I've been working on our baby registry intermittently for the past few months, and last week I confidently announced to Frank that it was "All done!" Other than picking a stroller (which we want to test out in person first), we had everything we needed on there.
But as I looked over the list, it occurred to me that 60-some items seemed a little high. Off the top of my head I could only think of a handful of things we really need, besides clothing and diapers (which do make up a large part of the registry). What was driving the numbers up so much?
I had put a lot of books on there... but books are important, right? Babies need to be read to, and I figure this is my one chance in life to get as many free children's books as I want. It was only smart to register for all the books Baby could ever want, right?
Then I counted how many books were on the registry.
There were thirty.
Thirty books. A full half of our baby registry was books.
Sheepishly I informed Frank, "Oh by the way... half the registry is books." No big, right?
Um, yes big. He politely but firmly asked me to please remove the books from the registry. We should focus, he said, on acquiring the stuff we actually need.
"But we need books," I said.
"The baby can get books for Christmas and birthdays," he said. "Baby doesn't need all those books right away.
"Do I have to take them all off? Can't I leave I'll Love Your Forever on there?" (And The Velveteen Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit, I added in my head.)
"Yes, all of them," he said. "Why don't you make an Amazon wish list? That way you'll know which books you want for later."
I pouted for five minutes and then finally admitted he was right.
So I went through the registry and one-by-one looked up each book on Amazon, added it to a "Books for Baby" wish list, and deleted it from the registry. Goodbye, Paddington Bear. Goodbye, Frog and Toad. I also added a few more books I found on Amazon, because I totally forgot Ferdinand the Bull, and you can't forget Ferdinand the Bull.
As I was doing this, it occurred to me that this was becoming a pretty epic book list. Since this blog began when my mom was trying to choose what books to give as gifts at a baby shower and asked for my advice, it seemed only fitting to share my Books for Baby wish list on Amazon with you.
Am I forgetting any good children's books? What books would you add to the list?
And has anyone else had to stop herself from filling up a baby registry with books? Please tell me I'm not the only one. :)
I have an amazon wish list with the exact same title actually! I was big on the "only what we need" bandwagon but I so wanted some of these books. Sadly, so many of them have been destroyed by teething but that is why board books were invented! The nice ones are tucked away in a closet until Michael can be trusted with them. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, I WOULD have put lots of books on the registry but after reading this post I'll follow Frank's advice and create a separate "Baby Wants" list. lol. I actually have a reeeeaaaaaaaaaally hard time coming up with "Baby Needs", despite consulting many lists. So much easier to come up with books.
ReplyDeleteI notice a lack of Tomie dePaola picture books on your list! Those were huge in my house. I would also advise always having at least one Calvin and Hobbes collection lying around.
ReplyDeleteOh don't you worry, we HAVE a Calvin and Hobbes collection. :) But you can never have too many, right?
DeleteSend me your Tomie dePaola recommendations! I always enjoyed his books too but I don't think we had a lot of them so I can't think of the good ones off the top of my head.
I actually kind of disagree with taking books off the registry: books are TOTALLY important (I mean think about how many millions of times a week you'll be reading to your baby!) aaand I think it's awesome to be able to see which books exactly a mommy wants to read to her baby. But I guess that's what the wish list is for? Will you be sharing that wish list along with the registry? in which case I'm kind of confused why they have to be two different things... ANYWAY, the point I was going to make is that there's nothing worse than receiving a bunch of terrible books that you never ever want to read. Every new mom I've worked for has bemoaned the fact that they have a stack of books which they keep meaning to get rid of (but haven't gotten around to doing) that people gave them and are just terrible, no-fun books. Like, those really stupid ones that don't have a point or have ugly illustrations. (as a book lover, those books make me super sad and why would you want to read them to your child?) So it's actually nice to know that you're getting a book that the person loves and will want to read ad naseam. ;) (i just realized how long this comment got and it's totally because I'm a book obsessed person, bwahaha)
ReplyDeleteYou and me both. :)
DeleteI think the idea is that the registry is stuff we actually need in the next few months, while the book list can be gradually collected over the next several years (hence why I'm calling it a "wish list" instead of a registry). So relatives and friends can look to that for gift ideas for years to come.
That's a great idea about sharing the wish list with the registry! I hadn't even thought of that. I definitely want to get the books on the list instead of random ones like you described!
Oh man that had to be hard! I know when I'm pregnant I will have the worst time not buying a ton of books! A lot of mine are saved from my childhood though so I am lucky in that aspect. :)
ReplyDeleteOh that's the best! I wish we could steal books from Frank's and my parents' houses but we've tried and that did NOT go over well. They want to keep the books for when their grandkids come to visit. :) But that's ok, I'm excited to start our own collection!
DeleteYou should register for a few board books though! It kinda sketches me out to get those from the library when babies are still into chewing on them. Plus the ones with flaps (like Where's Spot?) are always broken.
ReplyDeleteGood call! I know how destructive babies can be. :) I'm looking for board-book versions of as many books as I can. Hopefully that way they'll survive at least a few Barber babies!
