Happy LABOR Day!
How fantasticly timely this is since I was gonna write about babies and gifts! (I do realize this day celebrates a different kind of labor, but just go with it!)
We have three little bundles of joy joining our family in September (one yesterday and two in the next two weeks!). I will be an auntie to another niece and two nephews. YAY! All this baby talk got me thinking about the best go-to baby gifts. The things my babies loved...the things I loved...that I want to pass on to you...well, to everyone really!
This started out as a 'five favorites' list, but as mommies of five babies who have been doing this for almost five years...there were just too many fabulous things to discuss! Here are our favorites in no particular order:
(This link goes to our FAVORITE local baby boutique called SugarBabies. They included great info about Sophie on their webpage.) Made of 100% natural rubber and food paint. BPA free. Carter still loves her as we move into the second year.
Price: Varies depending on where you shop, but usually somewhere around $20. Both Target (online only) and Amazon carry her for cheaper than specialized baby boutiques.
I received this as a gift when I was pregnant with my first baby. It is a wonderful book filled with poetry, songs, recipes, and stories. It is perfect for the first timer who has forgotten all these little treasures during her years between being a baby and having a baby. There is a new 10th anniversary edition that sells for $25 at Borders. This is a picture of the original copy. Just because it's the one I own and it has a special place in my heart!
These items from Pottery Barn are SO soft and cozy! Warning: there is no turning back! I received two fitted sheets for Carter and I NEVER want to put regular cotton on his crib mattress anymore.
Price: $19.00 Changing Pad Cover
$29.00 Fitted Crib Sheet
$25.00 Boppy Slipcover
These are AMAZING! Let me say that again...AMAZING! They are huge, lightweight, breathable, 100% cotton Muslin fabric that just get softer and softer as you wash them. We never had loose feet or that one random wiggle arm when Carter was wrapped up in these. Super cute too!
Price: Again, varies based on where you want to buy...$33.69 for a four pack on
Diapers.com
These floppy, snuggly guys are a favorite in Sarah's house. Each of her girls had one from birth and, I believe, Holly is currently loving on 'duck' number 4? This is a local company with a
wonderful story.
Price: As much as we love Bunnies By The Bay, Sarah would like to point out that if you order from them you pay $10 shipping on top of the $10 price tag, but you can pick one up from Sugarbabies for $8.99 if you're local!
Great educational toys that the kids LOVE. So many puzzles, food play sets, blocks, classic toys & art supplies that we love here...the list goes on and on. The magnets above are a favorite in our house. Mommy loves them because they don't scratch the fridge like other magnets do. (We also play with them on cookie sheets.)
Price: $11.99 for 20 animal magnets
Alas, this is one item Sarah and I never experienced (doing a blind review here). Don't know if they are fairly new or if we were just in the dark, but they look fabulous! You know when you are trying to finish a sentence with a friend at a coffee shop/playdate and your little one just wants to eat your jewelry...voila! Take off your bracelet and hand it over with no fear! BPA free & completely recycleable.
Price: $19.99
These are literally THE BEST thing
ever when you are mixing kids + summertime. They clean up in the sink with dishsoap and hot water, slip on and off super quick (the kids can do it themselves), come in fun, fun, fun colors, have good grip on slippery surfaces, and don't get me started on
jibbitz! My boys wear them all summer long.
Price: $24.99 (a little less on
Amazon)
I swear by these things. They are not cheap, but are totally worth it. At any given moment I have a pack in my cupboard, car, diaper bag...you name it. They are extra soft and made with saline that dissolves mucus. As a first timer, I wiped and wiped and wiped Logan's little nose with regular baby wipes when he had a bad cold and ended up with a red, raw, horribly painful nose situation. NEVER happens with boogie wipes. You can find them in the baby aisle at Target, Fred Meyer, Walgreens...
Price: $3.99 for 30 wipes
We enjoy the "That's Not My..." series, but all Usborne touchy-feely books are equally delightful!
Price: $8.99
...I could probably keep going, but I'll stop at 10 great baby buys. Hoping you feel armed and ready to venture out on your next baby shower shopping adventure. Or...if you're a mama who just HAS to have one of the above goodies...enjoy! Let us know what your favorites are too.
