Gifts for the Second Child
What do you take to a shower for a mom who is having her second or third (or more) baby? This question especially rings true if you know they are having another of the same sex they already have. And what can you do for a gift that won’t break the bank? Here are some ideas:
- Diapers. I’m guessing that everyone would need diapers, for whatever sex. Even if they usually use cloth, disposables are so handy to have for travel, etc. When your own child grows out of a certain size, save the leftovers from the smaller size. You can put a nice gift bag together with diapers of all sizes. Babies might start with the newborn size diapers, but eventually they will need the bigger sizes.
- Clothes. Hand-me-downs can be made into a really nice gift. This is especially for moms who are having a different sex than they already have. Wash, dry and fold your nicest hand-me-downs and wrap them up for a shower gift. Maybe even attach a note telling about how some of them were your favorites or memories you have of your own kids wearing them.
- Toys. Chances are, second-time moms already have plenty of toys around. If their first child is much older, then baby toys are a good bet. Toys that will be chewed on are also a good idea. You can often find some of these cheaply at mega-stores like WalMart or Target. If you have toys that are in excellent condition, they might make a good hand-me-down too.
- Gift Cards. If your budget allows, the new mom might appreciate a gift card to the local grocery store or Target – somewhere that they can go to get their own necessities for the new baby.
- Meals. Another thing you might be able to do on a small budget is fix a meal or two for the family. One meal before the baby comes (when mom is getting too big and tired to cook) and one after the baby arrives.
Frugality: Something New?
Over at Yahoo, there is an article from BusinessWeek about The New Age of Frugality. It talks about how people are beginning to think about spending less money, imagine that! It has some good tips and the family that the story is about also started a blog called Suddenly Frugal. I applaud the family’s decision to get themselves in the black and take charge of their finances! I just wish frugality wasn’t a fad that comes and goes so much.
The best start you can give your kids is practically FREE
From Parenting.com, an article about the top five things that you can do to raise a happy, emotionally healthy kid.
An exerpt: “…experts say, all babies, toddlers, and preschoolers will thrive as long as they are:
* Provided a predictable life with a reasonably ordered environment
* Held and touched often
* Talked to (or sung to) often
* Read to frequently
* Exposed to interesting experiences
* Given many opportunities to learn through play.”
All things that we at SIP advocate and encourage. The best part? None of these things will take your life’s savings. “Interesting Experiences” do not have to include flying to another country. It can mean taking an exploration walk around your neighborhood to look for insects, birds or colors. It can mean taking a backroad to Grandma’s house instead of the freeway in order to stop at a local cheese factory. Try it today!
Fun With a Tube
The Boy’s current favorite toy is a cardboard tube that formerly held wrapping paper. It is the perfect bat to use inside the house with soft balls (not softballs!). It also makes a great tunnel for small cars and trumpet for a musical parade. Daddy reinforced it with duct tape after the first little bend. Two shades of duct tape no less – now it is a cool two-tone bat! Just a reminder that free toys can be found just about anywhere with a little imagination!
Summer Travel Ideas
Budget Travel has a list of 10 locations where you can ‘unfasten your seatbelts and get out and walk.’ It could be that none of these places are close by for you. However, there are probably some fun places to get out and walk around in your neck of the woods too. Check your local and regional city/chamber of commerce websites for budget activities. There might be some federal or state lands nearby that you could check out. One friend of ours decided to do several day trips during one week for their ’summer vacation.’ This way they did not have to pay for any lodging. Their kids got to see some new museums, beaches and parks without the hassle of packing for a week-long vacation.
Sheep are a Hoot
We’ve recently discovered the Sheep books by Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple. These short rhyming books are a kick and usually get peals of laughter from The Boy. The illustrations are great and they are the perfect length for a before bedtime read aloud. Our favorite is Sheep on a Ship, closely followed by Sheep in a Jeep and Sheep in a Shop.
Travel Toys and Tips
We used to be able to pack up the car (including the dog and all her paraphanelia) and hit the road quite easily. Now, with The Boy, packing has taken on a new meaning. We really have to consider every nook and cranny in the car and pack like we’re solving a puzzle with all the gear needed to keep a pre-schooler happy on a trip. And you can forget about the dog. She got demoted to a dog-sitter during vacations soon after The Boy was born.
Before you start cramming everything into your car and lashing stuff to the roof, consider these tips.
1. Many hotels and resorts provide baby gear such as pack and plays and high chairs. Restaurants provide booster seats. Call your destination before packing to see what baby/kid gear might be offered.
2. If you are traveling to a major city, there are usually baby equipment rental possibilities. Baby’s Away and Babies Travel Lite are two such rental outlets.
3. If you are traveling to visit relatives, ask them if they have baby equipment already or if they know of friends/neighbors in their area that might be willing to lend to you.
4. Unless you have a 15 hour flight or a seriously long road trip, you really don’t need too much for actual travel time. Keep your kids entertained with games like I Spy or the Alphabet Game. Take along books on tape or cd for the car. If they are old enough, give them a specific ‘travel’ bag that they can fill will activities. Or, my favorite, plan your travel for during nap time and hope they sleep most of the time!
Happy Traveling.
My Favorite Cookbook
About a year ago we started subscribing to a local farm. As CSA members, we receive a box of veggies and fruit every week. This has been great for our diets. We’ve begun to get a feel for what is in season and how good things taste when they are not shipped from another continent!
At first, though, I was at a loss as to how to cook all these vegetables. (The fruit is easy. The Boy eats fruit with almost every meal.) I shopped around and finally settled on From Asparagus to Zucchini; A Guide To Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce. This cookbook is amazing! It is organized by vegetable, with at least 4 recipes for each. Most of the recipes require other ingredients that are also currently in season. In addition to the recipes (we have yet to find one we really don’t like), each section has a brief history of that vegetable and cooking and storage tips.
Really, who knew there were so many delicious ways to prepare beets or how delicious a carrot almond cake could be? Pasta Pie with Fresh Greens anyone? How about Garlic Parsley Pesto or Penne alla Zucca (Roman Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce)?
f you are thinking of trying to cook more with seasonal produce or if you have a plethora of squash and need some ideas of how to use it, this is the book for you. If you want to introduce more vegetables (and not just the mainstream veggies you find at the supermarket) into your diet, this is the book for you. If you like to shop at Farmers’ Markets, but just don’t know how to fix that kohlrabi, this is the book for you. Happy Cooking and Happy Eating!
Watering the Rocks
Here’s a fun, cheap activity for a warm summer day. The Boy has his own small watering can (I think it was from the $1 bin at Target) and loves to use it to water anything and everything around the yard. Including the rocks. Every time we change out a 2.5 gallon water container from our emergency supplies, the old one goes out in the garden area on a shelf that he can easily reach. This way he can fill his watering can again and again without one of us having to turn on the hose or leave the water running.
Sunscreen
Parenthacks has a fun suggestion of how to use a make up brush to easily get sunscreen on your child’s face without too many tears. Summer is here in the northern hemisphere and sunscreen should become part of your daily routine. As us fair-skinned know, sunscreen can be necessary all year long, but on long days when kids are outside a lot, it is even more important. If you make putting the sunscreen on part of your routine throughout your day, then, just like brushing teeth or washing hands, it will become a natural thing for your child to do.
Here’s another reminder: Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to those ears and the back of the neck. Tops of feet are another easily forgotten, easily burned location, especially during sandal/barefoot season. Reapply when you are out in the sun for long periods of time and after swimming. If your child has fair skin and fair hair, consider sunscreen on the head too (or a cute hat!).
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