Buying for Baby

Shopping.  I'm awesome at it.  Online, in store, anywhere.  I'm not a shopaholic, but I do love me some pretty things.  So having a baby is just the thing for fulfilling my heart's shopping desires, right??  :)

Now that we've reached our halfway mark and there have been murmurings of nurseries and baby showers and nesting, I figured I should start collecting data on what we'll need for this little one that is consuming so much of our time and attention these days.  I have to say that Adam and I are trying our hardest to not over-buy.  We don't want to end up with a bunch of stuff we'll never use or that our baby will outgrow in a blink of an eye.  We have enough pug toys and clothes laying around that drive me crazy as it is.  Like that shark costume I bought Remy with visions of him running around with his fish-shaped bone in his mouth.  Remy hates costumes.  (So the shark has not made an appearance since it's departure from the Target store.)  So we will try to focus on the essentials for the baby.  (Though it's hard not to start collecting headbands and ruffled skirts because our daughter will just love them. Really!)

Looking through all the baby stuff out there I am as overwhelmed as any new mom-to-be with all the products.  I'm narrowing down my search thus far to true essentials (plus, I have a test to study for and can't be spending too much time daydreaming away):

1. car seat (apparently they come in handy when you want to actually bring the baby home)
2. stroller 
3. breast pump
4. travel crib/pack and play
5. baby carrier

So, I'm putting a call out to all parents who read this blog (those of you out there with all  your purchasing wisdom) to share your take on your preferred items above.  I would love to know how you narrowed down your search.  Keep in mind that I am a sucker for aesthetics so it helps if the product is cute, too.  Except for the breast pump.  I mean, how cute can a breast pump be?