It is hard to believe that a year has gone by. Did it seem like it was only yesterday that you were bringing your baby home? But right now, all you want is to be able to give your child his or her own very special first birthday party.
During this age, color and noise are the things that children love. Your child may not remember this party but you will and this is something you need to keep in mind. With that in mind, there are several steps you have to consider.
Picking the date, time, and location is the first thing you should do. Determine about how many people (adults versus kids) will be there and an appropriate location for the party. At home is fine; outside is great. If you have a lot of guests, then you need larger venues. Don’t pick nap time or right before as your baby is not going to be the star of the party for the right reasons.
Select invitations. The theme you choose should also be something that you enjoy. Again, it’s more about what you like.
Send invitations out at least three weeks in advance, four if possible. A checklist would come in handy so that you can call on those who have not responded and count those that have confirmed and are coming.
Decor! Here is where you can do a lot of fun things with color, themes and decorations. Balloons, paper plates, tablecloths and banners work well.
Games. If you will have other children there, include some fun games. If not, a collage of pictures you can entertain your guests with should be considered.
Make sure that foods are easy to prepare, handle, and eat. If you are having just a few guests, then a full scale meal would be okay. Don’t forget the cake.
What about pictures? During the party, one of the best things to do would be to take lots of pictures. You will have ample opportunity to share and for scrapbooking if you plan to do this.
You can also consider hiring a professional planner to do the work for you in order to make your child’s first birthday party memorable.
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Filed under Birthday by on Aug 21st, 2011. Comment. 
Let me take you back a few years. It is Christmas Eve. You are running about the house pausing every few moments to strain your ears for any sound resembling sleigh bells, flight or a boisterous ‘ho, ho, ho’. What you do hear is mom calling that it is time to open a gift.
The first gift
You race as fast as you can to the tree. You hardly dare believe your ears: open a gift, now, tonight? Older siblings greet the news with less enthusiasm, and rather knowing expressions. Missing these subtle clues you tear into your box expecting to find the toy of your dreams. What you get are PJ’s.
Your childish heart is only momentarily dampened, older siblings dive into new jammies with familiarity and gratitude. This scene repeats every year. You can mark holidays in photos by what jammies you are wearing, not the gift you open.
A New Night Dress
Flash forward; you are the parent creating and contemplating holiday traditions. As you and your spouse begin a family the need for holiday traditions becomes more personal and warm. Your baby may not remember opening a red pair of footie PJ’s, but the photos will tell the story.
Christmas pajamas are a great way to curb, control or reward your toddler’s Christmas enthusiasm. Knowing there is a special gift under the tree that they get to open on Christmas Eve will occupy their attention and relieve pestering questions of, “When can I open my presents?”…or “Can’t I open just one?”
The practical side
As a toddler or child, it may not have occurred to you that your yearly gift of pajamas was not only fun, but practical. Christmas is in winter, and kids grow so fast. Often there is a need for warm pajamas that fit, which perfectly coincides with the advent of the holiday season. Making the necessary item into a fun tradition is a great way to meet two needs with one solution.
Toddler appeal
New parents might worry that their toddler will be less than pleased with this gift and feel cheated on Christmas Eve. This feeling of being slighted may lead their precious toddler to spoil the holiday spirit with a full-blown tantrum! Well, this is not usually the case. Toddlers just love to open gifts. They might show a preference for one toy over another once they are all opened, but if there is only one gift opened this is not an issue.
Toddlers also love to be included with what their parents or older siblings are doing. If mom, dad as well as brothers and sisters all get jammies, then your two year old is not going to be disappointed.
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Filed under Birthday by on Oct 13th, 2010. Comment.
This is your first Christmas as the proud Grandparent. There is no greater joy than that of greeting a new baby, except perhaps that joy of greeting a new grandbaby. Grandparenthood is a special club that encourages reckless spoiling of those beloved creatures. There was no true maxim than that of: many a child is spoiled because you can’t spank Grandma.
