Best Baby Shower Gifts for 2009

When it comes to purchasing a gift for a baby shower, we all want our gifts to be special, unique and undeniably adorable, eliciting the best round of "oooh's" and "aaahh's" from the crowd. But how does one go about digging through the gobs and gobs of choices out there with minimal time on all our hands? Well, I've saved you all the legwork, and have compiled what I consider to be the best baby shower gift ideas for 2009, and they fit any budget, ranging from just $5.50 to $150.00 Here they are, in random order:


Personalized Alphabet Book
Every baby needs a new book, and better than just any old book out there, why not give him or her one that will not only begin to teach the basics and be beautiful to look at, but also personalized with his or her name on the cover. What a true treasure to hold on to forever! The recipient can also choose the exterior color of the book (green, blue or pink), choose the option to add spanish, french or italian to make the book bilingual, AND choose hard or soft cover. You can order the book from www.sweetartsdesign.com.


Owie-All-Gone Bags
I love this idea for taking care of baby's bumps & bruises they undoubtedly will collect when learning to walk and bumping into everything in sight! You can toss the small ones in the freezer and pull them out at the drop of a hat to use to soothe baby's owies, and all without the sting of ice and in sleek, sophisticated fabrics! Check Adam's Blankie to purchase.


Baby Silk Delicate Skin Comfort
This liquid powder goes on like a lotion and then transforms into a silky powder that is designed to keep baby's crevices cool and dry. The powder contains marine silk, vitamins E and B5, aloe, shea butter, corn starch and licorice extract to refresh the delicate skin of baby. It is hypoallergenic, contains no mineral oils, has not been tested on animals, and is made in the USA. Find the powder at www.mdmoms.com.


Monkey Organic Hooded Towel
This hooded towel comes from 3 Sprouts, is organic, and comes in your choice of gray or yellow. Measuring 29"x29" and running you $37.00, the towel is absolutely adorable!


Lovie (Security) Blankies
These are fantastic gifts for baby, as they are constructed with ribbon loops to help keep baby stimulated and soothed at the same time. Babies loves to feel & rub the ribbons between their fingers, not to mention they find the both the sight of the ribbons and the sound of them rubbing together fascinating! They are handcrafted with designer cotton fabric on top and plush minky for cuddling on the back. These are truly a multi-functional blanket that every baby should have, and at 12"x12" square, they're the perfect size for small hands. They come from Adam's Blankie in all styles and colors, and if you don't see what you're looking for on the site, they also welcome custom orders!


Going Green with Baby
Get this book from Amazon for only about $17.00. It's a great guide for all baby products & finds out there. As one Mom puts it, "This book is a great resource! It covers everything an environmentally responsible mom needs to know when making green choices- from how to be green on a budget, to why certain products/ingredients are better than others, to where to find the products you want."

BabySitter Notes
I use something very similar to these babysitter notes all the time whenever we get a babysitter for our son. The topics listed ensure you won't forget anything the babysitter needs to know, including your phone number/s, what's for dinner, what time bedtime is, and what is and is not okay. Sure, we could all print something similar off our computer at home, but these are conveniently made in a notepad style and ready to use at any time, not to mention they look cute. The notepad includes 50 sheets and is only $8.


Rockstar Bib & Burp Set
Among the many chic and modern baby choices for bibbie and burpie sets ($22.50) from Adam's Blankie, this set is a favorite for boys in particular. It is handcrafted, made of 100% designer cotton fabric on top and a plush chenille on the back for extra absorbancy. They also close with a strong pearl snap for both a designer look and longevity of use (they don't use velcro, because velcro wears down over time, not to mention baby can pull a velcro bib off!). So forget the plasticky types that are uncomfortable and totally unnatural, and go for something ultra mod, sophisticated, natural & plush with this choice! Check their website for more options for girls, boys and for those friends not finding out the gender, as well!


Glass Baby Bottle & Siliskin Protectors
With all the concern over unnatural chemicals (BPA) leaking out of plastic bottles and getting into baby's system, I highly advocate considering glass bottles as an alternative. You may be asking yourself, "Yes, that sounds wonderful, but what about them breaking - aren't they impractical??" Well, that's a fantastic question & concern, and my answer to that would be the bottle protectors from Siliskin. While they won't absolutely prevent the bottles from breaking, that is the idea behind them, and if they do happen to break, the protectors will likely contain any glass shards within the "wrapper." They are also dishwasher safe and come in a palette of soothing colors. You can click here for more reviews, or check out Amazon to purchase.
Adiri Natural Nurser Bottle
When we had our son, I never knew these existed (or maybe they did, but I didn't know it!). At any rate, I LOVE the idea of them, as they seem like they would make the transition from nursing to bottle-feeding so much easier. You can find them for about $12.99 from Babies R Us.


Plush Teething Giraffe Rattle
Here is not only an adorable stuffed animal baby can touch & tote around by him or herself, but it is also a natural teether AND rattle ($12.00)! Adam's Blankie carries a variety in many designer fabrics, but this one in particular is special with its black, red and white colors, in that they are the first colors baby's eyes can recognize! Use the rattle as a gift-topper for a package for the baby shower, and later as a decoration in the nursery in addition to its purpose as a rattle & teether!


Lullaby Exercises DVD/CD
Here's a fabulous gift from Chicks-n-Chickens for every Mom who swears they'll be getting into those "pre-baby jeans" in no time! The set includes a 35-minute DVD with high-energy music and a "sleep" mode CD to cool things down and send baby into naptime.


French Dried Lavender Sachets (3)
Lavender is known for soothing people in general, and this does include babies, of course! What a great idea to give to Mom for use in baby's diaper drawer, clothing drawers, closet, diaper bag, wet bag, or laundry! What I especially love (besides the $5.50 price for a set of 3) is that they are one hundred percent natural (versus some room sprays out there laden with chemicals), contain no fillers, and you can choose the fabric in which they are handcrafted! Check Adam's Blankie for choices & purchasing - custom orders are welcome from any of their fabrics on hand! (P.S. I'd also advise getting a set just for Mom to have for herself during those rough first couple months!)


Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner Portable Placemat
We got this for our son, and I cannot begin to tell you how many times we got asked where we got this thing! It's an absolute must for outings with your little one, and makes clean-up a snap, not to mention you don't have to worry about baby getting into all the germs on the table!


Beaba Babycook
I wrote about the Babycook ($150.00) last week, but couldn't resist bringing it back to our "best of" list for shower gifts for 2009 because I think it is such a gem! It saves Mom time, takes the place of a few kitchen gadgets she'd otherwise need to do what it does, and makes healthy food for her baby right in her own kitchen!


Sterling Silver Hand-Stamped Necklace
I purchased one of these from SilverMePendants and absolutely love it! I realize this is, of course, not a gift for baby, but I'm a huge advocate of gifting something just for the Mom-to-be at a shower...any one out there who has given birth knows she absolutely deserves it, after all! Get it custom made with the baby-to-be's name hand-stamped on the pendant, and embellished with a (birthstone) swarovski crystal or sterling silver heart. Mom can enjoy the necklace both before and after baby arrives, keeping her baby close to her heart!

Any of the aforementioned gifts would make fantastic gifts, I'm certain! You can feel confident you've purchased something both exquisite, practical or beautiful with any of these selections.

Stay tuned for how to host the best baby shower ~ tips & how-to's coming this Monday, May 25th!