What were your favorite gifts?

[xekomaya]

especially if this is your second+ baby?

My uncle's wife is having a baby June 4th (repeat C) and shes been so sweet to us, I'd love to get them something. This is their 3rd baby and they really have everything they need.

I have a huge, opinionated family. She has 2 boys already, and not that they need more "stuff", but she probably won't get many gifts for a 3rd boy (ya know, cause you should only have 2 kids...), but if its a girl, I don't even know where they'll put all the pink dresses and barbie dolls

So I want to get her something (or even make her something? I do knit, but a blanket would take a big too long with a newborn) thats meaningful and sincere.. I just don't know what that is yet

So what did you get that you loved? Even if it won't work for my situation I'd love to hear!

[limette]

I'm not normally a fan of gift cards but my dh's office gave us $150 worth of cards to be used at any store in the mall along with all the baby stuff they gave us.

I was totally out of clothes. I couldn't leave the house without looking like a complete mess. So I took those gifts cards and bought myself some new jeans, shirts and cute sandals.

For a second pregnancy the best gift is something for mom.

[mkmama]

i had everything i needed for this baby (very minimal here, especially with upcoming move to USA), and the gifts i got were for ME and blessed me so much.

I got a whole bunch of nursing tops. never bought those with DS, i just made do, but it is nice to have some new things to wear as well as discreet b/c we are in public a lot, including on buses! ha!

The other thing i got was 2 bravado nursing bras. i would never pay that much for myself...well, until i started wearing these, worth every penny! i feel so supported and leak a LOT less b/c i'm so supported. i love them.

i also was give mama's burts bee belly lotion and i think that was really sweet. its nice to have some mama pampering things.

For baby...well, my most favorite thing is the Ergo. And for the baby if they don't use those baby bags, you know, the things where the baby is covered but its like a bag around their feet...i never had them with DS and i just LOVE them for night time diaper changes. she lives in them lately!

[ZoshaMosha]

mkmama and I have the same brain!

I was going to say nursing bras/tops. I didn't get these as gifts per se, as I bought them for myself, but the glamourmom nursing tanks are awesome! I don't know how I got through nursing my older one without them. Ditto for the bravado.

My favorite gift was the ergo as well (although that's a pricey one!)

[Amandamanda]

MIRACLE BLANKET!!!!

it seriously is a miracle.

[ChristyH]

Our favorite gift was nothing spectacular but we were touched by it. There is a little old man who goes to our church who has got to be about 90 years old, someone drops him off every Sunday. He's taken to my husband and they've become friends and like to tease each other, my husband is bald and he likes to tease him and one day even brought him a present and when DH opened it it was a box of rogaine
I was at church last Sunday (DH is out of town) and he came up to me and where DH was and that he had a present for the baby. It wasn't wrapped but still in the bag he bought it in from Target but it was a cute little outfit that he said he picked out himself. I was so touched that he had someone drive him to the store to so he could buy a present for the baby and he said to tell DH hi and that he would see him soon. I can't wait for her to wear it for him at church!

[takasmom]

Someone gave us a family photo session with a professional photographer. SO nice.

[Ironica]

Best gift this time around was four weeks of diaper service! First of all, because it showed that the ladies (it was my department at work who chipped in on it) really *knew* us (unlike the really sweet but kinda clueless admin assistant who gave me bottles and baby booties ). And second, because we were going to be getting diaper service *anyway*, and it's nice to not have to worry about paying for it for the first month!

For cute factor, my favorite is this thing: http://www.target.com/Classic-Pooh-B...dp/B000Y1L36K/

And infant gowns are da bomb, of course.

[ErikaG]

A few months subscription to Netflix. With all the time one spends with a newborn doing things like nursing, the Netflix subscription has been really nice-it's a reminder to take care of me, because when I do, I take better care of the baby.

[rubyeta]

I think our best gifts have been gifts of time. My sister came over and prepared our garden beds so that all we have to do is plant. My best friend vacuumed and mopped our whole house and we got lots of great meals. (yeah right... like you have extra time on your hands!!) oh yeah, another favorite- My Sil Gave us a whole wardrobe for 6-9mo of organic cotton clothes!!! Sorry NAK

[snugglebutter]

Anything food. It doesn't even have to be a "meal" - could be easy snacks like fresh fruit and granola bars.

I also ADORE the miracle blanket!

[krizzanne]

Originally Posted by rubyeta

I think our best gifts have been gifts of time. My sister came over and prepared our garden beds so that all we have to do is plant. My best friend vacuumed and mopped our whole house and we got lots of great meals.

I agree with that.

