Sweet Dreams

There are so many options for cribs. They vary not only in style but also price. I knew that I wanted to keep things simple, and of course, was drawn to items with clean lines and function. Here's a few of the cribs that I liked the best:

BREAK THE BANK

• The Oeuf Crib is the big dog (with a steep price tag ~ $890) in this category. Unlike most cribs on the market, it has a lowered center of gravity and the lines are crisp. The crib can grow with your child with the optional toddler conversion kit.

AFFORDABLE
Most first-mothers want the absolute best for their little ones. But keep in mind, babies grow up quickly and you won't know if they'll like sleeping in the crib until they are born. So, unless you've got some cash to burn, here are some good affordable alternatives.

Surprisingly, Wal-Mart has come to the rescue with their BabyMod line. There are two that have perked my interest.

• The Olivia and ParkLane cribs both offer the same European allure as the Oeuf but feature a 3 in 1 conversion capability - crib, toddler bed to daybed. The conversion kit come standard with the purchase and both are a mere $299. What I also like about these cribs is that the mattress height can adjust to four different heights. If you can select the option to ship "site to store" and pick up your crib at your local Wal-Mart (bypassing extraneous shipping charges).

Another dark horse comes from Ikea! The Swedes get simplicity right.

• The Gulliver has clean lines and is straight to the point with no frills. You can simply remove one side to convert the crib into a toddler bed. It's only $139.

I opted for the ParkLane crib. I've been pestering my dear husband for the past 4 weeks to assemble it. Hopefully it will be one of his new year's resolutions! I'll take some pics and post shortly!