bags - Choosing a Personalized Baby Gift

Have you been invited to a baby shower or asked to be a godparent to a new arrival and have no idea what sort of gift to buy? Recently I was in a dilemma about buying presents for newborn twins. My first instinct was to buy identical gifts, but I suddenly realised that these were two individuals who should be encouraged to recognise their own unique personalities. I decided the answer was to buy personalized gifts that the children would see as their own when they grew older. Nowadays there are a lot of lovely personalized gifts online for babies and children. You can chose from toys, such as wooden rocking horses and name trains, to useful items like personalized baby blankets, monogrammed bath robes and personalized diaper bags. Many people still like to give the traditional favorites, an engraved silver baby cup or monogrammed spoon and fork. When I started searching I was spoilt for choice. As the twins were newborn my personal favorite toys were baby bears wearing sweaters embroidered with baby's name. I remember my Nan giving me a baby bear wearing a sweater she had knitted with "Ted" embroidered on it, he was a much loved friend. Had the twins been a bit older I really liked the name trains, each carriage in the shape of a letter. I have always found that wooden trains are very sturdy and will withstand years of rough treatment. I know trains may be thought of as a boy's toy, but young girls in my family have always enjoyed them and if you are buying for a girl why be sexist! If you want to spend a little more, nursery furniture is always useful and I was particularly keen on the personalized rocking chairs and also thought toy boxes would be useful. Future parents immediately think of cribs and buggies when a new arrival is expected, but they rarely plan storage until the nursery is littered with toys. A big laundry bag is a good idea to store anything and they can be bought personalized too! Of course you could buy a baby gift basket or make one up yourself. Buy a memory keepsake, such as a personalized album that Mom can keep, and add other small useful items. Mom will appreciate the fact that you cared enough to make it. Finally do remember that if there are older children in the family they are probably feeling a little left out, however much they may love the new arrival. Buy them something small as well. Even if they are teenagers, they are still children and would appreciate a new T-shirt or some jewelry if they are a girl. More information can be found on my site From Tots 2 Teens -Personalized Gifts Margaret Tye runs the http://www.fromtots2teens.com/personalized gifts.html website. You are very welcome to use this article as long as it is not altered and credit is given to the author, with the following link back to this site - From Tots 2 Teens - Personalized gifts. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Margaret_Tye bags - Sleepovers and Sleeping Bags As our child grows older, he begins to form friendships. They meet, and make, their first "best friends." They look forward to hanging out on the play ground, or whisper secrets to each other on the phone. They join the same clubs (or they start their own clubs), they help each other with homework, and they run to each other when they have a problem. And then, quite inevitably, they start begging their moms for a chance to have a sleepover. We all know that there will actually be very little sleep involved'they will eat too many chips and cookies, watch videos, and then tell each other ghost stories until they're too scared to even go to the bathroom by themselves. But this is all in the name of good, clean fun, and one of the happiest memories that they will make. Here are some secrets to throwing a good sleepover party for your kids: Invest in a fun Sleeping Bag! They come in fun designs, from playful frogs to barnyard animals, from dinosaurs to space themes. The sleepover will make him the envy of his friends, and the bragging rights of having the coolest sleeping bag in the group! Comfortable enough for him to sleep happily on the hardwood floor, and made of soft material that won't irritate even the most sensitive skin, these sleeping bags will keep him as snug as a bug in a rug. After the sleepover, roll it up and store in a cabinet. It's as easy as that. Get them disposable cameras. Let them take crazy pictures of each other, which you can keep in a scrapbook (or bribe him with when he grows older!). Give each visitor a copy of one picture as a souvenir. Throw a make-your-own pizza party. Buy miniature pizza dough and set up the equivalent of a pizza bar, with toppings like grated cheese, ham, mushrooms, bacon, etc. Let each guest decorate his own pizza and then pop in the oven. It's a fun and easy dinner! Bring out the board games. It's a fun alternative to videos, especially when you give out prizes (like stickers or candy) to the winners. Always ask parents if their child is allergic to any food. As a courtesy, tell them what you plan to serve, and ask if it contradicts any dietary considerations or rules. Never leave kids unsupervised, especially young kids. There should always be an adult in the other room, and peek in occasionally to see what they're up to. Remember, you are trusted by the other parents to take good care of their child. Keep parents in the loop. Being a parent yourself, you understand how other parents may feel about not having their kid in the house. As a courtesy, require the kids to call their parents sometime in the night. Be there to personally greet the mom and dad when they arrive to pick up the child. Their experience of this sleepover will determine whether or not they'll allow their child to go again.