Choosing the Perfect Invitation for Your Child’s First Holy Communion

by Charlene Hertzberg on February 2, 2012

in First Communions


Choosing the Perfect Invitation for Your Child's First Holy Communion

Your child's first Holy Communion is an important day in their religious life.  Celebrated primarily within the Catholic faith, First Holy Communion marks the date when children first receive their first sacrament.

Most families throw a party and celebrate this big step in their child's lives.  You might choose to have a photographer, gifts, food, and maybe even games.  Most importantly though, you'll want the child's friends and family to come help you celebrate.  To make sure they know about the big day, you'll want to find an invitation that is just perfect.

So, what should you look for in a First Communion Invitation?

First of all, it should be respectful of both the importance of the day, and also the religious nature of the celebation.

Second, the invitation you choose for you child should reflect who they are.  Whether it's an invitation with a photo, one with a graphic that resembles them, or an invitation that is has their favorite colors on it, the invitation should reflect your child.  In fact, it's a great idea to have your child(ren) help choose the invitation.  You might find it easiest to narrow down the options for them though, as it can be quite overwhelming to have the entire internet's worth of invitations to choose from.

Ideally, you will choose an invitation that comes printed with your party information.  This will ensure that everything is accurate and that you don't have to spend a lot of your precious time writing out invitations.

If you have twins, it's best if you can put the information for both children on one invitation, and yet still have the invitation reflect both of them.  This will save you a lot of time and money over purchasing two separate sets of invitations.

Now that you know what you need to look for, take a second to come over and see our First Communion Invitations, I'm sure you'll find what you are looking.

About the Author

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays. She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift. For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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A Bedrest Baby Shower – How to Throw A Baby Shower for a Mommy on Bedrest

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 30, 2012

in Baby Shower Ideas, Baby Shower Tips, Baby Showers for Higher Order Multiples (Triplets or More), How to Throw A Baby Shower


During my pregnancy I spent 14 weeks on bedrest.  It was a long and isolating time.  I was fortunate though, in that my doctor pulled me off of bedrest a couple of months before my son was due.  This doesn't happen for most moms on bedrest though.  So how do you throw a baby shower for a bedresting mom?

There are many ways to go about this, depending on the level of restrictions the new mom is on.  The very first thing you should do is find out what her limitations are.  Also find out if she wants the shower now, or would prefer to wait until after the baby is born.

If the expecting mom is feeling quite ill or the baby may not make it, it may be best to put the shower off until after the baby is born.  Otherwise, you can work out a way to do a shower for her and still keep to her restrictions.

Some moms who are placed on bedrest do not have many restrictions at all.  The doctor just does not want them active.  If mom can travel okay and is just not supposed to be active, you can throw her a fairly normal shower with just a few modifications. 

  • Choose a location that is close to her home.  Arrange for someone to transport her. 
  • Make sure there is a nice comfortable place that she can sit or lay down.  This location should be right in the middle of everything, not in a back room.  Designate a couch for her or a comfortable recliner, and make it a seat of honor. 
  • Make sure she has a place to put snacks and drinks and that someone is in charge of making sure she has everything she needs. 
  • Keep the party in the same room as her.  It's okay to keep snacks and beverages in another room, but encourage people to stay in the main room so that the new mom can be a part of everything.
  • Keep the party short.  Most moms who have been on bedrest tire out faster than normal.  Keep the shower to 1 or 2 hours so she doesn't get overly tired. 
  • Find out if mom has food restrictions.  If she does, try to make foods that she can eat and will enjoy.
  • If you are playing games, consider paper and pencil games, or other things that the new mommy can participate in, or skip the games altogether and let her enjoy the time spent with her friends.
  • Have a designated helper who is in charge of handing the new mom her gifts, and then once they are unwrapped, stashing them away from her.  A lot of bending over to get gifts and put them down is a really bad idea for a bedresting mom.
  • If people do not know that she in on bedrest, you might wish to include a small note in the envelope with the invitation to let guests know that she is on bedrest and has some restrictions, but that she is very much looking forward to seeing them.
  • Have the new mom clear the shower with the doctor.  Most doctors recognize the importance of these events and will let her know what is and is not okay.  Then everyone can rest at ease knowing that she is safe.

