She married her hubby in the summer of 2008, when I was pregnant with Grace. She was so upset when she saw me because I was barely showing! And then, she was pregnant with her baby at my wedding reception in November! We are kind of kindred, in that way I guess.
So, next month I am going to her baby shower, and I want to get her something amazing. But I also want to get her something she wants. And I need to keep my amazing, needed gift within budget. That last one is always the killer!
I have a lot of opinions when it comes to showers and gift registries. I had someone print off my Macys registry for my wedding, take it to WalMart and buy me things I asked for. I am not joking. Instead of the stainless steel Martha Stewart measuring cups I registered for, I got plastic lime green Farberware measuring cups. There was a whole gift basket of things I wanted from Macys that I received from Walmart!
What I wanted...
What I got!
Now, I am thrifty as the next girl and I can't afford to spend $100 on my friends for showers, but I like to get them the things they WANT! Not just my idea of what they should have!
But, in the case of baby showers, I now have some experience in this area that my friend is lacking. There are things that are not on her registry that I found very handy with my newborn. I was very lucky to have a few new Mama's who knew the most current and most needed items I would want to have, even when I didn't know it myself. So I want to pass on a couple of those items.
I had never even seen these WONDERFUL formula dispensers until my cousin, who is a proud Mama of three-under-5 (read: Crazy Woman!) got me one at my first baby shower, and this ended up being one of the most fabulous and used things I received!
As Nana, i found that the bumbo chair was, and still is, the most clever "must-have". It was great to use before Tot was big enough to sit up by herself and we still use it now at Nana's as a booster seat/eating station. (Although Nana's lap is still the favorite eating station)
ReplyDeleteThey sure have come up with alot of new things since my kids were little. I'm not alot of help in that dept.
ReplyDeleteThose are interesting formula dispensers. Do you mix it up first?
ReplyDeleteHope you can find a good shower gift. I am awful at gift buying, so having the registry really helps me. I typically buy clothes and that is not as useful at all, because everyone buys the baby clothes because they are cute, not the un-cute necessities like diapers and rash cream and such. :)
Oh dear ... your Wal-Mart swap out gift was NOT the same thing at all!! YIKES!
ReplyDeleteAnd I do think experienced moms know better than to buy some of the "not needed" item on registries. I know when a friend of mine was having her first baby, I knew not to get her the "timer" to tell her when the baby would need to be fed!! I told her: "Trust me ... you'll know. You won't need the timer."
: )
Hay cousin...I have not been able to post on your and a few other blogs for some reason but my computor is at the vet and I am using HP's and Wa La...I can post!
ReplyDeleteAll the things your PONY COUSIN got you were the best...she really wanted to get you the things she found the most helpful. Someone once got a gift of 4 different brands of diapers so they could then pick after using them what wsorked best for them. I really though that was a cleaver gift! Also I love to give my mothers hand made afgans and baby sweaters. I pay her for her time and expensesbut am ALWAYS tolwhat a treasured keepsake it will be! By the way...she always has many choices ready to choose from IF you are interested and they could be within your budget!!!
I'm curious, how do the young moms feel about those cute, soft burp cloths? Do they like to receive those still? Don't mean to hyjack this thread, but it's still sorta on the subject....
ReplyDelete