Dinner...or breakfast (fresh baked bagels are a HIT here), or lunch, or coffee from Mom's favorite coffee shop (I'd pay for a Starbucks skinny iced peppermint mocha vanilla latte {hold the peppermint mocha because it can deplete milk supply} or iced right now). Gift cards for local delivery places (sadly, I only know of pizza in our town). Bonus points for freezer crock pot meals. More bonus points for home cooked meals ready to eat with no heating or takeout delivered fresh and ready. (Easter dinner was on the table the day we came home and I was SO thankful. I've also remembered how much I heart soup and salad.) Dinner at the hospital is another bonus...sadly, I had to turn this down due to diet monitoring for the girls' weight and my iron levels, so ask ahead before bringing one's favorite college meal (Mad Mex was honestly offered to us, you know that was hard to turn down) to the hospital. Can't do a whole meal? I scarfed down a nice cupcake or 2 along the way, too!

Newborn Photo Session Our hospital offers professional newborn shots, including a package of digital shots with the rights to print / share the photos. Consider a gift card for this if applicable (Bella Baby is the Magee photographer) or pick your / the parents' fave local photographer and schedule them for a session. (I've been told 48 hours to 10 days old is ideal. I totally missed the boat on an at home session and am admittedly bummed out because I have no photos of all 6 of us in the squishy, comfortable stage I really wanted to remember...and no cheesy posed cheesecloth and headband shots like I wanted.)

Birth Announcements or Thank You Notes A gift card to an online retailer who does photo cards would be an awesome gift...even better if you help Mom create the birth announcement or if the site offers to ship for her. Thank you notes, in my mind, should be personalized as often as possible, but I think new parents get a pass on this one. I personally wrote all of ours so far...but could use some more cards (or a ride to the store), addressing help, stamps, and/or a trip to the post office. Trying to remember it all and thank in a timely fashion is tough!

A Phone Call or Visit This is powerful. I specifically remember calls from one of my aunts after all three births. (This most recent one included a 2nd call to support me through a tough time with the hospital staff.) She probably doesn't know it, but she was the only caller I had on the hospital phone with the twins' stay and integral in lifting my spirits at JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT after all three births. Our realtor (and friend) called us to congratulate us - some people are incredible at making the simplest actions mean the most. We had lots of precious visits from family and friends, all just the right length, during our hopsital stays, too. And visits at home have kept my sanity (especially with Greg going back to work) and helped with some of my other suggestions below.

Grocery Shopping I didn't think this one out before delivery, but our first grocery trip was going to be a daunting task. Two carts, each with a twin in a car seat. No way. Thankfully, I gave my list to a cousin and she handled the task then helped Greg put it all away. Huge time and energy saver. Maybe your local grocer has online ordering with curbside pickup -- offer to help make the order and do the pickup. Even better if there's a delivery service near you!

Cloth Diaper Prep We will be going to cloth once the girls we more "normal" (non runny newborn) movements. Our fluff stash is a mix of new and used cloth, and I opted to wait to prep until they were born. Not sure what I was waiting for, but the day is coming soon when we will switch and I have about 60 diapers that need love. If cloth diapers are your thing and a loved one is going this route, offer to help. Not doing cloth? Bring a pack of diapers (know this the size or bring a size 2 or wipes) when you visit. This takes care of a few awesome gifts at once (no store trip, diapers, and a visit).

Rides to Appointments Most new moms can't drive themselves for 2 weeks (I will be much longer at this point), and many dads don't get the time off. Both mom and baby likely will gave appointments in the weeks following coming home and may need a ride or company...or a.stop for a favorite coffee or milkshake. Personally, I've been glad Greg can go with me because my appointments haven't been fun; however, now that he's back to work, my schedule is going to be harder to manage. Bonus if you score a pedicure appointment for mom post doctor visit.

Want to see the other three ideas? Check out the rest of this post on lilburghers.com!

