Smart Shower Gifts

So you're invited to a baby shower and you want to give the new baby something a little different--something the baby will enjoy that will also encourage his or her development. Here are a couple of fun options that will distinguish you from the blue/pink onesie crowd.

First off--foot finders!



As you know, babies are fascinated by their feet. Play involving kicking and grabbing is great for muscle and neural development. These fun little socks with rattles built in are designed with high contrast colors, which babies are drawn to (although, contrary to myth, they can also see other colors as well) and encourage the baby to kick, shake, and grab! We gave these to a soon-to-be mom at a recent shower and they were a big hit!

Handmade play blankets are another great option, and we found a lot of fun prints on Etsy.




Zig zag
Green Animal Print
Little Traveler Blanket
Blankets are great because during infancy, rolling over and sitting up are BIG milestones, and they can take a lot of practice. What better place to work on these important skills than on one of these stylish blankets!

And, finally, just because it's awesome--may we suggest this "Illuminated JetBib Feeding Sytem" from thinkgeek.com:

It's actually not appropriate for a newborn (it's better for kids who are about a year old), but let's be honest--the parents-to-be would LOVE it.