Not my style: Bargain basement baby gear

Our home is too far from the city to be considered urban (hence the title of B's blog), but the distance doesn't mean that I can't adopt certain yuppie tendencies. One of my newest tendencies is indulging my whims with regard to baby gear.

Baby gear, I'm learning, comes in a range of prices and offers various levels of safety. A few years ago, I might have thought that the bargain basement crib was the way to go. After all, a child sleeps in a crib for only two or three years, so choosing a moderately priced piece of furniture seemed like the best decision.

It was a nice idea. But you know, those bargain basement cribs are not necessarily the safest, the most attractive, or the most versatile for one's needs. However, you'd be amazed at the cribs that are being turned out by some northern European countries; they are safe, beautiful, versatile...and, unfortunately, expensive.

When we were doing early stroller research, I acknowledged to myself that bargain basement simply isn't my style anymore (was it ever?). I asked B if he was ok with spending amounts of money that, on paper, are fairly ridiculous, given how long this gear will be used. He said that I should get what I want, and if the stroller that I want costs more than the value of my car, so be it. Rooster is worth it.

And I agree, Rooster deserves good-quality pieces, of course, and the safety of the items we plan to buy can't be beat, but let's be honest: The person that I am indulging is myself. I have chosen these pieces because they offer conveniences to us. For instance:

• The crib we ordered converts from a bassinet to a crib, is on wheels, and is narrow enough to fit through doorways. Additionally, the crib is considerably smaller than some of the behemoth cribs that you see in The Store That Shall Not Be Named (you know what I'm talking about...the big box baby store that I avoid like the plague). I saw our crib in a catalogue a few years ago and loved it, and I'm glad that we chose it.
• The stroller we plan to buy features a lightweight but very safe car seat with a comfortable carrying handle. The seat is safely attached to the frame of the stroller but detaches easily, and you can fold the stroller frame into a compact shape using just a flick of your wrist. These great features mean that I could, in theory, carry the seat and stroller frame up or down a flight of stairs all by myself. (I don't know if I have the strength for such a feat, but perhaps I will after a few months of baby lifting.) The car seat is also easier to fit into its car base than others, allowing for less back strain, and that's a big plus.

 As I mentioned, the crib is on order, as are the glider and ottoman. They should all arrive in about a month, and that's when we'll buy the stroller/car seat and a few other necessities. I'm trying to buy only what I think we'll need, at least to start, and am holding off on the might-be-nice-to-have items, at least until we have a better idea of what life with Rooster will be like.