Doting Grandma Help Needed

[marlasmom]

My younger daughter just called and said they would not be coming to Florida for Christmas because her first BABY is due on Valentine's Day. I am beside myself with joy.

Now then I am ready to race out the door and start shopping but they have only summer stuff down here and DD lives in Cleveland. Planning trip to Cleveland (maybe October) and will take her shopping with me.

When my grandson (age 13) was born I bought EVERYTHING. When my son's children were born I got very specific lists from DIL (she's a charmer).

NOW I have a free hand but not as much money as when the others were born.

What is essential and what is just wasteful. All tips and suggestions appreciated. Stroller suggestions, high chair, I'd like to buy a buggy child can sleep in.

Thanks very much.

 

[DVC-Don]

I recommend ordering the DVD "Daddy's Little Dividend" with Spencer Tracy and Liz Taylor. Perfect depiction of completing grandparents and funny as heck.

 

[eeyore45]

my youngest is 7 so I have no idea whats up and coming with baby stuff now... but

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Dont forget to buy cards!! I'm sure you will call often, and maybe you email, but having a card maybe every other week from mom would be such a great gift!! add some poetry, maybe even a poetry book, Matty Stapenek is a great inspiration for the simple things....

I personally wouldnt reccommend gift cards, they tend to expire, get lost, or there are some that if you dont use them, they deduct $1 or $2 after 3 or 4 months - and those are the worst in getting out of the house with the cute baby!! Plus if they get near a magnet, the strip is negated...

 

[mrsheppo]

First of all

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

My first grandchild is due Feb 16 and one thing I am buying on a monthly basis is diapers. Can't have enough of those. I have also been visiting the Disney Store and buying the little onesies outfits of Winnie the Pooh in yellow.

My DD wants a Winnie the Pooh theme, I found the stoller and pack and play crib at WalMart.

Enjoy having fun buying!!

 

[floridafam]

I haven't had a little one in a while but I really like the strollers with the car seats that you can remove. I wish I had this option when my chidren were babies.

Wipes-we could never have enough baby wipes, diapers.

A good thermometer. We like the Braun Thermoscan but you can't use it until the baby is 6 months old. My DD had a fever when she was just a few weeks old and it basically saved her life because I had a good, working thermometer in the house.

A great diaper bag-the cute ones they have at Gap now are nice.

www.gap.com has some nice maternity and baby clothes. I always give any expectant mommies I know gift cards to Baby Gap or a nice starter set of onesies, etc.

Burp cloths-can never have enough.

A bottle dryer for the kitchen counter.

That's about all I can think of.

Have fun!!!!! Congratulations.

 

[onecoolmama]

Our house is full of babies and the above suggestions are good. Diapers are a HUGE help and at about 3-4 months a saucer (walker but with a bottom so it doesnt move) was a huge hit with my kids.

Another HUGE help was the Baby Mozart DVD. DVD not tape because if you are in the middle of something you can put it on continuous play and it starts over instead of having to rewind it. My kids watched as early as 1 month.

Fianlly, bouncy seat and a boppy pillow are always helpful.

That is all I can think of for now..but I will keep an eye on this thread and if there is anything else I can think of I will let you know.

 

[Boots]

My grand daughter is almost five months old. DD has really enjoyed her saucer by evenflo, her swing, and her bouncy seat. She also has a high chair that will adjust to almost laying completely back to sitting up completely. I have a pack & play here at my house and love it! She also likes a boppy for feeding the baby at night. She has a stroller that they go on walks every night with. Kaylee has little chubby legs and we have had fits getting clothes that don't cut off her circulation. Carter's seem to fit her best in her legs. Hope this helped a little. CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

[skuttle]

My DS LOVES his swing...he just had his first birthday on July 2nd and he still fits in his swing and will often nap in there when no where else will do. He likes to be in the middle of things, so when he's cranky, we can often put him in the swing...he still sees everything so he's happy and eventually he falls asleep.
DS had a bouncer, but he really preferred his swing.
DS had a exersaucer...loved it, but only for a few months. We have gotten the most use out of his swing.

The infant carseats with the base are a must! I sure miss just being able to snap that carseat in! We have a travel system(infant carseat and stroller)...it was great for a while, but we have since bought a much smaller, lighter stroller.

Instead of a highchair, we bought a feeding seat. You can get them for around $15-20. They strap on to a normal dining room chair. It's been great so far with DS and SO much smaller than a highchair.

Of course...you can never have enough diapers or wipes. Just make sure you don't buy too many newborn wipes. My DS wore newborn diapers for a while, but my cousin's baby never fit in them!

Onesies are great! DH always wore a onesie unless we were going out somewhere...and even then he had some "dressy" onesies for that. They were great!!

As for pacifiers/bottles...wait for baby on that one. Some babies are very picky. My DS never took a pacifier.

We have a pack N play, but only really use it when DS spends the weekend at my mom's house since she does't have a crib there.

