Our First Registry - Our Dream Crib!

Hubby & I made a huge decision yesterday. We have agreed on a crib! This might not sound like a big deal to most people. I am going to safely assume that most people choose their crib and nursery set from whatever main corporate store they are doing their baby registry at, such as Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby. However, Mr. Daddy-to-be has made it very clear that this entire process is going to be very untraditional. Just the fact that he has opinions and wants to be a part of everything has me excited (and relieved!). We are eco-conscious in our everyday lives, so it makes sense to make earth friendly decisions with the products we will use for our baby. The moment I realized how toxic some of the cribs from the corporate stores are, the sooner I was able to get on board with Hubby's "bamboo crib" idea.

This was until I saw the prices of said cribs. Bamboo is one the fastest growing plants, making it a renewable source, not to mention that it regenerates on its own. The bamboo cribs we saw online are gorgeous, such as the ones here in New York City from DucDuc with the added benefit that they are made locally. Sadly, we are in no position to purchase or ask for $1,500+ cribs.  My family has been more than supportive and keep telling me not to stress the big ticket items, like the crib, bedding, stroller, car seat, etc. But surely they say this with the average corporate store prices in mind.

That being said, I began researching other earth friendly materials and price-friendly nursery furniture. I took into consideration that our baby will be in our room for the first few months and we don't have space for a crib in there (not yet anyway). I will be breast feeding so I definitely want the baby as close to me as possible for the convenience of late night feedings as well. With everything taken into consideration, I finally found and immediately fell in love with the STOKKE SLEEPI System Crib. Yes, the price is still more than what I would like it to be, but Hubby was right (yet again) when he said that if we start compromising our values for things now, it's going to eventually compromise our entire lifestyle and how we ultimately want to raise our child.

With that said, here are some of the reasons why I LOVE this crib: Bassinet and crib in one without the need to purchase them separately. The bassinet is good until the baby is 6 months old, giving us time to figure out the space issue once we need to convert it to the full size crib. It's made of cultivated beechwood and uses non-toxic finishes, eliminating chemicals and the worry that our baby will be exposed to them. It converts to a toddler bed or even 2 chairs once your child has outgrown the crib which is realistic because it has a 7 year warranty. They expect you to have it until your child is 7 and they actually cover the parts for that long which I think is pretty incredible. On an aesthetic note I love that the crib is oval, which to me simply made it look different and modern. Once I saw the video demo and heard that it's oval because it's imitating the shape of the mother's womb, I was completely sold. I love love love the canopy option, which I definitely plan on using. I think it makes it look so soft and innocent. Really I could go on and on about this crib but really the best part is the fact that Hubby agreed and so I registered for it right away. :)

I am sad however that Baby Earth doesn't have a physical store here in NYC, I would have preferred to have my registry at a single store and I love that they actually have an entire section of their store devoted to eco-friendly baby products. I hope it won't look crazy when people ask me where I'm registered and I end up giving them the names of about 5 stores (I have a funny feeling this is what will end up happening).

I should also mention that I finally purchased my first pregnancy book. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. After downloading a sample of every conceivable pregnancy book on my NookColor about a month ago when I found out I was expecting, this is the only book that I felt was worth purchasing so that I may read it in its entirety. It was recommended to me by a good friend of mine that I've known since middle school who had 2 natural births and knows first hand what a beautiful and empowering experience natural birth is. I feel like I am slowly fading out of the "I can't believe I'm pregnant" phase and really just embracing this miraculous journey I'm on. I am opening my heart and my mind to all of the positive things that are coming my way thanks to having this little peanut growing inside me.

I intend to cherish every second. Even the times when I have to hold my breath because we are passing by a chocolate shop or the 5 times I get up in the middle of the night to tinkle. These are all my rites of passage into motherhood.

In the mean time, I have begun a piggy bank to save up for our dream crib in the understandable event that no one gets it for us. Donations are always welcome. ;)