I guess we should figure our where to put the baby!

With less than 6 weeks to go before this baby is due, it's time to decide where we're going to have the baby sleep. Of course once the baby is big enough he will share a room with his big brother but the goal is to put that off as long as possible - I don't want a newborn waking up T every night for the next year. The original full size portable crib/bassinet we used for T in our room ended up breaking and we never replaced it because at 6 months he was old enough and sleeping long enough increments to go in his own room at that time. T's crib/toddler bed that we still have is far too large to put in our bedroom - maybe some people would make it work, but it's far too big to allow for me to function in my space. Anyone who knows me understands that every piece of furniture and storage unit has it's one special place and every toy has its own place that fits just right in our awkwardly laid-out house. In order for me to keep my sanity and navigate and stay organized in my life it is necessary for me to have a home that doesn't feel cluttered or over crowded as best as possible.

Surprisingly it is not that easy to find a smaller crib to fit a small space that can also grow with your baby until they are a toddler. Not everyone has a large home with extra bedrooms and closets and attics or basements to store seldom used baby gear. Bassinets are logical for a small space but are generally outgrown by the time a baby is 3 months old then you have to move them to something else entirely - then what do you do with the bassinet? We don't have an extra room, or storage in our one car garage so that is a waste of both money and space.

With that being said, these are the two choices for mini cribs that I am trying to make a decision on. What I am looking for is a mini crib with possible storage options that is relatively affordable and has the possibility of lasting until the baby is at least 1 yrs. old. After weeks and weeks of searching, these are the only options I found. There is a big price difference between the two, but they both have benefits that I really like...

This is a Graco Travel lite crib with bassinet. It has storage below and is 30% smaller than a regular portable crib. I like the storage below and that it can be stored away and used for travel or taken to the grandparents. Manufacturer info describes this as being used for newborn up to 30 pounds, so if it's comfortable enough, once the bassinet is removed, the baby could sleep on the mattress part - obviously it's not truly comparable to a crib mattress but it could work. It's not too frilly and foofy looking - I prefer a more modern, no fuss look to things. As a bonus, the color combo also matches our bedroom decor. It is $89.99 at an online website.

The second option is the Alma crib. It doesn't have any storage but the accessory I found below at Target could be attached to the side of the crib. The crib itself has 3 levels for the mattress to be placed (ie. bassinet level, to completely at the base) and the info states it is used from newborn to age 24 months. It is also collapsible, as the picture shows below, so it could be put away when needed. It is more modern in it's design and would match not only my bedroom but T's room once they moved in together. The only negative is the price - I found it on sale at one website for $350. I would probably end up selling T's original crib anyway and get some cash from that. Yes, it's pricey but if it could be used for at least 2 years I think that makes this one a possibility.