My hubby and I are spending a romantic evening researching baby cribs and stroller systems! We’ve found a few items we like, but we wanted to see what you all found in your research, as well as what you were looking for when you shopped.
For us, we have several things we’re looking for in a crib (not in order):
1) white finish (this is just a preference)
2) non-toxic finish (because babies suck on their cribs!)
3) solid wood (not pressed wood, because the glue can off-gas; also, solid wood will last longer through many, many babies)
4) meets or exceeds all safety standards
5) a style we like (we like clean modern lines, as well as the more classic sleigh style)
6) (added bonus) convertible to something else besides just a crib (toddler bed, day bed, etc.)
7) fits a standard sized mattress
8) non-moving parts (so many drop-side cribs have been recalled lately)
9) free shipping!
We found this Baby Mod Lily 4-in1 that we really like. We’re still looking around and considering other options too!
Looking at stroller systems is for some reason much more overwhelming to me. Maybe because there are so many options… maybe because it is such a huge safety issue. We learned recently that car seats EXPIRE after 6 years, so we definitely want to get a brand new one so we can get our money out of it before it “goes bad”!
Here’s our stroller must-haves list (not in order):
1) meets or exceeds all safety standards
2) gender-neutral color (so that future babies can enjoy it too)
3) 3-in-1 travel system (car seat/baby carrier, stroller, base unit that gets left in car)
4) has good reviews by actual consumers
5) free shipping
We found one we like here (the Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System). Again, we are still continuing to look and price other strollers. 
Lots to think and pray about! These are exciting times!
Well cribs I cant help you with 🙂
Cause with Caleb he used some piece of junk crib that was Travis’ so who knows how old that thing was before he got it LOL… it was pretty old. Caleb lived 🙂
Then with Taite you all know he didnt even use a crib. He used a Graco Pack-n-Play system.. which I do highly recommend you all get 2. If you travel AT ALL you will want one. They last forever 2. We still have the same one we had with Caleb. Looks just fine. The only aging we notice on it is its slightly stained on the edging due to so much use. Its great though for keeping in the bedroom with you until baby sleeps through the night. I am not one to keep baby to far away the 1st few months.. just because I dont like to get up and go to another room at 3am 🙂
Strollers..
Well.. I love graco 2 but I really do like the keyfit we just got 🙂
So I dunno. I dont think you’d be disappointed with either. So Id just find a print you like.
Go to Toys R Us tho and try the strollers out. Play with folding them up and down. You can borrow one of our kids to practice pushing it with some weight in it HAHA.. 🙂
Im sure whatever you want you’ll get 🙂 with this being baby num. 1 your going to get spoileeedddddd heehee
I think you are very wise to go GENDER NEUTRAL 2 btw. Atleast in the stroller 🙂 cause you two do plan to have more.
Graco strollers tend to wear out really quickly, especially the wheels. If you can, I would go for something that has pneumatic tires, instead of plastic wheels. So much easier to push and maneuver, and will last so much longer!
I don’t know if either of you like to jog/run, but a three wheeled jogging stroller is really nice. My sister has a Baby Jogger and LOVES it! It is super light, easy to maneuver, folds with one hand really compact, and is excellent quality. The front wheel can swivel or lock.
I also wouldn’t necessarily say you ‘need’ to have it as a travel system. Most car seats will fit on most strollers in some way or another, even if it doesn’t totally click in.
As for cribs, I’m in love with German cribs 🙂 They are lower to the ground, and do not have a drop side. They also usually have three bars in the side that can be removed so your toddler can get in and out by him/herself. Very handy when you are 9 months pregnant and don’t want to lift your 30 pound toddler out of bed! Also, they turn into a toddler bed very easily. Very sturdy too. They are slightly longer than the standard though, so the mattress would have to be purchased with it. Of course, it sounds like you are looking for something different, but I thought I’d throw it out there! German furniture and baby items are well known for quality.
I highly recommend the book Baby Bargains. It reviews all kinds of baby gear and tells you what you really need and what you can do without. I found it very helpful. You could probably find it at the library, but you really want the latest edition of it, since it will have the most up-to-date info on what is currently available. I think it’s worth it to buy it. Or you can always go sit in the bookstore for a few hours and read the parts you are interested in! 🙂
We had a Graco travel system, and we were happy with it. The stroller was much lighter than some, and it held up very well, although we didn’t use it a whole lot (except at the mall and around the neighborhood a little).
I really like that crib you picked. We had a drop side crib for Drew, but I don’t think we ever even put the side down. It was always too awkward with a baby in your arms. And since Jed and I are both tall, reaching down into the crib was really never an issue (and Drew has always been a feather-weight!)
Have fun browsing!!
I LOVE my Graco MetroLite model!! I bought a travel system with my daughter Anna… almost 6 years ago!! My seat is in GREAT condition (stinks it expires!!) and my stroller… apart from some fabric discoloration (which I could have prevented by washing it more frequently) is in SUPER shape…. it’s been through 3 kids in that amount of time. I they didn’t expire, we’d easily be loving it again:)
Instead we purchased an updated MetroLite:) So GRACO will live in in this house…. the seats are super easy to wash and we’ve been very satisfied with the quality:) Not to mention the stroller is easy to fold and very light (I could easliy pick it up to put it int he car with a baby on my hip…. have done it PLENTY of times;)
That’s what we had too–MetroLite. I couldn’t remember the name!
Just started reading your blog, and have just a portion of advice from my experience. (Which I’m sure thats all ppl want to give you is advice, trust me I know, I am a YP wife also.) Withe the stroller and car seat, we decided on Graco at first then went to try everything out and got the advice of the experts at BabiesRUs, after that, we decided to go with the Chicco set. And we have LOVED it, it is so so so simple. Everything locks in so easily. And it cleans SO easy. And they come in designs that aren’t going to look outdated in a few years with your next one. Check it out! 🙂
We went with the Chicco Key Fit 30 car seat in Romantic (a grey/black seat). It fits babies up to 30 pounds and had really high safety ratings (the most important thing to me!) They make a travel system for this but we currently just have the car seat!