I know there are issues with traffic congestion and pollution, but those problems aside, oh what a happy day it would be if IKEA ever arrived in Somerville. Meanwhile, head to Stoughton for your Scandinavian fix. Where else can you get these super fun Mula stack and nest cups? The set of seven cups is $2.49 and is a hit with babes who love building towers or putting objects inside other objects.

If you haven’t been to IKEA before, here are a few shopping tips: 1) arrive as early as possible before the crowds build up; 2) pick up a retail slip at the beginning of the journey or bring pen and paper to jot down location/item information for items that only live in the warehouse at the end of the yellow brick road; 3) jot down backup items in case the item you want is not in stock in the warehouse. The fact that you can get all the way to the end before knowing your product is out of stock is a major problem with the system.

And be sure to clean up your babe’s paws if he/she plays in the kids’ area. Our babe caught a cold immediately after our last visit.