Do you think twins have advantages over singletons? Email us at info@namelynewborns.com if you have a twin story to share with us and we will publish it in our blog.

Twin  Births have reached an all time high according to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics. According to the study,” one out of every 30 babies born in 2009- a 76 % increase since 1980″. is a twin. A recent article in the Style Section of the NY times  January15, 2012 explored the doubled success of twins in the fashion  and design world who had changed their competitiveness into a fusion of identities and capitalize on being twins.

“In person, the identical twins Kirk and Nate Mueller are an uncanny site. The neatly coffied hair,  the ASOS leather boots, the red lapel flowers from Hook and Albert, the brown wool Topman suits- everything about them is almost exactly alike. Even their jobs: designing sleep I Pad apps and web sites, which has made them overnight design  celebrities. ” These media darlings were crowned the “twiniest twins every”. They split a bank account and an apartment. they share an email address and both work at Studio Mercury in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. They don’t mind when people confuse them.

According to Kirk Meuller,” Teachers, parents were always trying to keep us separated to have two separate identities”. They rebelled and fused their identities and found success in their combined abilities. It’s one plus one equals three.

Others who capitalized on their twinness are artists Mike and Doug Starn who built the bamboo web on the roof the Metropolitan Museum in 2010. Teman and Teran Evans run a sucessful jewelery design company called Dioscuri. Dean and Dan Caten are fashion designers from DSquared 2.

Not all twins are willing to submit to oneness for the sake of business. Vera Correll, half of the fashion label Correll- Correll and her sister Daphne wanted their label to repeat their last names so that  clients recognized that there were two individuals running one business. The even have different hairstyles, live separtely and clearly divide their business responsibilites.

As parents dealing with twins, you can try to give them separate identities and treat them differentlhy. It may be the simple decision of whether to give them a twin gift or individual gifts. At the end of the day  , however, the twins decide for themselves who they want to be and how they want the world to perceive them.

Three letter monogram in block

Blankets are the most popular baby gift. When you personalize a baby blanket, this gift becomes a treasured keepsake. At www.namelynewborns.com  we personalize all blankets over $30 free.

There are many ways of personalizing a blanket. You can add the baby’s first name in large block letters or you can embroider  a first and middle name in block or script. You can even add the birthdate and the babies birth weight and height at birth. This blanket becomes more than a loved blankee; it becomes a record of the most important event in the baby’s life – his birth.

It is very important that the embroidery thread is washable and that the embroidery font is large enough to be read. Ugly embroidery can ruin a beautiful blanket. For babies, we recommend using  a simple block or script that is thick enough to show up on even the plushest blankets.

A monogram is a very sophisticated way to personalize a baby blanket. The three letter monogram can be embroidered in block or script. If all of the initials are the same size, the initials are in the order of first name, middle name and then last name. Often, the last name is the middle initial and in this case, the middle initial is embroidered larger. A single letter of the baby’s first name is another  beautiful way of personalizing a blanket. It is very simple and elegant. Sending a  Monogrammed baby gifts shows that you spent extra time selecting a gift.

Some friends and family like to add a message on the blanket or a prayer.  Favorite messages include “welcome to the world”, and “with love from”( name of giver)This is a special addition to the blanket; remember to keep all messages short and if you choose a psalm or prayer, choose a short one. Sometimes, companies will add their logo to the blanket . Sometimes, special embroidered designs can be added to the blanket to make it extra special and totally original.

Blankets with embroidered names

Personalization can be expensive.  especially for twin gifts.Remember at www.namelynewborns.com , we personalize all blankets over $30 free.  Free personalization is a major savings when buying more than one blanket.

A cute bib & burp for your little monkey

Bottle Feeding or Breast Feeding is always a great topic for debate. Every Mother has to make her choice. Whether a baby is breast feed or bottle feed at some point most babies are going to receive milk from a baby bottle  . This milk may be breast milk pumped by the Mother;  if someone other than Mom is doing the feeding, the milk will be fed from a bottle and a bib and burp set are handy items to help keep baby clean. When feeding baby water or juice these same tips apply.

6  T ips to Properly Bottle Feed Your Baby.
1. Hold bottle in 45 degree angle to help your baby swallow milk properly.

2. Determine the quanitity of milk necessary. Most babies start with 4 ounces and work toward a full 8 oz. bottle. Sooner or later, if you find your baby tends to have more, or you need to increase the quantity as your baby grows, decide and go ahead. You can consult your doctor .

3.The third very important tip  in bottle feeding tips is to keep the bottle and nipples clean. It is very important to keep your baby  healthy. Whether you sterilize the bottle and bottle accessories in hot water for 10-15 minutes over a hot stove or in a dishwasher that has a sterilizing cycle  is your choice. Once bottle, bottle cover and nipples are finished , dry them with clean towel and then store them covered with their  top or wrap in saran wrap  until you need the bottle. Ziplog bags make great sterile storage packages for extra nipples and bottle covers.

