So much baby stuff out there is ridiculously priced or unnecessary and oftentimes both, but there are some things that are worth the price. First I’ll start with my absolute favorite baby item. This booster seat is the most convenient thing in the world. Makes far more sense (and takes up less space) than a high chair and is portable for dining in restaurants. Best yet, it’s like $30, though right now Wal-Mart has them for less than $25. There are no crooks and crannies to get food stuck in, when it gets dirty it wipes clean easily.

This diaper bag is NOT cheap. It costs about $130, but it was a gift from my wonderful sister in law. I’d registered for it, and then forgot I had a registry. It was a wonderful surprise. For one thing it’s cute as all get out. (This might not seem important at first, but when you have to haul the thing around for three years you will get it. I hated my last diaper bag with the heat of a thousand suns and desperately wanted a cute one this time out.) Better yet, it’s made of heavy canvas, with nice brass hardware. It’s major heavy duty. And get this, my favorite feature–it converts to a back pack. Again, you might not think about this feature, but it’s great for all those times when you need to chase the baby around the park, or push him on the swings, but don’t have a hand free because you’re holding the diaper bag. I’ve also found it wonderful for diaper changes out in public where for some mysterious reason it hasn’t occurred to anyone that we need a freaking hook for our bags!!! It’s great for two kids too when you need to hold one child’s hand and push the stroller or hold the baby with the other. Trust me, this bag is worth every penny!!!

Ikea. Don’t sleep on Ikea. We’ve bought all our kids’ furniture there since moving to Atlanta and we love it. (Also bought the entertainment center for the TV. It’s sturdy and very handsome.) For a nursery it can’t be beat. We got the deal of a lifetime and got a crib and changing table for $130. It’s all-wood construction and has held up beautifully. Ikea builds their stuff to European furniture standards which are higher than ours. Luke’s bunkbed came from there as did his dresser. Trust me, Luke can break a bowling all. He hasn’t so much as put a scratch on any of this furniture. I’m amazed, because we thought we’d just buy the cheap stuff temporarily until we could afford better. We’ve rethought that, for real.

Okay, so this wasn’t inexpensive at all, ($300!) but worth every penny and then some. Fair warning, the car seat DOES NOT fit on top of a shopping cart. This is a safety measure as propping a car seat on top a shopping cart is hazardous. I just put the car seat in the cart and a couple of the hand baskets on the bottom and go, it’s actually much more convenient to unload a shopping cart that way. I do it now even when I don’t have Kell with me. The stroller is absolutely divine and actually collapses with one hand. It’s big and takes up a lot of space, but we have a mini van, but it is something to consider. My previous stroller was damned near impossible to collapse. The infant seat is the easiest I’ve ever used. You can unlatch it from the base in a snap. Love it so much.

That’s it for now. I’m frugal but believe in buying good stuff where quality counts. Car seats are about safety so I’ll never compromise there, on the other hand, I really don’t care that much about how a crib or changing table looks. As long as it’s safe and I don’t have to worry about the thing falling apart, it’s all good. Spend your money wisely. Don’t waste it on baby clothes. They outgrow them so fast and you have to change them so much, most of the time a onesie or sleep and plays are all you need. I have indulged myself and bought a few pieces for church, but really it doesn’t matter. Either way, the baby won’t care, and you can save that money for other expenses, and trust me, there will be other expenses.