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Baby shower gift ideas: what mamas really want
Planning a baby shower? Attending one soon? Of course you are. People are popping out kiddos like it’s nobody’s business (myself included). After sharing pics of a fab baby shower that I attended the other day (photos below) a few moms started chatting about baby shower gift ideas. Apparently, there are a bunch of gift ideas that made these moms swoon, while others make them cringe. (Don’t look at me, I like presents, period. Like, put a bow on it, and I’m ecstatic). Moms, are there certain baby shower gifts that you value more than others? Well, I started chatting to preggy moms about their baby shower experiences, and this is what they had to share:
Yes please: Wet wipes and nappies
One mom said that she loved finding wet wipes, nappy disposal packets and diapers wrapped in the pretty “Its a girl” gift paper, at her shower. “It’s just one more thing to save money on!” she shared.No thank you: Baby shoes
My friend said that the teeny tiny baby shoes she was gifted at her shower ended up on display. Shoes for little feet are adorable, but impractical, I guess. I don’t think my curly girl wore shoes for the first few months of her life. I mean, it’s not as if she had to walk anywhere, anyways.
Yes please: Breastfeeding gear
A few moms shared that a beautiful breastfeeding pillow, breast pads and high quality nipple ointment (Lansinoh made top of the list) came in super handy after baby was born. Someone also said that breast milk storage pods were among her favorite gifts and that “clothes can be outgrown but breastfeeding gear lives forever!” (Tad bit dramatic there, but I get it).No thank you: Baby oils and powders
As far as toiletries are concerned, I know that they are GOLD when you have a newborn baby. But some moms claim that they stayed away from baby oils and baby powders well into their babes first year. “Baby powder can get into their little nostrils,” one mom explained. Another shared that she never understood the need for baby oils.
Yes please: Vests
I feel like this is a no-brainer. A lot of moms said that they appreciated neutral colored, cotton, snap-crotch vests. For those who are not in the know, snap-crotch or body vests have those little snappers at the bottom of the vests, which prevents it from riding up into baby’s back. These vests are LIFE.No thank you: Bottles and dummies
Deciding on a bottle or dummy brand, for your kid, is a really big deal to most moms. It’s best to know the name of the bottle/baby feeding brand that mom would like to use for baby, before buying any. “I ended up giving some away to charity,” a mom shared.
Yes please: Big ticket items
Things like sleep-positioners, bath seats, play mats, crib bedding and good quality baby bags came up when I asked about ‘big ticket items’. “These are things we would eventually have to purchase ourselves, so it helps if we are gifted with it,” someone explained.No thank you: Crocheted items
A few moms giggled when the crocheted/knitted items topic came up. I, for one, love that someone took their time to knit a little jersey, with my baby in mind. But some moms claim that these wooly items can be too harsh for babys sensitive skin. “Sometimes the fit is horrible! No. Just no.” another shared.
Yes please: Gift cards
Again, how do you saw “awww” to a gift card or voucher? I do understand the practicality of it though – especially if you’ll be formula feeding your baby. That gift card can go a long way towards paying for that tin of expensive milk.With that said, all of the moms who participated in the survey shared that at the end of the day, the thought that they were loved and cared for, mattered more to them than the gifts did!
So there you have it. I’d love to know what your thoughts are.
What was your favorite baby shower gift? Do you have a default “go to” gift, when you’re purchasing one for a baby shower?
Clip Note: The stunning blue and gold baby shower decor featured in today’s post was the brain and heart child of the amazing Letitia Deyzel!
