A few of my favorite things....

A close friend of Aunt P's had a baby last week.... a beautiful and healthy baby girl. Mother and daughter are doing fine.... Dad's probably freakin' out, but.... that's to be expected, right?

After you've had a baby, lots of people look to you for advice on what a good baby gift is -- so, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite gifts..... I loved some of these so much that I gave them to other people (their own.... I didn't regift, duh!).

The Cape Buffalos gave the little man an enormous one of these with his name embroidered on it -- it was his first piece of mail. Let me tell you, this bag is so versatile -- it has served as a weekend bag and as a toy chest -- yet, no matter how much stuff you jam in there (even the awkwardly shaped stuff like toys, books, diapers and wipes), it's still compact, easy to carry and not heavy!

Aunt P got me one of these, I'll admit it -- I was skeptical. And although my kids both were able to figure out a way to propel themselves out of it..... it's a nifty little thing to have around. It works great for those early feedings when the baby's too small for the highchair -- and it's small/light enough that you can take it to Grandma's if you need to.

My cousin, who recently had a set of twins herself, sent me a set of these. Her rationale was that everyone is so focused on the baby..... she wanted to do something nice for the Mommy. These pajamas were great -- pretty, yet comfy -- and they had a built-in-nursing bra, making those late night feedings less of a hassle.

We got these 'lil guys from a neighbor of the Big Dubya's parents. At first, I thought they were kind of impractical -- the kid can't walk, what's he need shoes for? But, I was wrong. These are fantastic because they keep the socks on!!!! And, as the baby gets older and starts to stand/walk -- they keep his/her feet warm, but still give them the benefits associated with being barefoot.

A former colleague sent the 'lil man this -- and it is so lovely. It's a book, but it's also a keepsake and tells a personalized story -- I love it.

Miss America gave the 'lil man this and the 'lil lady this and they are awesome.... although, the 'lil man's favorite tag was the one with the washing instructions.....

These are a few of my favorite baby gifts...... have any you'd like to share/recommend?