I recently joined the Mom’s Club just four short months ago so the whole birth experience is somewhat fresh on my sleep deprived mommy mind. It’s hard to believe even that much time has passed since my little guy made his grand appearance and my life changed forever. I’ve since realized that time is a funny thing when days don’t end with nights. It’s just been one long day since last October with a few periods of shut eye in between. He has finally started sleeping more at night (can I get a hallelujah?!) which has left me time to reflect on the sweetest gifts we’ve received from family and friends over the past few months.
One of my favorite gifts I received as a new mom (ok, I gifted it to myself. I also thanked myself for such a thoughtful present) was a stuffed bear made from my son’s hospital blanket.
I turned into a sentimental pile of mush when I had a baby and everything held such a significant meaning so when I saw this I knew I had to get one. Not for my son, for me. You mail your child’s blanket to Numsie’s Etsy Shop and select which type of toy you want it to become and voila. Three weeks later it shows up at your door. The toys are a bit small. I ordered a bear and it was about 12” from head to toe, but so worth every inch. The shop owner even stitched up the edges and returned the portion she didn’t use. You can also purchase a gift certificate for someone so they can select their own toy which has become my go-to baby shower gift. I love this bear. It’s something I’ll keep forever.
When we were in the hospital after giving birth to my son, the good Lord looked down on me and smiled when he said, “Lisa, I’m sending my maid to your house to do a good deep cleaning before you come home with your new bundle of joy.” Wait, was that the Lord or was that my dear friend Christina? God bless her sweet soul.
We started demo on an ill-advised bathroom remodel when I was 36 weeks pregnant. When we went in for our weekly check-up the day after ripping out what once was an old 1950’s bath tub on its way to becoming a beautiful frameless glass, marble stand up shower, my doctor informed my husband and I that this baby was coming early. Insert panic attack. While we were in the hospital, there was a crew working like mad men trying to finish our bathroom as quickly as their tile laying hands would allow. Alas, the bathroom wasn’t finished when we came home, but our house was spotless. You would never have known there was a truckload of contractors swinging hammers just days before.
One of the sweetest things you can do for a new mom is to send a maid/housecleaning service to her house. I felt such a sigh of relief knowing that I was bringing this delicate, fragile, tiny human being home to a place where the only thing I had to worry about was caring for his needs. Not to mention the burden of having a clean house that was lifted for when family and friends came over to “ooh” and “aww” over our newest addition. If you know a new mama and you love or even like her, schedule a cleaning service to come to her house. Even if she declines, do it anyway.
This next gift is the perfect token to bring to a friend in the hospital or to leave hints for your hubby for a low cost yet meaningful push present. Lat & Lo makes jewelry that is engraved with customized geographical coordinates. They make everything from necklaces to bracelets and rings. You can use the coordinates of any location that is special to you, but the thought of having the “lat & lo” of the hospital where my son was born hanging around my neck at all times warms my heart. Don’t know the exact coordinates? No problem. Just enter the address of the location you want inscribed on your jewelry and they’ll take care of the rest.
What are some of the sweetest gifts you’ve given or received as a new mom?