If this year is your first year celebrating Christmas as a grandparent, congratulations! Not since the magical days spent with your own children will the Holidays seem so full. There are however a few pitfalls that new grandparents are susceptible to. For a joyous celebration that won’t create ill will here are a few tips to follow.
Holiday Gift Giving
This is the season of giving, and it is so much fun to give gifts to a toddler or baby. Baby clothes are so much fun to pick out and wrap. Toys are much more exciting to purchase and watch being unwrapped than the offerings for adults. It is easy to go overboard.
Remember, gifts are often expected at Christmas time, and they are very appreciated but an over abundance of gifts rivaling the collection of Ritchie Rich is not likely to engender the appreciation of the new parents. Try to set a limit for yourself. Your grandbaby does not need every single toy or pair of shoes you lay eyes on.
If you are not sure what the limit should be have an honest conversation with your grandbaby’s parents. When everyone is on the same page from the beginning there is much less chance of hurting feelings or over stepping some unknown boundary.
Special Gifts
When it comes to specific gifts some are just off limits to grandparents. This means that perhaps your daughter-in-law feels it a parental right to purchase her baby girl that all important first doll. Perhaps it is the unknown wish of your child to present his or her own baby with a keepsake quilt.
The problem with these special gifts is not so much the desire to be the one to give it to the baby, but the symbolism behind it. The flip side of the special gift scenario is that of contraband gifts. Perhaps guns or overly frivolous Barbies have been placed on the no-no list by the baby’s parent. As the grandparent you may have no idea what these special or contraband gifts might be.
Again it is time to discuss gift options with your grandbaby’s parents. No grandparent wants to become the stereotypical ‘in-law’. Keeping communication lines open will ensure that Christmas is a time of fun giving and spoiling that leaves everyone with feelings of love and respect.
Tips brought to you by SimplyUniqueBabyGifts.com. Free shipping (lower 48 states) and lowest price guarantee on baby shower favors and baby first christmas gifts.
Filed under Birthday by on Oct 12th, 2010. Comment.
The best way to welcome a newborn baby in the family other than gentle hugs and kisses is through showering him/her with baby gifts. But as to the kind of gifts to buy, making a decision becomes more difficult since there are too many options laid in front of us either by our own personal choices, choices of family and friends and myriads of offers from commercial establishments.
Internet shopping may appear easy although the same may pose some degree of disadvantage. Going to the mall directly would even lead to confusions. One might consider the discounts being given upon purchase or the possible preferences or likes that the buyer may have. Either way, it matters little.
What I would like to point out is that the means of buying whether through internet or going to supermarkets has less importance than giving a serious thought on WHAT to buy for the little ANGEL. Giving in to the lures of commercialism without giving due consideration to other important factors will surely cause disappointment on the part of the giver and the recipient (as if he can) I mean the angels family. If you agree with me (Im sure you do), please consider the following factors before you fill your shopping basket with goodies and gifts:
1. It is important that you as the buyer or the gift-giver knows the developmental needs and tasks that the infant has as of the moment. Remember that, in gift-giving, it is not just the appreciation one gets from the parents of the baby that counts but, rather the act of giving is for the benefit of the baby.
2. It is also important to make sure that the items you are buying are made of high quality materials and do not contain toxins that may compromise the baby’s health. Infants lungs are not yet well-developed and so with the sensory-motor processes thus, babies might suffocate with the kind of materials one would give him.
3. Toys for example are not meant only for fun but will introduce babies into various aspects of the world and hasten their learning processes through combination of fun and motivating strategies. One must also know what toys are suitable for boys and girls of different ages. Not to mention the fact that parents sometimes have expectations which the gift-giver must also respect.
4. Then of course, with the state of economy, it is important to buy a gift on a budget. Probably, the best way to describe it is choosing practical items that can be stimulating and healthful at the same time.
