A Great Idea For Moms

Here is some quick advice for the Mom-to-be.  Register your baby shower at 1 or 2 stores.  Some mom's don't register because they feel like they are asking for free stuff.  The fact is, you are going to get free stuff at your shower anyway.  The registry is just a tool to help your guests make easier decisions, avoid duplicates, and to limit the number of items you may need to return. 

Your baby shower guests will appreciate knowing in advance some of the things that will be useful for you and your new baby.  Many of them will not know what to get, so your registry will be a big help.  For you, creating a registry is also a great tool for organizing and managing a list of the things you need.  As gifts are bought for you, they will be checked off your list.  At the end of the shower, you will have a much shorter shopping list for baby essentials.

For the mom you'll find a big advantage in having a registry as you begin to consolidate your gifts.  You may find that you have duplicates or that you didn't receive something that you needed.  With items bought from a registry, you will only have 1 or 2 places to return your unneeded gifts and can combine them to get something else you needed or wanted for baby without the hassle of running from store to store.

When you look at your registry as a tool, you'll find that they are both helpful and convenient in planning for the arrival of your new little one.

Choosing the Right Baby Shower Gift

A common question you'll find about baby showers is: What kind of gift should I get?  I'm here to tell you that this is an easy question to answer. 

Before shopping you should check with the mommy-to-be to see what she has already.  Its is traditionally ok for you to buy some of the larger items on mommy's list like bedding, playpens, strollers and car seats.  Still, you may want mom's input as she may have some specifics in mind for these types of items.  Check mommy's registry to help her with some of the more expensive items.  If you do get any big ticket items, make sure you give a gift receipt.  Don't be offended if Mommy exchanges it.  You still are helping her to get what she wants.  The one you choose may not have the style and features that mommy wants, but at least she'll be able to exchange it for one that fits her personal style and needs.

If the mommy to be has registered with sites like ToysrUs or BabiesRUs, visit their registry first, to see if there are any items you can knock off her list.  If not, stick to baby essentials like sleepers, receiving blankets, bibs, and bottles.  Mommy can never have enough of these items.  Don't forget to give gift receipts.  If mommy receives too much of something, she'll be able to exchange the items for other things on her list.
One way to make an impact and give a great gift is to look towards the creative world of baby gift baskets and diaper cakes.  These gifts are usually packed with essentials for mommy and baby.  They will often contain sleepers, blankets, toys, socks, diapers and other everyday items that mom is sure to need.  Giving these gifts is like giving many gifts in one.  They will almost always elicit oohs! and ahhhs! from baby shower guests as they also make a stunning impression for the baby shower gift table.

Overall shopping for a baby shower is easy  when you keep the needs of the newborn in mind.  Stick to the essentials and you can't go wrong.

Baby showers are an early chance to bond with mommy and baby as you show offer your baby shower gifts, support and experience for her new journey.  One thing that we have learned since building this business is to never under estimate the modern mom.  She can truly do it all and that means even taking a larger role in planning her own baby shower.  

Traditionally baby showers are thrown by the mommy-to-be's best friends or mom.  Some mom's even have two: One with co-workers and one with friends and family.  In the past, moms almost always had a chance to sit back a relax while friends and/or family planned the shower.  Mom may have been limited to time place and guest list.  Now moms are taking a bigger role in planning their shower.  From choosing colors and baby shower themes to selecting baby shower games and baby shower favors for their guests.  With mom involved, baby showers are seeing a lot more themes where everything is coordinated, from the tableware to the decoration to the diaper cakes and even mom's dress.    This gives the shower the modern touch and helps the modern mom keep more control over the coordination of her event. 

Still it is the friends and family who must take the reigns and plan the baby shower.  The modern mom can be a diva, and she may want to be involved.   That's OK. work together on theme and coordination and the shower will be fabulous!

If you are thinking about fun ways to add excitement to your baby shower, choosing some simple and fun games are just the right touch you'll need.  A few baby shower games will remove all of the worry about entertaining your party guests.  These are some of the most popular baby shower games being played today.

