Polliwogged || Category || Celebrations

Boring baby showers be gone!

I go to a lot of baby showers and it seems like we play a lot of the same games every time. If you are going to be hosting a baby shower and don't want it to be boring, try looking at this list of baby shower games. Some are printable, so you don't have to do much work, which is great when you are busy and don't have a lot of extra time.

Some of these are great games to use right as the guest arrive. For exmple, hand attendees a piece of paper with a word scramble or a crossword puzzle, or even game number 7 from this list as they walk in the door. Then you immediately get them involved in the party and people aren't just sitting around waiting for the party to start.

Make sure you consider all the guests who are going to be there. Some people might not be comfortable talking about some subjects with their grandmother present, while others might not have any problem whatsoever. Just something to keep in mind when picking out party games! - Trisha

Photo by brittanyculver, shared via Flickr

Itty Bitty Sponsors

Project Wonderful - Your ad here, right now, for as low as $0.00

Send a card, plant a tree: An affordable green baby shower gift

If you’re looking to go green for your next baby shower gift but the price of an organic layette set or an eco-friendly wooden toy is a bit out of your budget, how about buying the new little one her own tree?

The Arbor Day Foundation’s online store includes Give-A-Tree Cards, a line of beautiful greeting cards that when purchased, plant a tree in honor of the recipient. Their Budding Family card is the perfect gift for a new baby: “In honor of your budding family…the birth of your child has been celebrated with a tree planted in a National Forest. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.”

Arbor Day Foundation’s Give-A-Tree cards usually cost $5.95 but their Budding Family card is currently on sale for just $3.50. If you’re like me and love stocking up on great gifts, this would be a perfect one to buy in bulk for those upcoming spring and summer baby showers. It has a very simple yet very sweet design and is a gender-neutral gift.

You can purchase the Budding Family Give-A-Tree card for $3.50 from the Arbor Day Foundation and give a gift that celebrates life in more ways than one. - Emily H.

Happy Inauguration Day, Baby!

Today's inauguration of a new president is a momentous day in our nation's history. Why not remember the day with a special book for baby? Yes We Can! A Salute To Children From President Obama's Victory Speech is an inspirational picture book for children. The text, as the title implies, is from President Obama's election night victory speech, and the words are complimented with photographs of children from across the country and Obama on the campaign trail. This book, available for just $4.99 from both Amazon and Scholastic, is a perfect keepsake of such a big day.

Looking for a book that is a little less specific to this year's inauguration? There are a lot of other great choices out there. Some of my favorites are Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier, and If These Walls Could Talk: Family Life at the White House by Jane O'Connor.

Happy Inauguration Day reading! - Sara I.

Hand stitched baby shower invitations

What's even better than a hand-written thank you card or baby shower invitation? A hand-written and handmade card, of course!

Adore by Nat makes the most amazing stitched and embellished note cards, and the prices are more affordable than you would think. Frankly, it would take me all day to attempt to make any of the card styles she features, and at the end of the day it would look like I had my 4 year old do it. So the fact that she charges around $3 per card is amazing to me.

Are you planning a baby shower? These note cards would be a really special way to set the mood. They would also be wonderful as baby announcements, thank you cards, and birthday invitations. $3.25 from Adore by Nat. - Erika

Holiday photo fun with babies

Baby's first Christmas... what a fun time! It is a great opportunity to capture some creative pictures for memories to cherish for a lifetime. Here are a few unique ideas to get you started:

Take pictures of preparations - The actual day of the holiday isn't all there is to capture. Remember that this is the holiday season, stretching for a month or more. Take pictures of your little one getting involved in holiday preparations as well as in the cleanup, no matter how helpful (or not) they may be.

Stocking stuffers - Small infants can make great stocking stuffers! Capture a picture of your child becoming an integral part of your holiday season. It is a great memory of the holiday and of just how small that baby really is!

The gift of the season - Reflect on your true gift this holiday: Your baby! Turn your baby into a present by laying him underneath the tree or sitting him in a box. This picture captures the spirit perfectly.

Looking for more tips and ideas? Check out these links:

16 Digital Photography Tips for Christmas from the Digital Photography School

Christmas Pictures Can Tell Stories for Generations to Come from Best Family Photography Tips

- Sara I.

Photo by Raphael Goetter, shared via Flickr

Older posts