American-style crib in Germany?

[TheOink]

Hello, I'm new to this forum, but have been living around Frankfurt for over 10 years. My husband and I are expecting our first baby in late August and have just started shopping for baby furniture. I was very disappointed to see how LOW German cribs are, and that the only option to raise the height was to set the mattress height (or build a podium for the thing). I was looking for an American-style crib with sides that lower to make it easier to load and unload the baby -- does anyone have any hot tips?

Or is anyone here in the military and would be willing to accompany me on base somewhere to buy an American one? We live between Giessen and Friedberg...

Thanks so much!!

The Oink

[Vicitoria]

Have you tried IKEA? I had my son in the US and brought his furniture with us. Our crib is actually pretty low as it turns into a toddler bed. We've co-slept most of the time and still are. I spoke with a woman at an American Women's club coffee a few weeks ago. She had her baby here 3 months ago. They went to a baby store and were told it would take several months for delivery (like 6 or so) so they went do IKEA and the crib is working out just fine.

Right now in the Amercian Women's Club classifieds there are no cribs for sale. There is a White Wicker bassinette on sale w/wheels and white eyelet sheets and canopy cover on sale for 45 euro. I can pm you the contact information if you are interested. Munster is rather far from Duesseldorf. Over an hour when there is little traffic.

Good Luck with your move!

[TheOink]

Hi Victoria,

Thanks for the offer of the Stubenwagen, but I'll pass for now. I spent some time on E-Bay today at work (shh, don't tell my employer, but I guess they'd know anyway), and found 2 American cribs on offer -- unfortunately clear across Germany. I have to talk to my husband about that. Am also ringing anyone I know who may have a connection to an Army base and that all-important ID card that gets you access to the stores. Geez -- an American citizen that submits a US tax return every year and they shut me out when I need them...

As for Düsseldorf being far from Münster, isn't that where the nearest consulate is? We're planning for our baby to have both passports, so after DH gets the Piglet registered at the Standesamt, I'll get to truck on down your way and get that important little piece of paper. Any tips of stuff I should know about?

Funny that you're from the east coast -- I grew up outside of Boston and spent many hours at LL Bean...

Thanks again,
The Oink

[Vicitoria]

The consulate is here in Duesseldorf. I was just on their website checking out what we need to do to register as living here and we need to register to VOTE!!!!

Sorry I don't have many tips, seems like everything I thought I knew I didn't and we are currently making it up as we go along. Make sure you apply for your kindergeld so you get something back!

[TheOink]

Really? You need to register to vote here? Legally, you're still allowed to vote where ever you were last registered (that status is then called SQV -- specially qualified voter). I've been in an out of Germany since 1992 and haven't missed an election yet. Glad to hear that you're active, though! Too many people don't vote... *sigh*

Anyway, to get back to the main subject, I found a few American cribs on the German E-Bay. They were all local pickup only, so I have to strong-arm my relatives to help us out on that front. The prices were pretty good for the used ones (10-60 Euros starting price). The keywords were "babybett usa". Keep your fingers crossed that I win the auction!!

[Vicitoria]

I looked it up to check it out. Only one came up and had 7 minutes left with no bids so I hope you got the other one!

I have to register to vote absentee I guess, still haven't gotten to the bottom of it. It's funny, my husband is now an American and was considering getting his German Citizenship back so we'll have more options as where we can live and work. We decided only if he can keep his US passport because his vote helps the WHOLE WORLD more then so many people can even imagine.

[TheOink]

Good news -- I got the crib! Now all we have to do is find a halfway decent changing table. Geez -- all the grown-up clothes here are so long, you'd think we're all giraffes, but when it comes to furniture, we're all Munchkins. Go figure. (I'm 5'2" on a good day, DH is 6'5"... Buying furniture for us is a nightmare. Don't want to think about when we have to buy a new kitchen and the ensuing discussion of counter height!)

As for registering absentee, you have to do it annually, but the good thing is that often an e-mail to your town or city clerk will suffice. (Call them to make sure) Some places will theoretically even let you vote for the local dog catcher, although I think they're only legally obligated to let you vote on the state and federal level. Sorry, can't think of the legal statute that covers that.

As for votes helping, yes, I only wish more Americans actually went to the polls. I think I read somewhere that most American governments (Democratic and Republican) only really represent about 15% of the population. Scary!! My batting average in the last 4 elections has been 50%, but at least I voted, so I can whine my head off whenever I want to. :)

Good luck straightening out your husband's citizenship issues -- but I think if he tries to get the German one back, he will automatically forfeit his American citizenship. I vaguely remember my mom telling me something like that when she told me about her own naturalization experience (both parents were German but were naturalized before I was born, hence only one passport for me).