So I went to Buy Buy Baby today to case the joint in terms of cribs and changing table/dresser combos (where you change the baby on top, and there are drawers down below).
Before I go further, let me explain that we have a New York City apartment. It is a very nice one for the money. We only have a deal like this because MIL put D on a waiting list when he was 12. But note that I said it's very nice for the money. It is not the size of the $6700 one we visited on New Year's Eve. As a result, E (the bebe) will be in the living room (which is very close to our bedroom, don't worry, we will hear every peep, and also have a monitor) until we get a bigger apartment. Our building has a policy that you cannot get a bigger apartment until the bebe is born. They won't tell us how long it will take after the baby is born, either. Not even an estimate. So, I'm in the market for small furniture.
I saw a crib/bassinet/toddler bed/2 chairs (I'm serious, it converts into all those things, and in its current state, it looks very cute) for a cool $900. Gulp. I don't know if D will go for it or not. It was, however, the smallest and cutest crib in the store.
Which raises the question: how do woodcutters in the Appalachians afford cribs? Answer: they build their own. Unfortunately, D and I never excelled in woodworking. In fact, we are even steering clear of Ikea because we don't trust ourselves to assemble their cribs correctly.
I didn't have any luck with changing table/dressers. I considered three:
1) One was ugly, huge and didn't even have drawers, just big spaces. Next.
2) One was ugly, huge, utilitarian-looking and cost $700.
3) One was ugly, huge, depressing-looking (really dark, lugubrious wood) and expensive.
So there is a common theme of ugly, huge and expensive with changing table/dressers. If anyone knows of a place that sells cheap, cute and small changing table/dressers, let me know!
Before I go further, let me explain that we have a New York City apartment. It is a very nice one for the money. We only have a deal like this because MIL put D on a waiting list when he was 12. But note that I said it's very nice for the money. It is not the size of the $6700 one we visited on New Year's Eve. As a result, E (the bebe) will be in the living room (which is very close to our bedroom, don't worry, we will hear every peep, and also have a monitor) until we get a bigger apartment. Our building has a policy that you cannot get a bigger apartment until the bebe is born. They won't tell us how long it will take after the baby is born, either. Not even an estimate. So, I'm in the market for small furniture.
I saw a crib/bassinet/toddler bed/2 chairs (I'm serious, it converts into all those things, and in its current state, it looks very cute) for a cool $900. Gulp. I don't know if D will go for it or not. It was, however, the smallest and cutest crib in the store.
Which raises the question: how do woodcutters in the Appalachians afford cribs? Answer: they build their own. Unfortunately, D and I never excelled in woodworking. In fact, we are even steering clear of Ikea because we don't trust ourselves to assemble their cribs correctly.
I didn't have any luck with changing table/dressers. I considered three:
1) One was ugly, huge and didn't even have drawers, just big spaces. Next.
2) One was ugly, huge, utilitarian-looking and cost $700.
3) One was ugly, huge, depressing-looking (really dark, lugubrious wood) and expensive.
So there is a common theme of ugly, huge and expensive with changing table/dressers. If anyone knows of a place that sells cheap, cute and small changing table/dressers, let me know!
Comments
1. Until you move, you could get one of those pack 'n play portable cribs. I have one for daycare that has an accessory that fits on the top working as a bassinet. Later, when the baby gets too big, you remove it and it can be used up through toddlerhood. Then when you need to move, you don't have a cumbersome crib to deal with, just fold up the crib and whallah!
2. When our kids were babies, I didn't use dressers. Their clothes and little itty bitty socks are so tiny that I just used stacking baskets. There are now such a wide variety and colors available that you could probably find some that are cute. We went through so many outfit changes a day due to spit ups and blow outs that the baskets were great. Everything is easily accessible and you're not opening and closing every drawer trying to find the one with onesies in your sleep deprived state. Again, these would be really easy to move to a new apartment. When the kid gets a little bit older and with bigger clothes, you could get a dresser. You might even find more of a variety of cute "kid" dressers rather than trying to find one that looks appropriate for a baby.
3. Don't forget to have fun rearranging your current space to fit one more being into it. By the way, are you thinking of going with any colors or themes or just a hodgepodge? Just asking. ;)
yes, i was forgetting to have fun -- i was never into furniture for some reason. i think colors and themes are beyond me :) clothes for the baby, i can get into :) i already got him some onesies.
Incidentally, I think we finally picked a doula. There's this great "Meet the Doula" open house that Birth Focus (www.birthfocus.com) does at rotating hospitals on the first Wednesday of every month. Last night's was at Beth Israel. It's sort of like speed dating for doulas and you get to interview several doulas in a single night.
Also, I'm so curious about your E name! One of our top two is an E name too. To early to tell whether it will the the top one or whether others will emerge. I suppose I should stay in the dark about it so we don't influence one another.
I'm probably just going to go with the doula/R.N. who's teaching my childbirth class in February, unless she's evil or something.