If the new mom can not travel, you'll need to throw the baby shower at her house.  It would look a lot like the shower discussed above, with a few more things to consider.

  • Make sure the new mom can lay down during the party, without leaving the room.  If she can't travel, her doctor probably won't want her sitting for any length of time either.
  • Arrange for someone to clean her house thoroughly for her before the shower.  Remember, she CAN'T clean it.  You don't want her stressing out about having guests over when her house looks less than the best.  Plus, she'll love having her house nice and clean.
  • Make sure you leave the house totally clean, all trash is cleared out, and it looks as good or better than it did before you arrived.  Bedrest is stressful for the whole family, don't leave a mess for her husband to clean up, he probably already has his hands full trying to keep up with daily life.

Sometimes a new mom can not handle having guests around her, is hospitalized, or for some other reason can not be at the shower.  If that is the case, consider throwing a mini mom pampering shower.  Have 2 or 3 close friends get together, give her their gifts, and just keep her company.  Even most hospitals will allow for that.  Then, once the baby comes and is home, you can consider throwing a full baby shower for her.

The final option would be to throw a shower like you would for someone out of town.  Sometimes a new mom who has been on bedrest (and thus not working) really needs the extra help getting even the basics for baby.  If that is the case, throw her a long distance baby shower.  Use webcams to connect her with everyone and bring the gifts to her.  It's not quite the same, but it'll leave her feeling special and help her get what she needs before baby arrives.

Whatever method you choose for throwing the shower, make sure she gets one.  So many  moms have missed out on having baby showers because they were on bedrest.  Don't let your friend become one of them.

 

About the Author

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays. She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift. For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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Giveaway Winner!

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 28, 2012

in Uncategorized

We have a winner, the winner is:

 

Gianna!! 

Gianna, please contact us to claim your prize

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Do I Have To Open Gifts At My Baby Shower?

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 26, 2012

in Baby Shower, Baby Shower Gifts

Do I Have To Open Gifts At My Baby Shower?

Opening gifts at a baby shower is a long standing tradition.  At most showers it is the activity that takes up the most time.  Some expecting moms just don't feel comfortable opening gifts at their shower.  So, do you really have to open gifts at your baby shower?

Let me start by saying that you shouldn't be forced to do anything you aren't comfortable with.  It's your shower and if you really aren't comfortable opening gifts with everyone, then that is your choice.

I'd be remiss however, if I did not tell you that if you choose not to open gifts, you will almost definitely offend someone.

Many guests really enjoy watching the gift opening.  They like to see your expression when you open the present they thoughtfully chose out for you.  They also enjoy seeing the adorable gifts that others have chosen.The cute outfits, sweet little toys, and the latest fun baby products are part of the what draws people to showers.

Opening gifts can really drag on though, and opting to not open gifts will give you more time to enjoy the company of your guests.

One great way to get around the issue is to have a couple's shower.  Since couple showers are much less traditional, people tend to be more understanding.  Most women will naturally assume that the men do not want to watch the gift opening.  Because of that, they are less likely to feel shorted if you do not open gifts.

In the end, you'll want to consider not only how you feel about opening gifts, but also the feelings of the hostess and the guests.  Once you make the decision, expect there to be some people who will disagree, particularly if you go that non-traditional route.  That's okay, just be understanding that they might feel differently than you do.

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays. She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift. For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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Who Should Throw A Baby Shower?

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 23, 2012

in Baby Shower, How to Throw A Baby Shower

Who Should Throw A Baby Shower?

Not so long ago there used to be a lot of rules about who should and should not throw a baby shower.  In recent years, the lines have become much less clear, leaving many people asking "Who should throw the baby shower?".

