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crl
05-03-2010, 12:59 PM
I've been a bit puzzled by some of our baby gifts--though very thankful for the thoughtfulness! So it made me wonder if others have been equally puzzled by my choices of what to give them. So here I am asking you all. What is the best baby gift you've gotten? And the worst?

Best for us: I think I'd say Carters clothes. We've gotten some cute, soft and practical Carter's baby clothing (close second--board books)

Worst for us: stuffed animals. Don't know about the baby yet, of course, but the rest of us are allergic to dust mites and I really, really try to keep the stuffed animal numbers down. (As in DS is only allowed to sleep with one and we usually only had one or two others out max to play with.) We've gotten several of this kind of thing and each person has sent only one, which means I won't try to have it be the baby's lovey--I need at least two for that!

(Bonus points: to the people who have been so thoughtful and sent something along for our older DS too!)

Catherine

HIU8
05-03-2010, 01:13 PM
Best: Anything except what I listed as the worst.

Worst: a terrycloth onsie with a duck beak and hood. Plus a tail. It was hideous.

MoJo
05-03-2010, 01:16 PM
Best gift: Hands down, the Mylicon drops. I didn't know anything about them, but they were an absolute life-saver when it turned out DD couldn't handle dairy in my diet and was totally miserable the night my milk came in. (And I slept very little three of the four nights before that; none of those nights were her "fault").

I also loved a hand-knitted blanket & a couple of hand-made quilts.

I don't know if there was a worst gift. But I was disappointed to receive over 100 outfits and NONE of the equipment I needed. And I was disappointed not to get ANYTHING (even a card) from DH's parents, and only a box of hand-me-down clothes from anyone on DH's side.

One more thing: all of that was for DD#1. No one has given anything for #2, and I don't think they will. I don't need stuff, but I still wish we could celebrate #2. People seem to be very "blah" about #2; most think she's coming too soon after #1 (but we are 37 and 41 and thought the difficulty of kids close together was better than the risks with waiting) and several are disappointed we're having another girl.

hollybloom24
05-03-2010, 01:22 PM
Best:
- Monogrammed baby blankets (kids are five and still carry around!)
- Robeez (6-12 month size)
- Trumpette Mary Jane socks
- Bundle Me
- Classic hardcover books
- Tiffany ceramic banks
- Tiffany sterling silver spoons
- personal chef service for a month!!!

Worst:
- clothes given at birth in size 0-3 months (we hardly went out of the house!)
- clothes that were bigger but the wrong season (ie, sleeveless dresses in 9 month size so when my girls were the right size there was two feet of snow on the ground.)

scrooks
05-03-2010, 01:30 PM
Best:

- personal chef service for a month!!!



Wow! Now that is an AWESOME gift!

newg
05-03-2010, 01:34 PM
hmmmmmmm.....

The Best: The side-snap onsies, front-snap sleepers, flannel receiving blankets and Halo swaddle sleep sacks and my boppy! Oh and the thick blanket my mom knit for DD (being six weeks early and born in a snow storm, the blanket was a life saver to throw over her carseat when we left the hospital!)

Worst: Stiff scratchy clothes with large appliques on them, frilly must-iron "doll" clothes in newborn sizes, the oodles of oddly sized blankets (too big/thick for swaddeling but not big enough for anything else) and stuff animals that are sooo not child friendly! (I'm sure there is more that I have blocked from my memeory!) and the clothes in the wrong size/season that I could not return because they didn't give a gift reciept.

hellokitty
05-03-2010, 01:39 PM
Best: Handmade blankets, I love handmade things.

Worst: Size 0-3 mo clothes. I am baffled by how many ppl gave DS3 0-3 mo clothes. He was born at the end of July, he got a TON of tank/short type of clothes. Not only was he a big baby, but by early Sept, it cools down fast. I have a whole bunch of brand new 0-3 summer clothes, I just gave to a friend expecting a baby boy any day. I can understand ppl giving summer clothes to a spring or early summer baby, but why a late summer baby? We use a/c in the house, b/c I have horrible allergies, so it's not like I'm going to dress my newborn in a tank top and shorts.

Oh and another one, one of my parents' friends gave DS1 (baby shower) a halloween outfit! What is so weird about it is that the size was TOTALLY wrong. He was born in Feb, she got a baby costume for 3-6 mo. It was a very bizarre gift and very obviously a clearance rack find. Luckily, DS2 was able to wear that costume, b/c he was a late August baby.

crl
05-03-2010, 01:46 PM
Best:
- Robeez (6-12 month size)



Well, that made me feel better about my standard baby gift! (Since that's it.)

Catherine

liamsmom
05-03-2010, 01:56 PM
Best: The Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker. I didn't register for it, but wow, it was used from the first week until today and DS still has plenty of room to go.

Worst: Bathrobes. Seriously, what is the point of a baby bathrobe? He's only in the towel for less than a minute before I've got a clean diaper and clothes on him. I received two--one of which from my MIL who is really practical and doesn't care for frivilous stuff. She must have been excited. Anyway, I returned both.

Momof3Labs
05-03-2010, 02:02 PM
One of the worst: 0-3m size tank top set. Can't imagine dressing a newborn in that strappy, skimpy little outfit.

The other worst were some Bunnies by the Bay onesies and matching stuffed animals (ugh) that REEKED of cigarette smoke. Both the husband and wife are heavy smokers. It wasn't even stuff that I wanted to go to the trouble to air out/clean, honestly.

I returned the baby bathrobes too - thank goodness for gift receipts!

moonsky
05-03-2010, 02:07 PM
Worst: baby/kid outfits. I think cloth is personal taste and it is not easy to find something that other people also like unless you know them very well. We got a whole bunch of them from showers and ended up returning or giving a lot of them away to goodwill. I didn't feel comfortable to regift them to others. So, I normally don't give others outfits unless they are in neutral color, no print, and very good brand names.

Best: Gift certificates.

