What was your most unique baby gift?

[ribbit1019]

Anything that was just really odd?
Guests at DD's shower were asked to bring books instead of cards with sentiments written in them. Very nice and we have a large collection of fabulous books for DD. However, DH's aunt bought a college ruled notebook for DD in lieu of a card and didn't write anything in it. It is on her book shelf and every time I see it it gives me reason to chuckle. :)

I didn't get anything overly unique, but I did get a fleece blanket that a co-worker made that I love and is big enough for DD to use until she is 3 or 4. (Fabulous blanket I need to ask her if she will make one for DS. I will pay her of course. :))

So did you get any strange gifts? Or a unique gift that you just loved?

Christy
Maddy born 6/09/04
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

Little Man due 3/02/06
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Co-Owner Ribbit Baby

Frogs are lucky, they eat what bugs them.

[deenass]

We got a blanket that I just love, it has DS name/bd stats embroidered on it along with our names, pet's name and the name of the people who gave it to him. He also got a tzedakah box which we use each week on Shabbat.

[Bearhut]

I received a box full of baby proofing things. Everyone laughed when I openned it, but it was wonderful! Whenever I needed something unusual that I hadn't thought of, I just checked the box and about 75% of the time found what I was looking for. It saved many trips to the store for the little things I hadn't thought of.

[new_mommy25]

I got 2 handmade blankets and 2 quilts. Two from my mom and two from my grandma. I love them.

[kimbe]

I got one a "Baby Girl Princess Cake." It was made up of a blanket, lace socks, a bottle, stretchy headbands and ribbon. It took me two months to break down and open it.

I no longer live where I grew up (where my entire family is) and one of the cutest thing that I received was a onesie that said "Someone In Erie Loves Me." It was from DD's great grandma.

[chiqanita]

I had twins so I recieved 2 of almost everything...AWESOME! The gifts I found unique or extra extra special were:

** 2 beautiful and delicate rosaries from Fatima from my eldest aunt.
** 2 crocheted baptismal blankets from a friends mother
** A co-sleeper from my good friend back home (they looked so cute sleeping next to each other and it made BFing easier.)
** 2 teddies that say the bedtime prayer in Spanish from a good friend
** 2 knitted blankets, booties, and caps from my mom

**At the shower, DH gave me a Lladro figurine of 2 baby boys sleeping up against each other. The day they were born DH gave me 2 Lladro Angel figurines.

**Finally, a great idea, all of my co workers gave us a package of diapers and or Dreft detergent.

We were so blessed in many ways. Nice to remember it all again. Thanks OP!

BTW, I had 3 showers: one here, one back home and a virtual shower online with DHs family. Again, I shout AWESOME!

[kath68]

There were three things (well, many things) that surprised me. (1) we received about a half-dozen hand-made baby blankets. Some from people we had never met (friends of friends) or hadn't spoken to in years (like my college roommate's mother). (2) A set of silver candle holders for birthday cake candles, all in the shapes of different animals -- I never knew such a thing existed. (3) TONS of hand me downs. Everything from clothes to books to toys to craft tables. It was a life saver.

I have no idea how people get through babyhood without the generosity of people around them. I am so grateful for what I was given. It made the specialness of having a new baby all the more jaw-dropping because I felt like I had this fantastic community of support around me. Still feel that way.

[maestramommy]

One gift I loved that I'm still waiting to use is a green hooded towel. The hood is a frog head that is just very funny and cute. It is still too big, but I'm told when DD is done using it as a towel it can be used as a Halloween costume :-)

[mudder17]

I have a fabulous blanket that Kaya can use when she's in a bed that DH's childhood friend's mother knitted for her. I also have a nice quilt that my college roommate's mother made for her.

Oh, and a friend of mine brought Kaya a little teddy bear from her trip to England. :) She also got Kaya a very cute ceramic kitty cat lamp that we use in her bedroom. It came with a matching kitty bank.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
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http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[starrynight]

I received mostly the standard stuff and practical things, blankets bibs etc. I did get a huge bag of really nice hand me downs for ds and that was great because it was a big help! I don't remember getting anything too odd or off the walls. I did end up getting 2 of the same outfit and it wasn't from a common store so that was a bit funny that 2 friends went to the same small boutique and happened to grab the same item!

For D, I didn't have a shower and for E family just sent diapers, wipes and a new carseat from mil.

[lilycat88]

DP

[lilycat88]

Not technically a "baby" gift but coming from a single male friend of mine, I thought it was ingenious. A TIVO system and a lifetime subscription for service. I really couldn't imagine him in the baby section of some store trying to pick something out.

