There was a time when I sent at least one baby gift a month. And there was a time when I was the lucky recipient of baby gifts what seemed like…monthly.
Baby Gifts…
…make total sense and yet are in a some ways… are a strange concept. Some are immensely practical…ESPECIALLY with first babies…they get put to use immediately, worn out, out grown and thrown out, or handed down, used up or taken to Goodwill. And then there are other gifts, timeless gifts that are perhaps useless and impractical in the Real world of REAL babies, but somehow survive childhood and are the things which remain, long after your child is a baby…
The practical gifts are not really up for debate..though I am sure everyone has their own life saving favorites...mine was the vibrating bouncy chair….and .babies need places to sleep, pacifiers and teething rings, baby monitors, clothes to wear, a car seat to travel in and strollers to get from here to there. And there are ranges within each of these categories from inexpensive to swanky but in the end.. so long as they get snuggled and loved, changed and fed….babies don’t really care what kind of stroller they bop around in.
HERE ARE MY TOP 5 FAVORITE IMPRACTICAL BABY GIFTS
1. SILVER SPOONS, RATTLES AND OTHER SHINY THINGS –
Yesterday, looking for a can opener, I stumbled upon a tiny silver spoon with a giraffe on it. It brought back sweet memories of tiny hands with sticky fingers…banging on the high chair tray and the fights which erupted over “who got the Giraffe spoon” . The fancy spoon which I simply threw in with the rest of the silverware became a favorite…you never know…and maybe one day…the kids can fight over who gets to give it to their child!!!
2. MONOGRAMMED BLANKETS
Babies need blankies and warmth but fancy monogrammed blankets…babies can’t read!
Our daughter Phoebe got the satin edged monogrammed blanket as a baby gift. It became her MOST FAVORITE thing, the Transitional object” that went everywhere she went and to this day, at age 16, she keeps it under her pillow. It was lovingly named “FRIEND BLANKIE”…and the same replacement which we kept on hand in case God forbid she lost it, Phoebe named “NOT MY FRIEND BLANKIE”. More than once…the identifying fact which helped us reclaim the lost blankie…was the “PHD” monogram !!!
3. FANCY PHOTO FRAMES
I love photos…AND I always loved having special ones out to see. I have received many frames as gifts, but this one, a crystal frame which we got when our youngest Cooper was born, has occupied a special place on our Living room mantle for 14 years. I rotate the photo but the frame remains in place. Perhaps it just reminds me of the fragility of it all…how swift the time passes…or maybe it is just pretty…whatever the reason…I adore this frame and while I cannot remember who gifted it to us…if I did, I would thank them all over again!
4.WOODEN BLOCKS
A set of blocks are an impractical gift for babies, who can’t even hold their own head up. And yes, they may sit unused for a while while baby learns to get around…but I will choose wooden blocks over toys which beep, clang and whistle every time! And once baby can grasp..they NEVER EVER are NOT a good toy…and if anything you will find yourself wanting to buy MORE…BLOCKS ROCK!
5. ART – OR ANYTHING HANDMADE
ART is such a wonderful gift. And anything handmade carries with it such sweet sentiment and love.
ONE KINGS LANE – Artist Dawn Wolfe created this original folded-paper collage by carefully assembling hand-cut forms into the shape of a pleated dress. The resulting three-dimensional work is full of charming vintage style. The piece is signed and dated by the artist and set in a classic white shadow-box frame.I would have LOVED something liKe this for Phoebe’s room!!!
VINTAGE POSTERS ARE GREAT ART GIFTS FOR BABY’S NURSERY…
GEORGE AND BESSIE
ERIN FROM HOUSE OF TURQUOISE
ETSY IS A WONDERFUL SOURCE OF AFFORDABLE HANDMADE GIFTS…WITH NO SHORTAGE OF TREATS FOR BABY!
DOMESTIC NOTIONS
I HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF PAINTINGS AS GIFTS…..INCLUDING THESE KIDS…
I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO BE ABLE TO TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME, SNUGGLE MY BABIES AGAIN…
IT ALL GOES TOO FAST…BUT THE MEMORIES LINGER AS DO SOME OF THESE TREASURED ITEMS I HAVE LISTED…THEY REMIND US OF THOSE EXHAUSTING PRECIOUS DAYS..WHEN AN ENTIRE DAYS SCHEDULE MIGHT REVOLVE AROUND RELIEVING TEETHING PAIN…CHERISH EACH MOMENT…WHERE EVER YOU ARE…
Your words are all too true! I cherished all the special gifts that my 3 received, practical or not!
YES, SUZY too too fast…thank God for cameras! xo
I have a three-year old (turns four in a few weeks), a two year old and a seven month old baby. Life is a little crazy sometimes (pretty much all the time!) but thanks for the reminder to enjoy where they are at now.
Michelle…oh yes, been there. I remember being so relieved when the kids were all asleep so I could DIGEST the day…seemed I was always “coping”. The pace was slower and simpler when they were small…even if it exhausted me. But I tell you what…I had great arms! carrying kids is great for the biceps! hang in there!xo
I wish I *had* thought to embroider my daughter’s initials onto “Best Blankie” — because the name written on the tag was apparently not enough to get it to come back to daycare when it went home with the wrong child.
Likewise… I wish I’d embroidered her name on Panda (just panda) because he went for a bike ride with her — and she came home alone. We replaced him on Amazon… but we all know he isn’t the SAME panda because he just doesn’t have the “well loved” patina.
The Patina is the LOVE! xo