One of my best friends is celebrating her FIVE year anniversary this weekend. (She is also expecting her 1st baby in April!!) Congrats C! Do y'all have any good suggestions for a gift she can give her husband? Apparently five years is watch/wood. She would love to buy her hubby a new watch, but understandably he does not want her to spend too much money since they have a baby on the way. I told her a crib and an alarm clock should suffice-ha, ha! Let's hear your cute and creative suggestions (keep in mind she needs it by this weekend.)
Anyone done some really cute hostess gifts lately? I need to start thinking about getting something for my 13 sweet and wonderful friends back "home" hosting a baby shower for me next month. I would love some suggestions.
Random baby gear question---Graco Snugride vs Graco Safeseat. I am registered for the Safeseat because it goes to 30lbs and the Snugride only goes to 22lbs, but the Snugride is lighter. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
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17 comments:
go with the lighter carseat...because by the time they are 1 year and 20lbs you will move him up the cov. carseat that faces forward..as for hostess gifts i always tend to go with a nice tray or stationery ..something personal that people often buy for others but not themselves..and take lots of show photos as there are some great templates at how fast they grow
Does her husband play golf? Maybe a nice driving wood, or some personalized tees? OOh! Or how about a small cigar humidor? Plus, she could fill it with a few obligatory new father cigars?
By the time the baby weighs 30 pounds, even if it's before (s)he can face forward, you do NOT want to carry around the damn infant carseat. Plus, the larger Graco model may not fit in shopping carts and upside-down restaurant high chairs. Get the lighter one.
I would definitely go with the lighter seat. By the time your baby can sit up, you will need to move him to a rear-facing convertible car seat, and I doubt that he will weigh over 22 pounds by then. My sister splurged and bought a Chicco travel system that went up to 30 pounds, and the seat alone was really heavy. By the time her son weighed 20 pounds, she couldn't lift the combined weight of the baby and the seat anymore. With you living in Manhattan, you're going to be lifting that baby seat in and out of cabs, along with all of your other gear, and I think the lighter seat would work much better for you. Just my two cents...
My husband LOVES chinese food so for a Valentines Gift I went and picked up an empty chinese carton and filled it with small pieces of my own "fortune papers". Each one listed something that I loved about him. I think I ended up putting 135 papers in the carton. He LOVED it and he read everyone outloud to me that day....he said it meant so much to him and was a GREAT gift. The best part about it....it cost NOTHING!
Contrary to previous posters, I suggest the SafeSeat.
Originally, I decided on the SafeSeat because it was one of only a couple of seats that "passed" a flawed Consumer Reports car seat test (the seats were tested at a faster speed than Consumer Reports originally reported). I was impressed that the SafeSeat handled a high speed impact well.
After the report was retracted by Consumer Reports, I stuck with the SafeSeat because car seat 'techs' really recommend it, especially because of the high weight limits. It is actually only minimally heavier than a Snugride (although it is wider, we've never had it not fit somewhere), and you really only wind up carrying the seat for a few minutes at a time (until you place it in a stroller, a booth, a cab, etc.). I believe the installation mechanism for the SafeSeat is also an improvement over the Snugride.
We plan to keep our SafeSeat for as long as our son is within its limits - you've probably already read that keeping children rear-facing as long as possible is best for their safety. Plus, having a carrier-type seat that will snap into a stroller for as long as possible will be helpful for you to get around Manhattan easily.
OK, enough already, right? Last thing: check out the message boards related to the book "Baby Bargains" at windsorpeak.com. Many car seat 'techs' post there and are really great about giving practical advice. I used the stroller section for a lot of advice as well.
P.S. A tip for cabs with a baby - give the cabbie his tip when you get in and tell him to start the meter and leave the door open until the car seat is completely buckled in. The baby will be safe and the driver will be happy!
For big events, I purchase a small tree (a Dogwood is good) that can be planted to remember the event as years go on and the tree (Wood) endures all seasons - like their marriage.
Here is a Hostess Gift Idea and personally I love the crib & alarm clock idea... both things will be necessary purchases in the near future and since he doesn't want her to spend a lot on him... 2 Birds - 1 Stone!
I would go ahead and register for a Britax car seat too--so when he is ready to face forward you will have it. I had the snugride--carried Hart in it until about 3 months ago. It has served the purpose--plus I have some tone arms. They get heavy!!!
I gave a shower and received a Scout bag as a hostess gift! Great idea, but not if you have to by a large quanity!
What about a christmas ornaments for a hostess gift. swarovski makes some beautiful ones.
How about a wooden digital pic frame, will come in handy when the baby is born and a great anniversary gift.
I recently got some cute southern stationery as a hostess gift that I love! That's an idea... It's by a company called My Flip Flopz. We got folded notecards and the most adorable mommy cards that are really different and unique. Hope that helps...
carseat question...
go for the SNUGRIDE!
i love my snugride
my son is 6months and a little over 18lbs. it is already heavy with him in it and i leave it in the car.
i am almost ready to switch him to a convertible carseat,anyway!
go for the lighter carseat bc you won't use it to its weight max anyway!
I say safeseat. Mine has fit all carts and in slings at restaurants.
Once they get a little older and can sit up on their own/ sit on your hip, usually you will leave the seat in the car. But on the occasion that you are running errands and the baby is asleep, it is such a convenience to be able to strap that thing onto a shopping cart or stroller. They're all heavy, after all.
Plus the buckets are WAY easier to travel with so if that is a consideration, get the one that will last longer.
The other thing is the height -- I know friends whose babies have outgrown the snugride before 6 months, before they are even 20 pounds, because of the height.
This is a gift I gave when I had to buy 10 hostess gifts, and I wrote "Thank you for being her angel". (I chose this because it was appropriate for men and women, also)
http://www.bobsiemon.com/bobsiemondesigns/default.aspx?ProductID=4363&Spcn=510-380-1957&DepartmentID=7&CategoryID=24&Page=1
For hostess gifts, I love to do "foodie" presents:
- Specialty oils and/or vinegars infused with herbs for the gals who are always inventing new salads
- Hand-crafted artisan chocolates for the ladies with a sweet tooth
- Hard-to-find coffee beans and a coffee scoop or fresh tea blends and set of tea cups for the women with beverage fixations
- Locally made spirits or wines
Oh and Lulu's suggestions for the wood anniversary are fabulous! Lulu--you can shop for me anytime!
I would totally go with the Safeseat. We had the Snugride with our 2 kids (because the Safeseat was not out yet). Our daughter had outgrown it by 3 months and our son at 2 months (they were big babies), it is always nice to have the extra room because with a baby that young you still want them in the infant carrier.
have you checked out www.hostessjo.com the have some cute bits in various price ranges
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