JoyNChrist
05-03-2010, 02:11 PM
Best:
- Itzbeen timer (I thought it was silly until I actually started using it)
- Monogrammed things (since I wouldn't have bought those myself)
- Trumpette socks
- Miracle Blanket (my standard baby gift - combined with Happiest Baby on the Block book)

Worst:
- 4 million baby blankets. I swear, I have crates full of baby blankets...for a baby born in March in Louisiana...he used a handful of them for two months, max, and then it was too hot. And a lot of these are handmade (my grandma must have made 20) or passed down from someone in the family, so I feel weird about giving them away, but really...who needs that many baby blankets?
- Baby bathrobes. I second the PP who wondered what the heck to do with those.

JoyNChrist
05-03-2010, 02:12 PM
One more thing: all of that was for DD#1. No one has given anything for #2, and I don't think they will. I don't need stuff, but I still wish we could celebrate #2. People seem to be very "blah" about #2; most think she's coming too soon after #1 (but we are 37 and 41 and thought the difficulty of kids close together was better than the risks with waiting) and several are disappointed we're having another girl.

I'm sorry. People suck sometimes. I think every baby deserves to be celebrated and if I lived near you you'd totally be getting a baby gift. :hug:

Twoboos
05-03-2010, 02:18 PM
Hard to remember best (my baby is 4 3/4 now! :) but the worst was a blanket for DD1. It had a bear head, crib-size blanket body, arms coming out the side and legs at the bottom. Monogrammed above the tail (yes, it has a tail) is her name/birth date. Honestly, it looks like the bear was flattened by a Mack truck. I have it put away but I really NEED to get rid of it - I have to see if I can un-monogram it. It's hideous, even 6 years later.

elektra
05-03-2010, 02:20 PM
Best: I actually bought myself most of the "best" gifts! ;) (Strollers, carriers, etc.)
But for a gift that I didn't register for or pick out?
Baby PJ's and this little nursing tracker bracelet. Both things were from my SIL, and they were both things I hadn't thought of or didn't have enough of.


Worst: some of the clothes (not all of course). Alot of it was just really NMS, and I felt really bad for not using something.
And yes, all those blankets! We have a bazillion for DD too. She plays with them now like capes at least. But when I pick them up to put back they are always covered in dust and dog hair. Yuck!

Oh and I know I gave someone a "worst" gift. Back when my cousin had her baby a few years ago, I was going through a "I am so single, childless, stylish and fabulous" phase, and I got her a silver spoon from Tiffany's. It was so impractical. I'll have to ask her what she thinks of it now!

hollybloom24
05-03-2010, 02:36 PM
0-3 month clothing just bugs me! I think sometimes people give 0-3 month size clothing as gifts because it is often cheaper than other sizes or on sale - you often see it at Marshall's.

Oh, and having suffered with returns, I never give gifts without a gift receipt anymore!!!

arivecchi
05-03-2010, 02:47 PM
Best: baby gear (strollers, car seats, carriers, swing)

Worst: clothes and blankets

I did not need them and they were usually NMS. I never give clothes or blankets as gifts because of my experience.

♥ms.pacman♥
05-03-2010, 02:54 PM
best:
-carters long-sleeve onesies (love them!!)
-arm's reach cosleeper (we reg'd for it, but dh's aunt gave it to us)
-infant swing

i didn't really get any bad baby gifts actually. most people got stuff that was on our registry or stuff that was pretty cute anyway. yes we had 5000 receiving blankets but it was still nice to have them around (we use them as burp cloths)

maydaymommy
05-03-2010, 02:59 PM
Best:

- Miracle Blanket (my standard baby gift - combined with Happiest Baby on the Block book)


:yeahthat:
Also our go-to gift lately.

2 gifts I really loved were personalized stuff. One was one of those big Lovies (Stuffed animal head, large blanket body) with a heart on the front that had the baby's name monogrammed in it. I liked it a lot and gave it as a gift subsequently.

The other really cool gift was mugs and bumper stickers (I guess made someplace like cafepress.com) that had "I <Heart> ds1's name" on it. (like in the I <heart> NY style. So fun. One bumper sticker is still above dh's name plate outside his office & the other is on my mom's fancy car.

fortato
05-03-2010, 03:02 PM
Best- PeePee TeePees. The only novelty item that had been a God send.

Worst- the baby bathrobe. What a waste of fabric. It was so cute, but SO useless.

Veronica's Mommy
05-03-2010, 03:03 PM
Best-
That Fisher Price booster seat thing w/ a tray. DD got it 4 years ago so I don't remember the name. We never needed a high chair, the thing was perfect. She only just stopped using it when DS was big enough to.

Worst-
I agree that baby bathrobes should be banned! But thankfully I have never been gifted one (I did decline an offer of a hand-me-down robe-- perfect condition!).
One of the worst gifts DS got was baby shoes w/ laces. Like hell. Maybe more 'perfect' mommies have the patience, but I surely don't.
OK, just one more. Baby bath products. Unless they are the nice stuff (California Baby, etc) you can be pretty certain they are regifts or extras from their own kids that just never got used. So who knows how old they are. Just eww.

SnuggleBuggles
05-03-2010, 03:06 PM
Best- happy with most everything

worst- knit booties in local team sports colors. I feel terrible for saying that though. I just had no use for them.

Beth

mommylamb
05-03-2010, 03:07 PM
Well, this isn't really a baby gift, as DS received it this year for Hanukkah at age 2, but one of my crazy relatives gave him a cat food cook book full of recipes this year.:rotflmao:

MamaSnoo
05-03-2010, 03:12 PM
Oh and I know I gave someone a "worst" gift. Back when my cousin had her baby a few years ago, I was going through a "I am so single, childless, stylish and fabulous" phase, and I got her a silver spoon from Tiffany's. It was so impractical. I'll have to ask her what she thinks of it now!


Maybe it was not a "worst"....Hollybloom24 had them on her "best" list!

