I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books

For my daughter’s second birthday, her Godmother sent her one of the nicest, cutest gifts she’s ever received: a personalized I See Me Book! This ultra-professional and beautifully illustrated (by Mark Mille) hardcover book is all about my daughter’s name, spelling the name out in rhyme with animals. Each book is totally unique to the child, and what child doesn’t love to hear a book where he or she is the main character?

Posted on 7 Aug 2006 by Anne B.

Dinner My Way

Happy Mother’s Day to all those moms out there reading this. I wish I’d gotten this entry in before today, but being a mom myself of two small children, life and its exercises often get away from me. But Dinner My Way is a company and concept that saved my life after my son was born in February, and if your husband forgot to honor you, as a mother, today, then let him read this entry SOON!

Posted on 14 May 2006 by Anne B.

Photo Book from Kodak.com

This month, I’m all about the Mother’s Day gifts, because it is up to us ladies to guide our men to the gifts and keepsakes that we want. Raise your hand if your husband has ever gone to the drugstore the night before your birthday, Christmas, or Mother’s Day to buy you a gift. Mine is raised, and, boy, was I upset about it—not because I didn’t like the gift, but because it showed that my husband had failed to really put some thought into what the special day was supposed to mean. So, for all of you men out there that are now mad at me for dumping on you, I AM HERE TO HELP YOU FIND THE BEST GIFT FOR YOUR MOTHER OR WIFE FOR MOTHER’S DAY. One great option is to create a photo book at Kodak.com.

Posted on 1 May 2006 by Anne B.

The Nursing Bracelet at Uncommon Goods

I am currently a nursing mom who wishes that she had thought of this wonderful piece of jewelry first. This [Nursing Bracelet] from [Uncommon Goods] is not only functional but beautiful also. Most new moms are tired and tend to feel a bit frumpy—we don’t fit into our maternity clothes nor do we fit into our pre-pregnancy clothes—so feeling beautiful isn’t exactly how I would have described myself right after giving birth. But if you want to make the new mom feel special AND beautiful, give her one of these [Nursing Bracelets]. There are 4 colors of semi-precious stones in addition to the sterling silver beads that are used to “tell time” as to when the baby was last fed. And to remember from which side the baby last nursed, simply switch the bracelet to the proper hand. If you think a new mom can’t remember things as simple as this at 2 a.m., then quiz her and you’ll get your answer. We can feed babies on no sleep, but forget simple equations or basic memory. This piece of jewelry is the perfect new mom gift for husbands who don’t want to get her diamonds, but want to tell their breastfeeding wives how much they love them and how proud they are of them. And don’t husbands always like to buy gifts that make their wives cry AND that are practical?

Posted on 24 Apr 2006 by Anne B.

Timmy Alphabet Turtle

My daughter is a puzzle fan. She can do puzzles for hours it seems. At her age, she is challenged by the small to medium size puzzles. I think that puzzles help children to think logically and learn along the way.

Posted on 22 Apr 2006 by Anne W.

Pee Pee Teepees

One of the greatest gifts I’ve ever found to give to an expecting mom is the [PEE-PEE TEEPEES] from [Uncommon Goods]. This item is one of those that makes you say, “I wish I’d thought of that!â€? This gift will give Mommy a true chuckle and maybe a wake up call about having a boy! And if there’s ever a time to make a new or expecting mom of a boy, it’s at her baby shower.

Posted on 17 Apr 2006 by Anne B.

Flickr Pro — Give the Gift of Service

I’m a bit of a shutterbug. It comes with the territory: my art degree involved a lot of photography and I also am a parent, which means that when my daughter sneezes funny, I want to take a picture. Couple that with living in a city full of fascinating architecture and you’ve got a Tina who takes her camera everywhere. When Flickr, an internet photo sharing application, debuted, I signed up immediately.

Posted on 31 Mar 2006 by Tina V.

2006 Birth Year Keepsake Box

Do you have a friend who’s about to give birth? Do you want to get them something more unique than a pack of onesies or diapers? Uncommon Goods has the perfect gift for your new parents: the 2006 Birth Year Box. But this isn’t just a regular keepsake box—it follows the Chinese calendar and includes the various traits that the newborn may possess as a member of the year of the dog.

Posted on 27 Mar 2006 by Anne B.

Chenille Baby Blankets

Baby clothes come and go, they get stained, they grow out of them. Baby blankets on the other hand can be (and often are) kept forever. Last week I was sorting through my children’s rooms and found my stash of baby blankets. There are a couple for each that are special, precious and definitely heirloom quality.

Posted on 25 Mar 2006 by Anne W.

Single Knit Receiving Blanket with Fabric Trim

When I used to hear the word “monogrammed,â€? I’d think of my grandmother’s pristine towels in her guest bathroom. However, since I came upon [Namely Sew], I’ve changed my views of monogrammed merchandise. As a mother of a new baby girl, I received a few adorable bibs and blankets from [Namely Sew] with my daughter’s name beautifully embroidered on the items, which included her nursery theme of puppies. The [Knit Receiving Blanket] was my favorite, and over 2 years and MANY washings later, it is still one of the softest and most special items I’ve kept from my daughter’s infanthood.

Posted on 20 Mar 2006 by Anne B.

Morgan Handbag

Some women collect shoes, some jewelry, I seem to collect purses. Now, I have cut back on my collection significantly in recent years. But I am always on the lookout for the perfect purse. I am always looking for the purse with all the bells and whistles and still small, simple and not too bulky. Wouldn’t you just love to ask the designer to add another pocket? Or pick the perfect fabric for you?

Posted on 15 Mar 2006 by Anne W.

Name Board Puzzle

I will never forget the first time my older child spelled her name out loud for the first time. Frankly I was shocked, pleasantly surprised and beaming with pride. But I was also curious as to how she really figured it out. It wasn’t as if we sat down and I coached her how to spell her name.

Posted on 5 Mar 2006 by Anne W.

Baby Daze Organizer Book

Before my first child was born, nobody mentioned to me all of the things that I would have to record and remember during the first few weeks of my daughter’s life. I’m not talking just first smiles and foods. I mean feedings, changes in diet for both mom and baby, diapers (and what’s in them, including color), etc., in addition to all of the exciting “firstsâ€?. What my friends DID tell me was that I would be extremely tired and that the first several months would be a daze—memories would be fleeting.

Well, that’s where the great gift of the Baby Daze Organizer Book came in extremely handy. At the one week doctor’s appointment, I was able to accurately show the pediatrician how many times/ounces my daughter was fed, how many colorful diapers we went through, and any abnormalities witnessed. If the doctor had asked me to simply remember on my own all of that, forget it. I could barely remember what I’d had for breakfast that morning! The Baby Daze logbook was my savior and my brain for those first few days of tiresome motherhood.

Posted on 25 Jan 2006 by Anne B.