Monday, July 18, 2011

The baby registry that never went up

I had my share of "We have to buy that for Selah even though it costs $1000!" moments (for the record, we didn't succumb to the pressure). This vast realm of baby products is sometimes overwhelming as the money-hungry wolves lure you in as their fluffy, innocent dinner. They often use promising words and coaxing tactics to try and fill in the I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-but-I'm-trying-here void. And sometimes their products are just so cute.

If I were to ever start a business I might try to tap into the baby world. It's similar and related to the wedding industry in that everything is overpriced and often unnecessary. Perhaps the reason why (especially first-time) parents purchase so many items is to provide entertainment for the child so that they can get some (much needed) rest opposed to the baby actually needing it.

So on to the top contenders that I've been suckered into! I have my baby registry as a saved draft on Gmail on an Excel spreadsheet consisting of categories, links, and prices at various vendors - started even before I was pregnant (I like to be prepared, okay?). Needless to say, I haven't had a chance to test any of the following items out, but here are some of the ones that I really want to like and am hoping my precious cargo will like too.


1. Bumgenius Elemental cloth diapers

I've spent many a days on Cottonbabies and other sites looking up reviews on these cloth diapers, and I'm buying it all. Cutting costs on our newest and biggest investment? Better for her sensitive tush? Less waste? Yes please! Plus, it's organic. So for now, I've purchased a few off of Ebay to try out once our pooping machine is a few months old and all the new-mom crazies have settled down (or at least that I've adjusted to).


2. Fisher-Price Whale of a Tub

The moment I saw this guy on Amazon that it was a must-have. Fisher-Price came out with an updated version that has a toy bar in the middle but I wanted to keep bath time simpler (aka easier for Mama) with no adjusting/fixing/pulling of any sorts. I was able to snag the last one at a Target store that was mixed in with the newer ones. A baby bath tub in the shape of a blue and green whale - so cute and still not over it. 


3. Babyletto Mercer 3-in-1 convertible crib

The next item that made the cut was this gorgeous crib. I like the clean lines, the contrast between the dark rich wood and classic white, and the bottom shelf for additional storage space. It has a non-toxic finish, is a brand that has never been recalled, and is not so tall that I'll have trouble getting the bean in and out. Though initially saved on Amazon, we ended up taking it off the hands of a family on Craigslist for a quarter of its original price, including mattress, a complete bedding set (which I sold), and mobile. Woo to the hoo!


4. Ergo baby carrier

Growing up, I had thought I'd use a Korean wrap called a podaegi to carry my future baby hands-free. My, how times change. This Ergo carrier we received as a gift (thank you, ladies!) in the cranberry color so that Mr. Woo can also use it too (we all know he's going to be a baby-hog). But if I were to get a second one down the line, I might snag the gray galaxy one OR the organic peaceful portofino from Petunia Picklebottom
(available for preorder now - it's so pretty!). It's a subtle kind of pretty that would match with just about anything I wear should I choose to actually try to look presentable while being sleep-deprived. 


5. (Deeply discounted) Baby clothes

Who doesn't like shopping for teeny, cutesy outfits for a wee one? (My husband, actually.) So if I came across fabulous deal, I'm talking mostly $0.50/$1.00/$2.00, for something that mesmerized my uterus, I bought it. Only a few! [We're a Gap (and J.Crew) family, mainly because Wifey likes Gap, and since Wifey does the shopping we're now a Gap family.] Of course, we've received so many clothes the past couple of months that I don't know if the nugget will be able to wear them all more than once (no more 0-3mos please).


6. Bumbleride Flite stroller

Isn't it pretty? This one actually didn't make it to my list until late in my second trimester. I had been eyeing the Bugaboo Cameleon with all its fancy-schmancy options but in the end could not justify spending $1k on something that we may not use as much as we think. So after much back and forth between the Bumbleride and a few other contenders, I chose the pretty seagrass-colored stroller. It helped that it was on clearance (new model came out earlier this summer) from another vendor to save some cash since I'm not one who likes to pay full retail price.


7. Shermag Glider with ottoman

This was our very first purchase we made with the bun in the oven in mind. We spotted it in great condition at a garage sale down the street so I sat in it to: (1) test it out and (2) claim it while Mr. Woo ran home to look up reviews on Amazon. There it retails over $400, but with some negotiating we took it home, actually Mr. Woo carried it all the way home (my hero!), for $50.


The last "big purchase" is still iffy because I'm in the process of hunting down a doula. I wasn't able to do so earlier with deadlines at school. Now that I'm (finally) at home and have the time to research and contact references, they're all booked, vacationing, or out of the country. :(


As you can see, much of what Baby needs (and what we want) has already been purchased which is why I never had to put up a registry. Between the two showers from school/work, we've been blessed with so much that I've actually had to exchange some for items of a greater priority. With just a few more items left, it seemed silly to create a registry online. We're just excited (and nervous and overwhelmed and scared and...) to meet our little girl face-to-face in about another month. Please continue praying for our growing family! :)
 

4 comments:

Bethany said...

http://simplemom.net/tools/cloth-diapering/ :)

i'm excited to hear about how cloth goes!

junia said...

if you can't find a doula and i'm still around and available (ie not a weekday during the day).... i'd *TOTALLY* come.

hey! i almost did it for Sorin! (but baby came too early :( )

Hannah said...

Jane, I'm always so impressed with your bargain hunting skeelzzzz. :) And all the stuff is wayyy cute, regardless of the price. :D

I said "Yes" to Mr. Woo! said...

@Beth - I really want to like CD'ing so we'll see!
@Junia - I have Hubby for support, but I need trained hands for pain relief! Trying to go all natural.
@Hannah - Isn't it unfortunate that babies don't realize all the cute product they able to use?