Recommend: Baby Cache Nursery Furniture

Crib Price: $449.99
Dresser Price:$549.99

This is pretty much a repeat from a blog I posted previously in my OWN blog, but I'll highlight most of it here.

I saw this set one day while just walking through BRU. At the time I was not looking for a bed room set, but upon seeing this set I knew exactly what I wanted in my little man's room! Not only did this fit my visual requirements, but it also fit the other requirements I had for a bed room set in my mind (as highlighted below).

Pros:
- sturdy/well made
- drawers on dresser glide in and out easily
- attractive
- able to convert crib into a full size bed (with the purchase of bed rails)
- has two dresser options - we got the lower dresser because we wanted to use the top of the dresser as a changing station
- drawers are deep and hold quite a bit
- depending on your budget, I thought this was a reasonably priced set (last year Ryan and I had priced furniture for ourselves and a full bed was considerably higher than the price of this crib+ the running boards)
- the storage cabinet on the side of the dresser is convenient for bath supplies, first aide type items, wipes, etc and large enough to fit some canvas totes for organized storage.

Cons:
- drawers glide so smoothly that they some times bang when closing - I put some of Judes clothes away while he's asleep so can be bad!
- as I'm sure is typical with most cribs, it's a pain to change the crib sheet.
- because of the way the bars/panels are on the crib, some of your standard crib decor doesn't fit quite right (bumpers, mobiles, etc) - just make sure you check out the crib before buying any of these items!
- I remember when putting the crib together Ryan had a difficult time putting the metal mattress support portion together. I'm not sure if this is normal, but I remember my dad saying "make sure you read the instructions!" about the crib, so maybe it's no more difficult than any others.

Would I Recommend: Yes! So far I've loved this set! Part of my wishes I had purchased the second dresser as well, but really, we hardly fill the drawers we have so why bother? When/if there's a baby #2 I would without a doubt purchase another baby cache nursery set!

Recommend: Trent's Nursery (part 2)

Glider
Shermag White Glider w/ ottoman= $299.99
(im 85% sure this is the price we paid)
(from BRU)

My glider was an item I didn't jump right in to. Literally. When I was in the hospital first learning how to get Trent to latch on properly I was always sitting up in the bed with pillows propped around us. When I first got home I did much of the same. I would sit up on the couch or bed and prop pillows around me. It took me a few weeks to even sit in my brand new glider. The first few times I used the glider I didn't even like it. I felt like the baby was too high up when sitting on the boppy pillow. After just a couple days it was like a light switched was turned on. All of a sudden I was addicted to my glider. I didn't want to nurse him anyplace else. It was just so comfortable. We kept the glider in the living room while I was on maternity leave for convenience sake. When I returned to work we put the glider in the nursery. To this day I use the glider at least once a day....and it's not uncommon to see Kevin rocking Trent in the glider too. My biggest complaint (and it's a pretty big one) is that the locking mechanism on the side will lock on its own VERY OFTEN. Be it mid rock, or as I'm getting up. It wouldn't be TOO big a deal if it wasn't loud when it locked! I always worry it will wake the baby. It's very annoying!!! Perhaps an upholstered chair would have been a better choice. Or maybe we should look into fixing/removing the lock all together. Another thing I should note - these gliders are not designed for big people. They are just too narrow for a wide person to sit in. I don't know what Shermag was thinking.


Would I recommend: I don't know if the locking issue we're having is a defect on our chair in particular or not, so it's very hard for me to say. If I were you, I'd go to a few stores and try a few out.

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Cordless Blinds

(from JCPenney.com)
Price= I got it on sale for $37.99. They are originally $70.00

A cousin of mine (also a mother) recommended I get cordless blinds for the nursery. Cordless blinds are just that, cordless. By going cordless you don't have to worry about a child choking on, or hanging from, the cord that often dangles from traditional blinds. You can get cordless blinds in several different styles, from several different stores. I went with a roman shade simply because I like the look. I ordered the shade from the internet, and I've never played with cordless blinds before, so I really didn't know what to expect. Kevin and I (probably more Kevin) hung the shade and were both very impressed by the functionality of it (for that price we better be impressed, right?). There is a little plastic clip in the center of the blind at the bottom that you hold and either push up or pull down. It's super easy. I'd definitely recommend them to anyone.