But, there is one gift that I got after dd1 and I have given with really good response. That is a hands-free connection for a land-line phone. Radio Shack sells them for about $30. It allows the person to talk on their regular phone and have both hands free. It's a GREAT gift for household with a newborn!!

[oyinmama]

Originally Posted by limette

For a second pregnancy the best gift is something for mom.

agreed! this was my first but it was so nice when ppl gave parent-y gifts. someone gave us a 3-yr subscription to a parenting mag, and a pair of movie ticket vouchers together with an offer for babysitting.

another nice gift was a keepsake box - this one was handmade by the giver, but there are so many beautiful wood, metal, woven boxes out there - to keep shower cards, baby's early records, etc.

[jsnv]

PJs for the mom --when nothing else fits atleast you can look nice in your jammies

merry maids
gift certificate to a store with prepared meals

[Jennisee]

Maybe a certificate for a photo shoot? One of my friends is a photographer, and she came over when DS was about 10 days old and did a long family shoot, and I was always be grateful for that.

I also like the idea of getting the mom a certificate for something that they may have a hard time keeping up with--a cleaning service, dogwalking, a food delivery service, etc.

Originally Posted by ChristyH

Our favorite gift was nothing spectacular but we were touched by it. There is a little old man who goes to our church who has got to be about 90 years old, someone drops him off every Sunday. He's taken to my husband and they've become friends and like to tease each other, my husband is bald and he likes to tease him and one day even brought him a present and when DH opened it it was a box of rogaine
I was at church last Sunday (DH is out of town) and he came up to me and where DH was and that he had a present for the baby. It wasn't wrapped but still in the bag he bought it in from Target but it was a cute little outfit that he said he picked out himself. I was so touched that he had someone drive him to the store to so he could buy a present for the baby and he said to tell DH hi and that he would see him soon. I can't wait for her to wear it for him at church!

Ok, this made me tear up. *sniff*

Originally Posted by krizzanne

But, there is one gift that I got after dd1 and I have given with really good response. That is a hands-free connection for a land-line phone. Radio Shack sells them for about $30. It allows the person to talk on their regular phone and have both hands free. It's a GREAT gift for household with a newborn!!

Oooh, good one! I want a hands-free headset SO badly.

[pixiepunk]

ITA with Rubyeta - time/help is what i want the most! maybe you could offer to take the older kids out to a movie so she can just chill with the baby? or clean her house (or pay to have someone else do it?)? or bring over some meals for the freezer? or maybe something to pamper mama a little bit, like a massage or a pedicure? you could offer to come along and jiggle the baby.

other than that, my favorite gift has been a couple of pairs of Babylegs that a friend got for me. i would never has spent the money on something like that myself, but they are soooo cute and are really awesome for babywearing and EC'ing. and even if you don't do those things they're darn cute!

i always make new mamas a ring sling. usually from a linen blend material, in a neutral color so it will go with everything and will be DH friendly. or if you don't sew or don't want to make one, you can get one from sleepingbabyproductions for a very reasonable price. or, also on the babywearing front, if you want to splurge you could get a gift certificate to attachedtobaby.com and let her pick out what she wants.

[Alpaca Wacka]

You're a knitter? What about making a fruit hat? I just made a peach one for my DD-meant to be worn this fall. tyhere are lots of different versions out there, but I think they're wonderful because they're very gender neutral and still really really cute. You can use any old baby hat pattern you like and just add an I-cord stem at the top and "wing" a leaf to add and you'll be set. Or.. you could use a pattern like this.

[thomlynn]

How old are her other two??

Mine is still little so I wouldn't want someone to take her anywhere but I've loved it when people come over to play with her. Especially when they come in and go right to her and don't love on the baby right away.

Food has also been helpful. We had people bring us dinners but you could also do some frozen meals and take them to her already packaged and labeled with directions.

And if you two are kind of close you could clean for her.

Also, you don't have to do it right after the baby comes. My baby is three weeks and I would LOVE if somebody came over and played with my toddler now that things have calmed down and she's started getting cabin fever.

[Meksmama]

Gifts of time are great. My friends did misc things I needed after ds was born. One went and got groceries for us, another came over and vacuumed, another came and did my dishes!

IT was great to have the company also!

[xekomaya]

This is great.


I don't have a car and she's in the 'burbs or I'd def cook/clean for her, but she lives next door to my parents so I'm going to remind them to do some of those things. Fortunately there is a ton of family in the area so she has childcare for the older two any day of the week -- they practically fight for those kids

I don't know why my first thought wasn't to get things for HER though. I'm going to order a few things and make her a care package with your suggestions.. I'm definitely going to throw in a fruit hat too - I've been waiting for an excuse to make one