Traditionally, it was considered inappropriate for the guest of honor or her close family members to throw the shower.  This meant that the grandmas, aunts, and new mom were all excluded from hostess status.  This "rule" came from the fact that gifts are expected at baby showers, thus many people felt that throwing a shower for your family member was like asking people to give your family gifts.

Times have changed though, and with them our expectations.  People have eased up on the rules of etiquette, and the lines are much grayer than they once were. 

Close friends are still the most popular choice, both in practice and etiquette, for throwing the baby shower.  Friends are traditionally the hostesses for baby showers, and are always a safe option.  With the trend towards much larger baby showers, it is becoming more and more common now for small groups of friends to host the shower together.

A sister or sister-in-law of the expecting mom is also a fantastic choice.  While this previously would have been a bit "iffy" on the etiquette books, it is now generally looked at in about the same light as a friend acting as hostess.  In fact in our experience, few people realize that this was once forbidden.

Another new trend that is becoming quite common is to have the mother or mother-in-law of the pregnant woman host the shower.   The grandmas often really enjoy participating in the shower.  However, some people, and most formal etiquette books will still tell you that grandmas should not be a shower hostess.  So, if you are in a group that tends toward strict rules of etiquette, Grandma might not be the best choice.  That said, in our experience the vast majority of people do not have any problem with being invited to a shower thrown by the baby's grandma.

Finally comes the touchy topic of a new mom hosting the shower herself.   This is certainly much more acceptable than it once was.  However just like throwing a birthday party for yourself and expecting guests to bring gifts, it can be controversial.  Some people feel it is inappropriate, and amounts to nothing more than a woman asking people to bring gifts to her.  Amongst some groups of people there is no problem at all with a woman hostessing her own baby shower.  However be aware that if you throw your own, some people might find offense.

In the end, the most important thing is that the person who throws the shower is someone who cares about the expecting parents and who will take the time to make sure that the day is very special for the new mom.


What do you think?  Is it okay to host your own baby shower?  What about grandma hosting the baby shower is that okay?  Leave and comment and let us know what you think.

About the Author

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays. She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift. For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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I Really Want To Give Something Away

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 17, 2012

in and More

I Really Want To Give Something Away

I really want to give something away this week.  So, we're having a contest to see who I get to send it to! 

Here's what I'll be giving you, if you win:

Your choice of one of these adorable burp pad sets.  Perfect for using with baby or for giving as a gift!  OR You can choose a store credit for the value of the burp pads.

 

Here's how you enter:

Please note, leave a separate comment for each entry to get entered into the contest multiple times.

1.  For your first entry, answer this question:  What is the #1 thing you struggle with when planning a baby shower?

2.  For your second entry, answer this question : What do you look for when you go shopping for a baby gift?

3.  As many times as you'd like: Find your favorite item on the site, and let us know what it is, and why you like it. 

Contest ends at noon on January 27.  Winner will be announced by noon on the 28th.

Fine print:  Prize values includes shipping fees for the prize ONLY, if you opt to substitute the store credit, you will not have your purchase shipped for free.   Prize will be awarded to the person leaving our favorite comment.  You MUST leave your entries as separate comments to receive entries for each.  Winner will be sent an e-mail (if provided), announced on the site, and announced on facebook.  Recipient will have 14 days to claim prize (by sending in requested information or prize will be forfeited.  Store credit valid only on new purchases.

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What Can We Do At A Baby Shower if We Don’t Play Games?

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 16, 2012

in Baby Shower Games, Baby Shower Ideas

Measure The Mommy Baby Shower Game

What Can We Do At A Baby Shower if We Don't Play Games?

 

Baby shower games can be a lot of fun for some people.  Others find them embarrassing, or just no their style.  So how do you entertain your baby shower guests if you don't play games at the shower?  Here are a few ideas.

Make keepsake crafts for the new baby.  Have the guests decorate t-shirts, piggy banks, or other keepsakes for the new baby.

