<p>My niece is expecting a baby in September. Finances are tight for her and her husband so I thought at first that something practical would be good, like the layette at Lands End or something along those lines. Then I thought that it would be nice to have something more permanent and meaningful, like a keepsake. Anything that you give regularly or have gotten that you really appreciated? ( I will have to mail it or have it sent since we live across the country from them.)</p>
<p>I get all my new baby gifts from fillintheblankie dot com. The blankies are absolutely gorgeous and embroidering the “birth facts” around the edges makes them a one-of-a-kind keepsake.</p>
<p>Send a check and let them decide how to spend it. Keepsakes may be important to you but they may need the money to pay a bill and would appreciate your generosity.</p>
<p>A donation to the college fund :)</p>
<p>I was just out shopping this morning for a baby gift, the first grandchild of a very close friend. I’ve known the new mom since she was a toddler. She, too, lives on the opposite end of the continent so I’ll have to ship it. I know, from my friend, that she has received a ‘ton’ of baby clothes, blankets, the usual baby stuff, so I bought several books. I chose some of my old favorites from when my Ds were babies and then had the clerk at the store help me with some newer favorites. I found some pretty bookplates with pictures of children on them and I wrote a small note commemorating the birth-day of this darling child and signed for everyone in our family, then glued them inside each book. Now I just need to wrap them and tomorrow morning I’ll be off to UPS to get them sent!</p>
<p>A baby book that the parents can fill out with milestones as they are reached–first smile, first tooth, etc. I always appreciated the calendar someone got me that had little stickers in it, so that all I had to do was peel a sticker off and stick it on the appropriate date. (I guess I was busy…)</p>
<p>I’m with alwaysamom. If it’s their first kid, I buy a bunch of board books – and tell the new parents that it’s best to have two books in your lap when you read to a baby: one for you to read aloud and the other for the baby to chew on while looking at the pictures and listening to you read.</p>
<p>I like sending large boldly illustrated Mother Goose books. There’s nothing like reading those with baby on your lap, having them fill in the rhymes:
■■■■■ cat ■■■■■ cat where have you been
I’ve been to London to look at the pween…</p>
<p>She will probably be getting a lot of newborn clothes when she will REALLY appreciate some larger sizes since that usually doesn’t make it to a shower. Lands End had some great prices in outerwear and sweaters as does LL Bean right now since we are heading to summer.</p>
<p>Ross Dress for Less, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx also carry some very nice children clothes. If you know the sex of the baby it can be fun to get some items in a larger size. Also carry some nice infant toys.</p>
<p>Also second the books, always include one or two of those, The Napping House, Guess How Much I Love You, I’ll Love You Forever, Make Way for Ducklings, If You Give a Mouse A Cookie, Chik-A-Chik Boom Boom, Curious George, Pat the Bunny, Runaway Bunny, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Where the Wild Things Are…take your pick!!</p>
<p>If its a girl I usually follow up with a Baby Huggims (madame alexander) or a Baby steiff and a starter set of Thomas the Tank Engine (boy or girl). But that is after the baby is born!!</p>
<p>Hope this helps. Ask away if you need more ideas…have tons and tons!!</p>
<p>Kat
AC Moore has Thomas train/sets on sale last week for 50% off and there is a coupon on their website for 50% item on Tues and Sat. Tuesday Morning carries the Madame Alexander’s for 60-75% off as well. TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning also have carried the Baby Steiff’s as does Amazon but not always on sale there. Books also discounted at Ross, Homegoods, Tj Maxx and Marshalls. Also have some at Big Lots.</p>
<p>This is what I got for the baby shower I am going to next weekend. Not especially practical but I am a sucker for Dr Suess.