For us:

Best: I do not even know where to start. Most of our friends and families gave us really well thought out things that we were able to use (probably because I used BB to help create my registry!) FIL showed up with some meals he had prepared when DD was about 6 weeks old and other offers to help had subsided. That was a big hit!

Worst: ITA about the baby bathrobes. I also got a lead crystal "block" with the letter BABY cut into the crystal on the sides. I gues it is pretty, but....????

sunshine873
05-03-2010, 03:15 PM
Worst:
Like many others
Clothes! When you have a DD - everyone buys you clothes and no-one gets you the stuff you need! So you don't feel like you can go spend the $$ on clothes that you like because you need to spend that on the stuff that you wish everyone else would have bought!

Best:
1 - Anything that I actually asked for/needed/registered for
2 - Gift certificate for a photo session. I probably wouldn't have found the time or energy to go get the pictures done when DD was so young if it wasn't for the gift certificate. But I'm so glad we did. They're priceless photos and I ended up with more than I would have purchased on my own (cause I'm a cheapskate!) ;)

Then my worst and best: Blankets.
The bad: OMG I had so many blankets that were actually too small. The majority of baby blankets sold in stores are 30 or 36" square. It's really too small to swaddle anything buy a teeny-tiny baby (they were even on the small side for my preemie when she came home at 4 lbs, 3 ozs.)
The good: Homemade with love and, big enough to actually wrap around baby & to cover a toddler. Or, my & DDs absolute favorite, a monogrammed taggie blanket (12 x 12.) http://bellakreka.com/BellaKreka/More_Baby/Pages/Tag_Blankets.html
I have since bought 2 more just like it because it quickly became her lovey.

PearlsMom
05-03-2010, 03:15 PM
Granted, baby hasn't arrived to use any of this yet, but:

Best
- the all-the-bells-and-whistles baby swing I really wanted
- classic baby books
- sailing-themed baby clothes and sun suit from BIL (because he's big into boats and not at all big into babies at this point in his life, it meant a lot that he clearly put some thought into a present)
- Lulu Lemon headband from a doctor friend: "labor is hot and sweaty, and you'll want something to keep your hair out of your face and off your neck -- but then people take lots of pictures, so I got you a color that would bring out your eyes" - how cute is that?!

Worst
I've been blessed with friends and relations who generally have very good taste and/or are afraid of me enough to stick to registry items. But I was a little miffed when someone at my shower got me a diaper genie because "it wasn't on your registry but everyone needs one"! It wasn't on my registry because I already had one. And if you knew what was on my registry, how about just buying something you know I wanted?? Now I have to cart that giant box around until I find the time to return it.

elektra
05-03-2010, 03:21 PM
maybe it was not a "worst"....hollybloom24 had them on her "best" list!


:rotflmao: I didn't even see that! Yes they are very nice. So it probably wasn't a "worst", you are right. I guess as a mom now, I would just rather have something else. Obviously my "fabulous" days are long gone!

doberbrat
05-03-2010, 03:36 PM
hee hee worst has to be the bathrobe... w/matching slippers of course. though the ceramic piggy bank that arrived smashed to smithereens is a close second. and the oodles of hand made crocheted clothes that I hate and my mother KNOWS I hate.

best- diapers, a gift for dd1, a really cute outfil w/stuffed puppy that dd STILL sleeps with 4 years later, mbf pillow and sound machine.

hollybloom24
05-03-2010, 03:48 PM
MamaSnoo, I got that crystal baby block too! I forgot about it! LOL! I actually think it is pretty (even though that kind of thing isn't my typical style), but the second my kids became mobile I moved it somewhere (not sure where).

I loved the silver spoon gift because we got so many "practical" gifts at first and no keepsakes. My kids still use their spoons sometimes! And they will always remember that a special family friend gave it to them.

hollybloom24
05-03-2010, 03:50 PM
I thought of another. Penn State My First Christmas ornamanets... My husband went to the University of Pennsylvania - not Penn State!!! And we are Jewish!!!

JoyNChrist
05-03-2010, 04:23 PM
I thought of another. Penn State My First Christmas ornamanets... My husband went to the University of Pennsylvania - not Penn State!!! And we are Jewish!!!

This one made me literally laugh out loud!

crl
05-03-2010, 05:07 PM
I thought of another. Penn State My First Christmas ornamanets... My husband went to the University of Pennsylvania - not Penn State!!! And we are Jewish!!!

Now that's horrible!

Catherine

Octobermommy
05-03-2010, 05:23 PM
Worst- pee pee tee pees. Didn't work at all for us.

Best - sling for my youngest, swing for my oldest and bibs for my second (major drooler)

hollybloom24
05-03-2010, 05:25 PM
Thanks to OP for starting this list! I've had some good laughs today!

fortato
05-03-2010, 05:34 PM
OMG! I totally forgot about the knit set my MIL gave me.

She had it made a little big, so Jack could wear it when he was older...Like 2. It was a baby blue sweater, bonnet and booties set. It was SO inappropriate for a 2 year old... It would have been adorable on him when he was tiny, but not at 2.

God... I never put it on him. I'm not that cruel.

JoyNChrist
05-03-2010, 06:27 PM
Oh, this reminded me of one of my "worst" with DS - a dress! Granted, it was blue, but it had lace around the collar and arms and was definitely not made for a male anytime in this century.

awoodm
05-03-2010, 08:46 PM
This "worst" I did not personally receive, however, it was gifted at a sprinkle for a mama for her 2nd boy this past Saturday.... drumroll please...

It was a GLASS dish with pebbles and four tealight candles. All I could think was oh geez, one more thing for her to dust around! I guess the intention was to work it into the jungle nursery theme, but IDK- I thought it was way weird. It would have headed straight to Goodwill if it were me!

