Since last week felt like the fertility Olympics and now the waiting begins, I have saved some posts that I have been rolling around in my head. Not the most exciting maybe, but hey we can't always come out of the barn on fire.
Over the weekend we went to two kids birthday parties and had friends down for dinner that are expecting a baby next month. In all cases I think my gift du jour was super appropriate and actually something they wanted. I may be fooling myself and they secretly wanted an airbrushed shirt to commemorate the event, but based on the response it was positive. So I wanted to share in case you think you might want to recreate.
First up the unisex child gift. This is so easy to put together and if you buy when art supplies are on sale (like NOW with back to school), it's a nice gift for about $15.00 bucks. Most of all I like this gift as you can personalize it to the child and it "might" inspire some creativity. Best of all it MAKES NO NOISE!!!
Art Supply Caddy
Colored Caddy from Micheals/AC Moore/Joanna Crafts/Hobby Lobby- About $3.00
For older kids you can get a lap desk with 2 side pockets for 5.00
Stickers to decorate the caddy based on the kid's interest
Various Art Supplies like finger paint, colored pencils, water color set, new crayons, stamp set, sticker book with cool stickers, child-sized safety scissors, character-themed pencil case (look in the dollar bin), glitter glue, a construction paper pad
I always try to find something I don't think they already have. Crayola makes a special set of markers for glass that allow they to draw erasable pics on your windows.
The BEST baby gift I ever got from from a teacher-friend at my shower at my old school. She said, and I now quote Erin J, "this is the best gift that NO ONE will ever give you, but come 3 am you will thank me when you are NOT standing in Target sleep deprived yelling/cursing at your spouse."
She was SO right, and I have never again given anything else to expecting parents (even on the 2nd or 3rd time around)
Baby Boot Camp Basket- $35.00- $50.00
(for brand new parents it's nice to include a note to say when some of these items can be helpful, after all some things like giving orange pedilyte to puking infant will only make matters worse and you should be a friend and tell them)
Digital Ear Thermometer-(be a nice friend and spurge, karma will repay you)
Dishwasher Basket
Infant Acetaminophen
Infant Motrin
Baby Chest Rub
Clear Pedilyte
Tube of Vaseline
Mylicon drops
Cradle Cap Cleanser
Saline drops and bulb aspirator
Baby Nail clippers
Put all this in a nice basket that they can stash in their bathroom/closet for those inevitable 3am calls. Their marriage will thank you.
I also sometimes put a book for parents, like the Mother of All Baby Books (personal fav)or something funny like a How to for Dads.
Enjoy knowing you didn't give them another toy or some crystal baby vase that will likely store cotton balls at best is the best gift of all. You gave them stress- free time to enjoy their baby/child.
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