Saturday, May 3, 2008

Baby Blankets

Baby Blankets

When my little girl was born, I remember that I got so many baby blankets that I didn’t know what to do with them. I ended up donating some of them to the local pregnancy center because I had no way of keeping them all. There must have been at least twenty-five of them, and I don’t know anyone who needs that many. I may have used ten of them, and the rest that I had kept were never used by anyone. It seemed like such a waste.

The thing about baby blankets is that they are so small, and most children outgrow them rather quickly. My daughter was very long, and within six months I had to buy longer blankets. It wasn’t just her length either; it was that she was always kicking them off rather easily. I had to get larger baby blankets so that when she kicked the blankets would still stay on her, as least most of the time. I never wanted to use too many of them either, as her room was always very warm. They were mostly used to lie on the floor, or for when we went on walks together.

Another problem was that many of the baby blankets that I got were made for winter. She was born in December, so that made sense, but by the time spring rolled around they were just too hot for her to use. I had a few thin ones, but they were so small they were pretty much worthless. I guess everyone likes to buy baby blankets as gifts, and that might be because they are so easy. You don’t have to worry about them being the wrong size, and everyone needs them. You just may find that you are overwhelmed with the number of them you get when you are expecting.

I have one of my daughter’s baby blankets put away in the closet. Once in a while she sees it and wants to play with it, but I don’t allow her to do so. She has a few of the other baby blankets from when she was an infant, but this one is mine to save forever. There is something about looking at the tiny blanket that was once wrapped around her tiny body. It reminds me of how fragile she is, even though she is now five years old. We all start out small, and we all deserve to be treated with the love we got when we first arrived.

African American Baby Shower

An addition to a family is an exciting venture for everyone involved. It is only fitting that the party that celebrates the future appearance of the little one be one that embraces his or her heritage. African American baby shower invitations are designed to welcome a child while showing great pride for his heritage as well.

We all have seen the adorable icons used in most baby shower invitations. Little feet sticking out from beneath pink and blue blankets really warm the heart. However, not every baby will have Caucasian feet. African American baby shower invitations are created to recognize the child’s ethnicity while embracing traditional baby shower themes.

One of my favorite African American baby shower invitations is the sweet pea design. Nothing is cuter than a baby pea in a pod and the diverse ethnic elements available in the sweet pea invites make the whole thing extra special. If you are expecting multiple births you may want to consider this adorable design as well.

The sweet peas in a pod offer designs that recognize multiple births as well. Even moms who are expecting triplets can use these beautiful cards for her special day. The sweet peas are picture perfect in this thoughtful design and it just makes you want to hug the little darlings. What a wonderful way to send your friends and family warm invites.

When I was young I was often discouraged by the fact that few dolls and just about no television characters looked at all like me. Today’s woman of color should have the same choices in designs that her white counterparts have. Fortunately, many designers are taking African American baby shower invitations seriously.

You can find a number of lovely images that offer diverse options for everyone who is in the market. However, it is nice to see some special African American baby shower invitations that are created just for our heritage. I love that I don’t have to purchase vague, universal invitations for my very special event like many ethnic mothers did before me.

Bringing a new baby into the world is an exciting venture that is filled with pride and anticipation. I love that I can show my pride in something as simple as my invitations that I choose for the special day. As new African American baby shower invitations are designed I wonder how many more options my daughter will have in the future.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Baby's first Christmas ornament

Baby's first Christmas ornament

No matter what time of the year your baby is born, the first Christmas with them is such a joy. They may not be old enough to understand anything about the holiday, but holding them in your arms on Christmas morning is the best present you'll ever receive. This very feeling is the reason behind the companies who created and continue to make a Baby's First Christmas ornament. Almost any place that you will find assorted decorations will sell a Baby's First Christmas ornament. They have pink ones for girls, blue for boys, animals, religious - anything you could want. My daughter was six months old when she celebrated her first Christmas with our family and I cannot tell you how many people got us a Baby's First Christmas ornament as a keepsake. Each one that I received was different and I loved them all. My absolute favorite one was a little star that allowed for you to put a tiny photo inside of it. The year was on it and her name had been engraved. Tears came to my eyes when I saw that particular Baby's First Christmas ornament sitting in a gift bag.

Having a special Baby's First Christmas ornament is something that you will most likely want to either always keep or pass it down to your child someday. All of the ornaments that I received for my daughter five years ago still are hung on our tree each and every year. She loves to pick out where she wants them to be hung and if she can reach, hangs them up by herself. Looking at a Baby's First Christmas ornament and remembering those tiny, chubby hands that she had for her first holiday season brings tears to my eyes. When I watch her helping to decorate the tree, I get such a feeling of pride and happiness. Her eyes light up at the mere mention of Christmas and she still waits in line anxiously waiting to tell Santa what she desperately wants for Christmas. The holidays have a sense of magic to them now that I'm a parent.

I went to a baby shower once that had Baby's First Christmas as the theme. The mom-to-be's due date was on Christmas day, so she had quite a few people get her a Baby's First Christmas ornament. No matter what time of the year a baby shower is held, a Baby's First Christmas ornament is always a great idea. It is something that is full of meaning and will always bring back happy memories.

The 1st birthday celebration

Your little one’s first birthday is a true milestone. This special occasion comes only once in a lifetime and you really want the very best for the occasion. One very important detail that is often overlooked is the 1st birthday invitation.

The 1st birthday invitation is useful in getting the details of the event circulated to your guests. Of course you want to include the essentials like the time and location of the party as well as the general theme. Fortunately, you can use the first birthday invitation to convey the theme to your future guests.

Themes and birthday celebrations go hand-in-hand. The theme of the party can help you stay focused and it can actually help you save money in the long run. People tend to buy a lot of unnecessary things when they want to impress and when they are really excited. Having a theme in mind right when you buy the 1st birthday invitation can help you narrow your choices.

I found the ideal first birthday invitation for my daughter’s special day. She was born a week after Christmas so many of the themes that I considered revolved around winter. I considered snowflakes and snowmen but nothing really stood out until I came across a collection of decorations for a girl’s first birthday party.

The collection had nothing to do with winter. In fact, the 1st birthday invitation was shaped like a butterfly and boasted pastel pinks and yellows. There was something about the design and the lovely colors that really caught my eye. The simple fact that there were accessories like party hats and paper plates that had the same design as the baby birthday invitations was a plus.

In just one stop to the party store I had all of the items necessary for the baby’s party. Everything was coordinated and I even found guest favors that included pink and yellow bouncy balls. The great thing about the 1st birthday invitation was that it inspired the theme for the entire celebration.

My guests knew what to expect and none were surprised to see pink and yellow flowers, balloons and even a pink and yellow cake with butterflies. The 1st birthday invitation carried through the entire party. I even found matching thank-you notes as well.

When I think of my daughter’s birthday celebration I will always remember the pink and yellow invitation. In fact I have a copy of the 1st birthday invitation in her scrapbook. I know that it is the beginning of many celebrations to come.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Use Of Baby Skin Care Products

New babies have tender skin, and they need special care when you clean them. Though you already know not to use adult soap on their soft skin, you may not be sure what to use for baby skin care when you first get your baby home. As a rule, you don’t want anything that will irritate skin, and when baby has the softest and newest skin in the world, you have to be choosy about what you buy. Though it may seem daunting, it’s easy to figure out exactly what you need.

There are many items in the stores that are labeled as baby skin care products. For the most part, they are all safe to use, but you should read though the list of ingredients. If you want to stay on the safe side, you can go with a brand that you already know and love. Johnson’s has a great line of baby skin care items, and you will always have good results when using their products. If you want to go ‘all natural’, they have many items that fit that bill as well.

I used all sorts of products for baby skin care when my daughter was young, and though we never had a problem with any of them, I did have a problem with her having dry skin as she got older. This meant that I had to add something to our list of baby skin care products to help her with this problem. Luckily, baby oil or baby lotion seemed to take care of the problem for her. If your baby has dry skin and the lotion isn’t helping, you should visit your doctor to see what is going on. If your baby has eczema, you may need something special.

The most important thing about baby skin care is to be careful with what you use, and to make sure nothing is amiss. You can be gentle and use all of the right products, but that doesn’t mean things will always be easy. You have to be careful about what types of detergent you use for their clothing as well. You may even have to alter what you use on your own clothes if they seem to have irritated skin. There are detergents for baby skin care made just for sensitive skin, and you may have to use it until they get older and can tolerate your regular detergent.

Best Skin Care For new Babies

There's truly nothing more exciting in this world than having a child of your own. The first time around it's so mysterious and wonderful. You hardly know what to really expect from the little wonder. Well, one aspect of this newfound parenthood I can tell you about is their delicate nature. Babies are soft and fragile. It's up to you to treat them as gentle as possible. Their heads are not fully protected by a skull, their limbs are tiny, their necks are not yet strong, and their skin needs special care and pampering. Oh yes, baby skincare is a crucial issue to consider. You can't just toss them in the tub with you and scrub their little toes and back with some Zest. They require sensitive products.

It's a blast being a parent now days. I heard this spiel over and over from my mother. As she watched my wife and I care for our daughter when she was an infant, she redundantly emphasized how many cool products are currently available. From cribs, to strollers, to bassinets, to simple baby skincare lines, we now have access to it all. She said it was never like that when I was a baby. I suppose she's right. When my daughter was born, my wife and I purchased plenty of baby skincare products from Johnson and Johnson. To be completely honest, this was the only brand I knew of. Not to mention you can buy them in any drugstore. While they may not be the fanciest or most expensive baby skincare solutions on the market, they work great. Personally I live the way they smell and our daughter seemed to as well. Not long down the road, my wife came home with higher-end Mustella baby skincare products. She had bought them from Nordstrom's and was clearly stoked about the way they smelled. She claimed they were her new favorite and totally worth the extra cost. So we tested out the Mustella baby skincare line, and all seemed perfectly fine.

It comes down to what you're willing to spend and what scents you prefer. Whether you purchase Gerber, Johnson and Johnson, or Mustella is irrelevant, because they all work well and are gentle enough for any child. So shop around for baby skincare items and do some sniffing.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Cozy Comfort For Your Babies

Picking out blankets for babies is a real joy. After all, everyone remembers the comfort that they had as a kid carrying around their special blanket. A blanket for babies is a chance to give that same comfort to someone else. If you pick up the perfect blanket for a baby, you can be sure that it will be remembered for their whole life. This is pretty special, if you ask me. After all, there is very little that most of us remember from our early childhood. Most of it is lost in the haze. If you can get a baby a special something that will make them feel comforted and protected, they will remember it for their whole life even if they forget everything else.

Of course, special care must be chosen in picking out blankets for babies. After all, there are certain hazards that babies that are not faced by other people. Blankets for babies must be especially safe. This is why babies do not use comforters. Anything that can leak out stuffing can choke a baby. Babies must have blankets with no loose parts that can get lodged in their throats. Otherwise, what starts out as a peaceful night of slumber can turn into a horrible disaster. You definitely do not want that to happen.

My favorite blankets for babies are the knit kind. That is because that is what I had when I was a baby. When you think about these kinds of things, it is hard to get past early childhood attachments. Nonetheless, I think the knit or crocheted blanket for babies is the classic one. They are thin, comfortable, and safe. These blankets for babies will not smother the child because they have plenty of holes in them. Nonetheless, they are warm enough to keep the baby protected provided that the room is at a comfortable temperature.

What's great about this kind of blankets for babies is that you can make them yourself. It is always nice to be able to have that personal touch for a child's gift. Gifts for babies, you see, are mostly manufactured. When you make your own blankets for babies,you are doing something a little bit more special. You are doing that extra bit of work to show how much you care. The baby might not know it at the time, but it certainly will mean a lot to the parents. And that is almost as important!