The best gift I got was, everything! I loved all my gifts, but the arms reach cosleeper my former boss gave me was probably my favorite. I thought it was such a generous and thoughtful gift.

lalasmama
05-03-2010, 09:30 PM
Best gift: Hands down, the Mylicon drops. I didn't know anything about them, but they were an absolute life-saver when it turned out DD couldn't handle dairy in my diet and was totally miserable the night my milk came in. (And I slept very little three of the four nights before that; none of those nights were her "fault").

I just gave a good friend a "Baby's First Illness" gift basket this weekend--Mylicon, Saline drops and a booger sucker, Triple Paste (rash cream), a small humidifier for when baby is sick and sleeping in the carseat (so the humidifier is right there), and a few other little "Oh crap, the doctor said to use XYZ and we don't have it!" She was appreciative, but obviously couldn't oohh and aahh over such things... But I keep reminding myself that, down the line, when her twins get thier first bad diaper rash, or that first cold, she's going to be thanking me at 3am!

My best baby gift is silly--a hooded towel and a few adorable bathing suits. I got La at 3 years old, so no "baby things" were needed. A friend heard I would be a mom in 36 hours, and ran down to KMart on her lunch break just to spoil La and I :) She was the only person who seemed genuinely excited, tears and all!

The worst was likely the note I got from a coworker. It said "Sorry we didn't do a party, we didn't think you needed one since she's 3." Really, I wanted to get to celebrate becoming a mommy and welcome La into my extended (work) family, not a ton of gifts. A new child in the family (including work family) deserves to be celebrated!

AshleyAnn
05-03-2010, 09:44 PM
Best: Anything Carters. It last so much longer than the other brands.

I'm not sure if its a gift or not technically but our ENTIRE nursery was a hand me down from DH's step aunt. She gave all her stuff away when she had her second child then got pregnant again and spent a butt load on a nursery for surprise #3. She actually tried to take it all to goodwill and when they declined to take her crib she called her SIL (my stepMIL) to complain and my SMIL told her I might need it so she called me and I did so she brought me - crib, glider, high chair, booster seat, 2 complete bedding sets, maternity clothes, nursing supplies and bras, 3 dozen bottles, 2 garbage bags of baby clothes, another bag of blankets and towels, floppy seat, bath tub, and a bag of toys. The dresser/changing table was from DH's bedroom before he moved out of his mom's house. MIL stripped it and refinished it to match the crib.

Worst: A snowsuit in 6 month size for my baby who was born in Nov in South Carolina. My uncle and his g/f sent it from MI where they were a** deep in snow.

funda62
05-03-2010, 09:46 PM
Best: DH's colleagues showed up at the hospital after DD2 was born with preemie diapers and clothes because we were terribly unprepared for how small she would be. (Full term 5lbs 16") Plus lotions and things for me! :thumbsup:

Worst: For DD1 someone gave us a "praying doll" from Goodwill even though they knew my husband is Muslim and I'm atheist. Blerg bad taste. And it said in a really spooky voice, "Now I lay me down to sleep ..."

AshleyAnn
05-03-2010, 09:57 PM
I just gave a good friend a "Baby's First Illness" gift basket this weekend--Mylicon, Saline drops and a booger sucker, Triple Paste (rash cream), a small humidifier for when baby is sick and sleeping in the carseat (so the humidifier is right there), and a few other little "Oh crap, the doctor said to use XYZ and we don't have it!" She was appreciative, but obviously couldn't oohh and aahh over such things... But I keep reminding myself that, down the line, when her twins get thier first bad diaper rash, or that first cold, she's going to be thanking me at 3am!


I did the same with DH's sister. She probably wasn't overwhelmed with joy when she opened the box but I know it'll come in much more handy than the usual baby junk new moms oh and ah over

newg
05-03-2010, 10:28 PM
ohhhh...I thought of more "worst".........
all the nick-nacks that were given to me for DD. In her old room she had two shelves full of knit booties, angels, snow globes..and a precious moment mobile that is ment to hang from the ceiling and is made out of something hard (so there was no way I was hanging it above DD!!).....all well meaning gifts, but really quite useless to me or a baby. When we moved I ended up keeping most of it packed away or gave it to good will.

ohiomom1121
05-03-2010, 10:30 PM
oh, this reminded me of one of my "worst" with ds - a dress! granted, it was blue, but it had lace around the collar and arms and was definitely not made for a male anytime in this century.
:rotflmao:

salsah
05-04-2010, 12:03 AM
OMG! I totally forgot about the knit set my MIL gave me.

She had it made a little big, so Jack could wear it when he was older...Like 2. It was a baby blue sweater, bonnet and booties set. It was SO inappropriate for a 2 year old... It would have been adorable on him when he was tiny, but not at 2.

God... I never put it on him. I'm not that cruel.

mil knit some outfits for dd1 that i would never let her wear. but i put her in each and every one so that i could take a pic to send mil. i felt bad because dd hated wearing them even for 2 minutes while i took a pic because they were itchy! i also feel bad for mil because i know she put a lot of time and effort into them. and she made a lot. they were nicely done and i appreciate the effort and the thought, but they are just not my style.

mom2binsd
05-04-2010, 12:21 AM
Best:

A huge, I mean gigantic basket (dark wicker) filled with a super soft blanket, diapers, wipes, burp cloths, receiving blankets, lap pads, a few classic toys and 4 bottles of wine!!! We still use the basket to this day to store toys in.

Silver tooth fairy boxes from Birks (the Canadian Tiffany's), DD's has a fairy on top, DD has a teddy bear, from a special aunt.

Kate Spade black diaper bag, still use it as a "briefcase", it's awesome.

Beautiful hardcover books that celebrate my Canadian roots from all of my Canadian family and friends- with enscriptions from the gift givers. Ex. M is for Maple, A Moose in a Maple Tree.

Worst:

This crazy a$$ Winnie the Pooh head only...no kidding it was just a big head with a piece of cloth attached.

kijip
05-04-2010, 12:36 AM
We were buried in baby gifts for our younger son. I literally had a room of my house filled when I was pregnant. Granted, a small room but it was more than I knew what to do with. It was more than I received for my older son for sure. I think it is because our friends were a little older and more financially settled the second time around, because I had more friends with kids and because people knew that we had experienced 4 miscarriages and given up hope and chucked everything w/o mega sentimental value like handmade sweater.

