Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

We ran out the door so fast once we found out DH's father was missing that I can't believe I remembered to pack almost everything needed for the baby. At first I couldn't find my baby spoons, so MIL offered her espresso spoons. They worked, but come on!!! Can you buy SOMETHING that I can keep at your house? When we left I actually left 4 spoons and two bowls just so they had something.

She was so excited to have her first grandchild that I thought she'd at least have something at her house. NOT ONE BABY ITEM!!!! How about a toy? NO! (Not like they didn't get around to it yet, because her husband has toddler twin grandchildren.) Everytime we go there we have to pack up as much as humanly possible to fit into our sedan. They live over an hour away and are now saying they want the baby to stay the night. She finally bought a small pack of diapers.

Am I expecting too much? Or am I just stressed?

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Nope! i think she should a lil of evrything for you there!!! escpecially if she want him there more!!!

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My parents and in laws say the same thing as yours do to us. They both live an hour to an hour and a half away. If I want DS in something that is 30 years old they have that and are happy to share, gulp. We have to bring EVERYTHING. It is a pain. We even got a travel high chair for DS otherwise my parents offered to drag out my 30 year old high chair from the basement!!!!! I think we are just going to suck it up and bring stuff with us. If not we will go to the store. But I agree, it is really a PITA.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

I can't go by my mother b/c her other granddaughter is not yet 3 so she has a bunch of stuff that my sister bought still over there. MIL on the other hand has bought a TON of stuff. A bouncy chair, a pack 'n play, bottles, diapers, wipes etc.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Neither my mother nor my MIL have anything at their houses for DD.

Grandchild no. 13 for MIL and 9 for my mom.

My sister has a high chair that I gave her.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Why don't you buy some stuff and leave it there if it would make your life easier?

(My parents have a ton of stuff for DD, but that's bc they watch her 2 days/week)

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

No one in our family has anything (except BIL since their DS is 8 days younger than our DS).

We don't even expect them to. I personally don't see any reasons for them to have a bunch of stuff at their house for me visiting once in a while.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Yes my mom has a bouncer, bathtub, pack n play, diapers, highchair, some bottles, spoons and bowls and everytime I go she buys DD formula. We go to my parents once a week.

Message edited 3/13/2008 11:15:55 PM.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

both sets of grandparents have cribs, high chairs, toys, diapers and eating utensils. They live 10 minutes away.

My ILs have all this stuff from the 6 grandchildren that came before Ella. Ella's the first grandchild for my parents, and she spends a lot of time there since I work out of an office in their house. She naps there almost daily. I keep an eye on the diapers & wipes supply and restock as needed. I also brought over the travel high chair.

She stayed with them (at both houses) while we were away for 4 days this past weekend. I brought over supplies they wouldn't normally have: organic milk, yo baby yogurt, pediasure, baby shampoo, etc.

I don't think its expected that they have all the gear, but its certainly convenient.

(eta: most of the gear at their houses was NOT bought, but rather inherited )

Message edited 3/13/2008 11:16:35 PM.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My parents have a stuff there for DS...they bought some and I bought some.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My ILs and my dad each have a PNP that Sarah slept in when we visited, but they are in Florida and my dad was in Georgia then and they didn't want us to have to deal with it on the plane. Oh, and my ILs have a high chair they found on clearance at TRU near them. At my dad's house we just worked around it, someone held her while she was being fed or she ate in her car seat. I packed spoons and all that jazz that we'd need, and anything I forgot we just ran out to Walmart to pick up.

If we are driving to someone's house I pack stuff for our kids. It's not their responsibility.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My ILs have stuff at their house. They watch Jayden 3 days/week, but even when Nate was younger they had stuff. Some of it we bought, some they bought. My ILs buy their own stash of diapers, wipes, and food. She even has her own "lounging" clothes for each of them.

My parents live in NY so there is no need for them to have stuff on a regular basis. My mom will make sure she has milk and PB&J for Nate (his favs).

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

I have to say that my parents were wonderful in this area. They had a crib, pack and play, highchair, bouncer, clothes, diapers, feeding utensils, bottles, etc, etc, etc. I never packed a thing when I went there because I knew that whatever I needed ... it was there. If there was something missing, they would have it available for me by my next visit. I was very lucky. Sorry that you have having a tough time.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

my mom and stepdad bought a pack and play and are getting a highchair and have toys for DS (i also left bowls and spoons) , my father and step mom don't have anything at their house, though they expressed an interest, i guess they got to busy (and no i am not offended i know they adore my DS). So i bring everything with me when we go there. It is a pain but i cant make them go out and get stuff and i want to make sure my DS has everything he needs when we are there. My MIL has toys too but thats it, but my SIL lives below her and she has a highchair if we need it and we always keep our pack and play in the car so if we go anywhere, we always have e place for DS to sleep

Message edited 3/21/2008 8:12:37 PM.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My mom does not have a lot at her house but I cannot complain because

a.) she does have some things
and
b.) anything she does not have is because she buys it and then we go there and she shows us and says,"why don't you just take that home so you can use it there?" We get into a huge discussion and she insists she will buy more but sometimes she does not get around to it.

If she did none of this, then yeah, I'd be annoyed at having to schlep so much stuff.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

My parents and my IL's have so much stuff at there house, they even have little playrooms set up in there homes for the grandkids.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

I think you are expecting too much.

First off, how do you know she wasn't planning on buying stuff when it was planned for DS to spend more time there? Don't we all post all the time about buying things we didn't use/need? If I were a first time grandparent, I'd wait until I saw what my grandchild liked/wanted/used before I went out and spent money on it!

Secondly, my parents have a pnp and a travel swing. Neither of which they have used more than once and DS is TEN MONTH OLD and we see them ALL THE TIME!!! We've stayed over there too! We expect to use the pnp more this summer at their beach house then we did last year (DS just slept wiht me when I went out last summer).

I'm sorry, but I don't expect to walk into a duplicate of my own house when I go to my parents. My MIL allegedly has all second hand baby gear at her house in Florida for my neice, Christopher and my SIL's new baby to use. But if she didn't, I'd either buy a pnp when we got there or just check ours!

Also, I kind of think you can get baby stuff anywhere, so in your case, where it was an emergency, you can go to CVS even and get baby spoons, so I, personally, wouldn't make a big deal about it.

Message edited 3/14/2008 6:16:18 AM.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

I don't live near to my parents, so they don't have baby stuff in the house. When I come to visit they borrow it from other people/friends. I think its unreasonable to expect that they would have anything if you live out of town.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

yes, my inlaws watch my boys, so they have everything I need. so if we go over there, we dont need to pack anything.

Re: Do your/DH's parents have baby stuff at their own home? (VENT)

I have to say - I don't think it is their responsibility. I think you should bring everythig you need and if they have stuff it is a plus. I ntime - they may realize it is great to have this stuff in their house and do it on their own.

I know when my son was born, we bought both sets of parents a pack n play as a thank you for all the stuff they did for my shower. My brother bought my mom a bouncer seat. Both parents have lots of kiddie stuff - most of which is hand me downs from family and friends. They both still have baby spoons and plates from when we were kids (we are in our mid-30's!!!).