need a special twins gift idea...

[nfowife]

Hi girls,
My good friend just had her g/g twins this morning. I am so excited! I need a very special gift to get her. It's her 3rd/4th kids so she has all the basics. She lives in a rural area very close to lots of family so she has plenty of help with childcare and cooking/cleaning. Any ideas? I originally was going to get her the twin nursing pillow but she has one already. I live far (very far!) away. Help me come up with something! Ideally I'd like to spend about $100.
Thanks for any ideas!

[twowhat?]

A spa package? I just figured if she really has plenty of help, she's gonna need time to herself at least once during the first year Otherwise I can't really think of anything "material" since she has all the baby basics and there isn't really anything special you need for twins except for the nursing pillow (useful even if you bottle-feed) and a good stroller (more for later on down the road). Maybe a double snap n go (if she doesn't already have one) to keep in the car for quick trips/emergencies/doctors visits? A baby carrier or wrap? Though if she has lots of help and won't fall into the "only one pair of hands" problem too often, a baby carrier may be less useful. Does she have a good digital camera? You can get a decent one for $100, VERY useful since otherwise the first year is a bluuuuuurrrr! Or maybe you can gift her a photo session for the babies? Maybe others here will have some better ideas.

[happymom]

Or maybe you can gift her a photo session for the babies?

I think this is a great idea. I would imagine its very difficult to take pictures of twins in a studio like Sears. She would prob love a GC to a photography studio that really spends time with the kids and maybe does some outdoor pics...

Of course there's also adorable twin clothes- I saw stretchies that say "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" or "Womb-mates". Don't know if thats her style or not- and its certainly not $100, but its just cute to throw in with whatever you give.

[Melaine]

I like the idea of personalized items for the girls or a photo session (although frankly, I was afraid to do a photo session until the girls were about 18 months old because I knew how that would go).

It might be fun to get some kind of twin shirts like 2 peas in a pod and some kind of "big brother/sister to twins" shirts for the older ones. They have tons at Cafe Press http://shop.cafepress.com/big-sister-to-twin

What about mommy jewelry from etsy? I like this necklace but I guess it wouldn't work since she has other children. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php..._desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

[AJP]

I'll second the portrait studio thing. It was such a nightmare taking my girls to the mall place for holiday pics last year. Had I thought of it in advance I would have booked a photographer to do it in-home or at the studio. With twins a few months old I was in no condition mentally to think of booking it ahead of time and everyones slots filled up. With a certificate I would have thought of it earlier.
I also like the idea of a carrier. Even with help in the beginning, there were days when I had to take both to the grocery store. Anyone with young twins (or children close in age) knows the loogistics of this is HARD. If it was the only place I used it, my Ergo would still be worth the $$$!!!
My podee bottles were a lifesaver after about 3 months also. How about some kind of bottle sling/prop for the times she is giving BM in a bottle (If she plans on that).
The gift of friendship/company is still the most important gift I could get 14 months into twins. Especially where they're her 3rd & 4th, she would probably love just having someone available to chat with. There were days where I just felt like a robot and begged my sister/friend to come visit just to give me some convo!
AJ

[twowhat?]

I like the idea of personalized items for the girls or a photo session (although frankly, I was afraid to do a photo session until the girls were about 18 months old because I knew how that would go).

I know! We haven't done it yet and the girls are 13 months old. I'm afraid to. But in retrospect when they were newborns, sleepy after a meal, might have been a nice time to do it. You don't have to deal with stranger anxiety yet and people get beautiful pics of newborn twins sleeping up next to each other

[Melaine]

I know! We haven't done it yet and the girls are 13 months old. I'm afraid to. But in retrospect when they were newborns, sleepy after a meal, might have been a nice time to do it. You don't have to deal with stranger anxiety yet and people get beautiful pics of newborn twins sleeping up next to each other

Very good point. I guess at that age I was too exhausted and stressed to think of this and I had no idea of the intense, long-lasting stranger anxiety we were about to experience. It would've been nice to have some good pictures taken of them as newborns.

[BeachBum]

I did appreciate personalized stuff for my boys. Surprisingly I didn't get any cutesy twin themed clothes. I would have liked that.

I did get these shirts/ bodysuits from a friend
http://www.emtannerdesigns.com/appar...ar-tees-1.html

My older child's was green with navy, and the babies were navy with green. I thought they were adorable. There are similar ones on Etsy.

[Momof3Labs]

My SIL embroidered some shirts for the kids. The girls have "twin one!" and "twin too!" She also did big brother/little sister shirts for all four kids. They make for cute photos.

Even though I have lots of stuff from the older kids, I go through things like burp cloths a lot faster (two mouths spitting up on me vs. one) and am so grateful for some used girly burp cloths gifted to me by a mommy on this board. There are some adorable ones on etsy - perhaps have them monogrammed.

My mom knit a blanket for each girl that is small - maybe 20"x24" - that fits nicely on their lap in the car seat. One is pink (E's blanket) and one is purple (M's blanket). It lets me tell at a quick glance who is in each seat since the girls look pretty similar.