BABY SHOWER FOOD

Baby shower ideas are your first step in planning the baby shower after or during the process of deciding where and when the baby shower will take place. Below we have listed the essentials of baby shower ideas to help make your baby shower a success. We cover the ideas of Baby Shower Themes, Decorations, Food and Beverages to help make the planning of the baby shower a little easier on you:

Baby Shower Finger Foods

The baby shower menu helps make the party memorable. The assortment of food you choose and its presentation shows how much effort you put into planning the baby shower. If you're hosting the baby shower at a restaurant or are catering the baby shower, the restaurant or caterer will help you choose appetizers and entrées appropriate to the baby shower theme and the time of the day that the shower begins. If you're hosting the baby shower at a home, Baby Shower 101 has assembled some helpful tips for easy finger foods and beverages. Click here for finger food recipes.

Baby Shower Idea
Diapers filled with dinner mints or your favorite finger foods (for serving shower guests)
Items needed are pink or blue small baby shower napkins --1 bag small(est) safety pins(gold)-- bags of pastel colored mints or your favorite candy/food. Take a small napkin folding together two of the edged corners so that they are touching. Then bring up the third edged corner of the napkin to meet the two gathered corners. Pinning the three together likening to the shape of a diaper. We thank Mrs. Stilley for a wonderful baby shower food decoration idea. Check out the rest below:

Fresh Fruit
Fruit is an easy food to serve that everyone likes as an appetizer, with the meal or even with desert. Buy and cut your favorite fruits up into squares or you can buy fruit salad from your local grocery store to save you some work. Served cubed in a large bowl or mix fruits on skewers and serve on a platter. Click here for fresh fruit salad and dip recipes.

Vegetables
Vegetables are another easy food to serve as appetizers or with the baby shower meal. As with fruit, you can cut up celery, broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, and other favorites or you can find vegetable trays at the market. Serve chilled with ranch dressing or make your own dips to impress your guests.

Finger Sandwiches
Cucumber sandwiches are the baby shower #1 favorite sandwich because they're frequently served at showers with an Afternoon Tea theme. You have some flexibility with the type of sandwich you serve; just make sure to cut the sandwiches into dainty portions.

Baby Shower Recipe of the month
DJ CHEF’S MEXICAN PIZZA
Here is a new baby shower recipe that is great for any home shower, thanks to our resident celebrity – DJ Chef, who can be hired out for any baby shower:

Equipment Preferred:
10” Non Stick Frying Pan with lid.
Cutting Board
Large knife
Squeeze bottle

Yummy Ingredients:
1 10” Flour Tortilla
2 Tablespoons of Tomato Salsa
½ cup of cooked BBQ Chicken, diced
1 Tablespoon of Fresh chopped Cilantro (and 1 Tablespoon reserved on the side)
½ cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
½ cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
½ cup diced red peppers.
BBQ Sauce in a squeeze bottle.

Easy Procedure:
Heat pan on range for 1 minute. Spray with non-stick spray and add tortilla. Spread a layer of the salsa leaving a 1-inch boarder that will be “the crust”. Add the chicken & cilantro and then cover evenly with the cheese. Cover the pan with the lid to create steam, which will melt the cheese. Cook until the bottom of the tortilla is browned and the cheese in melted. Transfer to a cutting board & cut pie shape pieces. Add pieces to a serving tray or individual plates & drizzle with the BBQ sauce in the squeeze bottle and

BABY SHOWER GAMES

Baby shower games at your baby shower can be one of the most memorable experiences during the pre-baby events that will take place for the days to come. Part of making the experience successful is by thoughtful party planning and having fun baby shower games! Before starting the baby shower games, it is always good to go around the room first as an ice breaker and have everyone introduce themselves and how they know the Mother-To-Be. Below we have listed the most popular baby shower games to play during the baby shower. Here are some baby shower prize ideas when playing baby shower games.

1) Guess Mom's Tummy Size: (Materials- String or yarn and scissors) Have each woman pull the yarn to the size they believe would fit perfectly around the Mother-To-Be's center of her pregnant tummy. After everyone cuts their string, compare the results to the Mommy-To-Be's actual tummy. Give a prize to the woman who is the most close! This is a baby shower favorite.

