Tuesday, February 28, 2023

5 Baby Shower Gift Ideas

5 Baby Shower Gifts

One of my dearest friends became an auntie yesterday and will become an auntie a second time very soon. She asked recently about ideas for baby shower gifts. Here are my top 5:
Links may be affiliate links. Thank you in advance if you make purchases through these links as they may result in a small commission for me. 

1. Lingerie bag
A lingerie bag is perfect for all the small bits that come with a baby but get separated or lost in the wash -- especially socks! Besides socks, I used it for drool bibs, gloves, and mittens. I also keep all of our family's single, unmatched socks in the bag, and over time I usually am able to find the matching socks! I like to use a big lingerie bag rather than small one as that gives the items inside of it room to move around and actually get washed while still staying contained. A large bag also leaves room for my own unmatched socks which I do wash every time I need to wash the little kiddo's socks.  
 
The bag I use for baby socks is actually an old lingerie bag that belonged to my grandmother, but here a few good options to check out on Amazon.com:
2. Restaurant delivery gift cards
In the past 10 years or more, I've only been involved in one group that has done a meal train for a family in need. When I was a kid, meal trains were incredibly common for new parents, sick people, grieving people, and so on. Someone would organize a group to make and deliver meals to the person or family in question. Although I know these still happen, it seems they are far less common than they used to be.
 
When my uncle passed away, someone arranged a meal delivery service for my child and I as we were his caretakers and he was our best friend. The meal service was great, but it had limitations -- pre-selected meals, allergens I couldn't avoid, and didn't always match up with what we were in the mood for. 

Consider a restaurant delivery certificate instead. GrubHub, DoorDash, Postmates or similar gift cards will provide ease and payment for the new parents or parents to be while also allowing them the flexibility to order food that fits their taste preferences, dietary needs, and so on.

3. A photo mini printer and tons of cartridges
In this day and age, many of us tend to keep our photos on our phones. Gone are the days of dropping off a roll of film or a disposable camera at a store for developing and printing. 

I miss having actual printed photos. It's nice to scroll through the photos on my phone, but printing them out is better! Make it easy for new parents by getting them a photo mini printer and plenty of cartridges. I love my Kodak mini printer and wish I'd had it when my child was a baby. 

Here's the printer I use on Amazon.com, as well as extra cartridges:

4. A baby first aid and grooming kit
A combined baby first aid and grooming kit was one of the most useful and thoughtful gifts I received when my 23 year old was born. Even though I never used several of the first aid items, knowing I had them gave me peace of mind. And, the grooming items were more useful than I ever expected -- as a first time mom, I had no idea how often I'd need to use some items like baby nail clippers!
 
As a gift giver, combined baby first aid and grooming kits have always been a hit as a baby shower gift! Every time I give one, someone at the shower says what a thoughtful and important gift it is and asks why they didn't think of it.
 
Here are my two favorites on Amazon.com:
5. Diapers and wipes
If you know if the family you are buying for plans to use cloth or disposable diapers, buy them some! Diapers are expensive and having a reserve is beneficial. Buy one small package of newborn and then larger packages of the next two sizes, if the recipient will have room to store them. If you are hosting a baby shower, ask all of the guests to bring a pack of diapers in addition to any other gifts -- at my sister's baby shower, not only did we ask that everyone bring one package of diapers, but we gave a raffle ticket to everyone that actually followed through! At the end of the baby shower, we raffled off a movie theater gift certificate.

What are your "go to" baby shower gifts? Leave a comment and let me know!
 

For older kids and partners, consider grabbing some of my download-and-print lunchbox notes -- available on Etsy HERE. Print them out and slip a note into your child's lunchbox or backpack or into your partner's purse or bag. 
Etsy printable lunchbox notes for adults and kids


Monday, February 27, 2023

25 Things To Do When You Don't Want To Do Anything

25 Things To Do When You Don't Want To Do Anything featuring a woman sitting against a wall with her head in her hands

I am having a day. A boring, no motivation kind of day. Maybe you are too! If you're at all like me, you might also have some messes here and there around the house. Or maybe you haven't been taking the best care of yourself. Or maybe you've been neglecting your personal interests and hobbies. 
 
