1m2aSandbox

We’ve spent most of the week talking
about holiday gift ideas – shopping suggestions for both mom
and baby (and the occasional Dad gift thrown in as well!)


But what do you do if the holidays are breathing down your neck,
and the wallet’s a bit empty? Or where do you turn for gift
ideas for the family that truly has everything? Let’s dig
in.

As we continue this week’s series on
holiday shopping, I’m turning our attention beyond the toy
stores today; for toy recommendations see yesterday’s blog.


Toys are always appreciated (especially by the kids themselves!),
but there are other options out there that are fun, useful, and
don’t take up so much precious square footage.

This week I’m doing a series on
holiday gift ideas. I usually break my informative article series
up with alternating pieces about life with Maddie, but let’s
face it: the shopping clock’s ticking. So we’re moving
forward, and today’s attention is on toy shopping.


There’s a great website you can always refer to in a pinch:
href="http://www.toyportfolio.com/">Oppenheimer Toy
Portfolio. They rate toys by age range and I’ve
always found them to be right-on. It’s a great place to turn
if you’re overwhelmed. You’ll also find a few great
websites or catalogs and learn to trust the quality of those
stores. href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000010845593&pubid=21000000000082989">
One Step Ahead href="http://www.constructiveplaythings.com">Constructive
Playthings href="http://www.sensationalbeginnings.com/">Sensational
Beginnings and href="http://www.fatbraintoys.com">Fat Brain Toys have
served me well.

Today I’m kicking off a series of
articles designed to make your holiday shopping a little easier.


Don’t worry; I’m not going to spend the next few days
telling you the “hot new toys” that your baby
“must have” or anything like that. But I am going to
try to steer you through the rocky waters of baby’s
Christmas. I realized last year that I had no idea what to tell the
grandparents Maddie wanted for Christmas; she certainly
wasn’t leaving any catalogs with circled items lying around.
And I had no idea what Maddie would like to play with until she
gave it a go!


So I did my typical obsessive mommy thing – I asked my focus
group for advice. They were so helpful that I returned to them for
her first birthday, getting great suggestions for toys she’d
quickly grow into that are worth the investment. Hence, these next
articles – passing on the wisdom I’ve gathered
together.


Keep in mind that these recommendations are purely anecdotal,
depending on what our kids have liked. There’s no scientific
research behind any of these suggestions beyond polling my friends.


And the best part of this week is that I’m going beyond toys.
I’ll cover toys by age group, other gifts for kids, and lest
we forget, gifts for mommies.


Which is where we start today – gifts for expectant and new
mommies. Scroll down, and enjoy. And remember two things: first,
you’re always welcome to turn to my href="http://www.1mother2another.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=34#top">
Top 5s page for suggestions on gear, clothing, and more;
and second, you can always email an article to someone! Say, a
spouse!

Some of you may be puzzled that I’m
starting off the article series on holiday shopping with
suggestions for you, but let’s face it: once baby shows up,
you move from being the center of attention to the Glorified Diaper
Bag Carrier. So let’s give ourselves some front-and-center
time!

Obviously, I can’t make personalized
suggestions for you all as to what you’d most like to see
under your tree. I’d say that you should make it clear to
your loved ones if you don’t want anything mommy- or
baby-related, or you may end up with a stocking full of Buy Buy
Baby gift cards. But speaking as a pregnant mommy with a toddler at
home, I enjoy a bit of mommy-related gifts. And of course, I love
clothes. So I’m listing my favorite sites to find pregnancy
and post-partum clothing that goes beyond practicals, beyond Gap
Maternity, beyond those comfortable, “useful” black
pants that grow with you and go with anything. Want maternity
clothing recommendations in general? Check my href="http://www.1mother2another.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=34">
Top 5s Page.

We’re back from our Thanksgiving
trip to visit family, and the one thing I can say with certainty is
that nothing went as we originally planned.


One day before we headed out, my grandmother died. Though this was
not entirely unexpected, I was devastated: my grandmother meant a
lot to me and I will miss her very much.

(Note: I originally wrote this entry a
month ago; I’m catching you up on my first trimester!)

I’m starting week ten in this
pregnancy, and that’s the only word for it –
harder.

I know I mentioned in an earlier blog that
I didn’t have morning sickness with my first pregnancy.
I’ve not hit the actual puking point in this one, but
I’m definitely dealing with on-the-edge nausea and managing
that seems to take up an inordinate amount of time.