2) Never say "Baby": (Materials- baby safety pins or another type of baby object you can place on a string for each woman at the party as well as string or yarn, enough for each woman to wear as a necklace). Have each woman place the necklace with the baby safety pins around her neck when she gets to the party. The rules for this baby shower game are given out at the beginning of the baby shower that whenever someone says the word "baby" during the shower, any woman who calls it out gets a pin from the other woman who stated the word. At the end of the baby shower, the woman with the most pins wins a prize.

Newborn Care DVD - Click here for more Info!3) How Many Baby Items Can You Name: (Materials- pad of paper and pen for each woman). Have each woman write down as many baby products as they can name (bottle, blanket, pacifier, etc) within 5 minutes. Sure it is easy at the beginning, but towards the last few minutes, the women will start racking their brains for more :) Give a prize to the woman who gets the most baby products named!

4) Who Can Make The Mother-To-Be's Baby: (Materials - Baby magazines, Scissors, Glue, Paper). Have the women group up into teams of 3 and give each 3 baby magazines. Have them cut out pieces of different baby qualities and put together a picture of what they think the Mother-To-Be's baby will look like. Have the Mother-To-Be pick which baby would possibly look like hers the best! Give prizes to the winning team! One of the top baby shower games!

5) Pin The Sperm on the Egg - (Materials: Click Here to Order) - Check out this wonderfully funny game called Pin The Sperm on the Egg. Just like the old fashion game of pin the tail on the donkey, this new and exciting version will thrill your friends and family at your next baby shower!

6) Guess How Many Safety Pins: (Materials- Safety Pins and Jar). Pass around a jar full of baby safety pins. The one who guesses the closest wins a baby shower prize. A baby shower game favorite!

One of our visitors, Lynn, stated that she filled a clear plastic container (about 50 qt size with disposable diapers) all the same size (size 1) and had people guess how many diapers were in the container. Of course, container and contents go to mom since, as we all know, you can never have enough diapers. This baby shower game is very functional for the mommy-to-be!

You can find great baby shower party favors to help with the baby shower games as well as to decorate your party!

7) How Well Do You Know Mommy-To-Be: (Materials- Pre-Printed Form and pen for each woman). Have each women guess what features she wants most on the baby from either her or her husband (Daddy-To-Be). An example of this idea is found below:
Attribute Mommy Daddy
Eyes X
Ears X
Nose X
Legs X
Hair X
Smile X
Intelligence X
Humor X
Other X

Select 25 attributes and ask everyone to fill in the form from what each woman feels the "mommy-to-be's" point of view" will be. After everyone checks off the list, have the mommy-to-be state her preference. The one with the most correct match to the Mommy-To-Be wins a prize. This is a great baby shower game!

8) Place The Baby On The Mommy: (Materials- Cutouts of a baby with tape and blindfold). Another one of our favorite baby shower games is the baby shower version of Pin The Tail on the Donkey. Blindfold each participant and then give them a paper baby to then approach the mom and place the baby as close to the tummy as possible. The one who gets closest to placing the paper baby on the pregnant tummy wins.

9) Bottle Races: (Materials- Baby bottles with Milk or alternate drink). Have each participant take a bottle filled with a liquid and suck the bottle as a baby would. The woman who drinks the most in an alloted time wins the baby shower gift. This baby shower game gets everyone laughing!

10) Baby Bingo: (Materials- Pens, Pre-Printed Bingo cards that use the numbers of how many people attend the baby shower) Prior to opening the baby shower gifts, number each gift on the box starting with one. If you know that 15 people will be attending your shower, pre-print bingo cards with numbers 1 through 15 and randomly place them on 15 cards. When the mommy-to-be's decides to open the presents, she grabs the present she wants to open and reads the number out loud. As soon as someone receives bingo, they win the baby shower game and the baby shower prize.

11) Baby Trivia: (Materials: Click Here to Order) - Even the biggest baby know-it-alls will be stumped by questions such as "How many diapers does a baby use in one year?" and will get a kick out of this collection of outlandish and surprising facts! Brought to you by the Funsational Shoppe™.