Header created by Valeria Aksakova
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It’s all in the name: quirky and popular baby names
In the deep recesses of my spreadsheet brain, I secretly want to have hundreds of children, just so that I can name them. I like naming things. And yes, I do realize that admitting this makes me seem slightly weird. Love me for me. Anyways, where am I going with this? Well, deciding on a name for our newbie was a no brainer because Hubstopher kinda named him way before he even proposed to me. But, when I found out I was pregnant, I still thought to look up other possible names (because spreadsheet brain and all). Some of the suggestions I received were slightly more ‘off beat’ than I would dare take on. But hey, don’t take my word for it, check out these… uhhh interesting… and popular baby names:
Colors
So I was assured that if you’re “with it”, naming your kid after a hue of the rainbow is probably the most hippest thing you could do. Names like Indigo, Crimson and Gray were quite trendy yesteryear. Let’s not forget Blue Ivy – the offspring of power couple, JayZ and Beyonce. Those are all really pretty, in my opinion. But once you start going, “Oh hey, meet my son, Orange,” or “this is my daughter, Khaki,” please know that I WILL be giving you a side eye.Fruit
Look, the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter, Apple, is a real cutie patootie. And I could totally fall inlove with the name Berry or even Peaches. But you’re pushing it when you decide to name your offspring something crazy like Pomegranate or Grape. “Banana, can you please let go of your brothers hair?!” Just doesn’t work, does it?
Character
So a big trend was to name your kiddo after a strength or character that you admired. Names like Loyal, Verity, Patience and Honesti were the most popular. Hmmm. I met someone named Integrity once. She wasn’t very reliable. *ba-dum-dish*Planets
Another trend was to name your baby after a planet or object of the solar system. Names like Moon, Mars and Jupiter grew in popularity. The name, Starr, is also very pretty. But you might be pushing it when you’re swaying more towards names like Meteor and Milky Way. (And yes, people have totally contemplated using these as first names)The older the better
So older names are making a comeback big time. People have been digging through the archives to pull out names like Mildred, Barnabas, Berta, Mabel and Ebenezer. It’s an acquired taste, in my opinion.Keeping it Bible
I’m sure you’ve noticed that going Old Testament is the new “in thing”, when deciding on a baby name. (Me, I’m guilty of this). The most popular were Caleb, James, Samuel and Isaac.Which off these quirky names are your fave?
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The doctor said my baby could have down syndrome
A few weeks ago a phone call from my amazing OBYN turned my world upside down. She said that the blood tests, she had ordered, came back showing me as “high risk” for Down syndrome. My baby could have Down syndrome. My little Jonah boy had a 1 in 50 chance of being born with an intellectual impairment and/or physical abnormalities. She asked me to arrange an appointment to have diagnostic tests done so that we can know for sure. But I immediately knew that I was NOT interested in diagnostic tests. I did NOT want to “know for sure” if there was something wrong with my baby. There was just no room in my head for something like that. -
Preggy update: Falling down stairs and ripped jeans
We all know that I am a very calm, unemotional, undramatic person, right? (Humor me) So you can imagine my surprise when I got all emo, after falling down a few stairs at work last week. Yes, baby is okay, and I’m okay too (thanks for asking) albeit a few bumps and bruises on my legs. But if you had asked me how I was on the day of the incident, I might have replied in a wail and a sob. I felt exceptionally sorry for myself and my bruises. And also, my near-new preggy jeans were busted! The only jeans that actually fits me right now, forever scarred by an ugly hole at the knee (See? I fell REALLY hard!). But then I reminded myself: 2017 is for WINNING! So I took my ripped jeans and ripped them some more! -
Boy or girl? Fun baby gender prediction tests that got it right!
