Post For the Mummies - Men Beware - Baby Stuff Talk Forthwith

Today was a day from Hades at work, but I'm so annoyed about it I don't even feel like ranting. I ranted to approximately four people already today, and I'm simply exhausted.

So to make up for my day from Hades, I spent the entire afternoon (which was only two hours due to my late lunch) making a "Scott and Lori's Baby-Wants" spreadsheet. (In reality, it's just a "Lori's Baby-Wants" spreadsheet, and also I started it yesterday.) I get very overly-organised when I start these kinds of spreadsheets and usually end up having to display the page in landscape because I add so many columns they will not fit onto one page in the portrait layout. So far, my spreadsheet columns consist of:

Category (ie, Bedding, Nursery Furniture and Decor, Feeding, Travel, Toys & Entertainment, etc)
Item
Where To Find
Price
Quantity
Style/Size/Other
"Life" Expectancy (ie, will it be useful for more than one child? Is it useful to more than one parent? For how long? Etc.)
and Need or Want (Scott pointed out that nearly everything is a "Need", but dude, lots of things are! Like a cot, a cot mattress, a bottle steriliser and breast pump, etc.)

This spreadsheet is also colour-coordinated for easier viewing.

Since I never got to have a wedding registry (and oh how disappointing that was!) and since registries are still considered rather tacky here in GB, this is sort of my redeeming chance. If people wonder what to get for us, this list will be very handy (I think). And it's good for me because I'm so incredibly picky when it comes to stuff (I research and read reviews and talk to people until I am certain of exactly which brand and model is perfect) that hopefully this will avoid my getting Avent bottles instead of Tommee Tippee and so forth.

The biggest category on the list that excites me is the "Baby-Wearing" category. I baby-wearing. Sarah introduced me to the world of slings, and now I've gone bananas. I found about seven different kinds of pouches, slings and carriers that I LOVED but have managed to cut my desires down to five carriers in particular.

The podaegi (Korean blanket carrier):


The EllaRoo Lightly Padded Ring Sling:


The Hotslings Deluxe Pool Pouch:


The mei tai (Chinese baby carrier):


and the ever-famous BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Air:


The mei tai or the BABYBJÖRN would be for Scott, as he facies carrying the baby like a backpack, though it looks like the BABYBJÖRN must be worn on the front only. The podaegi, the ring sling, the pool pouch, and oh, let's be honest, the mei tai too, would be for me because they are all so cool.

Other items that are totally rocking my world:
* **

Sigh. Stuff.

*The Pollywog nursing pillow was highly recommended on VeryMom's website. I purchased one for my friend Devon, and she loves it. It helps promote good digestion in infants, and Devon says it reduces her baby's gassiness by, like, a lot.
**I don't believe women should have to get all cover-up-the-nursing-breasts-oh-my-goodness-or-you'll-look-like-a-hussy, and I certainly don't intend to hide in a dark corner any time my baby wants to nurse. However, since I know some people are dead uncomfortable with nursing boobies (and, like, seriously, dude, give me a break, it's what they are THERE FOR), I think this nursing cover is as sweet a nursing cover you can come by. It's lightweight so baby doesn't overheat, and it's got that gaping hole at the top for you to keep an eye on the babe. I think I'd like one just for when, you know, the pastor comes over or my grandpa, who might be a bit uncomfortable with my nipples, is around. Or when I'm out and about in places where I know people will get all SLUT-UR-FEEDING-UR-BABY-WITH-UR-BOOBS-GROSS-MUST-COVER-HUSBAND'S-EYES on me. But then again, maybe not.