12) Guess the baby item: (Materials- any baby products and blindfold). A bag of baby items are placed in front of the mother-to-be for her to take one item out at a time blindfolded and tell her baby shower guests what item she has in her hands. This is really fun baby shower game when you choose some crazy baby toys or products.

13) Finish the Baby Rhyme: (Materials- baby rhyme game or a book containing the rhymes). Have the host read out loud a part of the rhyme to be finished by the other women. Let's see how many Baby Shower Guests can finish the following Rhymes we have all grown up with:

1) Mary had a little lamb, it's _____________ was white as snow.

2) Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any _____________?

3) Mary, Mary, quite _____________, how does your garden grow?

4) Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub, and how do you think ____________ _____________ ____________?

5) Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, _________________ ________________!

6) Little Jack Horner, sat in a corner, eating his ______________ pie;

7) Little Miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet, eating her ________________ and _______________.

8) Peter Piper picked a peck of ____________ _____________.

9) One, two, buckle my shoe, three four, _____________ at the door.

10) Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater, had a wife but couldn't ____________ her.

11) Old Mother Hubbard, went to the _______________.

12) There was an old woman, who lived in a _______________.

13) Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no ___________.

14) Hey diddle, diddle, the ____________ and the fiddle.

15) Rock-a-bye baby, on the __________________.

Here are the answers below to the questions. It is great to give the winner a baby shower small gift for participating. Read the answers that people have put out loud since you will have some funny ones.

1) fleece 2) wool 3) contrary 4) they got there 5) Baker's man
6) Christmas 7) curds, whey 8) pickled peppers 9) knock 10) keep
11) cupboard 12) shoe 13) lean 14) cat 15) treetop

To print out this game, turn on your printer, click here, when the checklist comes up, click the "File --> Print Option" in your browser).

14) Guess the baby pictures: Ask for everyone's pictures prior to the baby shower. Have all the pictures in a collage and make lines for people to fill in who they think the babies are out of the girls at the baby shower. If most women don't know each other, just have the pictures of the mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and mommy-to-be. See how many people guess right. You can make copies of the baby picture collage to see how many can guess right!

15) Baby Scrambler: Another fun baby shower game is to choose around 25 baby related items and scramble the spelling. For instance, pacifier can be changed to reiifpca. Have the women unscramble the words. The one who gets the most right in 5 min receives a baby shower prize

First Baby of 2010

First Baby of 2010, The first baby born in 2010 at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe will be showered with a gifts from local merchants.
The Constitution-Tribune will present the baby and the baby’s family with a dozen red roses and a year’s subscription to the Constitution-Tribune.
Other gifts for the baby and family are an 8×10 portrait and sitting fee from Bailey Studio, a silver-plated baby cup from Lauhoff Jewelry, a baby ring from Sensenich Jeweler, a layette set from Clifton’s Children’s Clothing, $20.10 in a new Buckaroo Club Account from Chillicothe State Bank, a case of diapers from Piggly Wiggly, and a $35 gift card from Hy-Vee.

Smart & Fun Last Minute Christmas Presents

When in doubt, go with tried and true momma. It's a fact for everything from clothes to dishes to baby toys...always stick with the classics. We followed that rule when doing Santa's Christmas shopping this year and went with Fisher Price. Reliable, educational and always a crowd pleaser, Fisher Price has tons of new toys that will keep your tot having fun under the tree and then some. What did we choose? Well since the toddlers can't read, we'll tell ya. We decided on the Precious Places Swan Palace and the vintage inspired Little People Play & Go Farm (50th birthday edition). The palace has a banquet hall, treasure chest and has enough pink dazzle to satisfy the little princess of your house. The special edition farm reminds us of our own childhood play time and really looks just like the one we all grew up with...yes we are a little sentimental around here when it comes to toys. Best part about choosing Fisher Price this year? You still have time, because they are carried by most department stores. So skip the uncertainty and pick some toys that you know they'll love as much as you did

Baby's 1st Birthday Gift Ideas... Send A Baby Gift and/or Donate To A Special Cause?

