Registering

Who knew that registering for baby items would be so stressful and overwhelming? Mom, Kelly, and I spent all day Sunday picking out the things Jackson would need when he arrives.

I spent some doing a little research before taking on the task, but it didn't seem to aid much in the decision making process. With every trip I made to Target in the past few months, I browsed the baby section to get an idea of what we might need and what we like. I have also spent coutnless hours browing websites and other people's registries, trying to make early decisions.

We went staright for the baby aisles at Target. I had already chosen the brightly colored jungle animal bouncer and take along swing, so they were the first things I aimed the registry gun at. I just think they are adorable. I picked out a matching stroller, highchair, and Pack N Play. I chose a stroller that came with a carrier/carseat. I need to find a base for the carseat. It didn't seem to come with one. I know that Jackson won't be in a carrier forever, so I wanted to register for a seat he would be in for years. Jose and I had looked at the convertible carseats a few weeks ago. We picked out a few that we liked and I researched them. I was glad to register for a Titan Elite!

Bedding was the major thing on my mind. We wanted to stay away from the traditional nursery blues and greens and have a lot of color since we can't paint the walls. I thought I had the bedding and everything picked out. When we get to Target, they don't have it in stores so I needed to chose something that was accessible to more shoppers. Target had a really adorable jungle animal print that was cute and colorful. They had a few matching accessories, but not much. I went ahead and registered for it knowing that if I found something better elsewhere, I could change it.

Check out the bedding at Target.com.

We spent hours at Target. We probably spent half an hour trying to decide on bottles alone. There are so many things to consider- size, shape, volume, etc. I chose the Avent brand. They were a bit pricey, but the name felt safe. We also picked out some onesies, a bathtub, grooming kit, sleep accessories, pacifiers, an adorable playplace, and a few other odds 'n ends.

Finally, we called it quits at Target! Mom was dying to show me some wall art that she spotted on a previous trip to Target. They were adorable canvas paintings of jungle animals. We put them in the cart to buy right away.

When I turned in the registry gun, the woman printed my registry and told me it would be online in 3-4 hours.

We headed to lunch at Red Robin. After devouring a yummy chicken sandwich and fries, we went to Babies R Us. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed. We spent about an hour there looking at their strollers, swings, and other big items to see if there was something there I liked better. I decided to stick with what I picked out at Target. I did pick out one major item, a swing. I registered for some blankets, a changing pad, a boppy, a baby monitor, nursery accessories, and some things for the car.

When I got home, I was disappointed that neither of my registeries were available. I wanted to show Jose everything I picked out! It took Babies R Us three days to get it online and it took Target four days. So much for a few hours. I was excited to find more nursery items to match the bedding from Target. The hamper, lightswitch plate, curtains, diaper stacker, and some of the sheets are only available online.

In the end, it was a long day but a good experience. Who knew Jackson would need so much! Thank goodness for my mom and sister! They offered suggestions and helped me make decisions that were difficult. Also, I appreciate that they have bought the beautiful baby bed and dresser for Jackson's nursery. I love you and Jackson appreciates it!