The two items I wish I bought

I wish that we had splurged and bought a video baby monitor. Here's why:

• It would satisfy that need to just go look at her, either to make sure she's alright or because she is so adorable, without having to worry about waking her up.
• When she was starting to move around, it would have been nice to know if she was crying because she flipped over or got a leg caught, without having to go in and chance her seeing us.
• When she was going through a cry-it-out nap phase, it would have been nice to know if she was laying down crying or standing up staring at the door crying.
• Now that she's in the toddler bed, it would be nice to check on her position in the bed.
• In the morning, it would be nice to know if she was awake and playing silently or sucking her thumb, or if she is asleep.
• When she whines or cries in the night, it would be nice to know if she is fully awake or dreaming.
• The two times she got sick, we would have known about it instead of finding her covered in puke in the morning.
• It would be nice to know if she is waking up early because she's stuck in some way, such as with her arm caught in her shirt like the other day, and thus I should go rescue her versus waiting to see if she goes back to sleep.
• A few times we've thought she's slept on the floor. in front of the door. It would be nice to know for sure.

The second item I wish I had bought was a travel system. Here's why:

• A travel system includes a car seat and a stroller that does both forward and rear facing. We instead got a stroller frame and separate car seat. This meant needing a new stroller once she got older. To get a nice stroller, it was pretty much the same money as the stroller frame. So, it would have been cheaper and less hassle.
• The part of the car seat that comes out of the base and parents walk around with seems to be a lot lighter for a travel system. I used to see moms with their carrier on one arm and marvel at it. Our car seat alone weighs about 15 pounds. I had to lurch around carrying it with Natalie in it right from the beginning, usually using two hands. There was no balancing like 25 pounds of seat and baby on my forearm, thank you very much.