I am taking my twin 4 year old grand daughters to a teddy bear tea. One twin is planning to wear her purple tutu with her matching sparkly purple shoes ;the  other twin wants to wear green leggingss with a sparkly mickey t-shirt. One is bringing “baby”  and the other one is bringing her two Meows. Both are excited about eating the yummy cookies and listening to a story book read to them , their dolls and stuffed animals.

They love holding books, looking at the pictures and asking questions.  Children’s board books have colored pictures, big words that can help a child learn to read. Sometimes, the pages are laminated to withstand sticky fingers and sippy cup spills. What would

Curious George is a great going to bed story.

they do if the reader was using an e -book?

What’s the Best Present to Give Big Brother or Sister?
Nothing is more traumatic for a toddler than to be replaced by a new baby. This little stranger gets all of the attention and tons of presents. Big brother and sister are going to be very jealous. They may even resort to hitting or biting the new baby, taking his toys away or stealing his bottle.

Be considerate of this sensitive older sibling. He is going to need a lot of love and you can help.  When you select a present for his baby brother or sister; the most thoughtful thing you can do is bring or send him a present too.
That being said; what do you get the older sibling.?Here are 4 great ideas.

l.The easiest gift to bring is a  book. This gives immediate gratification. If you are visiting, you can always spend a bit of time and read the book to the older child. We recommend big brother books like Meet Jack Truck or any of the Olivia books for the little girls. The LLama, Mamma series and Curious George  is great for kids of both sexes 2-5. If the sibling is over five, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,No Good , Very Bad Day is always a pleaser.

2. It’s hard to guess which toys kids have or like once they are over two. You can never go wrong, however,  with a soft stuffed animal for kids of both sexes. This is the time that the older sibling needs a little tender love and a soft plush bunny or teddy bear will do the trick.

3.Another popular idea is a character beach towel. No one can have too many hooded towels. Finding a towel with a sports or animal theme is always a welcome addition.

4. If the older child is in pre-school or camp, a nap mat or back pack makes a useful gift that will show him that it’s more fun to be older.

Unless you know that the child likes clothes,  we find that most clothing is unappreciated by a child. Please avoid getting a big brother or sister shirt- this is the last thing the older child wants to be reminded of ; he knows his role has changed and doesn’t need it to be rubbed in with a trite logo shirt.

The birth of a new baby especially the first born is a celebration. The newbie parents are bombarded with calls of congratulations and gifts. If you want to send a gift that will stand out,a gift that will be a keepsake, here are our suggestions. These are gifts that will stand the test of time, never be returned because you have personalized them.

The easiest way to personalize a gift is to embroider a name and
birthdate on the blanket, stuffed animal, quilt, carseat cover ,or paint  the name on picture frames and bookends.This will turn the most ordinary gift into an instant keepsake.

Not satisfied with just adding personalizaton.If you are looking for a unique baby gift, one that puts your personal stamp on it; we have the answer. At Namelynewborns we have had unusual requests for personalization that have produced extraordinary gifts. We learn from our customers and would like to share some of the top personalized gifts that we have created.

Here are ten great ideas to create a keepsake baby gift.
l. A first time Mother requested that the Lord’s Prayer be sewn in the pocket of a pink Sleepyhead Bunny. It would be a special message from her to her daughter that would not be obvious to any casual observer, but she and her daughter would know where to look for it.

2. A Church welcomed all new babies in their congregation with blue and  pink lamb blankees embroidered with the psalm ” You are wonderfully made” .

3. Twins of a racing enthusiast received custom blankets with images of a nascar embroidered in the corner along with their names,

Custom Blankets with Nascar Logo for twins

4. An aunt sent her new nephew a custom quilt with images of hand
appliqued airplanes because his dad was a pilot.

5. The family of an American baby born in Cologne , Germany, wanted him to remember the place of his birth, so we customed their quilt with appliqued images of the Cologne Cathedral.