My mom also gave me quite a few of my baby clothes and blankets she had saved for 35+ years. Those were the most "special".

Jamelin
Mom to Susanna born 6/29/2004

[omgrown]

We got so many wonderful, beautiful, useful things.
My favorites by far were a handmade quilt in a rainbow of colors that matched DS's room beautifully and
a poem that my friend wrote calle "What are you givin' Gavin"
that is super cute and ends with
"Me, I'm givin' Gavin a great big kiss, cause I already love him like crazy".

She printed it out in a really cute font and decorated it with stickers and framed it. It hangs in his room over his changing table and I've always loved reading it to him while I change his diaper (although that doesn't actually happen on the table much these days!)

[hez]

We had the same paperback book request. An Army vet friend (1st Gulf War) brought Payton his Ranger Handbook, which happens to be a paperback. It's signed, "To Magnus, It's best to start early. Love, xxx" This friend promised to pay Payton's college tuition if we'd name him Magnus :)

[BaileyBea]

I was lucky and got most things on the registry. But these ones stood out.

1) A box of Safety and childproofing stuff (great! and very useful around 6 months)

2) Handmade knitted blankets from my Mom --- All 5 of them. They are very nice and I hope DS loves them as he gets older.

3) A box full of books from a dear friend. That was an awesome gift.

[kboyle]

I had 2 showers with DS1 so I received many AWESOME gifts, but the one that always drives me nuts is that someone bought me a changing pad cover, and no changing pad...not that she HAD to. And I never ended up getting one as a gift. Which should be right since I never registered for either. :)

DS1 still sleeps with the blanket that my mom crocheted him, and I use the other one that I received at his shower when I watch TV.

[karolyp]

The coolest gift I got was something that we haven't used (yet).

It was a gift certificate for a one-year membership to the Orlando Science Center. I want to redeem it when DD's a bit older, but I am really looking forward to using it as I think she'll LOVE it!! And it will give us something neat/different to do on the weekends.

I also got a hand crocheted shawl/hat for DD which was absolutely beautiful.

Another unique gift idea that I've heard of, any may do in the future, is pay for a membership to a portrait place, like sears or jcpenneys. Or dinner/cleaning g.c for the new mamma. I would have loved that.

[katerinasmom]

My aunt gave me a bag full of my old (and favorite) books (like Curious George, Where the Wild Things Are, Caps for Sale, etc.) which had been handed down from me to my sister, then to my cousins. She thought it would be nice to have them back for my kids. Coincidentally, my sister gave me a bag full of almost all of the same books - but new copies which she inscribed for my daughter.
Both gifts were special to me.

The somewhat odds thing I got included a container of Tucks hemorroid pads from my aunt and a belly band from my MIL which I never figured out how to use (I think it was for before the imbilical stump fell off).

[mama2galpals]

i received a beautiful handmade clock from an always thoughtful old friend. it's a sage green/cream plate with gold buttons in different shapes and just lovely. she made it herself and emma always says that's my clock mom.

rita
mommy to
olivia '97
stella '00
emma '03

the truth may hurt your feelings, but lies will break your heart.


http://lilypie.com/baby3/030123/3/4/1/+10/.png

[mama2galpals]

love that tivo gift! very cool
rita
mommy to
olivia '97
stella '00
emma '03

the truth may hurt your feelings, but lies will break your heart.


http://lilypie.com/baby3/030123/3/4/1/+10/.png

[CiderLogan]

I had bought TiVo for DH (birthday gift) soon before our DD was born - it was a lifesaver in those early weeks! It gave me something to watch during endless nursing sessions, and I felt less disconnected from the outside world. I have been telling people it (and Roomba) are the ultimate baby gifts!

Jenny
Mom to Julia, 8/03
...and another GIRL due 5/29/06!

[BaileyBea]

How funny! I call these incomplete gifts. We got a huge candle holder that is slightly tacky for our wedding but no candle. This drove me crazy. Oh one year my BF gave me wine box with no wine in it. Which really drove me crazy.

Incomplete gifts.

I gave someone a changing pad cover, changing pad, lap pads, ointments, wipes, diapers, and a toy for their changing station as a gift. DH wanted to know why i had to get all that stuff and I told him that the gift would be incomplete w/o all this stuff. Afterall gifts are meant to be an experience.

