Buying a gift for a baby is especially tough when you don’t have any kids of your own. If you’ve never had children, how in the world are you supposed to know what to do?

Relax, we are going to give you some quick ideas to help take the stress off of you, help you choose an appropriate and useful gift and make the shower an enjoyable experience.

Call the soon to be parents or the host of the baby shower and ask if there is a gift registry for the baby. Many people do this just as brides do for bridal showers. Many times it will be available online.

The baby gift registry will tell you what they are asking for and if the desire has already been filled. Diapers may not seem the fanciest of baby shower gifts, but they may be one of the most useful. Diapers are expensive, and babies use them quickly, so new parents always appreciate a gift of diapers.

Even parents who use cloth diapers might like to have a pack of disposable diapers for travel. Diapers are sized by baby’s weight. Buy larger sizes instead of newborn diapers, since some newborns grow quickly and don’t use many of the smaller sizes. Don’t forget to throw in some baby wipes!

Some babies are really picky when it comes to bottles and pacifiers – some babies will only use one particular brand or shape. If the parents-to-be have registered for a particular type of bottles, nipples or pacifiers, it’s safe to buy them for a baby shower gift. Otherwise, steer clear of these gifts until you know which type the baby will prefer.

Some parents do not ever introduce their baby to pacifiers or bottles because these items can interfere with breastfeeding.

This is another reason to do some research if you want to buy something like this, I know my son never used a pacifier and some people are touchy about that.
Baby clothes are sized by age and sometimes weight.

The smallest sizes don’t get a lot of wear since newborns grow quickly. Baby clothes in larger sizes will likely be used more. Use the baby’s due date to figure out what season it will be when baby reaches a new clothing size, such as 6 months, and buy seasonal clothes in that size.

If you don’t know the baby’s gender, a gift certificate is a welcome baby shower gift, allowing the parents to choose an outfit in pink or blue after baby arrives. If you’re stumped for a baby shower gift, help boost baby’s brain power by choosing a classic baby book, educational DVD or music CD.

Studies show that music encourages brain development in babies, so a lullaby CD or some tunes for the car would be a nice gift. Also look for one of the many DVD learning series for infants, such as Brainy Baby or Baby Einstein. Still stumped? A copy of your favorite book from childhood is a meaningful and useful baby shower gift.

The baby shower gift possibilities are almost endless when you give the gift of baby toys. You can buy toys made for older babies for use later in baby’s life, but stick with toys for ages 3 and under to avoid small parts that could choke a young baby. Toys have an age range listed on the package.

If you want your gift to be used for a long time, look for a wider age range on the package. Fancy doesn’t necessarily mean better when it comes to baby toys, either, babies love simple toys, too.
If you want to give a baby shower gift that’s out of the ordinary, consider the parents’ lifestyle.

For environmentally active parents, an organic baby gift is a smart choice. Are the parents into travel or outdoors adventures? A baby backpack carrier or baby bike trailer would get baby involved in family activities.

Techie parents might enjoy a titanium stroller with an onboard music system. Other lifestyle gifts might include breastfeeding supplies, baby slings or cloth diapers.

http://coolbabyshowerthemes.blogspot.com

Your wedding day is fast approaching and if you’re like most brides, you will want to look and feel your absolute best. 

Your bridal weight loss does not have to be difficult or painful.  By following a few simple tips, you can be on the road to a picture perfect day.

Tips for Losing Weight:

•Give away or throw away all of those left-over party trays, cookies and desserts from your engagement party, bridal showers and more.  Homeless shelters will appreciate your donation and so will your waistline.

•Ask yourself:  “Am I really hungry”?  If yes, drink a glass of water and wait 30 minutes.  If you’re hunger goes away, it wasn’t real to begin with.  If you’re hunger stays, then listen to your body and get something healthy to eat.

•Purchase a 24-pack of bottled water and keep it handy for exercise or in your car. 

•Commit to replacing your sodas (regular or calorie-free) with water for an entire month.  You will be surprised how quickly this can become a good habit!

•Ask yourself “what two fruits or vegetables am I going to eat with this meal?”.

•Keep fresh fruit, veggie sticks, nuts, seeds, yogurt and low fat cheese available for quick pick-me-up snacks.

•Know your maximum calorie intake to maintain or lose weight.

•Keep a food journal and write down everything you eat.  You may surprise yourself.

•Try a rice cooker.  They cost less than $20 and can turn that whole grain rice into a succulent, soft, side dish.

•Avoid fast food, fried food, and alcohol.  All contribute extra calories with little to no nutritional value.

•Exercise!  Commit to exercise 3 to 5 times per week and record your efforts.

•Remove temptations from your cupboards and refrigerator.

•Regularly reward yourself for meeting your goals with things such as manicures, pedicures, massages, etc.

•Try new foods such as tofu, lentils, soy products, eggplant, collards, winter squashes, etc. 

•Don’t give up if you slip up. 

Your wedding day will be memorable and beautiful.  By following these easy tips for losing weight, you will experience some life changing habits that can carry over into your post-wedding years. 

A healthy body takes an ongoing commitment.  Why not get started today by incorporating some of these healthy weightloss tips into your plan?  What do you have to lose?

Take the time to enjoy your bridal weight loss journey.  Remember that the journey is just as important as the destination!

Ashely was asking Carley questions… silly and fun!

General Hospital Robin’s Suprize Bridal / Baby Shower! October 22nd, 2008 Robin’s group of co-workers and best friends from the hospital throw a suprize baby and bridal shower for her.

Baby showers are fast becoming increasingly popular around the world, and businesses have responded with baby shower party supplies specially designed for the occasion. A baby shower is a celebration of the pending or recent birth of a baby, and are typically though not necessarily a women-only event, especially when held informally at one’s workplace with colleagues. Hispanics seem to be the ones who indulge in such commemorative events the most, though as previously mentioned the practice is a growing one worldwide.

Baby showers are, however, generally regarded as being an American tradition, having been started by a German immigrant during the eighteenth century, a silversmith and businessman who encouraged gift-giving among the upper classes of New York. (Whether he also sold them cheap party supplies is unknown!) Also, the word “shower” is assumed to refer to the fact that the woman receiving the honors is showered with gifts, but this etymology is in dispute.

Baby showers were originally meant for women but with its popularity has come the attendance of men. It had also been traditional for baby showers to be held only for the first child, though over time the tradition was extended for every birth. Nowadays, there are even men-only baby showers, often for homosexuals. In some cultures, such as among certain Jews and Ethiopians, a celebration only takes place after the actual birth.

Baby showers are now being held in Europe and Asia as well. In the more traditional cultures of Third World countries, baby showers still remain a women-only affair. In the United States, more formal baby showers take place outside the workplace while those occurring at work usually involve the mother being taken out to lunch or dinner by her colleagues in addition to receiving gifts and even outright cash. Though such events can involve company approval, they are almost always organized by a close friend among coworkers. Being that these kinds of baby showers are fairly ad hoc events, there are very few common practices or rules. Thus, like bridal showers and bachelor’s parties, they are often open to new ideas. For example, rubbing the expectant mother’s belly is now something that is often entertained. In this regard, 3D ultrasound photos are also passed around. Less elaborate celebrations are sometimes called diaper showers, involving small necessities such as diapers and baby food, often for those expectant mothers who already have children and presumably need far less.