Twin Registry, Part 2

a small running series on the stuff we actually had :)

Furnishings

Cribs
We went with the Graco Laurens. We got them from BRU on sale (well, a set of fabulous grandparents got them). They work, they're pretty small - key, given that the girls' room is about 12x8 - and they convert to toddler beds. Technically they convert to full beds too, but sorry girls, they'll never fit in this house like that.

  

We did end up getting plastic snap on covers for the front rails since once they learned to stand, they started to gnaw on them. I also bought fleece with intentions of making covers for the sides, but never did, so they look like chipmunks attacked in a couple of spots. Oh well. This is a big reason I am glad we didn't get $$ cribs - babies are like puppies, chewing and peeing on everything.

Changing table

We also have the Graco Lauren changing table.

It is fine, and roomy (we keep all of our cloth diapers on it, plus disposables, wipes, extra wet bags, swim diapers). Weirdly, it has wheels - do people really roll these things around? Due to this, there is an espresso colored stripe down the wall from it moving with rolly babies.  

Pack and Play

We got  a lot of use out of this when they were itty bitty, since they'd nap it it together and we used the changing table a TON in the living room. The detachable laundry basket was also really nice.

We haven't really used it since 3 months or so, but it does live on our enclosed porch and they sometimes ask to go into it to play (weirdos). I might get some balls for it to make it a ball pit soon. I think if our house was laid out differently, we would have used it a lot longer (eg, if we had two floors).

High chairs

We got the space saver high chairs that convert to booster seats. They're good, and the footprint is smaller than most traditional high chairs.
 
I do wish we'd assembled them before the babies started solids, as I think we could have used them for bottlefeeds since they recline a good deal.  We ended up getting chairs from Ikea for around $20 each to put them on so that we can still have guests sit at our table (as we only had 4 chairs to start).  My only beef is they are too high as boosters to slide under our table  - I don't know if this is normal, or if our table is weirdly low, but our girls are still too small at 17 mo to reach the table without being pushed under.

Also, the pads and straps are food magnets. They are washable and clean up beautifully, but we took them off around 9 or 10 months and haven't replaced them. We may start using the straps if they start trying to climb out regularly.

All that said, if I could do it again, I'd really consider the cheapy Ikea high chairs that stack together, or smaller more booster like seats like this one: