Pre-birth, we gambled a little (very little, since it only cost $50, plus an incredible $5 shipping) that a red enameled rolling tool cart--which just happens to fit a standard changing pad perfectly--would make a nice industrial-looking changing table. So far, we were right on; it looks great and it's worked great. [It's slightly lower than I'd like, but that's another post.]
No, the real problem was the kid's sudden intense interest in pulling out everything from the two deep shelves underneath. That's where we kept the diapers, wipes, clippers, lotion, q-tips, towels, bibs, &c., so for the last week or so, she'd pull and dump everything--down to the last q-tip--out, I'd freak, and then she'd laugh at me as I put it all back. A couple of times when she caught me watching her, she'd push the door closed on me with an evil grin.
So then yesterday, while I went to NYC for some meetings, my wife starts watching this changing cart scene play out, and in about 10 seconds, she decides to swap out the gear for the kid's toys. Now why didn't I think of that?
Previously: Industrial Changing Tables
Cause we men don't think like that ;)
We had an interesting experience when buying a dresser/changing table. My main requirement (yes, before style) was height. Being 6'5", I wanted to have the table at 38" to 42". When we were looking at some of the random dressers at a kid store here in Boston, the not-so-nice salesman warned us that if we tried to use something that was too high, it would be against DSS (Dept. Social Services, i guess) and they would "come and take our baby away".
WTF? we promptly ditched him, and found another salesman. And ended up getting one at 42"(!) from morigeau, a nice quebecois company.
*gasp* that's it, I'm calling DSS.
I'm just digging the tool cart concept. Very sleek, and just a little "Monster House." It wouldn't work in the design we ended up with, but would have been perfect with our original "crashed 1940s-style rocketship design." OK, my crashed 1940s-style rocketship design... in retrospect, I don't think my wife ever signed off on it.
to geoff: I would have gone to an entirely different store. We had problems ordering our changing table/dresser - found a great one that we liked - but the company was a real PITA. Delivered the wrong piece (not even the same TYPE of furniture) and then told us it would be another 6 weeks before we could have what we wanted. Well SCREW THAT! sez us! We would buy one someplace else, and meanwhile, if the baby comes before we find one, we'll just put the changing pad on top of this lateral file cabinet here... Ok, so my daughter is two, and ... well. Let's just say if you have questions about cutting off your nose to spite your face - I'm your man.
Also - DSS? How did you *NOT* punch this dude?
I hauled this 200 lb box upstairs when we got our crib to assemble it only to find that one of the metals screw-holes on the end-board was put in by the machine backwards.
Called the company, they didn't have a spare part, so they'd have to send me a new one (on back-order, of course). All I had to do was put it all back in the box, haul it back downstairs for them to pick up after the new one arrived.
This time, I took the pieces out downstairs and brought them up one at a time... after checking them all out to make sure these weren't screwed up.
We're lucky in that we got both the crib and the changing table second hand from a friend. We're unlucky because we didn't get to look at cool ones. That said, I like the crib for it's white painted, shaker simplicity. The changing table is a sort of icky, utilitarian metal tubular thing with little shelves etc.
Greg, we've just let him play in the diapers when he fools around in his room.
DSS? Where the f**k is this getting his info? I'd bet that DSS couldn't care less how high the changing table is. The fact that your kid is fed, loved and actually gets changed period is probably enough for them.
You know she'll just find where you moved the stuff and play with it there, right? It's like how toy cell phones don't fool them, or even old cell phones with their batteries removed. They have to have your current, working, real live cell phone. Why ever even buy toys for our kids is beyond me.
We took our 8 month old to the aquarium last weekend. Mostly just annoyed her that it was as if some invisible force kept preventing her from grabbing the fish -- probably the same one that prevents her from grabbing the baby in the mirror.
But that's beside the point. I really wanted to mention that every single stuffed fish/shark/elephant (yes, they had lots of elephants at the aquarium gift shop)/etc that I held up for her, she immediated found the tag on it and grabbed for that.
I need to get one of those taggie (or whatever they are called) blankets...
I just wanted to say 'thanks' for the heads up on that tool cart. We bought one our selves based on your recommendation and have found it to be a great changing table. It was arguably slightly harder to put together than your average Ikea fare, but definitely sturdy.