One of the most exciting parts of expecting a baby is trying to guess what the gender is. If you Google everything and it’s cat (like I do) you may have come across a few crazy gender prediction tests. But do they actually work? Well, I thought to try out a bunch of them, when I was pregnant with Jonah Mark, to see which ones would get it right. I mean, I want you guys to make informed decisions, and (truth be told) I was actually pretty curious to see if there was truth to any of it too. Here are the fun baby gender prediction tests that we tried out:
It’s in the baby bump
Check out your belly in the mirror. Carrying low? It’s probably a boy. Carrying high? It’s a girl! I always thought that I was carrying pretty high. But, Jonah is a boy (duh) so the baby bump theory didn’t quite work out.Chips vs Sweeties
They say that girls are made of sugar and spice and all things nice. So if you’re craving sweet things, you’re most likely carrying a little girly! Craving salty or sour foods means that it’s a boy. With that said I eat enough cheesy hot chips to guarantee that our little bebe was a budding boy!What does the heart say
I’ve read articles that explain that a girl’s heart beat is faster than that of a boy. So next time you’re due for an ultrasound, make sure to check if the babes heartbeat is 140+ per minute. My babes heartbeat was 147, which should have been a clear indication that it’s a girl. A guess a bunch of factors could come into play with this one, but nah, it did not work for us.Chinese Birth Chart
The Chinese Birth Chart is an ancient method of calculating your baby’s gender by using your conception dates and other factors. Parenting.com has a version that you can try out over here. I did it and according to the Chinese, I was having a girl… which was inaccurate.Baby Centre
Well known baby and parenting website, Baby Centre, also has a ‘gender predictor’ and when I tried theirs out it said that it’s a boy! Give it a go over here. I mean, I’m not saying its the be-all of all gender predictor tests, but it was pretty interesting.Put a ring on it
This is a bit ‘hocus pocus’, but legend says that if you tie your wedding ring to a string, and hang it over your belly, the ring would bare all the answers! If it swings back and forth then it’s a girl. If it swings in a circle, it’s a little boy. I tried this and the ring “told” me that I am expecting a girl.Lesson learnt: gender prediction tests are fun but not always accurate, it turns out! Which gender prediction tests and activities do you recommend?
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Preggy update: How to look less tired
I checked myself out in the mirror the other morning and man, I looked SO tired! I blame it on the pregnancy but truth be told, looking tired is not just a pregnancy thing. It’s probably not even a mommy thing (although, let’s be honest, we do try to claim it, don’t we). Between juggling work, family and everything else, life can get pretty darn draining. But thanks to Essence and a little bit of make up, you can look less tired and more fabulous in no time. And this is coming from a girl who is NOT a make up expert at all! -
Preggy update: The need to relax
As far as pregnancies go, I’m super duper tired. But like, more tired than you’re actually envisioning in your head right now. My body feels as if it hasn’t slept in a week! I need to relax ya’ll. If you’re feeling like I am (with or without a baby in your belly), then this weeks Rain Africa giveaway is for you. -
Pregnancy: Things people don’t tell you about the first trimester
The thing about finding out that you are pregnant is that you think you’re going to hang around, living your life and having fun, before the preggy signs and symptoms kick in. Not true. Not true at all. There’s a bunch of stuff that people don’t tell you about the first trimester of pregnancy. I mean, before I knew that these symptoms were an actual thing, I thought that I was simply being dramatic. Do you feel that way, pregnant fairy? Well, I’m here to tell you that you are NOT dramatic at all. Call me the preggy myth buster if you must. These first trimester feelings that you’re having are all totally legit! -
Aack! We’re having a baby!
We’re having a baby! That’s right! Hubstopher and I will officially be parenting a collective of 4 children, as of next year June-ish. AAACK! How did that happen?! Well, I’m sure you all know how it ‘happened’. *awkward silence* -
Hello baby! – A birth story
Today we celebrate one of the most special days in my life: The day I became the mommy to a beautiful little girl! It’s been a trip, you guys. I read a beautiful saying the other day: “When a baby is born, a mother is born.”
And that’s exactly how I feel! I mean, even though I had been a mom for a good 12 years when I found out I was pregnant with Kari… it just felt different somehow. Plus now I have someone else’s hair to brush in the morning. Hey, I’m not complaining, it’s a perk! Anyways, I can go on and on and on but let me pull myself towards myself and start at the beginning!
D Day – 29 November 2014
Exactly a year ago today, we woke up really early (5:30 yo!) because my gynae had advised me to get my pregnant butt to the labor room since I had been ‘in labor’ for a couple of hours by then. Keeping in mind I was still in no real pain or anything. But you can read all about that in this post.Hubstopher and I woke up super early, got ready and took a slow drive to the hospital… watching as the city woke up around us. We were so excited, but in such a calm way! It was a serene drive and we barely spoke, as we listened to some music on the car radio. I cant even remember which songs we were listening to, but I do remember being extremely emotional… I mean, could I have been more dramatic than this? No, no I could not. But it was so fitting… I was about to give birth to one of the most dramatic little girls that I know!
We walked into the labor room at about 6:20am, to be greeted by extremely friendly and chipper nurses who advised us that all the labor rooms are full. But seeing my totally calm disposition, they asked us to have a seat at the nurses station in the meantime, while they prepare a room for me. We spent the next while chatting to the nurses and generally have a good ol time socializing and was eventually placed in a room where I watched Generations (for the first time in my life) and took a nap.
When I woke up, I decided to give the big bouncy birthing ball a spin. Hubstopher enjoyed my antics and took video clips and photos. I was like, I’m going to bounce on this thing until my baby comes out because I cant wait anymore! Also, I was not about to be in labour for copious amounts of hours! Nope, we will bounce until this princess makes an appearance! At about 9am a nice nurse came and did the dreaded finger test on me. (Hated those.) She advised that she would need to help my water to break a bit more.At 11am we were moved to the labour room (which is not the same as the delivery room, where the actual birth takes place) and Hubstopher turned the lights low and played some soothing worship music. He kept doing little happy dances… guys, it honestly felt like it was Christmas!
Here comes the pain
I took a walk up and down the hospital stairs, to get some baby moving action going. And by that time I started feeling intense contractions mixed with…oh what is that I feel down below… PAIN!It hurt real bad (like the Danny K song) but it was manageable. I had long before decided that I would not lay on my back, like in the medieval times, and allow my contractions to get the better of me. No ways Margaret! I handled my contractions by standing next to my hospital bed, with my arms and head resting on the bed. So my belly was “hanging”, basically. With each contraction I breathed in and out deeply. I believe this really helped since the gravity of standing helped my baby to get into position quicker and there was less pressure on my back (which normally happens when you are laying down). All of this was coupled with clever quips from the husband and even more quirkier comebacks from me. I remember laughing a lot and giving him running commentary of each feeling that I was experiencing.
But look, I am no super woman! Eventually, I had to get my sexy laboring butt onto that hospital bed! Hubstopher tried to sweet talk me and gave me little rubs and kisses and kind words but I reached a point where I was like, “babe, Im sorry to be rude, but can you not touch me anymore please?!” Hahahaha Hey, atleast I was polite!
By 1pm, I was like, “nurse, something is happening! I think I need to push!” I don’t think they were quite ready for that because she had to quickly go and call the doctor. When he got there, it was like… 1 push…2 push… 3 push… Baby! Ta daaahhhh!
Hello baby!
I remember looking at her and thinking… omw, I just gave birth and now I have a baby! I also remember thinking, “Praise the LORD, that is over! Woohoo! No more being in labor!” I couldn’t stop staring at her as she wailed those first few cries, and I said “hello! hello baby!” Hubstopher was quite emotional, and when he held her for the first time he immediately spoke a blessing over her. We laughed, we cried, we were swooning! “Look at her hair!” and “Listen to her cry!” and “Who does she look like?” Besotted.The nurse placed her against my skin and she immediately began looking for boob. Eventually, I got up to have a shower and change, as my mom dressed our curly girly in clothing for the very first time. She looked like a china doll!
Being Karis’ mom has been the craziest ride of my life! A crazy, fantastic, giddy ride of pure joy! This girl is as sassy as they come and I love watching her personality develop and am so excited about her future! Happy Birthday my curly girly!
Clip note: Interested to hear more about my preggy journey, with Kari? Travel down memory lane with me, as I reminisce about when I found out I was pregnant, my pregnancy, my ultrasound drama, all the baby showers and all the other little things in between.