There are actually many ways to put together a nice and inexpensive gift. There are limitless ideas that you can make use of in keeping with your budget. Im not saying though that pampering the ANGEL with an expensive gift is PROHIBITED. Sharing the expense could be a strategy when your pocket is too deep.
For example, the cost for a good-quality stroller or crib as a gift for an officemates or a common friends baby which may be above ones personal budget can be co-shared with people from work or a group of friends. This set-up will cut down ones share on the big expense for the gift. And your group will be receiving unending thank yous from the grateful parents.
Also consider other practical ideas and practices which you have observed from other gift-givers. If you are a parent, it may help you to reminisce the days when your own baby was showered with gifts that you yourself loved and appreciated because those gifts brought sweet smiles and warm laughter from your ANGEL.
Remember this: CREATIVITY AND SENSITIVITY can make you a prized gift-giver.
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Filed under Birthday by on Jul 6th, 2010. Comment.
Some of the most important and memorable experiences of a baby shower are the baby-themed games that are characteristic of the American baby shower. Games and activities make up a big part of the fun and excitement in the celebration that will welcome your new coming baby into the world. When it comes to picking the right games for your shower, be sure to center your activities on the overall theme of the party. Consider the number of guests that have been invited, your budget, and the location of the baby shower, in order to choose the games that will be best suited for your event. Creating a combination of traditional, timeless games and new, original activities is always a good way to go to add festivity to the segment of the shower whereby Mom opens up all the newborn gifts.
Games can be classic and general, or more specific and tied to your theme. One of the most universal baby shower games that everyone seems to love is called “Dont Say Baby.” At the beginning of the baby shower, each guest is given a string with a pacifier on it, which he or she ties on his or her neck as a necklace. Throughout the course of the baby shower, nobody is allowed to say the word, “baby.” Whoever slips and says “baby,” risks losing their pacifier; any person who hears someone say the forbidden word is entitled to take their pacifier and add it to their necklace. Even when she opens up a newborn baby gift, no one can exclaim how neat the baby gift is. At the end of the baby shower, whoever collects the most pacifiers on their necklace is the winner of the game.
Another good classic activity is “Guess Mommys Belly Size.” For this game, you will need yarn or string, and a pair of scissors. Each guest proceeds to pull and cut the yarn or string to the size they believe that the mommys tummy is. After everyone has estimated the size of the mommy-to-bes stomach, measure the actual size of the belly, and cut the string or yarn to match that length. The person whose string is the closest in size to the string that was cut to mommys real tummy measurement is the winner.
A fun and amusing game that is always a hit in baby showers is a “Blindfolded Baby Food Race.” In this game, you will need a few volunteers to act as the “mommies” in this game, and matching pairs to act as “babies.” Mommies will be blindfolded and the babies will sit on their laps. When the clock starts, the blindfolded mommies have to feed the babies as quickly and efficiently as they can. To make the activity more pleasant for the “baby” volunteers, it is important to purchase yummy, fruit-flavored baby foods. Otherwise, your guests will be making funny faces as they try to gulp down peas and asparagus flavored puree. The mommy-and-baby team that finishes the fastest is the winning pair.
Games add fun, spirit, and laughs to your celebration that are sure to make lifetime memories that will never be forgotten. Be sure to get small gifts for the winners of the games with anticipation. The prizes that you buy for the event are completely up to you, depending on your shower theme and budget. Whatever the case may be, be sure to make the game-planning and prize-choosing process enjoyable and fun! The whole event, including games, food and opening all the unique baby gifts for the new little prince should be a memorable one for everyone.
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Filed under Birthday by on Jun 30th, 2010. Comment.
Depending on where you decide to host your baby shower, food might be up to the restaurant to decide, or up to the host to prepare or order. If you decide to have the baby shower at a banquet hall or at somebody’s house, you will have more of a say in what will be served to eat and drink.
