Motherhood Mondays: 8 gift ideas for new parents

My lovelies, one of the questions readers most often ask is what to give friends who just had a baby. So, I'd like to share eight gifts for new parents. These ideas aren't wacky or offbeat, but they are gifts that parents will adore. (And I'd love to hear your thoughts, too!) Here goes...

Gifts you can mail:

1. A cuddly robe. As a new parent, when you get up (multiple times) in the middle of the night, or at the crack of dawn, it's wonderful to have a cozy robe to wrap around yourself. Alex has this navy-and-green one, I have this one, and this striped one is adorable.
2. Massages. Alex and I went for a couples massage (at a cheap walk-in massage place near our house) three weeks after Toby was born. It was honestly the best massage of my life; I still remember how incredibly good it felt. You're so sleepy and your muscles are sore, and it was just wonderful. I remember half falling asleep, which felt dreamy and peaceful. (TMI: My boobs leaked milk on the massage table. After we left, the massage therapist must have been like, What the...? :)
3. Your favorite children's book. New babies are soooooo sleepy, and, to an (impatient) new mama, any sort of playful interaction can seem like a thousand years away. So, I loved one evening when a friend came over with his favorite children's books. It made me so excited for the years ahead with Toby! (Growing up, I loved Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Roald Dahl and Amelia Bedelia, and here are Toby's favorites.)
4. Chocolate-covered strawberries! It sounds kind of random, but chocolate-covered strawberries make a surprisingly wonderful new-mom gift. When Toby was born, my friend Lina sent me a dozen, and I just about died and went to heaven. They were rich and decadent, but also fresh and healthy. She told me they were her favorite gift when she was a new mom, and once I mentioned them in conversation to other new moms, they would all pipe up. ("Euphoric," said Abbey. "The best," said Megan. "Perfect," said Samantha.)
5. An adorable outfit. We had stocked up with cheap basic onesies for Toby, so when friends would bring over adorable outfits for him (that we wouldn't have splurged on ourselves), we were over the moon! I especially love Winter Water Factory.
6. Baby notepads. Many new moms (myself included) find it helpful to record when your baby eats and naps and all of those sweet things, so you can keep track of your emerging schedule. A personalized notepad with her baby's adorable photo would be an endearing and useful gift for a new mama.
Gifts to give in person:

7. Cooking. Food of any kind. When Toby was a newborn, Alex and I were so, so grateful when friends would come over with soups, fresh salads, sandwiches, homemade cookies...It felt delicious and nourishing. (A handy tip: If your friend is breastfeeding, leave out garlic and raw onions, since those ingredients can make newborn babies fussy.)

8. Cleaning up the house. I literally teared up when a friend came over and, without asking, went into the kitchen and did all our dishes. It's so wonderful for people to help around the house when you're a new parent! You just never get to those things. If a friend came over and swept the kitchen floor, did a load of laundry, changed the bedsheets, replaced the toilet paper, and did the dishes, it would be such a joy and gift to the overwhelmed new parents.

A final tip: The gift of no pressure. When Toby was brand new, my good friend in California wrote a lovely congratulatory email to me, and at the end, she said, "Don't respond, go and be with your baby." And it felt SO good to know that I didn't have to do anything but read her lovely words and then turn off the computer. So, consider, at the end of any emails or with gifts that you send, including the words, "No need to respond" or "Don't write a thank-you note. Congratulations again!"

What would you recommend as a gift for friends with new babies? New moms and dads, what gifts do you remember really adoring? I would love to hear your thoughts!

P.S. A beautiful ring for mamas.
P.P.S. Speaking of books, the fantastic non-profit Milk + Bookies provides books to underprivileged children. Read more here.

(Top photo of Jora; dishes photo by Liv Dueck)

Motherhood Mondays: Being outside

I really, really, really don't like winter. Grey skies and snowy streets make you feel cooped up, and I'm already getting nervous about having a busy energetic walking baby boy indoors! So, I have a plan...
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Bravo, Toby!

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Goddard-Williams household. After months of clutching the coffee table and wobbling around on tippy toe, Toby STOOD all by himself for the very first time!!! Look at the balance! The posture! The nonchalance! Huge congratulations, my little one, from your very proud mama.

(You've come a long way, baby.)

Banana saver

You know you're a parent when you spend 20 minutes of a romantic dinner talking about your new banana saver*.

* and how awesome it is.

Beachy day

Toby and I are playing hooky for the rest of the week and heading to Fire Island with these guys. We're excited to nap on the beach and maybe grill some burgers. I have more posts coming up, if you're in a blog reading mood. :) xoxo P.S. Have you ever been to Fire Island?