Are you looking for baby's first birthday gift, but want a gift that is unique? We have a very special baby gift idea that makes a great baby keepsake while at the same time is a gift that gives. Instead of presents for your baby's first birthday, why not ask everyone to donate to a charity of your choice and receive a Certificate Of Appreciation from the charity that you can frame and keep for life.
When A Koochikoo Peekaboo's little boy and inspiration turned one, we asked for donations and we were able to raise $150 for the Townsville Neonatal Intensive Care and Special Care Unit, Queensland, Australia. We chose the unit to say Thank You for getting our little boy to his first birthday as he spent 3 days in the Special Care Unit when he was born. We were able to go in a meet the wonderful staff at the Townsville Hospital Foundation and he got given a gorgeous little bear which we have named Neo and had his photo taken for the certificate. He is the Foundations youngest supporter, which we think is pretty special. If you would like to donate to the Foundation go to http://www.thfoundation.org.au/.
A Koochikoo Peekaboo is also a proud sponsor of the foundation and we donate $1 from every sale for such a special unit where the Nurses, Doctors and Staff do any amazing and special job. You can check us out on the foundation website at http://www.thfoundation.org.au/about/sponsors. Maybe there is something your business could do to help out a charity such as donate a gift, money, volunteer time or become a sponsor.
If you would like to send a baby gift as well you can check out our gorgeous gift ideas at koochikoo.com.au

Mobile phones for children: Do we want them?

Eight-year-old kids with mobile phones might sound like a crazy idea, but according to a report carried out last year, that is the average age of a child owning their first mobile phone. The age is expected to drop to five years old this year -- but why are we buying mobile phones for our young children? The answer is peace of mind, according to the report, which was carried out by the Dhaliwalbrown consultancy.

One company that has picked up on the concerns of parents is Disney Mobile. Disney Mobile was set up in the US this June and provides families with mobile phones specifically designed for "tweens, young teens and parents who want to keep an eye on them", according to the Disney Mobile Web site. Unlike standard mobile phones, these handsets feature software that allows parents to limit texts, calls and downloads, restrict phone usage and even locate their children via GPS.

Their latest phone, pictured on PhoneArena, is the Disney D100 (pictured), which features a Mickey Mouse-style keypad and a picture of Winnie the Pooh on the casing -- Disney Mobile seems to be marketing itself as a family solution, aimed at concerned parents, and not directly at children. At the moment Disney Mobile only provides mobile content in the UK, but it may sell mobile phones in the future.

You can already buy similar products in the UK, from companies like EazyTrak. There's no doubt that the service is useful, but by making the phones look like toys means they might well create competition among children for who has the coolest new gadget. This will undoubtedly lead to more children asking their parents to buy them a phone.

So what's the problem? The jury is still out on whether or not mobile phone radiation is harmful to children and Sir William Stewart from the National Radiological Protection Board recommends that children do not use mobile phones for prolonged periods of time.

The other issue is privacy, something that should be respected no matter how old you are. Of course you want to know where your child is at all times, but there are times when not feeling like you're being watched is important. Everyone will remember when they snuck off to the corner shop or park with friends in the knowledge that their parents had no idea about it. It wasn't particularly safe, but then again life isn't, and developing some sense of independence at an early age is important.

Finally, do we really want our children picking up bad mobile habits? Spelling gr8 instead of great and developing RSIs at the age of 14? There's no denying that we live in a dangerous world and that children are overwhelmingly important, but so is learning to deal with life's hardships. Some day your mobile phone will turn off or will lose a signal, but fortunately for you there was a time when you didn't have one so you won't completely freak out. What about the next generation? -AL

How to Choose a Child Carrier

You've recently had a baby, and congratulations are in order! But now you're itching to get out of the house, hit the trail or even go on vacation. One of the easiest ways to carry your child and keep your hands free is by using a child carrier. Here's how to shop.
The Basics of Child Carriers

Your first option for a newborn is an infant carrier. This is a simple, frameless pack that snuggles your baby right in front of you. Most can hold an infant plus some baby gear to a total weight of up to 25 or 30 lbs. Infant carriers are wonderfully convenient for around-town use and air travel.

A child carrier typically has a frame and is designed to carry a larger child behind you. To use a child carrier, a child must be capable of sitting upright without assistance. The smallest child appropriate for a child carrier is about 16 lbs., which typically means a child about 6 or 8 months old. If unsure about your child's readiness, check with your pediatrician before heading out. The largest child appropriate to ride in a carrier is about 40 lbs., with some models supporting greater weight to accommodate gear, too.

