Gift Ideas for Baby #2 - Minneapolis,MN

Babies grow out of clothes in months---weeks even. I give books. A good picture book will be enjoyable to both the older child and the new baby, and will be something they'll always remember. If you're out of sync with what books kids like today, just go to the children's section of a book store and ask, or better yet, a teacher or someone who works with children, esp someone who has children. Then choose a book you would like yourself. Book stores include a gift receipt, and if they already have that book, they can come choose another one.

Sorry, I hadn't read the part where you're a second grade teacher yourself. Another clothes related item I always liked and used plenty of are those Onesies (the undershirt that snaps between the legs). Never seemed to have too many of those! You can use them as an undershirt bc they don't ride up, and also when it's hot, as an outfit for at home. I guess I totally answered this as if you're not used to being around children.

I agree with the 2nd post about getting a gift certificate for a portrait session. It's so much harder to get the appointment made and out the door with 2 kids, that many miss it after their first is born. But instead of going to a big box store that has a portrait studio inside of it, research some local photographers that may come to the house, that way your friend doesn't need to get 2 kids ready, bags packed and out the door in one piece. Also, she's not hearded in like cattle or given the appropriate time if one of the kids' needs special attention. Good luck!

My faves we received for baby #2 were diapers and books. The kids can never have enough books!

How funny - I have a son who just turned 2, and I am about to have a little girl in 3 weeks! I can't speak for your friend, but I know that I personally would love getting either gift cards or baby basics.

Diapers (perhaps size 1-2's since the newborn ones go so quickly!), wipes, infant Tylenol, diaper cream, hand sanitizer, Orajel, Aquaphor lotion - these are all things that I'm about to need twice as often! A little care package with these would be SO much more helpful than yet another little pink rattle. :-)

Another thing we ended up buying was washcloths and hooded towels. Even though we have them for my son, we still USE them for him! They are "boy colors" and getting worn out after two years of use, so we needed "girl" ones that are fresh for the new little one.

I hope this helps!

Do you have one of those pizza places that is a take n bake, It may not be home cooked, but if you got a gift card from there hubby could order what they need (without all the allergy foods they cannot have). You could make a fruit basket to go along with it, if there is something they cannot have maybe there 2 year old could have that? Or a meat basket.

There are a lot of super-cute non girly outfits you can try and find, I know that when I had my daughter I found a shop that I loved cause stuff was not "girly". I simple jean dress over a white shirt is super adorable without the frilly pinks, etc. Find a cute baby store and get a gift card if you are really worried =).

get her a gift card....that way they can get what they need...

For clothes, check out Carter's mix and match sets. They have some less girly options for every-day clothes with shirts and pants in purple, brown and pink, red, etc. I think they have them at Babies R Us and Kohls.

A gift certificate is a good idea for the parents. A restaurant that has delivery or curbside take-out would be especially nice. Then they can deal with the allergies. And including a copy of the menu would be a thoughtful touch.

Hi S., a gift certificate always works well with a card. this allows the person who has many issues, to get what they like. Its not as personal, however it will work.

Now for yourself, have you ever thought about a home-based business. I recently started a business,and my checks where $2000. for the last 2months. I only really worked weekends.
This could help with being anxious to go to work. If you like more info about my business, pls email me and I will send my website.
Have a blessed and wonderful day.

She may have a lot of gear, but if she had a boy before, she will still need clothes for the new baby girl. I would get her a gift card to a department store like Target, even though it is not personal- it will help her the most. Depending on what bottles she used with her son, her old bottles may have been the kind with BPA in them. It was less than two years ago that companies making baby bottles finally started to go BPA free. She will probably need more baby blankets too.

I haven't looked where you're from and am already in the middle of typing...but if you're in Minnesota, The Wedge Co Op has great foods for people with allergies. Everything is clearly labeled and they have a good selection of everything. I especially like their fresh made salads- the most recent one I had was the "Alpha Omega" salad and it was so good! We always get stuff from there for family picnics because there are several people who are vegetarian or have food allergies in our family too.

You could pay for a session and family pictures from a portrait studio. [Jc Penney's has printable coupons on their site for $3.99 portrait sheets and no sitting fee- so $40 goes a long way.]...or a gift card to somewhere online or Walgreens or something so that they can get a bunch of prints of their digital images.

Board books for both children are a good idea. You can never have too many books!

Some kind of photo gift- like a set of mugs with the kids' pictures on them or picture magnets for the fridge.

Depending on how close the two of you are, babysitting her son for her once or twice over the next couple of weeks would be greatly appreciated I'm sure.

A nice music box, or music CD's like Baby Einstein's Lullaby Classics [great for the baby to listen to], or a Raffi CD for both of the kids. I still remember some of those songs from when I was a kid [especially "Down By The Bay"].... or some other CD that has classic kids songs.