Lots of people rave about various baby videos, but my DS never cared for them and still doesn't care for TV, so I wouldn't buy too many of those.

I also bought tons of burp clothes before he was born...rarely used them as DS never spit up or drooled much...still doesn't. But, I could never have enough bibs...they gets stained so easily once they start eating babyfood.

Have fun and congrats!!

 

[Cinders]

Does she have a digital camera so she can email grandma pics of the baby weekly? How about some sort of musical toy to keep the baby calm while falling asleep?

 

[nuke]

When I was pregnant I enjoyed looking over baby magazines, catalogs and shopping in the stores to find the perfect things for my coming baby. I would suggest waiting until your daughter picks some things out and then get them for her.

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by nuke
When I was pregnant I enjoyed looking over baby magazines, catalogs and shopping in the stores to find the perfect things for my coming baby. I would suggest waiting until your daughter picks some things out and then get them for her.

Oh, I would have loved to have been able to go shopping with my mom to pick out just what I wanted. As it was, I had to do everything myself, since I was in georgia with no family. It wasn't nearly as much fun.

 

[ahutton]

If you have outlets in your area they may have good deals on the warmer stuff, but if not onsies are a great idea - they are good for layering which we found important for our January baby.

Some of the best things my parents did was buy a few maternity outfits that could be very versatile - dressed up or down. They got a mobile for the crib that we also used on the pack and play DH's parents bought.

As for baby stuff, I found I did not have enough mattress pads or crib sheets. I learned to layer 2 or 3 (pad/sheet, pad/sheet, pad/sheet) in the crib so if we had a mess I just pulled a layer off and was ready for the baby to go back down. DD2 had very bad reflux - this was a life saver. A good travel system (infant carrier with stroller) or convertable seat (goes from rear facing 5 lbs. to front facing 40) is going to be important.

If they plan to use daycare, you might see as it gets closer what the center requires and help fill that void as by the time that list comes along the budget is usually very stretched. Also - if they do this and both parents want to drop and pick up they will need seats for both cars - or bases for the carrier.

 

[buzzlady]

crib sheets
onsies
blanket sleepers

 

[marlasmom]

Thanks very much. Please keep them coming.

 

[djgeffers1]

Conguatulations! My first grandchild is due around thanksgiving and I cant wait. I went out and bought a stroller, 2 bouncy chairs, a baby monitor,nano bag,swing, and a car seat. As soon as I find out wheather its a boy or girl then I will start buying some clothes. don't forget the lotions, powders, shampoo and such.

 

[mamajoan]

Congratulations to all!

My DS and DIL just had a new baby 6 weeks ago. About mid pregnancy she registered at Babies are Us and Target. That was extremely helpful. Up til then I was buying stuff that I had talked about with both of them... and stuff I just liked.. LOL. DS laughing forbid me from buying ''costumes''... LOL... I swear if it were up to Mike His newborn baby boy would be wearing all designer baby clothes... Kenneth Cole is his favorite>... LOL

As this is your DD first baby, some books may be just right for now. Things about being pregnant, Baby's First year.... etc.
and a cutie patootie pair of booties will get her on her way.

Have fun! I know you enjoy your Grandma Gig too!

 

[CEDmom]

That's wonderful news.

For us, we waited so long for DD that I would have been upset if anyone started buying big things before we had a chance to register. As a soon to be new mom your DD probably wants to pick everything out herself.

I'd suggest going with some generic things until she's done this. How about books? Good Night Moon, Run Away Bunny, Pat the Bunny etc are all wonderful books. They come in the board book style which also make good teethers when the baby gets to that stage. How about some wonderful lullaby music? Our DD loved to be rocked until drowsey and then put in her crib with some nice soft music on.

 

[waughzee]

Since this is her first baby, and you don't have as much money to spend as you did on the others, why not throw her a shower?

I realize you are far away, but you can email people, have them send you their wrapped item by a certain date, and then you can send it all to her in a giant box. I am sure she would be thrilled!

Make sure you find out what "theme" she wants. If she registered somewhere like Target, or Toys R Us, it would make it easier for everyone!

Congratulations Grandma!

 

[Chattyaholic]

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

My DD and her DH are expecting their first baby too, January 30.
We are so excited!!!

I plan on buying a lot of things, further into her pregnancy. I think she has decided on Classic Pooh for the nursery theme, and they are going to register at Target so that will be very helpful.

I also want to buy things to have here for the baby at my house, like a playpen or Pack 'n Play, swing, high chair, etc. I've already started buying small toys, and once we find out if it's a boy or girl I'll buy a few outfits too. And I want to have diapers, wipes, etc. for here at the house too.

 

[Boots]

The car seats with the bases are wonderful! I forgot about those. DD has an evenflo car seat. I ordered on line from the evenflo company extra bases. I got one for my car and then one for SIL. The latch hook is great but hard to remove the seat, base or whatever from so the bases have been great! We just leave them in the different vehicles and move the seat from one to the other. The bases are about $15 each and they came in about three days after I ordered them! Have fun!