I admit I am judgy when it comes to people's baby registries...Maybe it comes from having a family that doesn't do showers (though my sister is crazy if she thinks I am going to tame my inner Martha and not throw her an adoption shower) or maybe it comes from being cheap; I'm not sure.
But I am very judgemental about what others want. For instance I got invited to the shower of my husband's cousin. Everything on her registry is high end, organic only, BPA free, and all the baby buzz word merchandise is there. There are two places this person is registered- the first is relatively normal and I could buy a bottle brush for 5 bucks along with the 219.00 dollar highchair if I were so inclined.....The other is a very high end boutique store where I can buy a knit romper for 54.00 or an elephant bank for 90.00 (and these are on the low side of the things wanted) or I could spend a whopping 200.00 on a baby lounger.
I think the judgy stems from the fact that I don't get it. I wouldn't be so judgy if this person was a natural lover who really believed in organics and free trade and sustainable living, but she isn't. The registries reek of "this is what I HAVE to have because the experts say so" And I get it that people use the lists, and read the books and look to others who have kids to see what they should get and all that...BUT seriously how many places to sit the baby down do you need? Do you really need a swing and a lounger and a bouncy seat, and 2 pack and plays, and a boppy and a breast friend? In my opinion (which is the one that counts mind you) no. You need a bouncy seat and a blanket for the floor. Do you need 80 dollar foam floor tiles? NOPE.
And it's not like the extra stuff is going to go to grandma's or something like that since I know grandma is getting stuff from her sister's to keep in her house for when baby comes....
ok thats it rant over, feel free to comment on why this rant makes me a horrible person.
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6 comments:
You can throw me a shower - AFTER I'm home from Ethiopia with an Actual Child!
I am not 100% sure about the etiquette on this, but in my opinion the reason to do a registry (wedding or baby) is so that the people who have no clue about gift-giving have a handy-dandy list. Got good taste? Know where to find it cheaper? Wanna give me cash instead? Then feel free to ignore the registry!
Is this their first child? It seems like with the first, some people have a tendency to maybe go a little bit overboard with the registries, maybe because they themselves don't really know what they're going to need (and what just looks shiny & fun when they're running around the store with the gift scanner). Then again, I recall yours (before Joseph was born) as being very practical and not just a junk-for-the-sake-of-junk sort of list, so maybe it depends largely on the person making the list.
But I definitely agree, the prices for some of that stuff are absurd, and I think the Baby Industry (or, well, the high-end spectrum of the Baby Industry, at least) plays really well into new parents' worries and insecurities by trying to sell them a lot of (relatively) superfluous stuff. I mean, seriously--$54.00 for a romper is just ridiculous. (haha)
Would those be the Skip Hop $80 floor tiles? Cuz I really like those. Of course, I don't actually OWN them and now in retrospect they seem pretty useless, but hey, they're prettier than other rubber floor tiles...
g- I also like the look of the skip hop tiles and was all set to buy them when i saw them in action- they seemed flimsier than the rubber tiles and somehow tacky (as in sticky) i would covet them if they were at your house but this couple has two huge slobber dogs--- it just seems that the couple didnt take into account their living situation (two huge dogs, small apartment) when registering for stuff, it just was like this is what is hip and "needed" so i am going to get it..
Now I'm thinking that I missed an opportunity to get "stuff" - I should've had a shower!
Love registries. I never know what to get for a shower and I hate it when I am at the shower (if I show up)and the gift that is opened before mine or after is the exact same gift. So, I for one love registries, no matter the cost.
Aunt Mary
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