Bring a basket full of fresh fruits and veggies from the Farmer's Market...can't go wrong there.

The woman who posted right after me mentioned diapers and wipes and stuff which is a great idea. Another thing that can add up, that you go through a lot of in the first couple of years is diaper cream. Bordeaux's Butt Paste or Desitin Creamy are the best, IMO. If you bought 3 or 4 of the biggest ones she would never have to worry about it.

We just had our second baby two weeks ago. So far we haven't received too many gifts, but what I have appreciated is getting new blankets. (I was planning to reuse the ones we had for our daughter but being 2, she wasn't too keen on sharing her blankies.) I also like to get gift cards. That way I can pick up the things that I know we need, rather than getting a bunch of things that we don't need. Target, Babies R Us, and places like that would be the best because you can get a wide range of things from clothes to diapers to gear. If you can get gift cards to someplace close to her home.

As far as a gift for the parents, I would also suggest gift cards to a restaurant. I like the idea of someplace that has curbside to go. I know it is A LOT harder for us to get out the door with 2 kids and A LOT harder to eat in a restaurant now. You could also ask her if there is anything that she needs/wants help with. Some people might be very thankful to have someone come in and help with laundry or something like that. (Personally I wouldn't, but it wouldn't hurt to ask her. I know a friend of mine was thrilled when another friend offered to come in and clean her kitchen for her.)

It's great that you haven't forgotten her older son! Our daughter has had fun opening gifts for her new baby brother, but she has been really excited when there has been something little included for her too.

Somebody gave us a gift card to our favorite restaurant, and that was SO nice. It is such a treat for us to go out and we don't have many friends who would give that (they all bring home-cooked dinners which are GREAT for the family, but this was just for the two of us) and it reminded us to take a little time out for each other during a very busy time.
Someone once gave me really nice p.j.'s--it's tough to feel pretty post-partum and that was a great help.
Diapers and wipes are always great. Even if they are cloth-diapering (in which case they may appreciate a contribution to that stash) there will be times when they want disposables. Some people give the gift of a diaper service for a certain period of time, though I have an inkling that it's pretty expensive.
Then there are some very lovely natural products for baby that are a real treat, but most people don't buy for themselves. Natural oils with lavender or other scent are great for baby's skin--wonderful if mom does infant massage. Natural baby powder is a healthy alternative to the talc that isn't really recommended because it's not good for baby's lungs. California Baby has great stuff, but other companies have much less costly things, too.

why not a gift card to her favorite grocery store--that way she can buy their favorite dinner as to what they can eat!!!

Diapers, wipes, lotion, baby body wash! The things that are needed on a daily bases are always going to be needed no matter what number of child it is! Plus that will help them keep a little extra money in their pockets!!

What about a piggy bank, girly picture frames or decorations for the little girls room, growth chart, memory/scrap book for the new one. Good luck as I am expecting my 2nd in Dec and have a 2yr old son.

I always just skip the baby when it comes to baby #2 on up and concentrate on the mom!! She will need the love and support and can be forgotten sometimes. I feel you on the food allergy thing, I gave up on making meals for people I'm not SUPER close with. What I do is buy the mom something she can use now. A new pair of slippers, a new robe, new pair of PJs, or a new set of comfy clothes (sweat shirt and sweat pants) things a new mom could wear with ease and still answer the door in with all the unexpected visitors.

The best gifts I got were the basics - one piece pajamas, simple blankets, bibs (in Pink! this time).

I recently received a great gift from a friend. She did a mommy and baby basket. She had a book for each of us, baby soap, bath salts for mommy, wash clothes for baby, aloe socks for mommy, etc. etc. It was not expensive, but very thoughtful. The book was even something that she had read previously and passed along. I was so touched. All she did was put it in a nice fabric bin. I could even reuse that!! Another idea might be gift cards to a couple of different restaurants. This way they can choose what they want to eat. Subway, Pizza Hut, Applebee's are just a few ideas.

I usually give a gift card to Target and a gift card (for mom) to Starbucks. I remember needing a caffeine boost after the second one was born.

Get the Parents a gift certificate for a restaurant and offer to watch both kids for them when they use it. This will be a way around the food allergies and allow them some adult time, ALONE.

I think it's nice to get baby #2 something that's personalized because most of its stuff is hand-me-downs. My "go to" gift is a personalized small size Taggie blanket.

If it's not too late, what about a CD of lullabies with the baby's name on it. I just had one made for my daughter of nursery rhymes and it is ADORABLE and only about $17. It is a nice and personalized gift. Let me know if you are interested and I'll hunt down the CD cover to get the name of the local person I got mine from.

I also know some really nice baby stores (Wiggles and Giggles in Lino...if they are still there) have CD's that play the baby's name over and over again very sweetly. A friend swears that it calms her children down instantly.