Donna Randol asked:


When deciding what I can do to make a baby shower gift a bit more special, I consider the relationship I have with the person receiving the gift.  I ask myself, sometimes without thinking, how close am I to the person receiving the gift?  Are we related?  Are we close?  Do we have a past together?  Have we shared secrets?  Are we acquaintances?  Is it someone I work with?  All of these factor in for me. 

 

When I am close to someone it is more important that the baby gift is exceptionally special, and by that I don’t mean more expensive.  It might mean I know what makes more of an impact on her than someone who isn’t as close.  It might mean I know about something she forgot to place on her baby register, or something I know she will need but has not thought of.  Because we have a relationship I want her to know how much she means to me so I try to give a baby shower gift with that extra something that makes her feel important.  This is her time, it is not about me.

 

I always want my baby gifts to be special.  However, it is sometimes easier to buy for those who I am not quite as close to.  It is easier to buy something that is more useful or more in my price range that is on her baby register.  For those who I am not as close to I still want to buy a gift that makes an impression.  I want them to know I care about them and would like to know them better.  Because I may not know them as well, I will generally buy something off of her baby register and add a little something extra for her.

 

Secondly, I consider how much money I have to spend on a baby shower gift.  Have I been putting money away for a gift since my friend told me the exciting news?  The good thing about baby gifts is you can always find something relatively inexpensive for a new mother.  Even if you can only afford to buy burp cloths and a card, the way it is presented and wrapped goes a long way to show you care. 

 

This is where the relationship comes to play.  I might not have the money to buy an expensive gift, but because we are close, I know she understands and our relationship is more important than what I give as a gift.  So I might buy something inexpensive that she needs and add something personal that I have made.  It can be as simple as just adding some special chocolate that I know she loves or has been craving.  Or maybe my friend loves very pretty wrapped gifts; I can take something inexpensive and make it more special by wrapping it in a special way, or putting a personal note just for her to read that brings a precious memory to her mind.  Sometimes the best gift to give is the gift of our time.  If you are really struggling financially, making coupons for future babysitting is a wonderful gift.  The important thing to remember is a baby shower is given not just to give gifts but to celebrate the new life coming into the relationship we have. 

 

If by chance I am in the position to buy a more expensive gift or several gifts I still try to make it as personal as possible by including an item that may become a keepsake gift in the future.  This way I can be practical and sentimental at the same time. 

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had an unlimited source of money?  If we did we wouldn’t give a second thought to those high price tags that come on baby gifts or any other type of gift we might want to buy for someone.  Unfortunately not everyone has that privilege, at least not in my circle of friends.  With an unlimited amount of money I might be able to buy a lot of wonderful things, but would I know when to stop?  Sometimes knowing that I only have a certain amount of money to spend may make my baby gift selection easier, and perhaps more meaningful.  A gift that has sentimental value to the person receiving the gift is always a winner. 

 

Having a budget means careful planning and more thought into making a gift purchase.  By having a budget I am forced into a certain price range, thereby making my baby gift selection easier.  Maybe not emotionally easier but it can limit my selection of gifts.  Sometimes it may be difficult to find that just right personal gift when you don’t have a lot of money but it can be done. 

 

How do I make it special?

 

As I mentioned earlier I try to make every baby gift purchase a special one.  With so many different baby gifts out there to buy it can be overwhelming.  For my practical side I buy something that is on the baby gift register, and then I buy something that is not on the register.  Today with the baby gift registers so popular an expectant mom can see ahead of time what people are buying.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  I just like to have something that will be a surprise. 

 

If I am close to someone it makes it easier to make it special, only because I might know her favorite chocolate, or her favorite colors.  If you don’t know her too well because you only have a passing working relationship it will take a bit more time and effort to make a gift special.  Use what you know to make a gift special.  If you don’t know what she likes then ask the friends that know her better.  There is a reason beyond the gift that you were invited.  

 

If you are beyond knowing what someone might find special there are some beautiful gift baskets on-line that contain items that you can’t find in the department stores that contain both practical and sentimental items.  I have ordered these for those friends and family that now live in another state.  And if you aren’t into gift baskets you can find some unique baby gifts or personalized baby gifts on line for those out of town.  Personalized gifts are nice and always appreciated if you know the baby’s name ahead of time. 

 

How a gift is presented shows the person has put some time and thought into presenting the gift.  If you happen to know the colors being used in the baby’s room you might wrap the gift in a coordinating color.  If she wants she might use it to line a drawer of the baby’s room.  Gift bags are always nice and can be reused. 

 

I have seen many happy moms delighted when they see their favorite candy is tucked in along with the baby gift.  Think about what puts a smile on your friends face and go from there.  It doesn’t take much to make a gift special.  Use what you know, use your imagination and creativity to make an ordinary gift a special gift.  And enjoy the baby shower! 

 

Remember a baby shower is given not just to give gifts but to celebrate the new life coming into the relationship we have.  Let’s not discount the fact that the best gift we can give is our love, care and support.

 

Leah Merchant asked:


I often hear expectant mothers complain that the hostess of their baby shower is not doing things the way they would like. They ask whether they should confront their hostesses and ask them to do things the way they had envisioned them. This is an unfortunate situation, as mom-to-be should be looking forward to the event instead of worrying that it won’t go according to her expectations. It is equally inappropriate for an expectant mom to try to plan the baby shower herself from behind the scenes. This puts the baby shower hostess in an incredibly awkward position. So here are a few guidelines to keep in mind if there is a baby shower in your near future.