4.The fourth tip is to make sure the milk’s temperature is comfortable for your baby. There is nothing wrong with cold milk, but most baby’s prefer milk slightly warm or at room temperature. Do not let the milk sit out to bring the temperature to room temperature. Remember not to use micro-oven or to boil the milk as it can heat unevenly and create hot pockets, which may lead to burns and also cause nutrients to break down. If you have a baby bottle warmer useit , but if you don’t you can always warm milk the old fashioned way.The best way to warm milk is to warm a pot of water, take the water off the stove and put the bottle in the warm water for a few minutes until the proper temperature is reached.

5. Always test the temperature of the bottle by sprinkling a few drops on your own arm or hand to make sure that the milk is not too hot.

6. Whether you hold baby in your arms or prop him up on a feeding pillow, it is nice to have him lightly covered in a soft baby blanket. Make sure you have a bib on him and a soft burp cloth on your shoulder so that mid -way through the bottle you can pause for that important burp.

Teddy Bear Tea

The Teddy Bear Tea

The twins are now 4 1/2 and I wanted to take them to the Holiday Teddy Bear tea. Every year there is an adorable children’s tea where everybody brings either a teddy bear or their favorite doll or plush toy to a children’s holiday party. Ms. Claus dressed in a wide red velvet dress reads the Night Before X-mas and other holiday children’s books under a giant beautifully decorated X-mas tree.

It is a dream day for a grandmother – that’s me. But I had to figure out what to do with the 8 year old sister who was way too old for the teddy bear tea and was already making fun of it, repeating  as only a teasing older sister can ” teddy bear tea is for babies”.

Luckily her boy cousins lived nearby and I arranged for her to sleepover at their house the night before  the afternoon of the teddy bear tea. Then she couldn’t sit in the car teasing them about their stuffed animals, meow and whoof whoof , Minnie Mouse who were not real and would never like going to a teddy bear tea.

As they say, all the best plans of mice and men have a glitch. The day of the tea, their aunt who was keeping the older kids occupied during the day of the tea had to go to work. Not only couldn’t she handle the twin’s older sister, but her two boys needed my help . As only a grandmother could do, I figured out the day. at 11 am. I raced 1 hour south to pick up the twins,then proceeded another 30 minutes to Miami Beach to pick up the other three, pile them in my van and take them all bowling so Auntie could work.  I had two hours to kill before the Teddy Bear tea.

The twins were adorable, so excited to be included with their older cousins that they were unusually well behaved. They attempted a few feeble bowling throws with 6 pound balls and then watched their older cousins bowl. Of course, I ordered french fries, chicken fingers and sliders to keep every body happy. I had an extra change of clothing for the twins so the ketchup from lunch would not mar their appearance at what was no becoming a marathon event- the infamous Teddy Bear Tea.

It was almost two o’clock and I still hadn’t quite figured out what to do with the three older kids from 2:30 to 4pm. I suddenly remember that there was a tennis court connected to the building where the Teddy Bear Tea was to be held. I called quickly and reserved a court, asked to borrow racquets, and raced back to the house on the Beach to change the twins’ clothes.

At 2:15 we arrived a bit breathless, parked the car, and raced to the tennis courts to settle the older kids in for a bit of excercise.  Once rid of the three older ones, I proceeded with the twins to the Teddy Bear Tea.

The room  for the tea was beautifully decorated with a x-mas tree, balloons and teddy bears at each table. The buffet was loaded with X-mas cookies and pitchers of hot chocolate with whipped cream. I watched the eyes of the twins ; they were overwhemed and excited. They couldn’t believe their good fortune; all of this candy and cookies for them. They were very lady like in the beginning, sitting in chairs and sipping their hot chocolate. Finally, the awe ended and they starting run around the room picking up candy canes from the buffet, pulling on the giant teddy bears and balloons and bouncing on the cushions that were set out in front of the tree where the stories would be read.

Luckily, a few minutes later Ms. Claus made her entrance, calmed all the kiddies down and read the Night Before X-mas. The twins were enchanted and sat for almost 15 minutes without moving which I say was an old- time record. After a few minutes more, I realized that they had reached the end of their good behavior and I was exhausted.

The twins  came back to our table, scooped up all of the candy which included chocolate balls, candy canes and hershey kisses for their cousins and we made our exit. We walked over to the tennis court and picked up the older kids. Everybody, was exhausted as we piled in the van , buckled up five sets of seat belts and headed back to the home on Miami Beach.

Another marathon drive back to the twins’ house in 5 o’clock traffic and a drive back to my house on Key Biscayne for a total of 2 hours in the car. I crawled into bed for a nice nap . It was a great day , but would I do it again. Ask me next year

Soft Angel Dear security blankees

One of the most popular baby gifts is a security blanket. It goes by lots of names- lovey, blankee, snuggler,cozy ,etc. but the goal is the same. Baby needs comfort and warmth in the early months to help him deal with anxiety separation when a parent is not home or when learning to sleep alone or visit unfamiliar places. Going into a restaurant or mall is an overwhelming sensory experience for a baby, especially with all the loud music and bright lights in today’s world. A comforting toy is often a great soother.