Best:

-filling freezer with food
-My parents got me the bed for my older son. Very nice and thoughtful.
-Handmade blankets and sweaters. We received several for each child and they are treasures.
-Family portrait session.
-Maternity clothes gift certificate with first pregnancy when we did not make a lot of money and otherwise would have been rigging pants together.


Worst:

-Rainboots sized for a 2 or 3 year old when I was still pregnant with my older son and we lived in a tiny apartment.

-All of the clothes with the words "Lil' Champ" or similar plastered all over it.

-Dreft. Not going to use it. Had to return it.

-Not bad, but we received 50 million baby washcloths and 10 million copies of Goodnight Moon. I never give anyone Goodnight Moon, I give something a little more obscure like Leslie Patricelli books. With gift receipt inside.

citymama
05-04-2010, 02:46 AM
Best:
--bag of Hanna Andersson hand-me-down baby clothing. That's how I got hooked!
--Trumpette socks (I would never have spent $25 on 6 pairs of socks, but we loved them)
--Hand-me-down Maya wrap
--Good quality baby/kids' books. Probably our most loved gifts were fellow parents introducing us to their kids' fave books. We've tried to return the favor...

Worst:
--Frilly, lacy, itchy, polyestery clothing. Had bags of clothes we could never use. Definitely a style/taste thing - these were mostly gifts from aunt-aged women who bought baby clothes at old fashioned department stores.
--noisy, plasticky baby toys with sounds and lights. Without gift receipt!
--0-3 month age Ralph Lauren SHOES for a late spring baby.

And my favorite worst gift, a highly coordinated baby outfit where the onesie was sz 18-24 months, the matching overalls were sz 3-6 months, the overalls had no snaps, the outfit was clearly boyish, and the season and year listed in the tag were about 5 yrs prior to DD's birth. Huh?

JoyNChrist
05-04-2010, 08:33 AM
The worst was likely the note I got from a coworker. It said "Sorry we didn't do a party, we didn't think you needed one since she's 3."

That's awful! What's wrong with people?! I would have totally thrown you a party! Even if La didn't need anything...what three year old doesn't like coloring books and stuff? And what new mom wouldn't appreciate a celebration in her honor?

jess_g
05-04-2010, 08:41 AM
Best: A baby blanket that said "Welcome home babys name" and then had the birth date on it. This was for my ds that spent 4 months in the NICU before comming home so we were realy happy to bring him home. Also loved the Sweet Potatoes baby outfit in premee size my brother sent us to bring baby home in.

Worst: Some baby clothes that were way too big and never got worn.

Jessica.

doberbrat
05-04-2010, 09:25 AM
The worst was likely the note I got from a coworker. It said "Sorry we didn't do a party, we didn't think you needed one since she's 3." Really, I wanted to get to celebrate becoming a mommy and welcome La into my extended (work) family, not a ton of gifts. A new child in the family (including work family) deserves to be celebrated!

wow I'm speachless. thats just so wrong on so many levels. and to put it in writting?

they couldnt just cough up for some cupcakes and soda and a card and call it good? even that would have been better than the essential slap in the face.

I'm so sorry :(

Melaine
05-04-2010, 09:28 AM
I don't remember any awful gifts. I was confused when some people gave us one of something. Particularly, one bathing suit and a pair of flip-flops. The knew I was having twins, so I just thought that was odd, and they never got used.

Several I really appreciated: preemie smocked dresses, primo baby bath, hand-painted and personalized tea cups with the girls names and DOB, and handmade blankets and burp cloths. And anything big on our registry was really REALLY appreciated, like our friends who gave us the twin pack 'n play, SIL and BIL who gave us the stroller, carseats, a camcorder, all that great stuff.

PearlsMom
05-04-2010, 12:58 PM
Just thought of another "best" - a new digital camera. It wasn't technically a baby gift, it was my Christmas gift from my ILs when only family knew we were expecting. They're very generous anyway, but I felt OK asking for such an expensive present because I wanted to have a great camera to take pictures of the baby (their first grandbaby), and now I've had a few months to figure it out, which really helps!

lchang25000
05-04-2010, 01:03 PM
Best: most everything on my registry
Worst: ugly baby clothes (there is such a thing!!)

truly scrumptious
05-04-2010, 01:39 PM
This crazy a$$ Winnie the Pooh head only...no kidding it was just a big head with a piece of cloth attached.

OMG! We got this too. Does it jingle when you shake it?

I think it is meant to be a lovey, but it jingled too loudly to be used in bed, and the synthetic material felt too weird to let DS rub on his face.

MissM'sMom
05-04-2010, 01:52 PM
Best: a Fisher-Price Rainforest music thing you attach to the side of the crib. We didn't register for it, but a great co-worker gave it to us. It has been a lifesaver in helping to soothe my DD and getting her to sleep.

Worst: My in-laws (bless them) got us a set of old VHS tapes on discplining children. We haven't even looked at them.

TwinFoxes
05-04-2010, 01:55 PM
Some of these are hilarious (Penn State Christmas ornament made me LOL!) and some are just mean (La's mom's "friends").

We were lucky, and got lots of good stuff. The best was probably our video baby monitor, and a whole bunch of other stuff from DH's best man's wife (she's a sweetie.) Oh, and MIL bought us one of our cribs, which was cool. Oh, and a DF who knows nothing about babies, had never even seen a Boppy before, got me one because she thought it looked like something I needed even though I didn't register for it. And boy did I ever!

I can't think of a worst...we got a lot of clothes, and we didn't go ANYWHERE for the first 8 months. But I still enjoyed dressing them up even if we were just staying home. Most people got us an outfit + something on the registry. Who am I to take away their joy at buying cute baby girl clothes?

