which gift for a baby shower??

[lizajane]

i have a shower this weekend and i want to make one of two gifts-
i can make a bunch of burp cloths, put them in a wicker laundry basket with a bottle of dreft and call it the "get ready for spit up" gift. (ok, i won't actually SAY that... but you get the idea...)

OR

i can make a fleece coat and matching fleece blanket (green, baby's gender unknown)

or, i can put a coat and burp cloths in the basket and say "something cute and something useful."

should i give one at the party and one when we visit them right after the baby is born? which one at which time? the baby is due in feb.

and if i do a coat, should it be newborn size for using right away, or one year old size? if one year old size, i think it need to be gender specific color, as the green leans to the girl side, i think, on an older baby. make sense?

THANKS!!

[Momof3Labs]

I'd go with the burp cloths and laundry basket, but skip the Dreft unless you know that she plans to use it. Dreft has a very heavy fragrance that bothers some of us. :-)

The fleece coat would be cute to bring after the baby is born because you can make it in a gender-specific color. Although my current favorite gender neutral color is red - it is easy to accessorize with pink or bright blue if gender clarification is needed!

[sweetbasil]

I'd probably go with the "get ready for spit up" gift for the shower. DS#2 is 4 mo. old and wearing 12-18m clothes...sizing can be so tricky with little ones, especially when their birthweight is still unknown, IMO.

[1ontheway]

No real life experience here, but I would prefer the burp cloths. Very practical for a newborn and later and not something too many people think to give as gifts. :-)


Christina
EDD 1/12/04

[amp]

I'd go with the burp cloths and no Dreft (don't like it). I love the idea of the coat, but my son was very big when he was born and is wearing 19-12 mth clothing right now, at 5.5 mths. He wouldn't be able to wear a one year sized winter coat next winter. KWIM? Of course, you could wait and see what the sex is and whether it's a big or small baby, which might make it easier to decide what size to make or guess at for next year.

[mom2kandj]

Instead of Dreft, you could slip a lingerie bag (for those itty bitty socks!) and some children's hangers into the basket! HTH!


Rose
mom 2 Katie (almost 3!)
& Jack (19 months)

[houseof3boys]

I like the burp cloths in basket idea too. You are so talented to be able to do your burp cloths and I think that is a cool way that you do them. I love cool burp cloths and they will be needed a long time! I like the lingerie bag idea for the socks (I use one when I remember it)too.


edited to add:

What about a cloth that is just meant for the stroller that has a grommet in it so you can just attach it with links so it never falls on the floor or has to be put away when you are in the stroller. Does that make sense? I might have to do that with one of mine and see how it works since Ryan is a drooling machine and always throwing the burp cloths on the floor when we are out and about.

[MamaKath]

I agree with the Spit happens gift. Maybe instead of Dreft get something like All free and clear, or a Stain Stick (I like the SPray and Wash one, it works wonders) type of stain remover that can be left on for a few days without damaging clothes, or the lingerie bag for socks. Even something like a bib that matches the set of burp cloths.

Instead of a jacket you could make a blanket with a matching hat and infant mittens. I also think red is a more striking gender neutral color. Many people commented to me with DD that mint was for boys, and with DS that yellow was for girls. Although I was not in agreement them, I found it intersting, lol. :-P

[Jen in Chicago]

I am going to a "mini" shower this weekend for a woman having a girl after 3 boys. I made a fleece blanket (pink of course) and a set of burp clothes (frilly!).

I love the coat idea. I would make it in a size for spring since the little one will be so bundled all winter.

I love giving homemade gifts, and receiving them.

[lizajane]

thanks for all the input! the only reason i was going to put dreft in the basket is because i have an unopened bottle that i received as a gift. i had two bottles, but ds doesn't have any sensitivities, so after i used the first bottle, i just started washing his clothes in the same loads as ours. but i like the smell. so it was a free thing to add to the basket, and i will probably still include it. i don't dislike it at all, but i don't need it and i want it out of my house!

i already have the green fabric for the coat. (i made another one recently) red is a great color, but the specific fleece that i like the best for the coats doesn't come in red. i have only found pink, green and burgundy (a girly burgundy.) hence the green choice for gender neutral.

so i think i will go with the burpeys in the basket and then make the coat for her when i first visit the baby. the sizes are generous, but i can decide then if i want to make it for next winter or not. and i can make it gender specific.

surprisingly, the coat is the less expensive gift and the easier to make. but since the vote was for the burp cloths, i will see if i can get at least 6 done before the party!

thanks!