Thank Goodness for Ikea! (and Craigslist).

i have a love/hate relationship with Craigslist but it will be on the list of "Irrelevant Things That Make Me Happy" for a while because the other day, while once again getting weepy at the thought that the nearest Ikea is nowhere near me, i found the an Antilop highchair for sale.

see, i just got new dining chairs and my 20 lb. seven month old is rapidly outgrowing his fisher-price space saver highchair so i was looking at ikea's antilop again. i've wanted one since my three year old was an infant but now it seemed something worth pursuing. the classic, seamless style would complement our new chairs perfectly so i was debating whether or not to order it from the Ikea website even though the cost would have been nearly double, after shipping and handling.

before committing to the purchase of a brand new antilop, i checked my local craigslist.

i found a white chair for sale and thanked my lucky stars when the seller responded promptly and let me know that it was still available. i picked it up that day and was pleasantly surprised to find that it came with the tray. best $15 i've spent on used baby gear in a long time!

these chairs assemble in no time, are ultra-lightweight, yet sturdy and stable. the one-piece molded plastic seat is an amazingly simple, yet brilliant concept! there is not another highchair out there that is as easy to clean as the antilop. that single aspect makes it worth more than it's weight in gold, if you ask me.

one other thing: this simple little chair looks deceptively smaller than it is. while i was cleaning it in preparation for it's debut at our table, i wondered if getting my 20 lb. chubster in it would be a chore but he slides in and out easily and there is plenty of wiggle room in the leg openings and seat area. the tray is a bit difficult to take on and off but once on, it's secure, and doesn't at all effect the ease of getting baby in or out.

hint: to remove the antilop tray, push the four "lips" that clip under the front of the highchair first, then the side clips lift right out.