Have a scrapbook party.  Have each of the guests create a scrapbook page where mommy can just add pictures and text to easily have a complete scrapbook page. 

Have a barbeque, tea party, or garden party.  These parties lend themselves well to just mixing.  Put on some nice music in the background, have great snacks for the guests, and let everyone relax and talk to one another.  This is a great idea for showers where most of the guests will know one another.  If the guests don't know each other at all, then you may need to schedule some sort of activity to break the ice.

Host a spa party.  If the party is going to be just the girls, take time to pamper the new mom, and each other, or bring in someone to pamper everyone.  Mom will love having some time that's just about her before the baby is born. 

Notes of Advice.  Have each guest write a note of advice to the new mom.  You can then either just gather them up and put them into a nice box or book, or you can have them read them to her as an ice breaker.

Show a movie.  Choose a fun, baby, pregnancy, or family related movie, have fun snacks, and let everyone enjoy relaxing together.

Have a Karaoke night.  You'll definitely need the right crowd to pull this one off, but if you have a karaoke type crowd coming, let them Karaoke.  Everyone can still have lots of time to visit and there'll be plenty of laughs to go around.

Make a custom book for baby.  This will take a bit of work to put together ahead of time, but it is something the new mom is sure to treasure.  Ask each guest to send you a picture and a sentence to go with the picture.  Put them together and create a beautiful book for the baby.  Make sure you put each person's name at the bottom of their page.  Pick a theme so the book makes sense.  Baby Animals, ABC's (you'd need to assign letters for this one), Special Memories of Your Mommy, or any other topic that is baby appropriate should work nicely.  Once the book is made, you can share it at the baby shower.

Share a story.  Ask guests to think of stories of crazy things they've done with the expecting mom or expecting parents.  Have them share them at the shower.  Be nice and let them know ahead of time, and you're sure to get wonderful stories.

Slide Show - Put together a nice slideshow of the expecting couple.  Include pictures of when they were children, all the way through present day.  Everyone will enjoy the trip down memory lane.

There are so many entertainment options for baby showers.  You don't have to stick with the silly and crazy games if you don't want to.  Find something that suits you, the pregnant mommy, and the guests, and you are sure to have a hit.

About the Author

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays. She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift. For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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Choosing A Baby Gift for a Coworker or Acquaintance

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 12, 2012

in Baby Shower Gifts

Inexpensive Baby Gifts for Coworkers and Acquaintances

We've all had it happen.  There's a baby shower at work for someone that you really don't know, a friend of a friend is having a shower and somehow you got invited, your sister's sister-in-law is having a baby, whatever the reason, sometimes you need to find the perfect baby gift for someone that you barely even know.  What should you get?  How much should you spend?

It's a tricky affair, no doubt.   You don't want to spend a lot of money, but you also don't want to come across as not caring or being cheap.   If you are buying a baby shower gift for someone you don't really know, or that you only interact with on occasion at work, you do not need to spend a ton.  Most people agree that $15 to $25 is an appropriate amount to spend for such a person.  

So, what kinds of baby gifts can you get in the $15-$25 range, that are still really nice? Fortunately, there are many to choose from.  Here are just a few options:

  • Single Tier Diaper Cakes – You can find diaper cakes in many designs.  Often the small single tier ones can be quite affordable.
  • Diaper Cupcakes – A smaller version of the a diaper cake, a diaper cupcake is a delightful little gift.  They generally include several diapers and one or two other small items for the baby.  Most run about $10, so they can be very economical.  You can even do two together for a more impressive gift.
  • Hooded Towels and Blankets – New mommy's can never have enough of either of these. 
  • Sock Flower Bouquets / Onesie Bouquets- These will run up closer to the $25 -$30 range, but they really make a statement.  Plus they are very practical, and very pretty.  You won't have to worry about anyone thinking you didn't spend enough, because they will be too busy admiring the cute gift. 
  • A baby outfit.  If you choose to go this route, consider getting an outfit for when the baby will be a bit older.  New moms rarely get clothing for babies that are 9-12 mos.  It's a real treat when baby starts growing to have an outfit or two waiting there.
  • A gift pack of baby lotions or pregnancy / new mommy lotions.
  • Novelty Baby T-shirts, you know the ones with the fun sayings.  Make sure that it's one that most people would enjoy, and it'll give everyone a laugh.

