Advice for moms-to-be

A gratuitous picture of Benjamin's perfect face

I have had a few thought recently about things I wish I knew before I had babies/before I registered for baby things.

1) Do not buy an expensive crib.  We didn't go top-of-the line, but we paid more than Ikea/Target prices, and it's not worth it.  The cribs look lovely.  They are sturdy.  And I hope they are safe.  But, both boys have taken to teething on the rails of the crib.  Every time I go to get them after a nap, they have bits of finish from the crib around their mouths (I am praying it's non-toxic!).  The cribs look like a woodchuck slept in them.  Not worth the money!

2) Do not buy expensive crib bedding sets.  You won't use the bumpers much, you won't use the quilt at all, and the baby will spit up all over the sheet.

Asher eating his book

3) Don't worry about toys.  My guys have tons of toys, and they couldn't be bothered with their real toys.  They like measuring cups, tupperware, pulling books off of shelves, eating books, and whatever object the other one is holding.

4) A video monitor might actually be a good idea.  My thought was, our house is small, I'll hear them, I can get to them quickly... And when they were small and not really moving within their cribs, sound was fine.  But now that they move around and play in their cribs (and teethe ON the crib), I wish I could get a glimpse of what they are up to before I go in.  Especially because we sometimes let them cry a little during nap time if they haven't napped long enough.  Recently, Benjamin has managed to get his limbs stuck between the slats of the crib.  And when I say stuck, I mean stuck-- I had a hard time getting his knee out, and it left him with a big bruise!  A video monitor would help to know when I need to get there in a hurry, and when they are likely to settle back down.  I don't think video is great if you are going to stay up all night watching to make sure your child is breathing, but at this point, if I could switch it on and see what they were up to, it would be helpful!

I know there are other tips, but these are the ones that are on my mind right now.  I'll post more as they come to me!