Figuring out what to get that baby on your holiday shopping list is trial and error. Babies are so damn picky! But here are five items that are, in my opinion, worth every penny in their usefulness and/or overall ability to keep baby from screaming:
Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo
My son can bounce for an hour in this thing, and the Jumperoo’s activity center keeps him enthralled when he’s not going all spastic. He especially loves the spin rattle and the bug on a stick, which he teethes on. You can get the Jumperoo from sites like Amazon.com or Walmart.com for $69.
Sophie the Giraffe
It’s sad when perfect little babies become teething, rashy messes. Sophie to the rescue! The retro-looking giraffe is painted in high-contrast colors with baby-safe dyes, is easy for little hands to grasp, has plenty of little anatomical parts (horns, baby legs, lips, etc.) that baby will enjoy chomping on and squeaks. She looks like she should probably cost about $9, instead of the almost-20 bucks Amazon charges, but keeping a baby quiet is priceless.
Handmade wooden mobiles
Looking for an alternative to those crib-mounted mobiles, which usually need to be removed as soon as baby starts sitting up, I saw some great wooden Czech-made mobiles hanging from the ceiling of my son’s pediatrician’s office. Problem solved! I purchased a neat Dragon one from the U.K.-based Wooden Toys Shop, which had fast, free delivery and free gift wrap. It flaps its wings when you pull its string and is totally eco-friendly. It’s also hung from plenty of string, so you can adjust it upward and out of the reach of little hands. My son loves staring at the dragon when he wakes up in the morning, buying me some more sleep time. Prices vary depending on style of mobile.
Bumbo Baby Seat
These little molded seats are great for getting your baby up and off that noggin of his (for those who don’t know, babies’ soft skulls are prone to flattening when babies lay on their backs all the time). Once a baby can support his own head, he can be plopped in the Bumbo for a change of scenery or, if he’s too small for a high chair, feeding time. About $40.
Photo site gift certificates
New parents are constantly taking pictures of their babies, which makes Shutterfly.com or Snapfish.com gift certificates so very necessary. Available in varying denominations, let a new mom order pictures, photo books or anything else her little sleep-deprived heart desires.
