for people to buy us stuff.
How many cans of this do I need for my baby?
Anyway, after about three hours we had 175 or so items added to our registry and there is probably a bunch more we could add. 175 items? Seriously. This baby will only be 8 pounds or so. How can they need all that stuff? I have seen a bunch of different lists of stuff you need for a baby and it usually amounts to over $2000. And that isn’t even counting diapers and food and stuff like that.
Some of it is pretty cool looking and I wish some of it was made in adult sizes. Like this thing called the Nap Nanny. If I had something like that in my size I don’t think I would ever leave it. It is like a barcalounger for babies.
Pretty much the only two events in life that are worthy of a registry are weddings and babies. But why do we need to stop there? Everyone is a fan of other people buying them stuff. Why can’t we create registries for more events in life? Here are a few suggestions:
1. The Grumpy Day Registry – If someone wakes up grumpy they can go to a site and activate their “Grumpy Day” and all their friends get a notification that they are grumpy. It would then list a bunch of items that would cheer that person up. Stuff like a new video game, a book, some cookies, a puppy, or whatever. The friends buy an item and it helps make the person un-grumpy.
2. The Dinner Registry – Maybe you just don’t feel like cooking dinner. Well, all you would need to do is send out a dinner registry. List your favorite restaurants and meals from them and a friend could then buy you dinner and deliver it. It is a win-win. OK, it is mostly a win for the person getting a free dinner delivered to them.
3. The Housework Registry – This might be useful in conjunction with a baby registry. Maybe you are super busy with work for a couple weeks and can’t get to the housework. Maybe your kids have been a terror and are making messes faster than you can clean them up. Or maybe you are just lazy and would rather watch TV. Just set up your Housework Registry and have all your friends and family come over and do all your housework.
But enough of that silliness.
My wife and I, for the most part, are pretty clueless when it comes to babies. We were babies at one time but we really don’t remember that time of our lives. So we need your help. What are some baby items you really like, what are some items you thought you would like but ended up not using at all, what are some things you wish you had? Please leave any and all suggestions in the comment box below.
And if you do feel inclined to help us buy all this stuff for our baby. Maybe we will name our baby after you. But probably not.
It's gross, but my sister and her friends all found this to be priceless when babies are having a tough time breathing. She said it is a must. Nose Frida!
I gotta draw the line somewhere. Sucking baby snot out through a straw is pretty far over that line.
You'd think so till you see the kid suffering. Thankfully it doesn't go in your mouth 🙂 The key here is getting the "mother" to do it. Lord knows I wouldn't!
swaddler's are not worth it. Just use a blanket. I got an insulated bottle carrier that plugs in to your car and warms the bottle. Problem is, if you plug it in when the baby gets hungry, you'll have a hungry baby for about 15 mins. I LOVED my moby wrap, bouncy seat, and johhny jump up.
Thanks Christie. Personally I think something like a swaddler would be very uncomfortable. Who wants to be a human burrito?
We are trying to decide between a bouncy seat and a swing. Don't think we need both. And eventually we will probably get one of those jumping things.
Co-sleeper, crib, bouncy seat, baby bath tub, clothes, car seat, stroller, diaper bag, and some kind of baby carrier (wrap, bjorn, etc) are all that I would get if I ever had to do it again. Seriously they don't need that much stuff. It's all marketing.
We are gonna borrow a co-sleeper from some friends and give that a try. Seems like a good option for a couple weeks at least. Still trying to figure out what type of baby carrier to get. There is a store we will be going to this weekend that has a bunch of them and a fake baby to put in them so you can really see what they feel like.
I am sure we are gonna end up with a ton of stuff we will never use.
I actually disagree about the swaddle blanket. We have an “amazing miracle” swaddle blanket that we absolutely recommend. Matt agrees, that swaddle was one of our top 5 best baby purchases. Babies like to be burritos, and mommies like to sleep. It’s a win-win scenario!
Actually you'd be surprised how well swaddling works but a blanket works just as well. Check out this DVD, we watched it when our second child was born and I was amazed how much we learned and how well it all worked. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0972179526
Skip the crib and use a playpen since he would only need it for the first couple of years. Once he can climb out of the playpen he'll be ready for a toddler bed.