6.  Many sports enthusiast have sent our football, baseball , and
basketball handcrafted blankets with their favorite teams embroidered on the blanket as well as their baby’s name.

A custom baseball gift for the little slugger

5. One of the most touching gifts was from a Father who was on leave from Irag. He wanted two of the same pink blanket for his newborn baby girl ; each would be embroidered with the message, “I Love You …..( the name), From Daddy. He would not be there for her birth , but wanted her to always be covered in one of his blankets.

6. Hand painted growth charts can be customed to match the nursery and include baby’s name and birthdate.

7. Baby wipe cases can be covered in sports fabric of the NBA or NFL teams.

8. Shopping cart covers and infant carseat covers can be personalized with the child’s name preceded by Prince or Princess for a royal seat for the car of shopping cart.

9. Baby Books make great gifts and it is easy to hand write a personal message inside the cover.

10. Custom baby quilts offer the most ways of creating an heirloom.
Fabric from Mom’s wedding gown, a special keepsake handkerchief from
the family, fabric from the nursery bedding or a favorite stuffed toy can be incorporated to make the quilt uniquely ones own.
A gift message from the sender can be embroidered on the quilt or on a
quilt tag on the back of the quilt.

Many families reuse baby quilts and embroider each baby’s name on the
quilt and pass it on to the next new baby in the family.

No matter what you choose, by adding baby’s name to the gift, your gift is sure to please.

We have a great book for the new Dad to read to his baby. It is not a new book, in fact, it is  71 years old; but it is still as relevant today as it was when it was published in l940. And Dad need to read to baby just as much as Moms do. In fact , since most Dads don’t have as much time to spend with a new baby; every minute counts.  Reading  a baby  book is  quality activity and  a super fun way  to bond with the new baby.

Pat the Bunny written by Dorothy Kune Hardt to introduce her daughter Edith to every day things is a classic .The main character, Pat the Bunny experiences sensory stimulation like looking in a mirror and smelling flowers and eventually feeling something scratchy.  What is really catchy for the modern Dad is this something scratchy is Dad’s face. .  Some things never change; Dad will still have a scratchy beard especially at night when it is time to put baby to bed. How cute is it to hold baby’s tiny hand to Dad’s face and let him feel the real thing!

What baby can resist touching the shiny pages of a new board book; what parent can resist cuddling a baby while reading.  It is a win - win all the way around. Books are the best gift. Baby never has enough books; old favorites and duplicates  can be put in the bathroom, on the changing table, near the high chair, in the back of the car, at Grandma’s house and , of course, in Mom’s diaper bag.

Books make the perfect baby gift because they are always the right size and color. Just be sure that you find age appropriate books if you want them to be used right away.  Sometimes, it is fun to gift a baby a book appropriate for an older child and let this book be a special reminder to a child as he gets older  of your love. Books can be signed with special messages to  add meaning.  A good book is well loved and never forgotten.

Books for infants up to two years old should be a board bookss o that when they bite on the cover  or drool on it, the book will retain its shape.  Baby books need to have beautiful illustrations to capture baby’s attention . Each page should have only a  few words or lines. These words could be rhymes or repetition of the key words so that the baby can follow the story.

We have gathered ten very popular baby books into a special book set.  They include Good Night Moon, Guess How Much I Love You, Pat the Bunny, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where Is Baby’s Belly Button to name a few. We have gathered five other well loved baby books and tucked them into a cellophane wrapped gift basket of books. These books include Runaway Bunny, Hippos Go Beserk, Olivia, GoodNight Gorilla, and Brown Bear Brown Bear.

My 7 year grandaughter”s favorite baby books when she was two  were the Llama, Llama series. I thought that the Llama, Llama Misses Mama was her favorite, but she told me she liked Llama Llama Holiday Drama best. Of course, that was the book I didn’t buy for the website ;s for a big brother or sister gift;so now I have to buy this one in additional to Llama, Llama Mad at Mama and Llama,Llama Red Pajamas. With grandchildren just like children, you can never be completely right. The other books we included for the big brother and sister were Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Day and Where the Wild Things Were. My grand daughter assured me that these would be perfect. How can you go wrong when you have the advice of a seven year old.

