Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for September, 2010

Is there anything sweeter than a baby girl? Perhaps only a baby girl in a headband! You can easily make a headband for your sweet little one or for a gift for a new mom. You won’t believe how easy it is. And the best part is, since they take no time to make, you can craft a whole wardrobe full for every season.

Start off by measuring the little one’s head. Wrap a piece of string loosely around the widest point of her head. Write down the measurement.

There are two kinds of headbands that are easy to make for baby girls. The first is a cotton one. Using the measurement you just took, subtract two inches for where the elastic will go. Find a cotton fabric in a festive print or seasonal design. You might want to do snowmen for Christmas in a fleece fabric or a Halloween cat in soft material. Cut a length of fabric that matches the measurement you took horizontally. Cut it out as a large square so that there is enough material to double over. Fold the fabric down horizontally so that you have one thick band. Sew it shut. Or, if you’re not one for sewing, use fusible webbing. This is a tape found in sewing or craft stores that goes on like tape and allows you to iron two pieces of fabric closed.

After you have your band sewn, you’ll want to add a two-inch piece of elastic. A wide elastic works best. Sew elastic to each end of the band. That’s it! Now you can embellish it. Use craft flowers or ribbon. But try to avoid using sequins or any embellishment that could pop off and baby could chew on or swallow. Stick to the basics of fabric with elements sewn on for the youngest babies. Soft animals work best like flat little bears or kitties. Also be sure that you take into account the comfort of baby. If a band is too tight or too heavy, she’s going to be uncomfortable and won’t want to wear it no matter how cute it is.

A second way to make a baby headband is to use elastic lace. These bands of lace come in various lengths and widths. Look in a sewing or craft store in the ribbon aisle. You will see a variety of elastic ribbon and lace. Choose a lace that feels soft to the touch and is not going to be tight when it stretches to fit around baby’s head. Some elastics have a harder springback and are much tighter than others. Choose a delicate one. Cut one length of lace to the measurement of your child’s head and sew the ends together. Add a cute flower or other hair adornment like a butterfly.

Of course, if you want, you can always purchase a headband from a discount store and embellish it with your own details. Choose a soft fabric one. Use fabric paint or 3D craft paint to letter baby’s name on the band. Iron-on patches from the craft store come in dogs, cats, and other adorable critters and designs. You can easily create a bunch of iron-on headbands in about an hour, that will go with her little baby clothes and nearly any outfit you could dream up.

Attending a first birthday party is one of the greatest joys in life. As baby marvels at (and puts her fist into) the cake, swats at the balloons, and tries to bite the paper on the presents, everyone gets to experience the wonder and imagination of the first year. Babies turning one are just learning to walk and are just finding their own way around. If you’d like to give a first birthday gift, here are some ideas that are developmentally appropriate and fun.

• A ride-on toy: Any toy that is designed for little ones to ride on will be a treat. Small cars, animals, and trucks make great gifts. Choose from ones that are pull along so mom and dad can help out. Or opt for ones that include ride-on extras like bells and push buttons that will occupy baby even at a complete standstill.




• Bath toys: One-year-olds are just starting to love their bath playtime. Any toy that is designed to be played with in the bath is a sure winner. Choose from squirt toys, toy netting to corral bath toys, bath crayons, floating animals, and more. You can also include a hoodie personalized baby bath towel for snuggly after bath time.




• Weebles: Chunky toys are a good idea for this age group. Weebles are especially fun because they bounce back up when baby knocks them over. Small Weeble houses or buses or buildings will keep baby happily busy for hours. You can add on extra sets of Weeble people and animals so the fun never has to end. Don’t be surprised if the adults join in, too.




• Soft Sets: Many play sets now come in soft versions for beginners. Mom’s purse, a lunch bag, doctor bag, and more are all available in chubby fabric. These sets are not only fun to look at and play with, they also help baby develop coordination and hand-eye skills.




• Wooden Playsets: The most clever and fun wooden play sets are not on the market. You can find a birthday cake made of thick decorated wooden slices along with a safe wooden knife, a pizza kit, fruits and vegetables, and more all done in decorated wood. They look realistic and are safe and fun for baby to handle. There’s even a sushi kit made entirely of wood.




