Top Five Baby Shower Gifts

Got a baby shower coming up? The following are suggestions of items both Carrie and I have given and received that have been most appreciated. (Note that there are no clothes or toys on this list; these will always be given by someone--you can branch out!)

1. Books! Can't go wrong here--stick with board books because they'll be the easiest for little hands in the beginning; look for simple, bright illustrations/photographs and short, simple text.
2. "Receiving Blanket Wrap-Up": this is Carrie's ingenious creation. Take a receiving blanket (these frequently come in multi-packs; just use the extras for the next gift) and use it as your wrapping paper. Spread it out and place in the middle an assortment of practical baby toiletry items (shampoo, soap, diaper rash cream, etc.). Pull up the corners of the blanket and tie with yarn or a brightly colored ribbon. Slide a small teething toy through the yarn to dress it up.
   
3. Diapers! Sounds boring, but oh, so appreciated. Size 2 is a safe bet since so many babies rapidly go through size 1.
   
4. Eating Essentials. For a new mom, this can be a great, practical gift. She won't need it right away, but eventually the following will be invaluable: spoons, bowls, cups, bibs, etc. She'll also appreciate having an experienced mom give her the kinds that work best.
5. Giftcards. When in doubt, this is a perfectly acceptable way to go. Sometimes new parents can use several gift cards together towards one larger product (stroller, car seat, etc.). Babies R Us is probably the safest choice; Target and Wal-Mart are great second choices (these places all carry diapers, so at the very least the new parents can buy more of these!).