Today, a popular trend for baby shower catering is to serve finger foods. People associate “baby finger foods” with the celebration for the expected baby. Baby finger foods ties in together with the baby theme for the shower, and is a clever way to emphasize the baby aspect of the event.
Although some people believe serving finger foods are a fancy custom, having a baby shower with finger foods and desserts can actually save you a lot of money. Finger foods can be very inexpensive and easy to make at home. With a few good recipes and good presentation, a finger foods menu can be a great idea and a hit at your baby shower. This article will provide some great suggestions and ideas for finger foods that will look and taste delicious.
A classic staple at any fine and luxurious event is cheese and crackers. Ritz makes a variety of crackers that are dandy. For a less expensive alternative, try a super market brand of crackers. For cheese, Provolone, Mozzarella, Muenster, and Cheddar are popular favorites. Serve this appetizer with wine, and you will look like you have spent a fortune on the shower.
Baby shrimp also looks upscale to serve at celebrations, and contributes to the baby theme. Buy frozen pre-cooked baby shrimp at your local grocery store, then thaw and season them. Serve this on a fancy dish along with a side of marinara sauce, and you have got a fancy food for a great price!
Chips and dip does not have to be boring and conventional. Tri-color corn chips or scoop-shaped corn chips are very popular and tasty. Serve these crunchy treats with artichoke-spinach dip and you will change the whole definition of the common phrase, “chips and dip.” Pita chips and whole grain pretzels are good, healthy alternatives to standard corn chips.
Mini quiches can also be bought frozen at a local grocery store. These are really inexpensive, yet they look and taste exquisite. Common flavors are spinach, corn, and cheese. All you have to do is open the package of frozen mini quiches, place them on a baking sheet, bake them, and voila! These are sure to finish quickly at your baby shower. They are a crowd favorite!
Tea sandwiches are a traditional British tradition for breakfasts and brunches. Make standard sandwiches on white, honey wheat, or whole grain bread, cut off the crusts, and cut into four tiny sandwiches. Popular types of tea sandwiches are ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, egg salad, and cucumber sandwiches.
Finger foods are easy, inexpensive, and look amazing at any social gathering. “Baby finger foods” are sure to be a hit at your celebration!
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Filed under Birthday by on Jun 29th, 2010. Comment.
There are a lot of baby gifts that we can give to all the cutest and cuddliest, and most adorable babies born in this world. We can mostly find these beautiful unique gift items in stores and boutiques for infants and toddlers. In buying these gifts, we should set some points of consideration in choosing the best gifts to give to our most loved babies so as not to just simply buy the gifts, but choose the gifts that are most suitable and beneficial to the ones we buy the gifts for.
The points that we have to consider in buying baby gifts first and foremost are the cost, durability, advantages and how useful and helpful and beneficial to the one who is going to receive the gift. Since babies cant choose what they want for themselves, we adults decide for them and make a choice for them and in the end it is us who decides and make a final choice and decision of the gifts to buy for these babies.
It is always a joy in the heart to go shopping and look for gifts for babies. There are a lot of cute little things that we can and easily admire on when we see the heavenly presentation of all the items for babies that are on display in stores and boutiques. It is heavenly to be in a store full of baby items because babies are like angels and seeing all these beautiful items that are displayed in stores feels like being in a world of peace, quiet and calmness.
Whenever anyone sees delightful and radiant baby gift items displayed in stores specially moms and women who have a moms heart are always often tempted to buy almost everything on display for their sweet and charming babies. For a mom, buying baby gifts are always worth spending for. Whatever price it takes for as long as it is beneficial for their lovable and huggable baby, sky is the limit.
Indeed attractive and endearing baby gift items are irresistible to shop for. People fall for the attractiveness of the presentation of the items especially when they attractively and admirably arranged in displays for the shoppers seeking for the best gifts that money can buy for their most loved babies. But let us not forget the important points to remember in choosing the best gifts that we have to give for our babies.