It’s crazy to think that even before one is born, one’s parents hold so much power just by choosing a name. Names are so much part of one’s identity that it seems fitting that we should choose our own after we get to know ourselves a little so we can see if the name fits us.

We all know that associations we have with names influence us.  I once read that a child with a nice-sounding, mainstream type of name has a slight edge in school because of subjective associations the teacher has with names. Think of that next time you are deciding between, say, Dwayne and David.

What about unisex names? That seems to be pretty common nowadays, but as a female Renée who, to my little-girl discomfort, met male René’s I’d advise against it. It may be old-fashioned to think so, but I really think it makes kids uncomfortable. And talking about my name, by all means make it easy to pronounce! I was a timid child (hard to believe, yeah, I know) but the only thing that got me to open my mouth on the first day of class was if a poor ignorant teacher mispronounced my name as Reenie!

Some friends of mine have names that sound like my grandfathers and their brothers–the old men who sat on benches, wearing caps, talking loudly and smoking cigars. Who would have thought those three generations hence, Sam, Charlie, Jack, Harry, Max and Louie could be trendy?

Consider names that go well with your last name. And just a note: I don’t think grandparents have any right to say anything about a grandchild’s name, not even to express an opinion. Grandparents, just enjoy the new member of your family. You’ll love the kid no matter what. And you will eventually get used to saying the name without stumbling or gagging.

Parents, your kid is going to be stuck with her/his name for the rest of her/his life. Make it easy, please.Don’t choose an unuual spelling that causes him to be embarrassed. Don’t pick a name where the initials spell something that will cause him to be teased. Don’t pick a name that you personally hate to please family. Do pick a  name that you love so that when he asks how did you choose his name, you can honestly answer that this was your favorite name for the favorite  new person in your life.

Remember how much of fun you had preparing for your birthday parties as a child? A new baby is coming into this world, celebrate the phenomenon in style. For this baby shower gather the close friends and family members of the soon-to-be mommy and brainstorm on ideas that will culminate in an evening to remember. Making ostentatious arrangements promises to take your mind off the drab and mundane routines of life. Put your heart and soul into it. Your efforts will not go in vain as they stand as a intangible token of your eternal friendship and affection. Of course, your friend/mother-to-be will be the center of attention but do not forget to entertain your guests with a wide array of activities and games. Heat up the environment, create new memories and conjure vibrant smiles. You can make all of this possible by adding a series of fun inducing baby shower games into the itinerary.

Delivery is due in a few weeks and a kindergarten child might accuse her of hiding the missing geography glass globe under her blouse. Yes, her tummy is the biggest balloon you’ve ever laid eyes on but do you know its actual size? This game guarantees loads of laughter as guests take wild guesses at what could be the tummy size of the to-be mommy. You don’t have to get in mathematical figures and measurements that would simply elicit a chorus of yawns. Distribute strings to every guest and ask them to cut them to sizes which they think will be the size of the pregnant mom’s belly. Later, collect each string and ask the mommy to try each one. The one who cut the string whose length is closest to the actual size of the tummy receives a special prize!

Name the Baby!
Count the number of invites that turned up at the party and cut out tiny pieces of blank paper accordingly. List down all the alphabets from A to Z on the left side of each paper. Circulate these papers among the guests and instruct them to write down the first baby name that comes to mind for each alphabet. Set up a time limit of 3 minutes to scribble as many baby names as possible.  The guest who has filled the maximum baby names within the time limit wins. Or you could give the mommy-to-be the liberty to choose who has filled in the most appealing names. Who knows? You or a guest might’ve just named the new unborn!

Who Am I?
If the guests are feeling too drowsy due to excess wine, this game will most definitely wake them up! You have to inform each of the guest well in advance to carry a baby photo of themselves. Collect all the baby photos and shuffle them up.  Arrange them neatly on a square table and ask the guests guess who is who. Do this one picture at a time. Obviously, whoever has made the maximum guesses wins. This baby shower game ensures buckets and buckets of laughter and fun.

