My SIL is due in less than two weeks with our niece. I am trying to come up with a good gift to bring to the hospital when we meet her.

I don't want to do clothes because this little girl can already where two outfits a day for the next year and never wear the same thing twice. For the shower I gave her a Creative Memories album for the baby's first year. Babysitting and meals are a given so I don't want to do that.

Her theme for the room is fairy's, if that helps. Any thoughts? I'd love something special from her favorite fun aunt (oh, and from her favorite Uncle, too, LOL).

TIA!

By Tonya on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 09:39 pm:

Could you start a fairy collection for her. Like 1 when she is born then another on every birthday as a special Aunt/Uncle gift.

By Trina~moderator on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 09:56 pm:

Bring a basket full of the baby care items: burp cloths, Totally Toddler, infant tylenol, saline nose drops, nasal aspirator, baby nail clippers/brush & comb, baby shampoo, diapers, wipes, gas drops, Desitin, a parenting book or magazine that you found helpful, a list of helpful parenting web sites (Momsview, Car seat info ) and so on. Anything that new parents don't tend to think about with all the anticipation and excitement. You could also include a special photo frame - "Special Niece" personalized or something along those lines. Maybe a framed pic of your family with "Welcome to the World/Family Baby {insert baby's name}!" and/or special poem.

By Bobbie on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 10:22 pm:

Melanie, are you thinking in the lines of a keep sake? Or something they can use daily? Or something they will use up? I have a lot of ideas but I need more info.

You say her room is done in fairies. My sister did my nieces room all up and now at the age of 2 she is redoing the room. All the baby gifts she got that went with the theme are getting boxed up. Do you think that is a theme they will stick with? Because starting a collection and them changing themes might not be a good idea. They do have the birth through to the birth of your own child figures. But are they collectors in the since of 18 figures to be dusted and desplayed for the next 18 years if not longer?

Hmmm...

By Melanie on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 10:30 pm:

Thanks for the thoughts!

Trina, I have been trying to get her to join this site for months! LOL. She is actually coming up this week so I can teach her how to install the infant seat (that I bought her, LOL).

I do like the collection and the frame idea.

Bobbie, I really don't know! LOL. Does that help? They are renting a house right now and are hoping to buy a house within the next few months so I don't even know right now if the fairy theme will stick beyond this house. Just throw out any thoughts you have and I will consider anything. I would like to do something special. This is my first niece (no nephews either!). And we are the closest relatives to them so I really would like something special.

Keep those thoughts coming. The more ideas the better!

By Bobbie on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 10:35 pm:

Do they have a good camera??? That would be an idea. I didn't have a camera when I had my oldest DD we just had never thought about getting one. I know that isn't "special". I will come up with a list and post it tomorrow. Heading to bed...

By Tonya on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 10:37 pm:

Doesn't even ahve to be fariey it could be just a collection line but just remember whatever you do for her if they have another one then you have to really do for that one too.

I am at that now doing Precious Moments for my god-daughter now I have a god son (her brother)and no clue what to do for him.

By Mommyathome on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 11:35 pm:

I love the camera idea! And, if they already have a nice camera, what about lots and lots of film? Maybe a cute basket with some film (or disks....depending on the type of camera) and some cute scrapbooking paper/pens/scissors.

By Conni on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 09:13 am:

What about a gift certificate to a really nice photo studio for when the little angel is a month or so old? What about a christening gown?? LOL Sorry couldnt resist.

I think anything silver is nice. DS got a nice silver picture frame from a local jeweler when he was born. It has his name, time of birth and birth date, weight and length engraved on it. His newborn picture is in it that they took before we left the hospital. He got alot of photo albums (really neat ones!). Silver penny bank, silver cup and spoon.

My favorite items were the monogrammed baby totes from a local store. Very CUTE!! One was a red baseball duffel style bag with 'BLAKE' on the side. The other was a little nicer (i took it to church) blue and white gingham check again with BLAKE on the side. I got so many compliments on those little diaper bags and I LOVED using them.

By Eve on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 10:03 am:

Does she have a Boppy pillow. I think you can get a personalized cover with the baby's name on it. One of my most favorite gifts was an adorable towel bib, that was embroidered with DD's name on it. I love it! So, I would say anything personalized when you know the baby's name and info. OH! Do you have one of those stores where they personalize everything? You could get a quilt with the baby's name and birth date and weight and time on it.