Avoid these gifts:

  • A pack of diapers.  Yes, it is wonderful to have diapers for the baby.  Yes, a pack of diapers fits nicely in this price range.  Yes, diapers are very practical.  So, why not get a pack?  First off, if you don't know the mom well, you won't know whether she plans to use disposable or cloth.   Most people who use cloth will use a few disposables now and then when they are out, but will not go through a pack of a given size.  The diapers in a single diaper cake or cupcake are perfect to give them some "away" diapers without giving so many that they won't get used.  More importantly though, even if you know they plan to use disposables, a pack of diapers does not have a good gift giving presentation.  Although they can be quite pricey, most people think of diapers as inexpensive and are likely to see them as a "cheap" gift when given on their own (they are fabulous when given in gift sets though).
  • A Plain Stuffed Animals.  Who doesn't think of stuffed animals when they think of babies right?  So why not a stuffed animal?  Actually a pretty baby stuffed animal, embroidered with baby's name could be just wonderful, although it might be hard to find at this price unless it's a small one.  The only problem with stuffed animals is that new parents tend to get  A LOT of them.  Where should they put all of those plushes?  If there is something really special about the animal then by all means grab it, but if it is just an everyday stuffed animal, you might want to help the parents by not adding to the collection.
  • Novelty Baby T-shirts that are over the top.  Be cautious if you don't know the new parent's sense of humor.  Play it safe and find one that almost anyone would appreciate.

With a little thoughtfulness and some careful searching, it's not hard to find a perfect, inexpensive gift for someone you barely know.

About the Author

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays.  She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift.  For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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Sports Themed Diaper Cake – New Design

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 9, 2012

in Favorite Products

We're excited to unveil a new diaper cake design!  Announcing the fun sports themed diaper cake!  This is sure to be a huge hit with the little all-star. 

 

It comes with 40 Pampers brand diapers, 3 plush rattles, and 3 assorted sport baby blankets.  It stands 16" tall !

This is an impressive gift that is sure to make any new parent feel extra special.  It also makes a fantastic centerpiece for the baby shower.  Put it on the main table, and it can double as your gift.

What do you think, don't you just love the fun design? Let us know your thoughts, and then come get yours in the store.

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Understanding Your Newborn Baby’s Cries

by Charlene Hertzberg on January 9, 2012

in Parenting, Planning for Baby

One of the most important, and hardest skills for a parent to learn is the ability to understand their baby.  The desire to do so has lead many parents in search of the perfect tools to understand and soothe their babies.  For older babies, many people find baby sign language to be very helpful.  But what about newborns?  This is the time a parent most needs help understanding their babies desires as they are still getting to know one another. 
Those first few months can be scary and confusing to a new parent trying to figure out what their tiny baby is needing. 

Recently I came across a wonderful video that shows how to understand what your baby is communicating to you.  By understanding 5 basic "words" or sounds that all babies use, you can learn whether baby is hungry, uncomfortable, needs to be burped, or is sleepy.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to share it with you, our readers.  If you are expecting a baby or have a newborn, or know someone who is, you'll definitely want to check this video out.

 

This is one of the most amazing things I've seen in a long while.  What do you think?  Is this something you'd want to learn more about?

Charlene is the owner of The Babbling Baby where she takes great pride in providing the largest, most unique selection of ADORABLE and UNIQUE baby gifts, and supplies for baby showers, baptisms, christenings, 1st communions and birthdays.  She loves helping plan memorable events and helping people find that perfect gift.  For a free baby shower planning guide, click here.

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