The blanket thing...when I was single and trying to figure out a shower gift, a mom friend of mine told me "you can never have enough receiving blankets". I think a lot of people have been told that. I still don't get it...maybe people used to use them to swaddle?

goldenpig
05-04-2010, 02:12 PM
Best: Trumpette socks, activity playmats, Boppy pillow, matching Big Sister/Little Brother shirts in DD's favorite color (yellow), handmade knit blanket & hat, money for 529s
Worst: baby robe (not even a bathrobe so I'm not sure what the purpose is), Top Gun onesie (?)

DH's mom also has given us both best and worst gifts because she has saved all of DH's things from when he was little. The best was a child size wooden rocker--it's so sweet to see DD sitting and rocking in it. And some of his toys that he remembers from when DH was little--like a matchbox car that made DH tear up when he saw it. On the other hand, some of the toys are pretty sketchy now...a "mobile activity gym" with a bunch of toys on strings to dangle above their crib...looks pretty dangerous. Or the rubber/plastic teething chew toys. Yeah, not going to let our kids put those 37 year old vinyl toys in their mouths. Also she gave us a bunch of his old blankets and layette sets...except they're the scratchy polyester kind, not handmade, and kind of musty smelling. I don't think he even wore some of them. They're all sitting in a big box and I would love to get rid of them, but am afraid MIL will ask where they are.

lucybabymamma
05-04-2010, 03:47 PM
[QUOTE=goldenpig;2715087]Best: Trumpette socks, activity playmats, Boppy pillow, matching Big Sister/Little Brother shirts in DD's favorite color (yellow), handmade knit blanket & hat, money for 529s
Worst: baby robe (not even a bathrobe so I'm not sure what the purpose is), Top Gun onesie (?)

A Top Gun onesie?! That's kind of awesome and weird at the same time!
It would have been a better, more useful gift with aviator shades though....

SnuggleBuggles
05-04-2010, 04:01 PM
A Top Gun onesie? That's awesome!! It would have been on my "best" list!!

Beth

goldenpig
05-04-2010, 04:19 PM
A Top Gun onesie?! That's kind of awesome and weird at the same time!
It would have been a better, more useful gift with aviator shades though....

I just dug it out of the closet. It says, "Daddy's Little Wingman" and has a picture of a fighter jet and the Top Gun movie logo. I guess it's kind of cute, actually! But when I showed it to DH he just rolled his eyes and said "Are you really going to make him wear that?"

Maybe there's potential in this idea...80's onesies! Fluorescent orange, pink & yellow. Cabbage patch kids, My Little Pony, Teddy Ruxpin. Journey, Cyndi Lauper, Motley Crue. Tron, Space Invaders, Max Headroom. So many options. Maybe I should quit my day job.

Reina
05-04-2010, 04:33 PM
Best: Quite a lot. DS is our first and will most probably be our only child. Knowing this, our family and friends really went out of their way with presents.

Worst Shower Gifts:
1) Welcome Wagon (from MIL’s neighbor)
- Fake Radio Flyer wagon made out of sheet metal (complete with rust on the seams)
- Hard plastic baby bottle with plastic seams.
- Hard plastic rattle with confetti inside.
- Hard plastic teething keys with paint chips coming off.
- 100% polyester newborn outfit with blue lace collar. (Huh?)
- Teddy bear with plastic nubs for eyes and a Mets hat. (Die-hard Yankee fan DH has been going to baseball games with this neighbor lady’s die-hard Yankee fan son since the 1980s. What gives?)
- Mets bib with "Andrew" stitched on it. (Again, really? And who is this Andrew?)
- Comb & brush. (so hard, you wouldn’t brush a horse with it. I actually scrubbed the kitchen sink with it. Came out great!)
This is what the wagon looks like: http://www.shopthegiftbasketstore.com/welcome-wagon-boy-radio-flyer.html And these ridiculous wagons cost $60-75.

2) Dumpster Special (from MIL’s cousin)
- 2 Sesame Tub Toys (circa Fisher Price Lead Paint Recall – I checked the serial numbers!!!) *used*
- 100% satiny polyester 6 month old outfit complete with blue hat and bib. (picnic tablecloth quality) *new with tags*
- 100% lacey Polyester 6 month old outfit complete with pink ribbons and a pink lace headband. (uhm… ok?) *new with tags*
- Animal stacking toy with scratches and bite marks, carefully packaged in tattered and torn box.
- White christening gown with food stains and a couple of busted seams. (one, we do not practice any religion, two, it’s a very personal clothing item, three, holes & stains? come on! )
- Bar of Johnson&Johnson baby soap *Im hoping unused*

I might be missing an item or two here. But this just about sums it up. To answer questions that may arise: MIL’s cousin is a 60 year old lady from the suburbs of Connecticut, who seems to have all her mental faculties together. She is a great conversationalist. She is not poor, in fact faaaar from it. Apparently she started “salvaging” 2 years ago. She stops in front of every “Free to take” sign she sees, takes whatever she can fit in her car and “salvages” them. (salvaging is code for “regifting dumpster finds” just so we are clear on that.) :rolleyes:

lucybabymamma
05-04-2010, 04:51 PM
I just dug it out of the closet. It says, "Daddy's Little Wingman" and has a picture of a fighter jet and the Top Gun movie logo. I guess it's kind of cute, actually! But when I showed it to DH he just rolled his eyes and said "Are you really going to make him wear that?"

Maybe there's potential in this idea...80's onesies! Fluorescent orange, pink & yellow. Cabbage patch kids, My Little Pony, Teddy Ruxpin. Journey, Cyndi Lauper, Motley Crue. Tron, Space Invaders, Max Headroom. So many options. Maybe I should quit my day job.

If Babylegs could put out some coordinating leg warmers you'll be set!

