Baby essential

This isn't something for now, but rather when the baby is old enough to sit up on her/his own and start eating. One of the best things we bought for #1 is a portable high chair. Fisher Price makes them (and they're sold at all the usual places: Babies 'R Us, Target, Amazon, etc.) and my favorite is the plain cream and red one that has a tray cover and adjustable height. I know this is a random thing to post about, but I was raving about it yesterday to a friend so I thought I'd write about it here, too. While I prefer a regular high chair at home because it is higher, the portable one is fantastic for going out and eating at both other people's homes or restaurants. It means that your baby has something familiar and it's much more sanitary than the restaurant high chairs. And safer. The high chairs in restaurants, even if they are clean and don't have a broken buckle, tend to be on the larger side, so too big for small or young babies. They also don't have trays. My child at sixteen months is finally coordinated enough that he does okay with a high chair pushed up to the table. But a tray is so much easier. And of course, this can be used as the home high chair as well and booster seat when your little one is big enough to eat at the table. At around $25 I think this is one of the biggest baby bargains out there.