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Closet Organizer
(from lowes)

No idea how much we spent but I'd guess it was between $50-$100

Lowes has a whole aisle dedicated to closet organization. From the cheaper stuff (pictured) to fancy wood systems. You can purchase something like I have pictured in either a kit or individual pieces. We went with a kit. It comes with everything you need except a few tools. I can remember using a measuring tape, pencil, drill, saw, and marker. You have to cut all the shelf pieces, allowing you to semi-customize the closet to fit your own needs. Of course I did some math wrong and ruined a few pieces, so we had to go back to Lowes. Like I said, they sell many of the piece individually, so it was very nice to only buy what we needed and not have to purchase a second kit. There are a few different styles and designs to choose one so make sure you look at all of the options. And make sure you measure your closet beforehand, just so you can be 100% sure you are buying the right material for your space. I love that we re-did this closet - it's so much more practical than what we had before!

Here is our "before"

Recommend: Trent's Nursery (part 1)

Crib

Carter's Casual Convertible Crib
(from Babies R Us)

Price: $309.88

I don't really know what to say other than I love it. It's a great shade of white - not bright white but not dingy - and it was easy to put together. Since it's a convertible crib we had to purchase the side rails separately (to be used when we convert the crib into a full sized bed). Cribs from Babies R Us either have coordinating metal rails (cheaper) or matching wood rails (more expensive). Since our rails were on the pricier end, we assumed they would be a nice matching white wood. Wrong. They are an ugly metal. Very disappointing.

Bookcase

Price: $119.99

(from JCPenney.com)

I wanted a bookcase for extra storage for books and stuffed animals. Since we didn't know the sex of the baby, and since we had already chosen white furniture, I needed a bookcase that wasn't too curvy or feminine. I felt that this bookcase was just what I wanted. I put it together all by myself, which was slightly challenging, but it could have been worse. The back board is very cheap in quality but the rest of the case seems very sturdy. Overall I'm very happy with it.

Changing Table

price: I can not find it online but the table was around $150

We decided to refinish Kevin's old bureau from his childhood instead of purchasing a new one for the nursery. I personally am not into the changing-table-pad-on-top-of-bureau look, so we needed something separate. There was a limited selection of white changing tables so we just chose the one we liked the most. I bought some canvas totes to line the shelves with and have since found the changing table to be great. We use it often and the added storage space is very helpful. The biggest downfall is that once we're out of the diaper phase we really won't have any use for the table.

Recommend: Monitors (times 3)

We weren't sure which monitor to register for so we went ahead and registered for a "classic" monitor set and a video monitor. We've used each only a handful of times, so it may be hard for me to give a detailed review on either.


Fisher-Price Dual Private Connection Monitor
Price: $67.99


Pros:
-reasonably priced
-I don't think we've had any problems with interference or static
-comes with 2 receivers!
-clear reception
-10 channels to choose from
-has an LED light display on both sides of the monitor that allows you to see if your baby is crying. This comes in handy if you don't want the volume loud
-the handsets can be wireless or plugged in
-the batteries are rechargeable
-very user friendly screen.


Cons:
-I don't think the batteries were included, but I'm not positive


Recommend: Definitely. We've had no problems with this set at all. I especially like that it comes with 2 receivers!

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Summer Infant Day and Night Video Monitor
Price: $99.99


Pros:
-you can see your baby!
-you can see your baby even if he/she is in 100% darkness
-camera can be mounted almost anywhere
-camera is very adjustable
-has a light feature so you can see if your baby is crying. The light adjusts with the intensity of the cry.
-can buy a second camera for another room and use the same monitor. simply toggle between channels
-monitor screen is a very nice size

Cons:
-black and white picture
-takes 10-20 seconds for the monitor to kick in (which is normal, not a defect)
-volume is limiting. your options are a range from loud to very loud, or mute
-a noisy hum all the time unless it's on mute
-if you mount the camera it isn't easy to transport
-monitor is like a little tube tv. pretty bulky.


Recommend: Yes. We've had no real problems or complaints with this monitor at all. There are, however, other video monitor that got great marks on BRU's website that have handheld monitors that are more portable. Some even give a color picture. The downside is that the screens are much smaller.


If you're dead set on getting a video monitor I'd recommend you try to figure out how the monitor will be primarily used. If you think you'll leave the monitor on your night stand most of the time, consider getting my monitor with the large screen. If you think you will need to keep a constant eye on your baby when he/she is out of site, consider the others that you can clip to your pants and take anywhere.


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Safety 1st Hi-Def Monitor:
Price: $59.99


I got this monitor for no other reason than because it had "hi-def" in the name. My brother works for Comcast and I knew he'd swoon that we had a "hi-def" monitor. After adding it to my registry I remember reading the reviews and for the most part people seemed pleased.