Here are 25 tasks for when you need to do something but have no interest in doing anything:

1. Wash five dishes
2. Fold and PUT AWAY five pieces of laundry
3. Set a timer for 10 minutes and speed tidy your living room
4. Sort and deal with a stack of mail
5. Clean a window
 
6. Clean and vacuum under the couch cushions
7. Clean, tidy, and de-clutter your fireplace mantel or a shelf
8. Do a quick walk through of shared spaces and pick up trash and recycling -- then dispose of them properly!
9. Drink a glass of water
10. Take 10 deep, slow breaths and stretch your arms out and open as widely as you can with each breath
 
11. Tidy your wallet or purse
12. Tidy around your home's entry
13. If you carry a medical or allergy kit, make sure it's up to date
14. Read two pages of a book
15. Eat some fruit or veggies
 
16. Sit on the floor and stretch for ten minutes
17. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and doodle for five minutes with no particular goal or ideas in mind -- just scribble if that's all that makes sense in the moment!
18. Clean a toilet or sink
19. Do a face mask or other easy beauty treatment
20. Floss your teeth (brush them too if you haven't yet today!)
 
21. Unsubscribe from five email lists
22. Delete 10 terrible photos from your phone
23. Delete two unused apps from your phone
24. Clean out the center console of your car
25. Make yourself a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and close your eyes and savor it

When life is crushing us and beating us down, it can feel impossible to do anything. I find that breaking my day down into micro-tasks like those listed above can make a difference. I like to keep track of what I'm getting done over the course of these "I don't want to do anything" days as it helps me to see that I am actually capable of doing a lot and of taking control of my life.

What are your go-to tasks for when you don't want to do anything?


 

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Currently -- February 2023

February 2023 Things I'm currently reading, listening to, watching, loving and more with a close up image of a woman's hands holding a blue mug and a book

Hello, dear readers,
 
Over the next few weeks, you'll see some changes around Mom2MomEd headquarters (also known as this blog), in the Etsy shop, and on social media (both Facebook and Instagram). I'm going to do a rebrand and refocus. I hope you'll stick around!
 
In the meantime, here's what I've been doing, experiencing, working on, etc. over the course of February 2023:
 
Listening to: 
(Links are to the respective YouTube channels)
Watching: 
Reading: 
(These books are affiliate links to Bookshop.org -- thank you in advance for any purchases you make through Bookshop. They may result in a small commission for me.)
  • No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib (5/5 -- excellent! Contemporary fiction, dramatic, tense)
  • The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (still reading -- Contemporary Swedish fiction, humorous)
  • Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan (5/5 -- so good! Contemporary fiction set in the near future, dramatic, tense, psychological thriller, family and friend psychology and climate crisis)
  • The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (5/5 -- lighthearted and sweet; Contemporary fiction set in a village in England; a rom-com about underdogs/unsung heroes)
  • Cold by Mariko Tamaki (4/5 -- contemporary young adult fiction, murder mystery)
Craving: 
  • Coca Cola...always, but trying so hard to not drink any soda at all!
Making: 
(links are to my Etsy shops or individual Etsy listings)
  • Junk journal bundles and supplies
  • Stickers (the most fun I've had creating in a while!)
  • Envelopes and stationery
  • Book plates (still creating and have not listed any yet)
  • Collage kits (still creating and have not listed any yet)
  • A collage how-to course (still creating, but likely will be hosted on Teachable)
  • A how to become a private tutor course (still creating but likely will be hosted on Kajabi)

One change that is coming up relates to Etsy. I will be closing my Mom2MomEd Etsy shop and instead combining it with my Shop The Junk Drawer shop unless I suddenly start having100 or more monthly sales in the Mom2MomEd shop consistently. I'm looking to streamline and finesse my Etsy shops. 

Eating: 

  • Loads of produce! I'm working on eating 30 different fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds every month. In the process, I discovered that I'm allergic to goji berries!
Planning:
  • A trip to Paris
  • A trip to Buenos Aires
Loving:
  • Snow days
  • Cuddles on the couch with my dog
  • Warm blankets
  • Hot coffee
Needing: 
  • More hours in the day
  • More Etsy sales
  • More energy
  • To drink more water every day
Wearing: 
  • Navy blue Patagonia hoodie
  • Raspberry pink Adidas leggings
  • White ankle socks