I’ve been ruminating on this gift list for some time, considering the gifts that have been tremendous blessings to Jeremy, Livia and me. Today I was spurred on to compose the list by an exciting announcement on Moot Thoughts and Musings (congrats, again!).
Pottery Barn Kids Chamois Blanket
Thanks to my friend Kara for giving this fabulous blanket to Livia. It’s incredibly soft, nice and warm, and has her name embroidered on it so no one in the Zion Church nursery can claim it. Hee hee.
Baby Spoons and Disposable Bowls with Lids
A church friend gave us a sweet gift bag with three disposable baby food bowls with lids, and an entire set of baby spoons—all of which came in handy during Livia’s fifth month. I recently purchased a set of miniature round Gladware containers, perfectly sized for a one-two ounce portion of baby food.
Baby Food
If you want to go even further with the baby food idea, fill a basket with a few jars of stage 1 or 2 Gerber foods, little spoons, disposable containers and a copy of Mommy-Made by Martha Kimmel. If you really want to go the extra mile, toss in an ice cube tray for a new mom who wants to puree and freeze her own baby foods.
Diapers and Wipes
Another church friend gave us a large package of disposable diapers and a huge box of baby wipes at Livia’s shower. This was perhaps the smartest gift we received. Even moms who use cloth diapers will benefit from this gift and thank you for saving them time and money in diaper expenses!
Standard Socks of All Sizes
For some reason I think Livia should still be able to fit into her teeny newborn socks, but the telltale rubber band marks on her ankles after she wears them make me think differently. I’m all the time digging for new socks and hoping I don’t have to buy more. Socks are good.
Onesies for Future Days
Babies grow SO FAST. Before you know it, a 7lb, 8oz babe is 14lb, 9oz and can no longer fit the 0–3 month onesies. And onesies are so stinkin’ practical… Livia lived in them all summer long and now they add an extra layer of warmth to her winter dress. We couldn’t get along without the ol’ onesies. A fun gift would be onesies of the same color for an entire year.
Books
My best girlfriends threw us a book shower last July and it was a wonderful idea. We got this book and this one, this one and someday (when Charity remembers to give it to Liv) this one, which is lots of fun. I want to encourage my kid to be a reader so books are a must-have!
Baby Einstein Play Gym
Auntie Bean gave this play gym to Livia and it has fascinated her since day one. Another great play gym we enjoy is on loan from Mr. Calvin Baker. I’m not sure which kind it is, but it fold up really nicely and can be seen in this blog post.
12 Comments
bobw Dec 3, 2004 4:01 PM
I would add the “Diaper Champ” unless you’re doing cloth diapers. a truly great diaper pail.
charity Dec 3, 2004 4:56 PM
crap! periodically, something triggers in my brain, “did i ever give rebecca Plum?” and then i forget and then a few weeks later, the same sentiment comes back. my goal is christmas! tricksy i know. :)
Kristen Dec 3, 2004 8:38 PM
This is a great list :o)
I second the diaper champ suggestion!
We actually had a library shower for Kate. Everyone brought a book. Some brought just a little Golden Book in addition to another girft and some brought just a really nice book or two. It was fun! It wasn’t my idea, but I’m glad someone thought of it.
I love getting (and giving) homemade gifts as well.
Kristen Dec 3, 2004 8:38 PM
Oh and Bob, we use the ‘Champ with our cloth diapers.
RT Dec 4, 2004 9:11 AM
The Diaper Champ has gotten great reviews but I also think my plain ol’ basic Target pail does the trick just fine. (One review mentioned using scented Glad bags and spraying with Lysol between bags to keep odors away — but isn’t that a good idea for any pail?) However, two solid recommendations means the Diaper Champ MUST be a good thing. Thanks, guys!
Homemade gifts are the absolute best. My heart just melted when I received a beautiful, crocheted blanket from one aunt, a fleece “tied” blanket from another, and then, the magnum opus of blankets… a gorgeous baby quilt from Renae. It’s incredibly meaningful to receive a gift that has involved great time and energy!
Kristen, I’m interested in your method of cloth diapering. Could you email me the specifics of it when you get a chance? Thanks.
Kristen Dec 4, 2004 8:48 PM
Kate got two wonderful knit blankets, one crocheted one, a knitted hat and scarf set, and two sewn blankets. She is one lucky gal!
I often knit hat and scarf sets but I am contemplating switching to sewing ring slings as a homemade gift. Useful from birth to 40 pounds, they really go the distance year-round.
I will email you specifics about cloth. I am a newbie, but I love it!
adam Dec 5, 2004 11:04 PM
“We got this book and this one, this one and someday (when Charity remembers to give it to Liv) this one, which is lots of fun.”
i’m begging you. please write the name of the books! i really don’t wanna link to barnes & noble dot-com to find out!
kristin thinks pat the bunny rocks. i know andrew is a poky puppy fan, but i have to stick with some of the modern story books i’ve seen. there’s some really awesome kids books out there. problem is, they’re often $15 to $20 apiece! gah!
Jacinda Dec 6, 2004 1:08 AM
For Adam (and anyone else too lazy to click): Pat the Bunny; Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day, by Jamie Lee Curtis; Meet Babar and His Family; Plum, by Tony Mitton. Our favorites: Iza Trapani’s the Itsy Bitsy Spider (great illustrations), Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, and Sandra Boynton’s Doggies (what little kid won’t love all of the different barking?).
Jeannette Dec 6, 2004 10:23 AM
Wait! Don’t just email the cloth diaper plan! include it in the comments. I want to know, too!
What is the Diaper Champ? Is there a link?
This is a great list, Rebecca. Even though I’ve grown up around babies and, in many respects, they are not entirely terra incognita, I do feel a little lost. Where do I begin? When I was growing up, all that stuff was just there.
I tend to give books as shower presents, and I hope I get some, too. :) I’m more excited about shopping for books for Elvis than some other stuff. (Maybe I can get him a 15th century songs board book, so that we can write my dissertation together. just kidding. ha, ha.)
Any favorite bottles suggestions? I plan to breastfeed, of course, but imagine I’ll need to store away some of my resources, too.
Kristen Dec 6, 2004 11:36 AM
The Avent Isis for your pump and Avent bottles are where it’s at, Jeannette. The email is sent, but I’ll just find it in my sent folder and send it your way as well.
The Diaper Champ is a diaper pail you can get at Babies R Us or amazon, etc.. It doesn’t need special refills like the Diaper Genie does, and it doesn’t “open” to put new diapers in, so old smells can’t get out. Go to your local Babies ‘R Us and check one out. It’s hard to explain!
RT Dec 6, 2004 3:39 PM
We use the Avent system, too, and I like it a lot. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of girl, so it helps me out a bit to use just one bottling manufacturer. That being said, lots of friends have used every other brand of bottle under the sun just fine.
Diber, I have consistently read three books and asked questions from friends. Without the advice from those who have walked this path before I would be lost! My three books are “What to Expect During the First Year”, the Sears book, and some medical book our pediatrician gave us. I find some sort of balance or middle road between all three that equals great advice. You’re going to be a great mama! : )
RT Dec 7, 2004 3:16 PM
Just remembered another great gift — laundry detergent! Unglamorous, the ultimate in practical giving, it is useful all year round. My favorite: All Free & Clear. You can wash the whole family’s clothes in it.