[julieakc]

The most special shower gifts I received were:

1) Handmade baby quilt from DH's step-sister

2) Handmade baby quilt from a good friend's mother which was a copy of the card that came with it (Noah's Ark) and she used fabric that matched my nursery theme so that it coordinated.

3) Winnie the Pooh book from my cousins daughter who was 8 1/2 at the time.....she was going through her books and decided that although she loved the book she wanted to give it to the baby; she wrote in the book that she hoped the baby and I would enjoy reading it. I thought this was such a sweet thing for her to do!

4) MIL #2 (DH's step-mother) gave me nursing PJs...thought it was nice of her to actually give a gift that would help me.

5) After DS was born MIL #1 (DH's mom) gave us a cross-stitch picture with DS's DOB, weight, etc

[erosenst]

We were inundated with so many beautiful things from so many people. (Like the PP - I was amazed by the number of handmade baby blankets from people we didn't know well!) However, my favorite made me cry then, and still does two years later.

Abby was conceived via IVF when I was 43 - so she was very much wanted, but we weren't sure we'd be successful. It's a long story, but we have an "unofficial" member of our family who was 22 when Abby was born. His girlfriend, who we didn't know well at the time, sent us a print with "For a long time there were only your footprints & laughter in our dreams & even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever" on it, and colors that were perfect for Abby's room. (She hadn't seen Abby's room, and it's somewhat unusual colors for a nursery.) I cried for probably 15 minutes after I opened it (OK - I was a little hormonal :)), but I still tear up when I read it.

I know we got some really strange things, too - but fortunately, I've blocked those out! (May have to go look at the list tonight...)

[KBecks]

My girlfriend wrapped up -- a can of coffee (for the late nights), and several mini packs of wipes with instructions (keep one in the car, etc.), and a tub of OxyClean (good for cleaning baby yuck). I thought it was very clever.

I like to give a copy of Baby 411, and also some of my favorite items -- inexpensive fleece blankets and bibsters (love 'em). I also loved Soothie pacifiers, but I haven't given them as a gift because people might not like getting pacis if they're breastfeeding. But I was thinking of giving one with a note (keep in a safe place in case of emergencies.) It's one of those things you may reach for if desperate, and no big money wasted if it never gets used.

[almostamom]

DS' room is decorated with trains. My very best friend designed a railroad crossing sign coat rack for him and had another friend and her husband make it for us. The same friend who make the coat rack also created a wooden train for us to hang on the wall. I love that they are homemade and created especially for DS.

~Linda~
DS 11/9/04

[kdeunc]

I teared up when I just read it. What a beautiful sentiment!

[turtledove]

Me too! Although, in all fairness, I am currently pregnant with our own IVF baby girl, so hormones may be playing a small part. Whatever, I think that is an awesome sentiment. Hopefully nobody at work saw me...

[jhaud]

one thing that i have given that i thought was special (and also a load of work) was a scrapbook with about a dozen or so pages that just needed pictures and journaling to be complete. these were involved pages, with lots of time consuming embellishment. also a subscription to simple scrapbooks, and some basic supplies/tools. i have to admit i was not yet pregnant or a mom... i think my nephews book has more pages completed than my 18 mo dd... i should have made a duplicate for myself!

[brittone2]

One of my good friends made us a quilt that I hung in DS's nursery (she really wanted to do this and have it be colors, etc. we wanted so she took me fabric shopping). I thought it was awesome. The squares are all very small and I'm sure it was so time consuming!!

For my actual shower, as if the quilt wasn't already so thoughtful, she did something like KBecks' friend did. She gave me a huge Longaberger picnic basket and filled it with all sorts of random little goodies, with tags attached to each item regarding what it was for ("bandaids for baby boy boo boos," a toddler bicycle helmet "for rides with daddy" since my DH cycles, utensils, cups, Tylenol, Motrin, Desitin, baby proofing stuff, etc.). Her little notes were very cute and witty...it was fun to read at the shower.
She also had something in there about picnics in the park being great family time. It was a mix of fun and practical. Very cute. I kept the basket next to my nursing chair and always had bottled water, magazines, nursing pads, burp cloths, etc. in it during the early weeks.

I cherish all of the handmade baby blankets (even though we got a ton) because there's so much love put in them.

My best friend from high school gave me a shower gift off my registry, but after the shower pulled me aside to give me a necklace that had a mother/child pendant hanging from it. It also had a poem with it. It was very touching because DS was conceived through IF treatments and my friend was one of the only people who knew what we went through at the time. I actually called her with my BFP before DH because I was in shock and wanted to confirm with a beta hcg before calling him LOL.