MMMommy
05-04-2010, 05:11 PM
Worst: A Christian Dior infant size, white (white as snow), velvet, dry clean only one-piece (footed) with NO snaps or buttons that would allow for diaper changes. You would have to take off the whole ensemble from the neck in order to change a diaper. Dry clean only? Designer? Why???? No snaps/opening to change diaper? Why?????

alexmommy
05-04-2010, 05:29 PM
Best: JCP gift card for portraits, HMD clothes, and stuff off our registry.

Worst: robe, 5 million blankets

lvhkitty
05-04-2010, 05:49 PM
In defense of robes, we use our ducky robe and matching slippers when we take her to the pool.

Except for a personalized baby blanket, way too many given!

Best gifts -
Eurotub - fantastic for bath time!LOVE IT!
Dr. Browns bottle set
Newborn to toddler rocker
Ergo carrier
Dutailier glider
Miracle Blanket (gift from myself!) - a godsend
cutest princess onsie (little sequins)
Robeez
Classic books like Brown Bear, Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny, Boynton classics
***Fairyland Playland Gym by Fisher Price*** - great music, the cutest thing ever!!!
Mustela products (not eco safe but love them)

maybeebaby08
05-04-2010, 07:56 PM
Worst- The 3T purple cat sweater with fake fur around collar, that I could "save for later" - The dog thought it was an animal and quickly attacked and torn it to shreds- oops. The piles of ugly clothes, and a handmade sweater from MIL that was so stiff the arms stuck straight out was 2 sizes too small and MIL kept trying to put on DD at the hospital in May during a heatwave.

Best- A basket full of things I didn't know about or know I would need with sweet hand written notes attached explaing each item. My mom got us a new camera and video camera.

GonnaBeNana
05-04-2010, 09:02 PM
Just thought of another "best" - a new digital camera. It wasn't technically a baby gift, it was my Christmas gift from my ILs when only family knew we were expecting. They're very generous anyway, but I felt OK asking for such an expensive present because I wanted to have a great camera to take pictures of the baby (their first grandbaby), and now I've had a few months to figure it out, which really helps!

We are getting our daughter a camera for her her birthday in August and the baby is due in November. I'm awful about taking photos of anything and I want LOTS of my grandchild! My niece has a blog up about her baby and has photos on it constantly and I love it. It's restricted to just family, but it sure it fun to check out since we live so far away from them.

Beth

eda
05-04-2010, 10:03 PM
I thought of another. Penn State My First Christmas ornamanets... My husband went to the University of Pennsylvania - not Penn State!!! And we are Jewish!!!

OMG we got so many baby's first Christmas outfits I think 7 in total. babies first book about Jesus and a precious moments doll that said the lords prayer...We are Jewish too!!! The absolute worst was a onesie with a cut out peep hole. My DH made me throw that one out, he said it would lead to her dancing on a pole...
We got some wonderful gifts also but they weren't as funny. My favorite was a CD from Parents magazine that plays lullabies we still use it every night and my DD is 17 Mo.

catsnkid
05-05-2010, 09:30 PM
Best- things I needed- cosleeper, high chair, etc.

Worst:

Precious Moments baseball outfit. Way too cutesy, and I generally only put him in sports stuff if it is good quality used. I ran, yes ran to kmart to return that one. A kimono also went back to the store pretty quick.

Kymberley
05-05-2010, 09:43 PM
If Babylegs could put out some coordinating leg warmers you'll be set!

I have a pair of Air Force Babylegs that would go nicely! Grey Tomcats on blue background= awesome.

longtallsally05
05-06-2010, 12:22 AM
Best: a breastfeeding success kit from a dear friend who is an experienced breastfeeding mother. The kit contained stuff like breast pads, Soothies, a book, Thermacare heat wraps, lanolin etc and she wrote a summary of what each product was and how to use it. She also called me to see how things were going and to offer moral support and guidance. Such an AMAZING gift, I have poached the idea many times. I also include a DVD, lecithin, cloth diapers, copies of a daily feeding/pumping diary I got from my IBCLC and a bunch of other stuff. This gift can become expensive very quickly, so now I only do it for people whom I know are committed to the idea of breastfeeding.

Worst: So many bad gifts, it's difficult to choose just one, but I'm gonna have to go with a resin knick knack MIL gave us for DD. It depicts a little girl climbing into the toilet (no, I'm not joking) and looking up, with her finger over her mouth as if to say, "Oops, you caught me playing in the potty!" WTH? I'll never understand that woman.

AnnieW625
05-06-2010, 12:31 AM
worst: for DD1 my friend made one of those teddy bear head lovies and she used a full size teddy bear head, the thing just creeped me out. It finally ended up getting tossed a while back. I can usually never get rid of hand made stuff, but that one was just soo freaky that I couldn't keep it in the house any longer.

best: clothes. I litterally didn't have to buy DD more than 5 outfits before she turned 9 mos. old because we got a lot of them. Single jogger, I would've been lost without it.

belovedgandp
05-06-2010, 12:45 AM
Worst - all the blankets - all three kids I keep getting them.
- double whammy is the blankets that are handmade out of cheapo yarn. I knit and admit to being a bit of a fiber snob, but sheesh, if you're going to spend hours of your life making something (which I do truly appreciate) at least make it out of something that I would liek to touch.

Best - DS1 LLL breastfeeding book and supplies
- DS2 - meals, lots of them
- DD1 - people watching DS1 and DS2 for me

lowrioh
05-06-2010, 07:52 AM
Best-
-A tiny silver locket for DD from my MILL with her picture and DD's picture inside. MIL passed away this Nov so it will be one of the only gifts that Annie has from her.
-Step-MIL knit DD a blankie that she sleeps with every night.
-3 weeks worth of meals from our community parents organization.

Worst
-A series of REALLY cheap, low quality stuffed animals from MIL. T We found a THUMB TACK embedded in one of them...needless to say they went in the trash.