Touch is the first of the five senses to develop and many children become attached to the feel of a soft toy blanket . Bonding between a baby and these transitional objects typically occurs between 6 and 10 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against placing such items in babies cribs until they are at least 6 months old.

The babies don’t choose what they become attached to; it is the parents who place these objects within reach. When you are deciding what to give your baby , be careful that you are making a wise choice; for once he becomes attached to an object it is difficult to take it away. Also, you need to remember that this treasured object can be lost or covered with the unmentionable and will need to be washed. Many a baby has had a melt down in front of the dryer waiting for a special friend to be be dried. Don’t buy just one , make sure you have a spare.

Always choose a blankee from a reputable company like Angel Dear , Bearington Bear, Little Giraffe, Barefoot Dreams, and Gund. These companies make sure that the fabric is safe from harmful dyes, that there are no loose embroidered features that will find there way into babies mouth. These companies stand behind there product and guarantee normal wear with repeated washing. We love add baby’s name or a special message to make this favorite friend a keepsake.

Bearington Bear Snugglers

Baby Gund Silly Stripe Frog

To say 2011 was the Year of the Celebrity Baby is an understatement. 

The Hollywood Baby Boom was in full speed this year, with stars including Natalie
Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Orlando Bloom and Mariah Carey all joining the
celebrity parent club.

An interesting fact: Toni Collette and "Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville both welcomed
babies named Arlo this year, with Collette having a boy and Knoxville welcoming a
girl. 

Also, three Spices Girls welcomed babies this year: Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton
and Melanie Brown, which must make for some pretty hectic reunions.

With all the new babies in Hollywood in 2011, we can only imagine the star power
that will be at the playgrounds in Hollywood in the next few years.
Rachel Zoe And Son Skyler Morrison 

We're so thrilled that one of our  favorite style icons and trendsetters, Rachel Zoe, loves Little Giraffe!   Zoe fell in love with our white Luxe blanket and ordered several more.   We recently got a very lovely note from her team regarding our  blankets telling us, "They are everything!"

On her very first Mother's Day, she was spotted with husband Rodger and son Skyler Morrison under a blanket.

 Your baby can also be a star in a Little Giraffe baby blanket

• Tomorrow over 2500 businesses on the internet are offering free shipping. Namelynewborns decided to join this group of businesses both large and small to encourage customers to shop on line. We are offering free shipping on all orders shipped within the continental U.S. with the exception of baby wipe cases and furniture.
• Shopping on line has all of the advantages today;
• no long lines to check out
• No parking problems’
• No use of expensive gas
• No need to get dressed and spend money on lunch
• Free Shipping

Here’s a link to other businesses offering one day free shipping www.freeshippingday.com

We are offering our free shipping throughout the month of December code holiday. All of these businesses guarantee x-mas delivery.

Yesterday, was our second bazaar and it was terrific. We put all of our reduced items including Margery Ellen Layette in the front room in baskets. Our back room showed displays of gift sets from Little Giraffe, Bearington Bear and our custom line of organic blankets.Everyone received a free shopping tote when they entered and then it was a mad rush to fill it with adorable baby gifts before we ran out of popular sizes.

We invited several guests to spice up the event. Danny Elfenbein from the Zoo Miami  is helping us connect with the zoo. He bought a 3 Marthas baby towel featuring  what else – elephants. 10% of all items purchased with the code zoobaby are donated to the new zoo babies. There is an upcoming preganancy at the zoo and judging from the size of the mother, this will not be a secret long.

Our second guest was artist Carolyn Heiss. She is able to create a beautiful portrait of a child or any group of children and family members from a portrait. She brought beautiful samples of her work as well as pieces of estate jewelry and fine baby earings in 14 k gold with diamonds. Wow! what a great gift for a newborn.

Baby Jar Cheetah Blanket is embroiderd on the bottom

There are several choices when it comes to personalizing a baby blanket. There are many places to embroider a baby’s monogram or name. None of them are wrong; it is a matter of personal preference.

Sometimes the pattern or the texture of the blanket can influence your decision.Most baby blankets can be monogrammed with the baby’s three letter monogram or personalized with a name and birthdate. The one rule that is almost never broken is that you never add a birthdate to a three letter monogram.

Unless a customer makes a special request, Namely Newborns usually embroiders the name or monogram at the bottom third of the blanket. Some baby quilts and custom blankets have the name embroidered on the border. Custom Butterscotch Blankees are usually personalized in the middle of the blanket. Quilts also are usually embroidred on the bottom border unless the customer requests that they be embroidered at the top.

Our organic giraffe blanket is embroidered on the border

Butterscotch Blankees weaves the name into the middle of the blanket

There are several other popular places to embroider names and birthdates on baby blankets. Embroidering a name at an angle in the corner is very popular. If a blanket has a nice satin border, the name can be embroidered on the satin border. There is usually not enough room to add the birthdate.

Embroidering a name on the satin border is also pretty

When there are three lines the most legible place to embroider a name, birthdate and pounds and ounces is still the bottom 1/3rd of the blanket. No matter where you choose to embroider your name, you have made your blanket extra special by adding personalization.