Pros:
- long electric cords so they can stretch long distances from outlets - operate on a rechargeable battery so you don't have to buy batteries - and don't have to be constantly plugged in.
- we personally have never had issues with static or interference.
- I'm assuming it's the same for most monitors, but when you turn off the part that's in the baby's room, the parent side beeps (I guess in case someone breaks in??? I don't know, but it's nice to know if the other side is on)
- reasonable price



Cons:
- you have to hold the power button for a few seconds to get it to come on - I remember being confused at first how to get it on.
- can't have the two sides in the same room or it makes that terrible siren sound when they start picking up each others sounds.
- the outside of the monitor is a hard plastic case, but it's not liquid tight so stuff can get inside that you can't clean out.



Would I Recommend: I haven't had any issues and judging from all of the bad reviews on other monitors due to static, I'd say this is a great option.

Recommend: Mom to Mom Baby Wipes

Price: about ~$9.99 for 1 box (6 individual packs)

When standing in the baby section of the grocery store I was immediately overwhelmed. We've all heard of your standard Pampers, Huggies and Luvs diaper brands, and I'm pretty certain they all also have their own line of baby wipes. Knowing me, I would have just picked up the wipes that matched my choice in diapers, but since I don't use disposables (and wasn't about to use cloth wipes as well) I needed to start my series of trial and error with disposable wipes. 

I'm an on and off Safeway shopper/ACME shopper and by chance the day I ran out of the wipes I got at my baby shower and needed to buy wipes, I was at Safeway. I browsed through their selection and came across a brand called "mom to mom". I was looking for the best value and when comparing numbers, mom-to-mom was the best bet. 

Pros:

- come in value size boxes - 6 individual travel/refill packs (the hard plastic pop-top on top of each refill pack). 

- made of a heavy material to clean up big diaper messes. 

- unscented means unscented!

- Cheaper than or the same price as the value box of pampers (the box of pampers i compared them to comes with 5 refill packs, mom-to-mom comes with 6 travel/refill packs)

Cons:

- Only available at Safeway stores.

- If you're trying to environmentally friendly, I suppose the travel pop-top is not land-fill friendly and ultimately creates more waste.

Would I Recommend:

With out a doubt. Recently we were running low on wipes and I sent Ryan to ACME to pick some up. He got a large box of the unscented Pampers brand and I am not nearly as pleased! I'm anxious to finish the box of wipes he bought so I can go back to the mom-to-mom's. 

I've also read very good reviews on their diaper brand and although I have not priced them personally, they are said to be considerably cheaper as well. 

Recommend: Diaper Champ

Baby Trend Diaper Champ

Price: $35-ish

This is one of the only Baby Trend product I actually like.

There are several different options when it comes to diaper pails - and I think all of them get mixed reviews. You either love it or hate it. We registered for -and received- the Diaper Champ, and we really like so far. We have not had any issues with odor yet. I found that the medium sized white kitchen trash bags fit perfectly! Since those bags are too short for our kitchen trash can we simply keep the box in the nursery on a shelf next to the diaper champ, to keep things convenient. Word to the wise: make sure you have the sticky part of the diaper secured to the diaper itself. I once had a lose sticky stick to the side of the flippy contraption, causing the diaper to unfold and get poop on the Champ. It was, however, easy to clean.

The stores no longer sell the version of the Diaper Champ I own. Now there is a new and improved Deluxe version.

Pros:

-very convenient!

-you can use any brand trash bag

-comes in white with blue or white with pink

-easy to use

-designed for one-handed use

-i don't know how to explain it, but if you look at the picture you will see at the bottom there is a little ledge of sorts - if you use your foot to step on the ledge it's easier to get the dirty bag out of the Champ.

Cons:

-it can be challenging to get the bag of dirty diapers out of the pail if the bag is too full

-removing a bag full of dirty diapers can be tough on the nose

Recommend: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Recommend: Fisher-Price Rainforest Waterfall Peek-a-Boo Soother

price: $43.99

i love love love this item. Since Trent's mobile is pretty boring it's nice that he has something else to sooth him when he's in his crib.

pros:
-absolutely adorable
-baby loves it
-it stays on for up to 18 minutes
-very soothing music
-3 volume control
-multiple options (music and light, just lights, just music)
-one large easy busy to push - my son is starting to push it himself
-reputable name brand

cons:
-a little pricey
-it's a pain to take off and put back on the crib
-batteries not included
-requires 4 C batteries
-the light can be a little too bright in the middle of the night when your baby is just falling asleep. Make sure you know which controls to change so that it's music only - the light may wake the baby up (something I've experienced personally)
-controls do not light up.

recommend: definitely! Use a coupon and get it!