SnuggleBuggles
05-06-2010, 07:55 AM
I had a dream last night that I was on my way to a baby shower and on the way there I started doubting my gift. It was a sound and light machine but not the crib kind...the kind you'd find at a dance club. I was certain earlier in the dream that the mom to be was going to love it. I came to my senses but the store I went to had no baby toys! Dilemma- show up empty handed or with that?? I don't know how it ended. :)

Beth

Andi98989
05-06-2010, 10:03 AM
Best things off registry:
swaddleme blankets
video monitor

Best things not off registry:
hooded bath towels my MIL made with DS's name on them
taggie blanket my MIL made
wooden block with DS's name and birth info on it

Worst:
way, way, way too many blankets of all types
as her only gift to us, my aunt got us a giant stuff Wonder Pets guinea pig. The thing is so creepy! granted I had a guinea pig ... but still. Very odd.

worst outfit was this knit "whale suit" that DH's grandma got at a school bazaar or something; it has little whale buttons and plastic rattles on the booties. As you can see, DS was thrilled with it too. :rotflmao:

Melaine
05-06-2010, 10:18 AM
Worst: So many bad gifts, it's difficult to choose just one, but I'm gonna have to go with a resin knick knack MIL gave us for DD. It depicts a little girl climbing into the toilet (no, I'm not joking) and looking up, with her finger over her mouth as if to say, "Oops, you caught me playing in the potty!" WTH? I'll never understand that woman.

Do you still have that?! I think a pic is warranted. That sounds awful. How bizarre.

lizzywednesday
05-06-2010, 10:56 AM
Best gifts:

* Anything on the registry. (It was there because we needed it, not because I was trying to gouge my relations.)

* Gift cards. I received enough Target gift cards to purchase my breast pump without spending a dime of my own $$ ... and still had $$ left over on one card. AND we've used a lot of them towards necessary things like diapers, wipes and formula (for supplementation, per our pediatrician.)

* The beautiful handmade-especially-for-baby quilt from DH's aunt with DD's name, DOB and a dedication written on the back corner. DH's aunt does wonderful work!!

* The wonderfully soft & absorbent handmade hooded towel from my aunt Patti.

* The bassinet (hand-me-down) from my sister, which is in heavy rotation these days. Well, at least until DD outgrows it ... which she may well do soon!

Worst gifts: Nothing yet has counted as a "worst" gift, even the pink outfits the relations and friends insist on sending for DD. (I despise pink and didn't find out what "flavor" baby we were having until DD was born. I am SO thankful for that!!! It forced people to be more creative when gifting us with things before DD arrived.) If I had had a shower, I suppose I would have received weird stuff, but my shower was snowed out. Twice. So I got baby gifts in drips & drabs.

ETA: Not a "worst" but not our style - the 2-piece baby bikini we received from DH's cousin (included a gift receipt, so I exchanged it for a sundress in the same collection) ... and the 18-month tie-dye onesie with a bar logo on it from DH's other cousin. (FWIW, DH's cousin & her DH own the bar, so I laughed when I saw the onesie & will actually dress DD in it when she grows into it ... it's cute & nice quality. So what if it's a bar???)

We've found uses for blankets and didn't get a ton of them ... I actually ended up buying inexpensive flannel receiving blankets to swaddle DD when she first got home from the hospital ... we also use them at the doctor's while we wait for the doc to examine her, something we have done a lot. And the fact that they were so inexpensive makes it easier to use them as burp rags or nudie blankies (when she gets weighed, I can carry her to the scale in the blankie, etc.) ... hey, whatever works, right?

Seitvonzu
05-06-2010, 02:08 PM
we got a TON of really nice stuff- and since i'm 2.5 years removed from the all the "showering" i'm having a tough time thinking of a "worst" gift. for someone who didn't think she was having a shower at all i actually had something like 6 or 7 when it was all said and done-- a few gift card "showers," a couple from my newcomer's club, an online shower (i've been on the same mailing list since college), my hubbies work. it was sorta obscene really :) we didn't actually get too many registry items (because we didn't have a traditional shower)-- but nearly everything we did get was very useful (giftcards) OR very special. my online friends knew that we were doing the nursery in a "lucy in the sky with diamonds" theme so i got lots of stuff related to that- a rainbow bear, a special nightlight, a yellow submarine music box!, some nifty crystals to hang for rainbows, an AMAZING "marmalade sky" quilt (seriously-- AMAZING!). other handmade things included crocheted/knitted blankets (lovelove even though i'm a knitter and fiber snob), and an heirloom sewn daygown and bonnet (we used this as a christening outfit), an amazing gray wool sweater with peter rabbit buttons that was DARLING with all the pink stuff lucy had (and dh failed to handwash it one day-- BOOHOOHOOHOO!!!!!), a layette set (sweater, bonnet, booties) that was very traditional and PINK and the yarn wasn't super fabulous or any thing BUT i still loved the set and put lucy in it regularly :)

two good friends got me a superpinkalicious diaper bag that i would NEVER have splurged on for myself. my mother sent me TWO!!!! sets of trumpette socks (rosies and clouds(see above about nursery)) and lucy wore those constantly! lovelvoe

so mostly great stuff, if not entirely practical. my inlaws were very generous and gave us money but they also sent a HUGE box of bizarre randomness... the most bizarre part was that it was all just tossed together with packing peanuts-- things like a a loose (but handmade by MIL) blanket, another HUGE blanket we call the "muppet blanket", safety brochures, "heirloom" (ack! if it says that on the box, probably not) items of various sorts, a weird wicker cradle basket full of things that are CLEAR safety hazards (weird rattles, cheapy bibs/towels?/personal items),....etc. my husband was really embarrased when we opened it. ack!

crl
05-06-2010, 02:15 PM
I had a dream last night that I was on my way to a baby shower and on the way there I started doubting my gift. It was a sound and light machine but not the crib kind...the kind you'd find at a dance club. I was certain earlier in the dream that the mom to be was going to love it. I came to my senses but the store I went to had no baby toys! Dilemma- show up empty handed or with that?? I don't know how it ended. :)

Beth

Oops. I didn't mean to cause nightmares by starting this thread!

Catherine