• Big Puzzles: Big, simple puzzles that baby can play with on the floor are fun. The bigger the pieces, the better. Baby will not be able to put the puzzle together herself at first, but with repetition will come to learn opposites, shapes, colors, and animals that are features of the pieces. A great way for baby to play while learning.




• Personalized Baby Items: Baby’s name is now a big part of her life. She’s going to want to know how to spell it now that she’s learning to say it. Wooden cut-outs of her name with colorful designs are fun as are blocks that spell out her name. Any number of shapes can be found in wall décor and floor play pieces that feature names. If you’ve got a friend with an unusual baby’s name, order a personalized item online rather than a store where stock is limited. Order early as often personalized products take a little longer to arrive.

Have you checked out the price of baby wipes yet? Chances are if you have a newborn, you go through lots and lots of wipes each day. And you’re probably not too thrilled about having to pay high store prices for something you can make yourself. Yes, you can make baby wipes at home. You’ll be surprised at just how easy it is. It'll be a great baby gift for your little one and you'll save at least enough money to treat yourself to a nice cup of coffee at a fancy cafe!

What You’ll Need:

• 2 cups of Boiled Water
• A Sharp Knife
• Strong Paper Towels on a Tube
• 1 Tablespoon of Baby Oil
• 2 Tablespoons of  Baby Bath or Baby Shampoo
• A Plastic Container with a Tightly Sealing Lid

To get started making your own baby wipes, start at a time when you’re not going to be interrupted. When baby is sleeping is the perfect time for you to get these done from start to finish.

Start by boiling the water. Tap water is fine. Once you boil it, it will be free from any bacteria that could spoil the end product. While the water is boiling, get all your other ingredients ready. Start off by carefully cutting the tube of paper towels in half vertically. (Place the tube lying flat on your table horizontally. Cut one short cut down the middle from top to bottom, NOT the long way.) Remove the cardboard core and discard. After the water has come to a boil, shut off the heat. The water will need to cool a bit before you handle it to avoid burning yourself.

While the water is cooling, prepare the container. A good Tupperware or other plastic tub will work well as long as it has a tight fitting lid. A good size is the pint-sized Chinese soup containers that you get at some takeout places. Save one next time you order in. Place the baby oil and the baby bath or shampoo into the container. Now, when the water has cooled, pour 2 cups of it into the container with the oil and the shampoo. Place half of the roll of paper towels into the container. Secure the top. Allow to sit for ten minutes to soak in the liquid. Shake the container and then open it. Turn the roll upside down so the entire surface, both top and bottom, are coated with the mixture.

Your wipes are now ready to use. Pull from the center of the roll, not the outer edge, and the wipes will dispense as the store bought ones do, one at a time.

Your wipes will stay moist as long as you keep the top firmly sealed. You will be so comforted knowing your wipes contain no chemicals. And your baby will be comforted by the soothing softness of your homemade product. When you run out of wipes, repeat the process above with the other half of the paper towel roll. Or, you can make a bigger batch of wipes all at once. As long as you are careful to seal the containers, they will last until you need them. It’s a wonderful way to save money and also a nice nod towards yesteryear when moms and dads made everything their babies needed to be comfortable.

A baby shower is a fun time for ladies to gather around the mom-to-be and shower her with well-wishes and gifts for her baby. It should be a festive time with lots of cheer. Games can help break the ice for guests who don’t know each other and get everyone in on the fun.

Here are some free baby shower games that you can play. Ideas for prizes include gift cards to nail salons or coffee houses, mugs filled with candy, small candles, fresh-baked cookies wrapped in pretty cellophane, pens, notepads and other dollar store type items.

Belly String

The mom-to-be will be nice and round by the time you host the shower. A fun game is to give every guest a roll of string and ask them to cut off as much as they think will fit around the mom’s belly. They’re not allowed to measure. They have to eyeball it. The one who comes closest wins a prize.

Bowl for Baby

Set up 10 baby bottles filled with M&Ms or little candies. Arrange them like bowling pins. Use a small ball such as a beach ball or small croquet ball and have each guest bowl for prizes.

The Name Game

There are variations on this fun game, but one way to play is to ask guests to sit in a circle. Each guest, as their turn comes up, must shout out a baby name that starts with a letter of the alphabet. The first person will get “A” and shouts out “Angelina!” and so on. Each guest only gets three seconds and if they can’t come up with a name by then, they are eliminated. No repeats!