Let us not be swayed with just the looks and the way it is presented. Let us weigh the value that goes with the gifts that we buy and give. There are cute and admirable baby gift items we see in stores that are no good or less good for babies, there are also some that are not so appealing but is good for babies, while there a lot of gift items that are both appealing, attractive and can be best for babies. Why choose the less when we can give the best.
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Filed under Birthday by on Jun 28th, 2010. Comment.
Today, baby shower etiquette has evolved from a set of rules and procedures to a few flexible guidelines from which to base the structure of your shower on. Although there are no specific rules on how to host your baby shower, there are some basic rules of thumb that will help you have an amazing shower that will be comfortable and enjoyable for you and your guests. This article will answer all of the questions that you may have in mind and will address the issues at hand that matter when planning a baby shower.
Who should host the baby shower?
Years ago, the tradition was for non-related friends or co-workers to host the shower. However, today, many expectant mothers like for their own mothers and sisters to plan and host the event. The decision of who should host of the shower is completely up to you. In todays society, anyone from the mommys sister, to her mom, to her best friend, to her co-worker, is acceptable. There is no right or wrong host. The important part here is that whoever decides to host the baby shower be close to the mother and know her very well, in order to plan and execute the event according to her taste and preferences.
When is it appropriate to have the baby shower?
Typically, a baby shower is held about one to two months before the babys due date. This is a good time because the mother will know the gender of the baby by this date, and it will be easier to shop for gifts knowing if the baby will be a boy or a girl. One or two months before the babys birth date also gives the mother time to buy the items that she did not receive or that she is missing, before the babys arrival. Some people prefer to have the shower a few weeks after the baby is born. This is also perfectly acceptable, and completely up to you.
Where should the shower take place?
Depending on the number of guests, hosts can choose to have the shower at a house, a restaurant, or a banquet hall. The location of the baby shower is the hosts decision, and is dependant on the budget, too. When choosing the place for the celebration, consider the size of your audience, the mommys preferences, and the total costs.
Can I invite men to the baby shower?
Whether you decide to have an all-women baby shower or a co-ed baby shower is up to you. Years ago, most women had women-only showers, but today, co-ed baby showers have become increasingly popular. This gives the daddy-to-be, his friends, and male members of the family a chance to participate in the celebration.
When making decisions about the baby shower, it is critical to cater to the mommy-to-be and her preferences. There are no set dos and donts in todays society. More and more taboos have been broken, and many things have become appropriate and acceptable, as long as the expectant parents are happy with the celebration.
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Filed under Birthday by on Jun 23rd, 2010. Comment.
One of the components that guests look forward to the most is, of course, the food! Contrary to popular belief, baby shower food does not have to be pricey or expensive to make. This article will provide some easy-to-follow baby shower menu recipes that are sure to awe all your guests. These recipes will make people believe that you spent a fortune on the menu, yet they will cost a fraction of what people generally spend on catering for events like showers.
Some of the easiest appetizers and snacks come already pre-made! Buy refrigerated croissant dough, biscuit dough, and cookie dough. Use baby-themed cookie cutters like diaper and baby bottle shapes, and roll croissant dough in the shape of diapers. You can also use pastel-colored sprinkles for the cookies to add a cute touch. These snacks are easy, inexpensive, and delicious!
Another idea is to make adorable, little baby-themed cupcakes. Buy cake mix and add the other ingredients as directed on the box. Bake in cake cups and decorate with frosting and sprinkles. A couple of drops of food coloring can be added to plain, white frosting to create light, pastel colors. Heart-shaped cupcakes stand out a bit more and look beautiful, but the size and shape of the cupcakes are entirely up to you.