Baby Food Game
For this game, all you have to do is go out and collect 4 or 5 jars of baby food and pass them around to guests and participants. Baby food can never be palatable for adults, especially when they have enjoyed the luxuries of fine and dine. However, to keep the competitive spirit, each guest will feel compelled to grab a taste from each jar and guess the ‘flavor’. The one with most of the correct guesses wins!

Diaper Raffle
This is very advantageous to the soon to-be-mommy and if it works out fine, she’ll be ever so grateful to you! Make sure that with every invitation you add that whoever brings a package of diapers can participate in a draw for a grand prize! Yes, something along the lines of a lottery ticket! The hidden plus point behind this game is that the mother-to-be can spare herself the drudgeries of diaper shopping!

From the start, your baby is interested in your face. She notices your expressions and tone of voice. She reacts to your emotions. For example, when you say something in a soft and loving way, she will relax and feel more secure.

Scientists have learned that babies show emotions as early as when they are one month old. Something else scientists have learned is that feeling good helps babies learn better.

Why? Happy babies are more alert, attentive and responsive. Babies remember things better when they are happy and at ease. The way you hold and talk to your baby can help her feel happy.

Babies who are alert and feeling good are more likely to look at things, explore and play. They will pay attention more. For example, they will try to make new things happen with toys or make sounds with people. This helps them learn and remember new things.

Brief periods of distress or difficulty will occur. These will not harm a child. Short periods of negative emotions can be helpful for your baby. You should do something quickly to help her feel better. From this she will learn you care about what she tries to tell you. Long periods of negative emotion, like crying, can do harm.

In the first month, the negative emotion that occurs is distress or a response to pain. Later, she will show sadness and anger. Next comes fear. All people have these emotions to protect themselves. Help your baby be at ease with having emotions. Respond to her emotions in a warm and loving way.

You can tell what your baby is feeling by changes in her facial expression. You can also see what she is feeling by her posture, movements and the sounds she makes.

Maybe, because I was an English teacher, I have always loved giving books
as a baby gift. Sometimes, I combine the books with a stuffed toy that
relates to the story. If I am sending the book, Pat the Bunny, I will
include a  bunny security blanket or plush stuffed bunny. If I am sending
the Very Hungry Caterpillar, I will add a stuffed plush caterpillar. I love the Curious George books and will add either a monkey security blanket or blankee to complete the gift. The baby’s name can be embroidered on the plush animal and all of a sudden a simple book and toy becomes a family heirloom.
Often, it is a great idea to find beautiful bookends and tuck  the books
inside the bookends. We always handpaint the baby’s name on our bookends
to make it extra special.

I believe it is never too soon to read a book to your newborn baby.
Research has shown that even though videos and tapes are increasing
popular; they are only  entertaining and there is some controversy
regarding their educational value. It is only the sound of the human voice
that actually teaches a child to imitate sounds. The meaningless babbling
that babies start when they are several months old, is the building block
for later language development. What better way to encourage your baby to speak then by reading to him in your own voice.

   Our Favorite Baby Books

Our research has determined that these eight books are among the most
popular baby books for infants from newborn to two years old. Included
are:

• Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
• Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
• Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do you Hear
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam Mc Bratney
• Where is Baby’s Belly Button? by Karen Katz
. Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Although books come in all shapes and sizes, we are not fans of very large
baby books. They are too difficult for baby to hold.
We recommend board books, so that baby can turn the pages and point to
favorite parts as he grows without the book falling apart. Board books are
impervious to drool, sticky fingers and an occasional nibble by a curious
baby.

A baby can never have too many books to enrich his world.  Don’t be afraid to give a book for fear, the child already has the one you have chosen.  Extra copies  of a favorite book can be left at grandmas, a diaper bag or in the car for that handy distraction ; books never go to waste.