Diaper Game

When guests come in give them a little diaper baby shower favor that you have made. This should be a piece of cloth napkin wrapped as a diaper and secured on with a diaper pin. Everyone will ooh and ah at such a cute little favor. What they don’t know is that you have smeared chocolate inside one of the diaper favors. The person at the end of the festivities who opens theirs and finds the “dirty diaper” wins a prize. It’s great for a good laugh. Plus, the pins look cute as everyone is walking around.

Don’t Say It

As guests enter and walk around the baby shower, what’s the one word you’ll hear over and over? That’s right, “baby.” As a fun game, you can instruct everyone that they’re not allowed to say baby. If they do, they’re out. The person who has not said baby by the end of the party wins a prize.

Diaper Race

You’ll probably have both new moms and grandmothers at your shower. This is a fun way to see who can diaper and dress a baby the fastest. Start with two baby dolls. Add a pile of clothes that includes a diaper, socks, onesie, pants and hat. Start the race by having two ladies race against each other to dress their doll. Hilarious laughter will erupt as even the most seasoned ladies fumble.

On the spot Scrapbook

Have on hand a blank scrapbook and lots of baby decorations, markers, crayons, sequins, glue sticks, cutouts and other baby-themed cut outs. Allow each lady to create a scrapbook page for the new mom. When the book is finalized, give it to the new mom so she can include photos of the new baby. Another idea is to take digital photos of each lady at the shower and print them out at the party so each guest can glue their own snapshot in along with their message.

The whole idea of having games at the baby shower is to make everyone mingle and loosen up. Make sure your games are enjoyable for even the smallest attendees and that the older folks are also able to join in. Your shower will be such a success you may be asked to host the next family shower!

Click here to find more free baby shower games.

Here’s an idea you can use whether you want to create a personalized baby gift to give at a baby shower or if you want to include a fun craft-making session as part of a baby shower. You can decorate onesies. Onesies are those cute little baby bodysuits that snap at the bottom. You can find them at any discount store.

What you’ll need to create a decorative and personalized onesie is the following:

• A package of soft onesies (found at discount stores in the baby section)
• Fabric markers (found at craft stores)
• Iron on paper (found at craft or office supply stores)
• Baby designs (find clip art online)
• Scissors
• Pressing cloth or towel
• Computer and printer
• Iron

If you’re going to include this craft session as part of a baby shower, set up a station and include all the materials already prepared so your guests can get right to the fun.

Before the shower, find clip art of baby-themed designs or cartoons online. Type in “baby clip art” and you’ll find a number of free designs pop up. You can choose from rocking horses, bottles, pacifiers, teddy bears and more. If you know the theme the mom to be has chosen for her nursery, try to find designs that relate to it. If she’s going with an ocean theme, you could do starfish or boats or seashells.

You’re going to want to cut and paste the designs into a Word document on your computer. Simply right click on the design to save it onto your computer. Then paste it into your document. If you’re challenged on the computer, ask a tech savvy friend to help out. Chances are they’ll know how to do this easily. Once you’ve arranged all your designs in a Word document, you’re going to print them on Iron-On paper.

Insert the Iron-On paper into your computer. Be sure you face it the correct way according to the manufacturer’s directions inside the package. You should try a test run before you use the actual paper to make sure everything is aligned the way you want it. Go ahead and print your designs onto the Iron-On paper.

Cut out the individual designs and arrange them on your craft table where the guests will be making the onesie baby gifts. You’ll also want to place the fabric markers, iron, and other supplies there.

When guests arrive, you can let them help themselves to the supplies to make a onesie of their choice. All the guest have to do is iron the decal onto the onesie. (Protect the table surface with a towel or pressing cloth.) Then guests can write with fabric markers either the baby’s name or “with love from Gramma.”

Note that sequins, beads and other tiny objects should not be used as they can come loose and baby could swallow them. Also, do not use 3D puff paint for this project as it tends to dry scratchy and may not be the best surface for baby to cuddle up against.

Guests will love joining in on this project and the resulting onesies will be a delight for the mom to be.

If you are doing this project as a gift for a baby shower you will be attending, you can roll your finished onesies into a bouquet and tie them together with string. Present them as a bouquet with your gift card.