Shopping is Hard

Shopping is more of a challenge than I expected it to be. In so many ways.

Let's begin by noting that we're not sure how big our little guy will be by the time we bring him home (not to mention we don't know when we'll be bringing him home), so reading all of the "starter registries" and other "what to buy for a new baby" lists is much more work than it should be. I actually have to screen items for "under six months" and "over six months", although I'm not even sure whether he will be under six months old or not. Then there's always the chance that he will be small enough to qualify for many of the products designed for "under six months" even if he is over six months. So, with that in mind...

I tried to start with the obvious items. Something simple - say, a crib. That should be easy, yes? Hahahahahaha! Ok, safety is obviously the most important thing. Consumer Reports lists no less than twenty-nine safety organizations dealing with baby products on their website. Yikes. The bottom line is that simple is better - any fancy flourishes or hardware can give your baby something to get tangled in. I located a crib online that I thought looked great and sounded great, too. It had clean lines (essential for safety and aesthetically pleasing, as well) and a "bonding bench" attachment, and I'm a sucker for good marketing, so I had to have it. That is, until I saw the price tag. Care to guess? Anyone??

Six. Thousand. Dollars. No, it is not made of gold. No precious or semi-precious stones are attached. It has clean lines and it has a bonding bench and, for that: $6,000. Well, then! Moving on...