Recommendations: What brands (specific) should we get?

Ditto on the bed rail. Cheap and definitely worth it! (Also agree with others about not buying a toddler bed.)

Do they still make those thick, washable cotton pads/cloths you can put in the crib or wherever? They were cheap, and we used them everywhere. Nothing soaks through them. They come in several sizes. Cut up a couple of large ones and put them in the diaper bag for changes on the go. Throw one on the bed or on the floor (after they can turn over and roll off the bed, about 5 months for most) and do diaper changes wherever you are.

We never bothered with a changing table at all. We bought a crib, a chest of drawers (which he is still using at age 11) and a rocking chair (optional.) That's all the furniture you need. You can find very good things at garage sales in good neighborhoods!

The stroller came with a carseat, and I'm waiting to see if we get a pass-me-down for an extra carseat. Mostly because Mr. J is always ashamed of the junk he leaves all in his car, so we drive mine everywhere. There wouldn't be a time that there is an emergency and my car isn't there. Plus, his is a standard (Nissan maxima), and that's not as safe in the snow. I think we'll get the upgrade carseat (for toddlers) when we need it.


As far as clothes... jeez. I've been thinking I shouldn't buy any because his mom lovessssssssssssssssssssssss to go nuts on the grandkids. I keep hoping I'm not making a mistake because Sears had 70% off EVERYTHING the other day. Just trying to not have too much of anything since I always hear they grow up so fast?

We are going to buy the mattress pads for the play pen and the crib. We're not sure what we're going to do about the kind of crib we get. He really doesn't want to get a cheap one ...which basically leaves us with this "new style of crib" where one side of the crib is solid wood instead of "rails"

So we just need a dresser and a change rack? that's enough for everything? furniture wise.

As far as the carseat/stroller combo - it should also come with a base. You could simply buy another base that fits the carseat. The one concern about a pass-me-down seat is how old it is - it may not have all the most recent safety features. Even when I had a second child, we ended up buying a new infant car seat because of this.

You are right on clothes - they do grow out of them fast (every few months). I have some clothes that my babies only wore a couple of times. Better to buy less and wash more often at least at the infant stages.

Hard to know if a used carseat has been in an accident. Always replace the carseat after an accident.

Hey Jo,

I just got off the phone with my brother. I told him that I knew someone in the military that was being relocated to Alaska and his comment was "Lucky!"

Over the 30 some years he has been in the Army he has known many people who so fell in love with Alaska that they have retired there. He has always wished that he would be stationed there because of all of the wonderful things he's heard.

It sounded to me like you were feeling a bit angsty about Alaska so I thought I would pass on his comments. He also said you should be able to get anything you need there as they have Wal-Marts and every other kind of store you could possibly imagine.

In serious snow, I always feel much safer in a standard - you can control the car and road much better. Make sure both cars have four snow tires - more important than almost anything else you can think of. I've had a couple of rounds of working in the snowbelt areas of Northern Ontario. Snow tires - and don't put 'em on late.

The message boomer is sorta passing on from her brother matches what I've heard from people who've been in Alaska in the last coupla years. It's not quite the Wild West. Very civilized.

Plus a closet: the rod to hang outfits, shelf/floor to hold diaper boxes, pack 'n' play, etc. That should be plenty.

Mrs. Drew was worried about having clothes for the baby. She went to sales through her pregnancy and bought clothes. Then the gifts started... and there are outfits that have only been worn once.



Note on the pack 'n' play: we simply used it as our bassinet.