What is a good rug for a baby to crawl around on? A good gate? Also, concerns about starting-to-stand phase...?

just relax! :D My gates are from walmart, my son is always free, never had an exersaucer (don't even know what it is) or a bouncy chair, and he's only in his crib to sleep....otherwise, he's a free bird and he doesn't get hurt, it's OK :D he'll be fine crawling on wood but you could also put him in pants all the time and that will give him plenty of padding if he actually does need it...or you can buy ANY rug you want to and it will be fine. And another thing, your son WILL hurt himself alot while he explores and learns, he'll fall, bump into things, run into things etc, and its perfectly fine, it's all part of the learning process, it's how they learn boundaries and what happens when I walk into this wall and what happens when I try to push this door open with my head :D