Dresser Saga

This has been ongoing drama in the Brady household for a very long time.

See, the Cactus needed a dresser, and David's parents generously offered to purchase one for him.  They told me just to pick out what I wanted and they would make it happen.

So, being lazy, I opted for the dresser that "matched" his crib.

Here it is...

Source

We ordered it, and had it shipped to our house because it was only $20 extra (there was a shipping promotion or something) and we don't own a truck.

I figure by the time we borrowed a truck, it would cost us at least $20 in gas and thank-you beer.

Plus the stress of coordinating.

The dresser arrived less than a week later...except it was in pieces.  I guess I didn't read the description well, because I didn't realize it was a DIY project.

No worries... I'm handy.

So I ripped open the box and started pulling pieces out.

After I had pulled 4 pieces out, I noticed that 2 of these 4 had damage...the wood was damaged--cracked, scrapped, and just looking shoddy.

So I sent it back and Babies R Us had another one overnighted to us, refunding shipping fees.

The next one arrived, and I started putting it together.  

None of the wood seemed damaged UNTIL it was almost entirely done and David helped me flip it over.

(Note: the instructions said to put the piece together upside down.)

HUGE scrape and chunk out of the top front of the dresser.

HUGE.

I don't know how I noticed this...

except it was upside down and sitting on a sheet.

So...I went to a bunch "regular" furniture stores.  Everything I halfway liked was either shoddy or over $1000.  

No dice.

How totally not cool would it have been to suddenly change my mind and want a piece of furniture significantly more than first one I told them about?

Not cool.

Debra (MIL) came into town and I convinced her to go to Babies R Us with me and just look around.

We found this...

Source

It was only about $75 more than the first one I liked, 

but seemed like WAAAY better quality.

So I went home and called Babies R Us (because the store didn't know about my drama) and explained the situation.  

They agreed to give me a significant discount AND free shipping (which was normally like $160)...making the total for this dresser slightly less than the crap-fest I had ordered before.

SCORE.

Until the new dresser arrived.

David and I tore open the box, removed layers of Styrofoam and cardboard to find the top right corner SMASHED to bits.  

UNDERNEATH the protective, undamaged Styrofoam.

Seriously.

I almost had a panic attack.

So I call Babies R Us again.

They send us another one.

This one comes, and there's no noticeable damage...except...

The back particle board isn't stapled on.

I call them again.

At this point, we've had 7 different deliveries for this one dresser.

I figure that Babies R Us has spent around $720 delivering and taking away merchandise.

I tell them that I can fix the problem myself, 

but feel like I should be compensated.

They give me $40.

And a future coupon for 10%.  (Really, only 10%.  Cheap!)

So we're keeping this dresser.

Once I get past my bitterness and annoyance, I like it. 

Really.

 I'm not sure if it was worth all the stress, 

but it's one less thing on my to-do list.

Did anyone notice the cute hat on the dressers?  

It's a tiger hat!!

One of David's law school friends gave it to him--

 I've never seen a man so excited in his life.