Wearing Your Kid on Your Sleeve

It used to be that proud parents merely tucked a photo of their child in their wallet and brought it out when appropriate. Nowadays people are literally wearing the likeness or names of their kids everywhere on the body and on items that they own.

It's almost like an image or portrait of your kid is becoming the new cool 'logo'.  Instead of boasting Nike or Guess somewhere as a status symbol you have your baby's name or picture. 

One of the newest fads is to make a cameo of your kid's profile and then have the likeness of the cameo printed in black on a white shirt. You can also get this likeness printed on mugs and dishes or send it out on stationary.  This service is available at 9Stork. 

Yet another way to advertise that you have had a kid and are darn proud of it is to order up a specially made laptop sticker from Schtickers. This way every time you prop open the lid of your laptop others can see an oversized photograph of your kid. 

Yet another trend is to not wear a watch on your wrist. Instead you wear a wristband type strap that showcases an oval frame. Inside this frame is a likeness of your loved one.  Men can also get oversized buckle belts that look like picture frames into which you can put a picture of a child as well. 

Yet another big trend is to put your favorite baby picture on a big bag or purse. You can also get this done on a diaper bag. One company that does this is called Nappy Be A Bag.  Keep in mind that this is quite expensive and costs over $700 to achieve. However a picture of your child on a purse would probably be the ultimate Mother's Day Gift for Grandma. 

Yet another curio for the busy working mom or dad that wants to keep their kid's face around are paperclips with tiny frames on the end into which you can slide pint sized portraits.  

Speaking of purses you might also want to  check out something called Scribble Couture. This is a white clutch bag that has a surface on it that is similar to one of those erasable refrigerator message boards. Your child can use semi-permanent markers to draw pictures on your purse and you can carry it proudly like a one of a kind design.  With tax this innovative item will set you back about two hundred bucks. 

If you can't wait to get home from the airport to see your kid you can also order up luggage tags that contain a photograph instead of the usual I.D. information. An outfit called SmugMug takes orders for these online. I

I'm not sure if I like this idea because I never liked wearing jeans with logos in the first place. However I guess if you really want the world to know you are a proud mum this is the way to do it!

Parenting Tips
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Throw A Baby Shower For Her Not You!

I'm a little bit disgusted. I went to a baby shower today but it seems like the friend who threw the shower did it more for her then she did for the mother. The mother to be really likes Victorian things, is a vegetarian and is a bit shy.  So she was a bit aghast when she walked in to find herself confronted by clotheslines hanging with hand me down clothes, big meat lasagna and women playing 'who has the poopy diaper.'  However the woman who threw the shower has more this sense of humor.   They also served chocolate cake when I know that the mom-to-be's favorite flavor is lemon. 

My point here is that he intention of a baby shower is to throw the expectant one a party she will love! The intention literally shower the mother with blessings, gifts and the good will of her best friends. It is not a religious rite, although as late as the forties and fifties, baby showers were thrown in conjunction with a baptism or a christening. 

If you are asked to throw a baby shower for a good friend don't tell yourself that all that matters is that you are motivated by your heart. You also need to make some kind of attempt to please her.   Sit down and take the time to figure out what makes her tick, what her taste is and what her favorite colors are. Try to make her as happy as she can be on that special day.

Consciously ask yourself a few questions about the mother. Who is she? What does she like? Is she religious? Is she a feminist? Is she a busy multi-tasker?  Is she struggling financially? Is she sentimental, practical, business-like, shy, formal, friendly?  Is she a stylish individual or is she happiest kicking around in a sweatshirt? Does she drink or is she a member of MADD? Any dietary restrictions?  Does she hate pink?  Can you see her child wearing a black leather jacket instead of the usual furry little pom poms? 

These are the type of things you have to ask yourself before throwing the shower. For instance if she hates arts and crafts don't even think of making a plaster model of her swelling belly –she is going to hate you for that and store the thing in the garage. Sit down and make a list of your friend’s likes and dislikes. This will help inspire you to manifest an event that is uniquely personal to her. 

Rites of passage are deeply personal so it is very important that you don’t string a diaper clothesline across the living room of a stylish status conscious friend or serve lots of cake to a mother with gestational diabetes. Do a little research and make use of available resources.  The biggest mistake that most people make when they throw a party for another person is making the theme more personal to them, than the mother. Those Barbie dishes and towels that you adore collecting, might not suit the mother-to-be who may throw them up on eBay or give the away the first chance she gets!

Parenting Tips
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