Motherhood Mondays: 10 favorite bedtime stories

Let's talk about books! This past year, Toby and I read tons of bedtime stories, and he gravitated toward a handful of special favorites. (He's very opinionated!) Here are ten books we've love reading most...
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Gift for new mothers

Now and again, I’ll get a sweet email from a dad asking for gift ideas for his pregnant wife. I can't imagine a new mama who wouldn't adore this beautiful ring. It brings tears to my eyes!

Motherhood Mondays: Alex's side of the birth story

Now that it's been more than a year since Toby's birth, and our second wedding anniversary is around the corner, I thought I'd finally ask Alex to share his side of our birth story. I'm always really curious about what it's like for dads, whether they're coaching breathing, getting their hands tightly squeezed or pacing the waiting room. So, below, Alex shares his thoughts... :)
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Who would you want in the room when you're giving birth?

Who would you want in the room when you're giving birth? Alex and I wanted to be alone because I like complete quiet when concentrating. In college, I was one of those people who couldn't study with music playing; and I felt the same way about keeping our hospital room mellow during labor.

Who would you want in the room with you? Your mom? Your dad? Your best friend? Everyone? Just your spouse? Is there anyone you really wouldn't want there? I'd love to hear...

P.S. How to make a baby.

(Photo by Thierry Bouët of brand new babies)

Motherhood Mondays: What to register for your new baby

Before Toby was born, I felt totally overwhelmed by all the choices of baby products. I had no idea what to buy or where to shop or what we'd really need. (I remember bursting into tears to Alex one night on our way to dinner!) My wish was just to know exactly what other parents were buying for their babies, but, despite tons of research, I couldn't find a full registry list anywhere online. I was bewildered.

So, my darlings, now that Toby is here, I'd LOVE to share a complete list of the things we bought when he was a newborn. I wrote down every single thing (big and small), so you could literally get this list and be done with it. Or, of course, add/subtract as you see fit.

Congratulations to all new parents! Hope this guide is helpful. xoxo

OK, here goes...
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Motherhood Mondays: A baby's 10 favorite things

Babies fall in love with the most random things. After reading this great post, I decided to photograph Toby's top ten toys. First up: A wooden car.
House keys. (We bought him a pair of toy keys, but he will not be fooled.)
A NYC counting book with pizza and taxis. (Note the chewed-on edges.)
My lemon squeezer.
A MetroCard! Bendy!
Rubber duckies: one friendly, one elegant.
Remotes. Oh, remotes.
Pens.
Old glasses.
Seriously, what is it about Elmo? He is like a rock star in the baby world.

Mamas, what random things does your baby love?

P.S. Another Motherhood Monday post coming up. xo

Pinhole Press vacation book

My darlings, we love taking vacation photos (who doesn't?) but then we never really look at them again. They're just stuck on our computers. So! We decided to make a Pinhole Press photo book with our England vacation snapshots, and I love love love the way it turned out. The paper is really soft, the photos look gorgeous, and it's amazing to have a little book of our vacation. Alex and I have read through it like fifty times. :) Here are a few of the pages...
Anyway, it was easy to make and it's so wonderful to have; now I'm dying to make litte photo books for all our vacations and events, including every Christmas break and our wedding and honeymoon. Thought I'd share! xoxo
P.S. Inspired, I also made some thank-you notes to have on hand at home, using a photo Amy Merrick emailed me of her flowers. :)

At least ONE of Kyla Grace Palin's grandmothers loves her.

The good grandmother, Elizabeth Hanson, is the one on the left.

Courtesy of Radar Online:

In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Britta Hanson’s mother Elizabeth expressed her delight over her first grandchild. 

“Kyla Grace is great. She’s beautiful,” the proud first-time grandmother said.“I’m very happy,” she gushed about the new baby. 

Her daughter Britta, 21, gave birth to Kyla Grace on Saturday, August 6 just three months after marrying Track Palin, 22, Sarah and Todd Palin’s oldest child. 

“I love my daughter and my son-in-law very much,” Hanson told RadarOnline.com about the overjoyed new parents. 

Elizabeth Hanson spoke briefly about her family’s relationship with the Palins. “They’re their own people; we’ve known each other for a long time.”

Well I am glad that at least SOMEBODY in this screwed up family knows how to honestly share their feelings about this precious child.  Good for you Mrs. Hanson!

It looks like Kyra will have access to at least some sane family members. You know Tripp could have had that too if Bristol and Sarah weren't such...well you know.

(H/T to Joe McGinniss.)

