I went to the hockey game last night with Sara, the girlfriend of Matt, who is Dave’s coworker. It was fun, although eerily subdued, until we realized that it was still winter break, and so the student balcony was almost empty. With no students, there wasn’t nearly enough ref-heckling or bare-chested bell-ringers circling the rink for each goal. Either way, UM won 6-2, and each of those six goals warranted a rousing response from the crowd, and that roused a response from the widget. Yeehaw!
My throat started to tickle a bit at the game, but I thought it might have been the kettle corn or something, but by the time I got home, my head and sinuses had completely filled up. UGH. I woke up with the sinus pain, and still have it, and haven’t even gotten DRESSED today, just passed in and out of consciousness. Dave was a sweetie and got me OJ and ginger ale, and made me chili ramen noodles (my preferred decongestant meal) but I still feel like ASS. FUCK. I hate feeling like ass.
Anyway.
So, instead of doing anything productive, I’ve been watching PBS and sleeping, and surfing the web, and beginning to think about registering for baby stuff. I started two online registries*, at BRU and Target, but as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t actually HAVE a BRU here, just two aisles at Toys R Us instead, so while I know SOME things are available here, the online selection is undoubtedly greater than what is available in-store.
Things we have already include a crib, stroller, infant seat, super-duper electric breast pump, and 2 slings. I am borrowing a changing table and bassinet from Amy. I plan on ordering our diapering supplies this month. Things I’ve picked out are a swing, pack-n-play, Boppy & slipcovers (after working in the infant room, I do NOT understand why they even bother selling the cute, but unwashable not-slipcovered Boppies…), bouncer/rocker thing and some other stuff. Things I don’t want include some cheesy Pooh-ass diaper bag or whatever (you know the kind), a diaper genie thing (since we’re doing cloth), or a giant plastic baby tub.
Any recommendations or anything? And what happens when someone thinks I’ve made a horrible error in omitting the Pooh-ass diaper bag from a registry, and I get one anyway? Are exchanges/returns a possibility at Target and/or BRU, and with what amount of hassle?
*Most of you know my name, and if you wanted to check out the registries and offer any advice, that would be cool, too.
Think again about the diaper trash can. No matter what you do, there will be times when disposable diapers are just easier, more convenient, more babysitter/in-law friendly. The crusher had cloth diapers until he started day care. His room ALWAYS stank of gross diaper. It was disgusting, actually. His parents had two diaper systems- a big foot-operated trash can for the cloth diapers, and a little trash can for the disposables. The disposables always reeked. We have a diaper trash can and it has contained the lentil’s multiple disposables diapers quite well to the point that we have only had to empty it when it was actually full (instead of every day), which was about every three-four days during peak diaper turnover.
Also, I’ve heard that Target only allows for returns with receipt. That might be a pain in the behind (guffaw) if you end up getting too many pooh diaper bags. in fact, most hospitals give you a diaper bag at discharge, so I wouldn’t even register for one in the first place. But if Target will only give you in-store credit without receipt, that wouldn’t be so bad because you can use their credit for the mountains of baby clothes and other crap you’re going to need for the next million years.
BRU was GREAT with returns. We had no problems returning ANYTHING, even opened containers that had obviously been messed with. We had to return a crib to them and they were wonderful and gave us credit for the bed that we didn’t even necessarily deserve. My experiences with BRU have always been positive, even though registering was a bit of a pain in the ass (snort! another hiney joke!) I don’t know how it works with BRU/TRU exchanges. We have a TRU much closer to us and we’ve been pleased with the ease in exchanges and returns there too. They must know that there is nothing worse than a sleep-deprived first time parent wanting to exchange one piece of baby crap for another.
WRT the diaper genie. I have a diaper champ that we have used for cloth. BUT you can use a flip top trash can of your liking with a simple, cheap Bummis liner and get the same results. In fact, that is the cheaper, easier route. And if you should need to use sposies, you can use the same trash can with a trash bag in it! Oh! Get some of those citrus circles that you drop in the bottom of the can. (You won’t need them while exclusively breastfeeding cause the poo doesn’t stink, but I bet you knew that!) Anywho, they are supposed to last 3-4 months. I never bought any, but got some as freebies from a diaper purches, and LOVE THEM. They rock my socks.
You REALLY need 2 changing pad covers! Because one will get pee’ed on or poopy and be in the laundry and you will need to replace it with the other one.
I recommend one of the special swaddling blankets, like the SwaddleMe or the Amazing Miracle Blanket. Those are good, although the Amazing Miracle is rather overpriced compared to the SwaddleMe. How about some towels and washclothes? A little tub? Some burp clothes?
Since you are planning to pump, maybe just a few bottles so that baby can actually drink the pumped milk?
It looks good so far, though. Feel better!
Whoops. Burp cloths. Not clothes. They will spit up on your clothes without you needing to get something special just for that.
So, when you say “Pooh-ass,” is this an adjective, or are you being literal?
I spent most of this weekend taking care of Hairy (now 7.5 months)…and I have to tell you, I am so freaking thankful for two things: the giant baby tub thingy and the door baby jumper. The little shit is starting to become mobile but can’t quite yet move without being spastic, so when we were in the tub at bathtime and his bath toy went flying to the other end, he attempted to retrieve it. This meant that he tried to fling his body, face first, across the tub to the other side. Had he not been “supported” (i.e., held somewhat in place by the crotch bubble) he would have gone flying and would DEFINITELY had some sort of auntie-wookie blamable injury.
The jumpy thingy I loved because he was able to entertain himself and be completely stuck in one place while I re-rolled my blow up mattress (I refuse to sleep in my sisters kinky s*x bed). Not to mention it brought such joy into his world. Seriously, I remember loving it when I was just a babe, but I had no idea a smile could be that bright. (Did I mention that he has two tiny teeth poking out, front and center on the bottom? He looks like a little Jack-o-lantern.)