By Eve on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 10:04 am:

What about a silver cup personalized? I have one for Syd and it is really lovely.

By Melanie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 02:28 pm:

I am loving your ideas! (Especially the Christening gown, LOL). Her dh gave her a digital camera with a printer for Christmas, so they are all set in that department. Her name is Ava Rose...isn't that beautiful?? So maybe I will go with the personalized ideas. I don't have one of those stores really close, but I am sure they have them in San Jose, so I could easily take a trip over there to get it.

Eve, she has talked about the boppy pillow and I don't know if she got one yet. I will have to find out because that will something very useful if she didn't get it yet.

I also like the gift certificate to the photo studio. A lot.

Thank you so much for all of these wonderful ideas. I feel like I have some direction now! Thank you!

By Tunnia on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 02:30 pm:

When I give a gift after the birth I often buy a silver picture frame or a silver photo album frame and have the baby's full name engraved at the top and the date of birth at the bottom. Everyone I have given these to loves them.

By Eve on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 02:44 pm:

Here is the personalized boppy, just in case.
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpab%7Ccaccnes%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb%2Fshpab%7Ccacc%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb&pkey=caccnes%7Cab&gids=pk392

What a beautiful name! I love it! I may have to steal that someday

By Eve on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 02:47 pm:

My link doesn't work, but you can cut and paste. They also have some really cute keepsakes.
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpab%7Ccaccfra%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb%2Fshpab%7Ccacc%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb&pkey=caccfra%7Cab&gids=k740

By Texannie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 02:48 pm:

I think a keepsake like a silver cup or rattle with her name/initials on it will be something that she can have for the rest of her life. How about a little Tiffany cross?

By Melanie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 04:02 pm:

Thanks again everyone! Here is what I decided on:

I really liked the idea of something personalized. I looked at somre really cute personalized silver rattles, but they weren't to be actually used by the baby. I decided I don't really want something that is going to sit in her room untouched, KWIM? BUT...

That led me to looking at other sites with personalized items. I found this book that is about animals naming a baby. The animals each bring a letter-from her name-to the baby, until her entire name is spelled out. I was able dedicate it to her from dh and myself. I read the reviews on it and it looks like it's a very high quality book and really well done.

I also found an adorable book bag that I could personalize with her name. On it is a cartoon drawing of a little girl reading a book. I could choose the hair color and such. Since both her parents have blonde hair and blue eyes, I took a chance with blonde hair. I could even choose a theme for the book the little girl is reading so I chose fairies.

Then I went to Amazon and picked out four other books to put in: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?; The Velveteen Rabbit; Harold and the Purple Crayon; and Bread and Jam for Frances as I remember Erin mentioning a long time ago that was her favorite book as a kid.

I think this is something that will be very much appreciated and used regularly.

Thank you so much for your help. All your ideas helped get me going in this direction and I am really pleased with what I chose.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 04:08 pm:

I think that's a great idea, Melanie! I know that personally, I would have loved to receive something like that.

By Feona on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 04:11 pm:

Fairy puppet from Folktails!

By Bobbie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 08:08 pm:

Melanie, The book idea was one of the things I was going to suggest. You could make this your special gift from you and DH for every holiday. Can never have enough stories to read. And I had a few of those books with your name worked into the story when I was little and I thought they were the coolest things. Good idea.

By Melanie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 08:38 pm:

Thanks for the affirmation, Karen. I do hope she likes it!

I like the way you think, Bobbie! You are right...books are always a good gift and she can never have too many.

By Melanie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 08:38 pm:

Thanks for the affirmation, Karen. I do hope she likes it!

I like the way you think, Bobbie! You are right...books are always a good gift and she can never have too many.

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 09:02 pm:

Melanie,
I am sure they will appreciate your gift. After all the love and thought that has gone into it, I am sure it will be a treasured gift!

By Bobbie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 09:23 pm:

No you can never have to many good stories. We get my niece four new books for her birthday and Christmas she has a nice little library going on. And as she gets older we can just change the selections to something more age appropriate. I put her name and the date and that they are from us on every book.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 01:09 am:

When my husband's cousin's wife had a baby a little over a year ago, for her shower, we got her a couple of board books. She works in a daycare and has access to cheap books through book order thingies at work, so already had about 200 books! We managed to get her titles she didn't have yet!