DeleteYou have to add Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. That is one of our favorites. And There's a Monster at the End of This Book and Amelia Bedelia. Oh- and ALL of Dr. Seuss- especially Yertle the Turtle. I could go on all day...there are so many wonderful children's stories out there. Your baby will be so blessed to have parents who appreciate that and who will read to him or her.
ReplyDeleteKari—thanks for these suggestions! You're the best! I just went and added all of them to the wish list. :)
DeleteCan I saw that We're Going on a Bear Hunt is my favourite children's book of all time? Just lovely - very catchy words and beautiful illustrations. Also, The Tiger who Came to Tea (quite literally about what would happen if a tiger turned up at teatime) and if you want some more modern picture books, anything by Julia Donaldson?Alex Scheffler such as The Snail and the Whale/Room on the Broom/The Gruffalo (that last book was my littlest brother's bedtime story of choice for about a year: very clever and funny and great pictures)
DeleteOkay I am getting carried away now but here are just a few more beautifully illustrated picture books with the most moving, heartwarming messages: "The Whales' Song" by Dyan Sheldon (the illustrations are like haunting paintings, the story is unforgettable), "Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?" and "Owl Babies" (a very good story about sibling solidarity!) by Martin Waddell, and anything by Jill Waddell - "Peace at Last" and "Quiet Night In" are very funny stories which anyone from a large family can relate to. As for asking for books as gifts: I would say ask for beautiful versions too, to save for baby when (s)he is older - I had gorgeous colour-plated, A4-sized, hardback versions of Alice in Wonderland, The Complete Works of AA Milne and The Complete Thomas the Tank Engine stories. I was taught that these were special books and I had to read them carefully and gently - the best lesson in respecting books I ever had! Oh all this talk makes me wish I was a mummy too - how fantastic to get to share these timeless classics with your baby, Tess! Still, at least I have a goddaughter I can shower with books until my own kids come along!
DeleteMeabh, these are fantastic! Thanks!! I'm adding all the ones you mentioned to the wish list right away. :)
DeleteI'd have put many book titles there, too, but I gotta admit: Frank has a valid point. Luckily for me (I suppose) I get to be an Aunt before being a Mom so I can have lots of practice gifting favorite titles to me niece or nephew.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't register for books. Instead, on both of the baby shower invitations, there was a sentence about how we wanted to begin building a library for our baby. If guests wanted to include a favorite book of theirs as a part of their gift, they were welcome to do so. It was the best of both worlds! We got a whole bookshelf full of books, plus our family and friends were able to share a book or story that meant something to them. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, that's such a great idea! Very sweet and meaningful. I might have to copy that approach!
DeleteTess, I really love reading about your family's journey! And this post is possibly my favourite because I can imagine myself completely relating to your predicament! As for the list, it's awesome, and I just have a few suggestions:
ReplyDelete"God Gave Us You" by Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant (I think it's available as a board book)
"John Brown, Rose & the Midnight Cat" by Jenny Wagner
"There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake" by Hazel Edwards and Deborah Niland
"Tikki Tikki Tembo" by Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent
Looking forward to more lists as your little one grows!
Jess, thanks so much for these suggestions! I just added all of them to the wish list. :)
DeleteFor my baby shower, my mom put on the invite for people to bring their favorite children's book instead of a card :) We ended up receiving so many wonderful kids books! It was great!
ReplyDeleteYay, I've been meaning to comment on this post when I finally got on a computer with a keyboard! I love this. Tom and I were totally all about amassing a huge collection of children's books when I was expecting Lucy. My mom planned a book-themed baby shower for me, in which she asked everyone to bring a book instead of a card. And THEN, totally not knowing what my mom had done, my school planned me a book-themed shower as well! Suffice it to say, we have a massive library. Tom is particularly excited because he was sorely deprived of children's lit growing up (it's appalling, really). I didn't look through your comments but I would add anything by Robert McCloskey- Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine are faves.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm not sure if I got your email correct, but I did try to send you a big fat email last week with tons of baby advice! Let me know if I got the wrong email!
Oh, meant to add: be sure you have (or receive) a good number of infant board books. Lucy particularly loves the kind with real pictures of babies and animal (like the touch and feel ones). I think those work best for under 2 year olds who can't really sit through too much of a story.
DeleteGood call!! I've been trying to list board-book versions of as many books as possible. Also, I love the Robert McCloskey classics—I'll add those!
DeleteI imagine I'll have a similar problem when I have children, but too many books (is there really such a thing?) is a good problem to have. Plus I think books or other non-baby essentials are nice to have available for baby showers, especially for people like me who would constantly worry about getting the wrong thing that won't actually work for baby or getting something that the parents already have.
ReplyDeleteTo your book list I would recommend looking into some of Jan Brett's books, such as The Mitten, The Hat, The Wild Christmas Reindeer, The Three Snow Bears, Trouble with Trolls, and Town Mouse, Country Mouse. I love the stories and her illustration style is beautiful. Corduroy by Dan Freeman, Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, and The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big, Hungry Bear by Don Wood are also great books.
Thanks, Meg! I totally forgot about Jan Brett. Added a few of her books now.
DeleteI agree that it's nice to have something like books on registry lists. They are really timeless and you can't go wrong with them!