Motherhood Mondays: On boobs. :)

My darlings, this may be a little intimate, but let's talk about breasts! After the jump, of course...
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Welcome to the world Kyla Grace Palin! Update!

Mommy-to-be, Britta Palin, surrounded by Kayla's gifts from the baby shower.

This from the blog of Joe McGinniss:

Sarah Palin’s son Track and his new wife Britta became the proud parents of a baby girl, Kyla Grace Palin, last night.

I learned last summer that Joe has EXCELLENT sources, so if he says that this baby was born last night, you can bet that his information is correct.

Okay let's see, Track and Britta got married in May, and this wonderful bundle of joy is born in August, which is approximately three months later. WTF?

How is it that these Palin women have the fastest human gestation on the planet? Do ALL women in Wasilla get pregnant and give birth in only two or three months, or is that only the people in this family?

By the way here is the official announcement from Sarah Palin.

Update: Well it looks like Radar Online found somebody close to the family to confirm Joe's tip:


A source close to the family confirmed the arrival of the little girl to the young parents who were married just three months ago in May.

Just for the record let me say that I never had any doubt that McGinniss had the straight poop. He made a lot of good friends in Wasilla during his stay and he hears all kinds of things.  As you will all learn for yourselves when his book comes out in September.

Simple pleasures

Toby and I spend a lot of time at playgrounds, and sometimes I'll get really low on the ground while he's swinging. At first, he's perplexed (every time)....
...and then he finds it hilarious (every time). Toby, I love hanging out with you.

Motherhood Mondays: The best book...

My lovelies, have you read the book Operating Instructions? I'm reading it right now, and it's quickly soaring to the top of my list of favorite books.

The brilliant Anne Lamott tells the story of her first year as a mother to a sweet chubby baby boy; she was single, 35 and a recovering alcoholic. Her honest, smart and up-roaringly hilarious descriptions of new motherhood--including both meltdowns and sacred moments--made me laugh out loud and tear up. I LOVED this book!

Have you read it? What did you think? (I just ordered her book Bird by Bird, too.) What other books are you reading? I'd love to hear!

P.S. One more Motherhood Monday post coming up...

Motherhood Mondays: Would you find out if you were having a boy or a girl, or keep it a surprise?

My darlings, if you were pregnant, would you want to find out if you were having a boy or a girl, or would you keep it a surprise?

When I was pregnant with Toby, I was on pins and needles; I would never have had the willpower to wait to find out the baby's sex. I'm a huge gossip by nature (never tell me a secret!), and I wouldn't have been able to wait patiently for nine whole months for the gender reveal. (Funnily enough, though, if we have another baby, I think I would want to wait, just to try it both ways! Can you imagine how exciting it would be while you were in labor?)

Here's a cute video of a couple finding out their baby's sex. They asked their doctor to write down "boy" or "girl," and without looking, they gave the piece of paper to a baker. Then the baker made a cake—with either blue cake for a boy, or pink cake for a girl—covered with white icing. Finally, that night, the couple invited friends and family over while they cut the cake...and revealed the cake color!

What about you, my lovelies? Would you prefer to wait, or would want to find out? If you have kids, did you know their sexes ahead of time? I'm so curious...

P.S. Do you secretly hope for either a boy or a girl? (I did!)

(Photo by Lazareva Valeria; video by Tupelo Honey)

Adventures in babywearing

At our friend's cabin upstate, Toby loved the friendly grown-ups and wanted to be in the middle of the action at all times. But Alex and I could only chase him around and keep him from falling off the dock for so long, so the sling turned out to be a perfect way to keep him happy and immersed. Here, we're fishing with friends--it was the first time for both Toby and me! (We caught nothing:)

Another early, chilly morning during our trip, we walked by a babbling stream and paused to watch the water flow by. It was so relaxing (I caught myself thinking that it sounded just like a noise machine, ha!), and Toby's head rested more and more heavily on my chest until I realized he had fallen asleep. (My other clue was a stream of drool flowing down my decolletage, such that it is.) So I sat down on a bench while the pink sun rose in the sky, and read Operating Instructions while he slept. I wish I had photos of that sweet moment, but Toby and I were the only ones awake! I took a mental snapshot, though. :)

Anyway, the sling was such a lovely addition to the weekend and a wonderful way to have adventures with a baby as a trusty sidekick.

(The only catch is that it makes it tricky to drink a pre-dinner PBR.)

P.S. This post is part of the Sakura Bloom Styleathon, hosted by my friend Leigh. Read more here, if you'd like. Thank you again to Leigh for introducing me to the genius of slings, which are becoming part of my life in beautiful and magical ways.