Child carriers are a great choice for travel, hiking and use around town. Because the added weight and movement of your child could cause you to lose your balance, child carriers aren't recommended for hiking on loose rock, climbing, skiing, inline skating, biking or other high-speed activities.
Compare Features


Most child carriers share basic features such as adjustable shoulder and waist straps, adjustable child harness, a foldout kickstand and an external frame. Fit is paramount. Megan Nelson, REI Seattle inventory specialist, offers this advice: "The fit is just like a backpack, except the weight rides higher. However, the weight really is not much of an issue if the child carrier fits you right."

Here are some of the variables to consider:

Suspension system: This is the key to parental comfort. Most child carriers feature an easy-to-adjust ladder suspension, just like the ones found in many backpacks. A child carrier's adjustability is measured by the torso range (listed under the Specs tab on REI.com product pages). Read more about how to measure your torso size. Torso adjustments are simple: If you're on the tall side, move the suspension setting up higher on the back (or, if you're a shorter adult, move it to a lower setting). A few models feature a fixed suspension, which limits adjustability, but offer weight savings.

Kickstand: This bar provides a stable platform for loading and unloading your child. Most can be manually extended and retracted to the loading position with a simple tug. Other models feature a fixed-position kickstand (which saves a bit of weight) or a spring-loaded kickstand (which extends and retracts automatically—a nice feature). These all accomplish the same goal, so personal preference is the deciding factor here.

Frame: As noted earlier, frameless carriers are intended only for infants and gear totaling up to 30 lbs. or so. Most child carriers feature an external frame of tubular aluminum. A few models use an aluminum stay for support, much like those used in internal-frame backpacks, and may offer a daypack option.

Accessories: If you plan on using a child carrier only occasionally, you might not be interested in all the features of the deluxe models. However, if you plan to head off-road or carry lots of gear, consider models with the following extras:
Gear-storage capacity, including removable diaper bags or day packs
More adjustability options for a better fit
Diaper-changing pad
Hydration-system compatibility
Removable rain/sun hood (sometimes sold separately)
Removable bug netting (usually sold separately)
Fit the Child Carrier to You

First, adjust the child carrier to fit you. This is the main factor for your comfort. When making your initial adjustments, use books to weight the pack instead of your child.

Adjust the suspension system to fit your torso, so that the hipbelt rests on your hip bones (not your waist) and the shoulder straps rest on your shoulders.
Tighten the hipbelt so roughly 80% of the weight is on your hips.
Tighten the shoulder straps so the child carrier is stabilized and the remaining 20% or so of the weight is on your shoulders.
Adjust the sternum strap across your chest so that it doesn't interfere with your breathing.
Fit the Child Carrier to Your Child

Before putting your child in the carrier, adjust the height of the child seat. Make sure the child's straps are loosened and the kickstand is fully extended.
Now put your child in the carrier, and make sure his or her feet come through the leg openings.
Buckle and tighten all straps, including the hipbelt, shoulder straps, leg strap adjustments and sternum strap. Note: Not all child carriers have all of these strap options.
Tighten the side compression straps, if available.
Check to make sure the child's shoulder straps fit smoothly over his or her shoulders and that the leg straps are comfortable.
Tips on Using a Child Carrier

Lifting an occupied child carrier is similar to hoisting a heavy backpack (see our pack-hoisting video for instructions). The first few times you do so, have someone help you put it on your back. The steps: Lift the child carrier by the top handles, slip on the shoulder straps and buckle the hipbelt. When removing the carrier, loosen the shoulder straps and unbuckle the hipbelt. Grabbing the handle behind your head, bring the carrier around to your front, and grasp the second handle to help you set the child carrier on the ground.

Some additional pointers:
Don't leave your child unattended while he or she is in the child carrier.
Children tend to fall asleep in child carriers; occasionally check your child's position and comfort.
Child carriers aren't adequately stable to be used as a chair, nor should they ever be placed on elevated surfaces such as a bench, table or bed.
Do not use a child carrier if the frame or fasteners are damaged.
Make sure your child is protected from the weather.
Consider wearing a hat so your child can't grab your hair.