The next recipe is a delicious and colorful salad recipe. This recipe is nutritious yet very appetizing, and will definitely be loved by all the ladies! In one or two large salad bowls, mix 2 to 4 bags of spring mix lettuce (depending on the size of your shower and the number of guests), 1 to two small packages of baby tomatoes, 1 to 2 cups of diced cucumber, ” to 1 cup of shredded carrots, 1 to 2 cans of canned, sweetened tangerine slices, ” to 1 cup of raisins, and ” to 1 cup of caramelized pecans. Serve chilled with honey mustard or a sweet style vinaigrette.
An amazing fruit salad, popular in parts of Latin America is made using strawberries, mango, melon, sliced bananas, grapes, sliced oranges, sliced apple, and sliced pear. You can adjust the types and variety of fruits to fit your taste. Mix all the fruit pieces in a large decorative bowl and generously drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. Add caramelized almonds if desired.
A fabulous spinach dip that can be served with both corn chips and crackers calls for 1 ” cups of real mayo (you can use light mayo if preferred), ” cup of softened cream cheese, 1 package of frozen spinach (cooked and drained), ” cup chopped green onion, ” teaspoon of salt, ” teaspoon of pepper, and parsley to taste. Combine all ingredients and serve warm. If desired, you can melt Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese over the dip before serving. Provide an assortment of crackers and crunchy corn chips to eat the spinach dip with.
These easy to follow, pre-made recipes will take up almost none of your time, and are guaranteed to bring compliments!
Tips brought to you by SimplyUniqueBabyGifts.com. Free shipping (lower 48 states) and lowest price guarantee on baby favors and unique shower presents.
Filed under Birthday by on Jun 18th, 2010. Comment.
A common new tradition that began a few years ago is to include an arts and crafts segment as part of your baby showers itinerary. Arts and crafts are a great way to create fun and excitement, and to strengthen bonds between friends and family. Many women, and even men, enjoy spending time together while practicing fun activities like arts and crafts. Today, there are several baby-related crafts that are a blast and will create a great time for your guests at your celebration.
The most common craft for baby showers is probably the diaper cake. This is a group activity that all your guests can do together. This is a great way to start the party, as it creates a mood of togetherness and establishes unity among all your friends and family. For this activity, you will need around fifty diapers, fifty feet of a smaller, narrow ribbon, and eight feet of a thicker, wide ribbon. Cut the fifty feet of thin ribbon into one-foot segments.
Have your guests roll up each diaper and tie in place with a thin piece of ribbon. Ribbon can be baby blue for a boy, and pink for a girl. For a more neutral color, soft green or light yellow work fabulously. Start the base of your diaper cake with twenty-five diapers; stand them together in a circle. Use fifteen diapers for the next level of the “cake,” and then eight diapers for the top level of your cake. Make each level separately and tie each group of diapers, or each level of the cake, with a strand of wide ribbon. Now, stack the levels of the diaper cake in order from largest to smallest, and you should have a wonderful baby diaper cake!
Baby bottle sand art is a fun craft that render fabulous souvenirs that your guests can take home. All you need for this activity is at least the same amount of baby bottles as your number of guests, different colors of sand, and funnels. Baby bottles can be the simple, inexpensive ones, and the sand should match your color palette for the baby shower. Distribute the baby bottles among all your guests. Have them fill the baby bottles up with several layers of different color sand using the funnels, and then close the baby bottles with their tops.
These turn out beautiful, and they are easy to make; they also make great party favors from which your guests can always remember your baby shower. For a special touch, you can have ribbon that has been personalized with your name and the date of the shower. You can also have stickers made with the title of the event and the date, and stick them on the baby bottles.
Scrapbooking is an art that so many people have come to love nowadays, and also makes a great craft at baby showers. You can give each guest a layout page and supplies, and have them decorate a background page. These can be put together to form an album for the baby shower.
Tips brought to you by SimplyUniqueBabyGifts.com. Free shipping (lower 48 states) and lowest price guarantee on unique shower presents and baby favors.
Filed under Birthday by on Jun 14th, 2010. Comment.