Clothespin Game -
You'll simply need some baby-themed clothespins and a prize for your guests. 
How to Play: 

1. Give each guest a clothespin to pin on as they arrive or as the shower begins.
2. Set the rules f the game.  Guests will not be allowed to say or do something like: don't say baby, dont' say uhh, or don't cross your legs, or fold your arms.
3. When another guests catches another breaking the rule, they get to take their clothespin plus any other clothespins collected by that guest.
4. At the end of the shower or after a designated amount of time, the person with the most clothespins wins!

Pacifier Necklace Game -
You'll need a special pacifier themed necklace for each guest and a prize.
How to Play:

1. Give each guest a pacifier necklace to wear as they arrive
2. Set the rules like dont' say uh, or cant't cross your legs
3. When one guest catches another, they get to collect the necklace(s) of the other player
4. At the end of the shower, the guests with the most necklaces wins!

The Great Baby Escape Water Break Game
This game is a great play on mom's important day.   It is lots of fun and can start a comical frenzy depending on how the rules are set.  You'll need a special ice cube tray with a little plastic baby frozen in each compartment of ice.  For a twin themed shower, you can place two babies in each compartment.
How to play:

1. Give each guest a small plastic desert cup with the ice cube inside.
2. Set the rules.  The babies need to completely escape from the ice. You can choose no touching, or to make your guest go into a comical frenzy, allow them to get the baby to escape by any means except putting the cube in their mouth or drink and watch them get creative.
3. The first baby or babies (twins) to completely escape from the ice (water broke) wins!

Printable Baby Shower Games
You can quickly and easily add to your selection of baby shower games by printing games online.  Plus printable baby shower games are inexpensive and can be easily duplicated for each guest. 

Baby Shower Ultrasound Game
This is one of today's most popular baby shower games.  Plus it is more challenging than others.

How to Play:
Using various ultrasound pictures of baby parts, your guest will have to guess what each part is.  The person with the most correct answers wins!!

Printable Baby Shower Games
Printable Games often include the following:
1.  Baby Shower Mazes
2.  Baby Shower Crosswords
3.  Baby Word Search
4.  Who Knows Mommy Best
5.  Baby Things Game
6.  Baby Names Game
7.  Baby Word Scamble
and many more....

Looking to make a stunning presentation for your baby shower? 

Well the key here is to start by picking out a color scheme.  Choose complementary colors and follow them throughout the entire shower's theme.  For example if your shower theme was "It's A Girl!', you can start with a pink tablecloth with a white table runner.   Coordinate all the tableware in either all pink, or alternate pinks and white.  Cover your chairs with a white chair cover, and add a big pink bow. 

You can continue the color scheme in your favor boxes, pink lemonade, centerpiece, wall drapings, danglers, cut-outs, banners, balloons and don't forget the cake icing. 

Sprinkle items around the room imprinted with "It's A Girl" by buying pre-printed balloons, or personalized favors and candies.  Coordinating banners also help build your theme.   When your guests see the room filled with all the pink and white coordinating items, They'll know for sure "It's A Girl" and they'll enjoy the soft elegance that pastel pink and white decor brings.

So setting your presentation simply begins by choosing 2-3 colors for your theme.  Some themes will dictate which colors you will be using in your overall presentation.  Next find tableware, banners and decorations that match your theme and color choices.  Now select a stunning centerpiece to tie it all together.  Finally, as an added touch choose food items that fit into your display.  Use shapes, frosting, clever food names and food colors as that extra special touch. 

When you picture a room with all the colors, decorations, and embellishments working in harmony, you are sure to have a shower event that is both stunning and memorable.

We've noticed something interesting since the earliest days of babyshoweravenue.  Many moms-to-be are involved in planning their own baby showers. Traditionally we expect family member's, friends or even co-workers to plan showers for the mom-to be.  But today moms are bucking that trend in favor of making sure their baby shower is a fun and memorable event.

For some future moms there will be no surprise party.  They have taken charge and are involved in choosing the theme, games, prizes and menu.  They've set up their registy, and createad a baby blog for friends and family to follow.  Don't expect their baby shower to be anything but fabulous.  Just like mommy.

Were excited to introduce our new blog.  We'll be sharing tips on planning baby showers, including taking a look at both traditional and modern baby shower themes.  We hope to give you some ideas to make your baby shower unique. We'll even let you leave comments so you can share your ideas with other baby shower planners and moms to be.  So check here often for new posts.