[Costco</a> - Seuss-a-Palooza Baby Gift Set by Bumkins](<a href=“http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11290771&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US]Costco”>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11290771&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US)</p>
<p>Congratulations! How exciting that your family is growing. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, this. My S never even got to wear all of his newborn-six months clothes. Then we kind of ran out of clothes that fit. It was a great day when a box of clothing arrived from my MIL with a note that said, “I couldn’t resist these outfits for my grandson.” She knew we needed them for the baby and money was tight. She is a saint, I swear.</p>
<p>So, I vote for larger clothing. Or a gift certificate for Lands End kids or something similar. Of course, most new parents would also gladly welcome a check. One last idea is to check with her parents and find out what big ticket items have not been bought, then get some other relatives to chip in and give a stroller or whatnot from all of you.</p>
<p>… what about a car seat (you can have the store send it) and a nice, hand-knit blanket? You can find very reasonably priced ones on ■■■■■■■■. That way you give both a practical and a very personal gift.</p>
<p>How about a picture frame or picture cube (pics on all 4 sides) for those baby pics? My D still has her baby cube (ceramic with teddy bears, alphabet blocks, and ribbons on it) on her bookcase. I also agree with the baby book suggestions. Our favorities for the newborns/babies were the Sandra Boynton board books. They’re short, they rhyme, and I have saved ours for my grandbabies (whenever they may arrive!)</p>
<p>Get them a Bumbo seat…not a keepsake but really useful. I wish I had them when my kids were small. Or money. Or diapers and wipes…so many things baby needs…not a baby monitor though…waste of money when mothers hear baby crying when no one else can !</p>
<p>I always give books too.</p>
<p>I often give a basket of books (I love your idea of using bookplates, alwaysamom). I get books for different ages. These are some favorites:</p>
<p>Pat the Bunny
Goodnight, Moon
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Each Peach, Pear, Plum
Chronicles of Narnia</p>
<p>I have to agree with the “college fund”…when my niece was born (9 years ago) I became the $25 savings bond auntie. Birthday, holiday and “just because” (if I can). I started it with a decorative coin bank included and a note of explanation.</p>
<p>depending on where your niece lives, if winter looms on the horizon, then a zip up down thing to put the baby into for when in the car seat or stroller is a wonderful item … often they cost a bit more than anyone wants to pay…but they are just fabulous…if they do winter…</p>
<p>depending upon the sex, a Christmas/holiday outfit 6 mos size, would be wonderful also…if a boy, a velvet pair of shorts with straps and a white shirt…or a velvet dress for a girl… </p>
<p>handmade baby sweaters are wonderful…between now and then you could probably find something lovely at a crafts fair… </p>
<p>those small little digital movie cameras, they run around $100-150…and you plug them into the USB port on a computer…they are a great device for quick and dirty movies, the quality is wonderful and it is so easy to throw in a purse or a diaper bag.</p>
<p>This thread came at the perfect time. The first of our friends became grandparents recently & we got an announcement from the baby’s parents (we were there for the mom’s birth 30 years ago). I was at a loss for what to get & the gift needs to be sent cross-country. The suggestion of books is great & brought back memories of what I used to read to my own children. Thanks.</p>
<p>Not sure what your budget is, but the baby blanket from Garnet Hill is worth every single $. It is Heirloom, yet practical and they will typically wrap it and ship it for $5.00.</p>
<p>[Garnet</a> Hill Legacy Baby Blanket - Garnet Hill](<a href=“http://www.garnethill.com/jump.jsp?itemID=9893&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C10274%2C10576&iProductID=9893]Garnet”>http://www.garnethill.com/jump.jsp?itemID=9893&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C10274%2C10576&iProductID=9893)</p>
<p>[Diapers.com</a> - Everything for Baby - Free Shipping, Great Service](<a href=“http://www.diapers.com%5DDiapers.com”>http://www.diapers.com) will deliver diapers for free when you buy $49 or more from them. For a budget wise gift, you can never give enough diapers.</p>
<p>For the best heirloom gift ever (at least in our family) the Man in the Moon rattle from Tiffany is breath taking but they do not make it anymore…BUT they do make some beautiful rattles. They are actually practical as it is an amazing teething rattle. Especially when you put in the frig!</p>