Baby Gifts

For those of you who don't know me, let me start with a disclaimer: I'm not having one anytime soon and I don't have any abnormal obsession with the little people, but this post is about babies. More importantly, their accesories.

Today me and Avi went to select a present at the chic baby boutique Giggle (top image is store front), where the mother had created a registry longer than every Christmas list I've ever made. Seeing that our gift was coming a few days after the birth, the rest of the office had already overtaken the baby wish list, leaving me and Avi to putter about the store. Poking at sock monkeys and staring at baby nutrition books, we would have looked more at home in the Lucky Cheng's dressing room.

A rather cold woman directed us to a smooth, mod, bomber leather inspired baby chair (if Neo had rocked the leather in his pod before knowing the truth, he would have had one of these); apparently the sandalwood egg was a "baby lounger" - good for up to two year olds. Strap the kid in and they kinda bounce, all the while looking good.

But what really got me going in this store (besides the woman who said I looked too young to be pregnant - after she asked if I was), was a stroller. Unlike the Chevy suburban proportioned monstrosities which always nick the back of my leg in the Starbucks line, this one had such a sexy design I was actually drawn to it. If Apple made a stroller - this would be it. The Stokke Xplory Complete - a multi stage, dare I suggest sexy, and quite compact little number.

And then I looked at the price tag - $1000. Yes, that is a "1" with three "0", one thousand dollars. In Asia women tie babies to their backs with fabric scraps and here in Manhattan - crazy couples pull out a grand to push their bundle in style. For that type of money I could find a dog that pulls the baby in a cart, or an illegal immigrant who will hold it for those first "stages" of growth. (what are the stages anyways?)

But this store - it had more stuff than I could imagine: monitors, stools, TONS of baby books, frames, quilts, soft toys, hard toys, mini wood funiture, sun nets for strollers, strollers, clothes, bibs, etc. I'm telling you - Nicole Richie is going to have a hay day matching outfits, stroller covers, baby hats, toys, etc when she goes out with Joel Jr.