Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Our Attempt at Registering

Registering didn't go so well yesterday. I pretty much had a breakdown in the bottle aisle at Target trying to decide which items to register for. I know this isn't a make or break decision. But my perfectionism sure got the best of me yesterday. I felt like I should know what type of bottle, sippy cup, and feeding utensils to select and that somehow not knowing meant I was a failure as a mother.

Target is also frustrating because they have so little inventory on their shelves. They have a ton of cribs online, but only a few in the store and absolutely no chairs to try out.

It wasn't all bad though. The best part was seeing John get so excited in the toy aisles.

After Target, we went to Babies 'r' us and it didn't get much better. I really wanted this to be a fun experience for us, but I felt like a total fraud. I couldn't decide on much of anything. I haven't been able to choose a crib or a rocker. I am so afraid of choosing wrongly. I kept thinking that people would look at our registry and think we are idiots - "some adoption agency decided they were fit to be parents?!?!"

By the end of the day I was in tears. I wish I could just select what I like and not worry about it.

Thankfully, I can add and delete things online without having to set foot in the store again.

Of course, that means I also have to actually make a decision! LOL



And no, we didn't select either of these items. Baby steps....tomorrow is another day.

11 comments:

everythingismeowsome said...

Registering is SO stressful!! I was on the verge of a panic attack when we registered. It was the carseats and strollers that did me in! Do you have any mom friends that you might want to take back to the store with you? It might help! Good luck!

Christy said...

Hey - you look great in the picture! I know that doesn't really help, but I wanted to tell you anyway.
When we (I) registered - Brian was in Iraq and one of my (single) girlfriends went with me. I asked the store clerk a few questions (not terribly helpful) and I was CLUELESS! I didn't know what I was doing at all. You are not alone, my friend. If you want to call and chat while you're doing your registry, feel free. I'll send you my phone number on facebook. ;) Realize this - whatever you choose will be great! Some things you may use a lot, some not, but it doesn't matter, it won't effect your parenting which things you choose. Try to relax and enjoy!

Courtney said...

Awwwh :(...registering is tough on any new mom...too many choices these days!! on things like bottles and sippy cups etc post a few of your favs and we will help you pick!! On big items like baby gear...read the online reviews on amazon...they usually have a ton of reviews so you can get a pretty good idea on what is good/bad. I remember registering and then after reading reviews realized that several of my choices were not good at all!!!!

Amy said...

You deserve a hug! :) I don't know if I would stress about the bottles...my little guy was so attached to HIS bottles from Korea, that we just used those. And, he gave up the bottle a couple of weeks after his arrival. Hang in there momma! :)

Niki said...

Awww, I so wish I could hug you!! No one is going to judge your registry. I promise. If they do they aren't your friends. I have a massive collection of bottles. A couple of each of about 6 different kinds. It took us forever to decide. Em didn't like some. /Others leaked. Others had too many parts, etc, etc. What one kid likes, another doesn't.

I suspect there are other emotions behind how you felt. Be gentle on yourself. I second looking on Amazon. (and if you order from Amazon, sign up for Amazon Mom)

A said...

I think it will be overwhelming, too, and from what I have read, there isn't a super great place to register. Target is closest to me, but like you said, they have a pretty limited selection. I read that BuyBuyBaby is probably the best, but they only have a few stores in the country, and I'm not sure how people would feel shopping only online for a baby shower-

Hang in there!!!

Anonymous said...

If you have a friend who has a small baby take them with you! I had my two best friends and my Mom. It is overwhelming, but remember that EVERY new Mom has to learn all of this! If you want, I have a list I just gave to another Korean adoptive Mom who is waiting for their child to come home. Let me know!

Amy said...

Aw! I agree that there is just too much out there! I think that companies prey on new moms. I tried registering at one store and ended up just walking out. I like the advice given by your friends; take another mom with you to register and post pics for your friends to help you to decide on items (that sounds like fun, anyways). I'll be praying for you that your next trip will be lots of fun and less stressful!

Anonymous said...

Hi Becky,

Registering is very stressful! I can say that I spent a lot of time reviewing Amazon reviews and would highly recommend that because stores can be very overwhelming. On things like bottles, I can't even tell you how many different kinds I tried in the first couple of months. Some things really will just be trial and error, so I recommend not getting too many bottles/sippy cups until you figure out what Joshua likes. On the crib and rocker, check the reviews for safety issues and then pick what you like. I would love to help.

Love,
Joanne

Stacey said...

I know you can already tell this from the comments here, but you are not alone! I'd heard stories from friends about how difficult/stressful registering can be and I found them to be true (especially if you're super indecisive like I am). And I found the bottle and feeding items particularly overwhelming, too! Don't stress over your decisions, though. You can always return stuff if you change your mind! I wound up making several changes online after I got home.

Most importantly, this does NOT mean you are a failure!!!

Grace said...

seriously, you are not alone! i remember feeling like this, too. on my first attempt, i registered for a zillion things and then went back and changed everything -- several times. don't worry, no one knows what they're doing at first! let me know if you need help!