Fisher-price makes a very similar item, call the Wonder Aquarium, that I plan to get for the next kid. Same manufacturer and same concept.

Recommend: BreathableBaby Breathable Bumpers

Price: $29.99

everything you read tells you DO NOT USE BUMPERS. (You know, those cute pillow-y things that line the crib) They were first created "back in the day" because kids were putting their heads between the slats of the crib and were unable to remove them. Some possibly suffocated this way?!?! Today you wont find any crib with slats that far apart, but bumpers still come with EVERY baby bedding set. It's kind of annoying really. We aren't supposed to use them, but the bedding companies still make them. I don't see the point. I mean, I know some parents still use them - whether its because they think it looks nice, or because they just don't know the risk the bumpers pose, i don't know - but i would venture to assume that 95% of Americans don't use them. I could be totally wrong - I'm pulling that number out of thin air. Maybe I shouldn't ass-u-me.

Anyways, we recently questioned whether or not we should start using our bumpers (that have been sitting in our closet ever since we got the bedding). Now that Trent is rolling around he sometimes gets his limbs stuck in between the slats and can't always get them out. This of course leads to crying - something we like to avoid whenever possible. We don't want him getting stuck, but also want to avoid suffocating our boy, so I did some research. At first I thought Trent was old enough to where it would be OK to put the bumpers in his crib - but boy do "they" try to scare you! I found that every credible organization out there advises against the use of bumpers, no matter how old your child is. I did, however, come across an item called Breathable Baby Bumpers. It's basically a mesh-type fabric that you line the crib with (the same way as you would with bumpers). This prevents limbs from getting stuck, while also allowing your baby to breath if he gets right up against it. I'm not sure if I'm describing these correctly so here is a picture. I purchased plain brown ones. They aren't nearly as cute as the ones that came with the bedding, but it keeps his body inside the crib where it belongs and he can't suffocate into them.

So, in the end we had Trent's real bumpers in his crib for all of 30 minutes and two days later we had these breathable things in there. Everyone's happy.

As for the bumpers you (or in my case, Mrs. Woodland) spent so much money on, they don't have to sit in the closet, unused! One option is to cut them down and make square pillows out of them. While you can't put these pillows in the crib, you could put them on your glider/rocking chair for looks. Another option is to take the stuffing out of the bumpers and make a nice valance that matches your bedding.

I just took 2 minutes to do a little search on yahoo to see if I could find any other options and I came across this site! If you are a mom looking for some cute ideas, check it out.

Pros:
-much safer than traditional bumpers!
-no more limbs getting stuck in crib slats!
-made for cribs with slats on all 4 sides OR only 3 sides!
-several standard color options (brown, blue, pink, green)


Cons:
-you occasionally have to adjust them because they slide down (between mattress and slats) over time
-velcro could be sturdier
-a little pricey for what you're getting. Use a coupon!
-not very attractive

Recommend: Tiny Love Symphony in Motion Musical Mobile

Price: $31.99

When deciding on a nursery theme Ryan and I originally thought we'd be doing a Batman Theme. It was virtually impossible for me to find a Batman Mobil to hang over the crib, so instead I browsed through BRU for a non-theme related mobile. I came across the Symphony in Motion mobile and fell in love.

It had the bright colors that all the "educational" toys had along with the black and white contrast that is good for newborns who can't see color, so it really seemed like a great option.

At one point or another we changed the theme to airplanes, but I still held onto the mobile. Jude seems to love it. It really does catch his eye and it can entertain him for 10-15 minutes at a time playing the baby-classical music and spinning over his head. Being that he isn't awake in his crib for long periods of time, it's perfect. It's just enough time to put away clothes, sweep the floor, hop in the shower, etc.

Pros:
- Reasonably Priced
- Entertains Jude
- Educational
- three different music options
-bar swivels to make it easy to change the sheets

Cons:
- slightly difficult to get it positioned correctly on the crib
- The hanging bar that swivels can move so easily, that it's easy to get off center and therefore not over top of Jude's head, so i have to keep adjusting it.
- Has pinks and purples, so can almost look a little girly. BUT - they sell it in a variety of colors, I should have just looked harder.