If you are an expectant mom, remember that baby shower hostesses are not obligated to plan the party according to the wishes of the expectant mother! A baby shower is a gift that is being given, and as such, its recipient should not expect to dictate its specifications! Moms-to-be should accept the offer of a baby shower with gratitude – then sit back and let their hostess plan the party. In a nutshell, don’t try to exert too much control over the planning of your shower! If she asks, give your shower hostess some general ideas of what colors you like, a game or two you might enjoy (or would prefer to skip - like the “Guess the Girth” game!) or a few hints on how you plan to decorate the nursery. All of these things will assist your hostess in planning the direction she wants to go in with the baby shower, but remember that it is ultimately her decision. She is the one who will be hunting for decorations, preparing food, doing the work, and paying the price. It is fine to say, “You know, I love pink and frilly,” or “I was thinking of brown and teal for the baby’s room.” Both of these will give your hostess a window into your personality and tastes. It is not okay to say, “I want a Noah’s Ark themed shower decorated with pairs of stuffed animals and I want the Noah’s Ark cake on page 12 of the book at Bob’s Local Bakery and I want balloon bouquets all around the room and I want a centerpiece with lilies, they’re my favorite!” Give your shower hostess clues and ideas, but remember that she is throwing the shower, not you! Besides, half the fun of the shower is just showing up and enjoying being the guest of honor at a party that someone else took the time to throw for you! Lastly, remember that by far the worst saboteur of your dream shower is your own expectations!! If you have spent your pregnancy dreaming about an elaborate baby shower, you have probably already set yourself up for a disappointment. Let go of all those expectations, and just enjoy the party for whatever it turns out to be. As a wise man once said, “Keep your expectations low, and your gratitude high.”

If you are a baby shower hostess, understand that the tastes of the mom-to-be may vary considerably from those of the hostess planning the party. Although throwing a baby shower is a kind gesture and should be received with appreciation regardless of the specifics, it is the extra thoughtful hostess who takes the time to familiarize herself with the tastes of the mom-to-be and throw a shower according to them, instead of her own. Ask your guest of honor for hints about the kind of shower she has in mind. Be general in the information you ask for, and remember that her suggestions are just that – suggestions. Use the information you gather from the mom-to-be as a guideline to get you pointed in the right direction, but stay within your means in terms of time and money. And check your stress level – if it feels like you are jumping through hoops to make your guest of honor happy, then you have veered off course!

Baby showers should be about celebrating a woman’s passage into motherhood, the impending arrival of a new family member, and the changing dynamic of a young family – if both mom-to-be and shower hostess keep the focus on a loving celebration, things like theme, games, decorations, and food will seem less important to everyone!

Donna Gorenflo asked:


Congratulations! Having a baby is a wondrous experience and it’s definitely something special to be having a second, third, fourth or fifth child. This is when you get to experience the joys of having a baby and you know what you’re doing! For the older sibling, it can sometimes be hard to adjust to the thought of having another child to share the attention of mom and dad. One of the great ways to help eliminate some of the stress is to get your child actively involved in the pregnancy. Talk to them about being a new big brother or big sister and how the new baby will look up to them and let them help you become prepared. Here are some great ideas on how to get siblings involved in the baby shower.

Have a Different Sort of Baby Shower –



One of the things that you can do to get older siblings involved is to have an ‘Introducing My Little Brother or Sister’ party. The focus of the party is now on both or all of your children, so that the older sibling is very much involved. Allow them to help you decorate for the party. Choose a cake that they think their little brother or sister will love and of course, allow them to choose the baby a gift from them they think will be wonderful. When older children are more involved with the pregnancy and life of the new baby, they will be less stressed, less nervous and have reduced fear about the new baby.

Gifts for Big Brother or Big Sister –



Gifts for the older child at the baby shower are also a wonderful idea. It turns the shower into a party for the big brother or sister as well as for the baby. Wonderful ideas of gifts may include educational toys that the older child will love to play with. Another is special t-shirts for the older child so they can proudly say, “I’m a Big Brother,” or “I’m a Big Sister.” Even a fun puzzle or a miniature rocking chair would be wonderful in this situation. It’s all about letting the child know that they are extremely special and that they are going to have a very large part in the life of the new baby!

Let the Child Do Things at the Shower –



Perhaps they can pass out the supplies for a shower game or help serve cake and ice cream. You might even have them take pictures for the baby to see when he or she is a bit older. Of course, you can judge what to let them help with depending upon their ages. The whole point is to simply have the older child feeling more involved and very important so that they don’t feel like they are left out of the spotlight. For a young child, this can be quite a hard feeling to deal with. As a smart Mom and Dad, thinking ahead and using these methods, you’ll rid that feeling from the very start!

These ideas will help make the transition smoother for the older child and in fact, they may have no problems at all with the arrival of the new baby. Ultimately they will bond with the child before it’s even born, the same way that you do, by being a great big brother or sister from the very beginning!

surrealbutnice asked:


I have a couple of friends who are all having babies around the same time and I need baby shower gift ideas. They all have a pretty good sense of humor and I want to get them something funny/cute. Any Ideas???