What Should Go In Every Diaper Bag

There are so many things that we are not told about as parents. After the first child you think that you know it all, but you don’t. One of the most important things that a parent can do is have the right kind of stuff. This may seem silly, but when you are out it is important to be sure to have everything you might need.

Consumables

There are some things that you will have to replace in each diaper bag. Diapers and wipes are going to be a staple of life for the next few years. Always include at least 4 diapers and a pack of wipes. If you are breastfeeding then you will also need to include some breast pads, you might go through those quickly so be prepared. Something that no bag should be without is hand sanitizer, you will go through a lot when you are out. Keeping your hands (and others) prepared to touch your baby at all times. Last but not least is formula. This is something that is a must when it comes to feeding your baby. You will need to pack the formula and the bottles. If you are breastfeeding you want to include a bottle of water. This is the one thing that any woman breastfeeding needs to replenish.

Safety Gear

When you’re a parent, especially first timer, you prepare for every possible thing that could go wrong. This isn’t a bad thing, however here are some ideas of those things that you absolutely need. Thermometer is something that most diaper bags have in them. They aren’t often needed, however they are always needed when you least expect it. Medicine is something that everyone says to have in the bag, but bringing the whole cabinet won’t do any good. Keep a bottle of Tylenol or Motrin in the bag. Anything more than that and you will already have been to the doctors. Diaper cream is something that every diaper bag needs. Every baby gets diaper rash at some point in time.

Other Essentials

There are other things that belong in a diaper bag, these things are important and most parents can’t live without. Burp cloths is something that is a must at a very young age, however if you get used to them as most parents do, or for as long as you use a diaper bag. Pacifiers are something that you might want to keep on hand.

However, as your babies grow you will find that they needed a few different things. For example, as you pass the first few months when teeth begin you will want teething rings. These can be bought at the store, they are designed to help alleviate some of the pain as well as something to bite on. Something else that can help a mom when it comes to teething, is to have a necklace that is specially made for your baby to chew on. Little Miss Fairytale is a place to get some of the cutest teething jewelry. This can make not only baby happy, but help mama to look great as well.

Mommy Friendly Ways To Cut a Budget

Cutting your budget is something that so many of us think about on a monthly basis. Here are some ideas on ways that you can cut a budget. There are several options that a person has depending on how much they are looking to cut.

Monthly Budget

This is the first step in making any decreases to your budget. In order to know where to decrease you need to know what to cut. Creating a list of all your expenses as well as all the places that you spend money each is very helpful. Getting a clear view of the money going out can help when looking for ways to save money.

Groceries

The grocery bill is usually one of the largest expenses that you will have each month. There are some tips that can help you to reduce your grocery bill.

ü  Making a list can help to make sure that you are not buying more items of the things that you already have at home.

ü  Couponing is a tip that many families are doing more often. There are places that offer double coupon days that can help you to save a lot of money sometimes.

ü  Mini gardens are becoming popular. Self-sustainment is becoming trendier as the food industry notes new chemicals and troubles with certain foods. Having a veggie garden can be helpful at least to supplement some of the food budget.

ü  Shopping on a full stomach can be the difference in your total grocery bill. When an individual is hungry, they tend to buy more food than when they are not.

ü  Buying in bulk can also help to reduce your monthly grocery cost. This is only helpful if you purchase things that you use a lot. This can stop the mid-week shopping trips.

Food Options

Some food options that you can take can help you to save money without even realizing it. Sometimes the hardest changes are the ones that are made because of convenience. One of the easiest changes that you can make is to not go through the drive thru at the coffee house. Those specialty coffees can be one of the biggest budget drains a person can have. Those once a day treats of $4.00 can add up to a lot at the end of the month. Another, way to cut your monthly budget is through taking your lunch. Buying lunches can also be a big drain on a budget. Paying $5.00 or more per day for a lunch special can put a big hole in your budget. Packing your lunch the night before can save time in the mornings, and save money for the whole month.

Saving money can be hard, but so many people can do these little things to help increase their money at the end of the month.

Bored Afternoon with a Toddler

One of the hardest things that you can do is have a toddler bored. It might seem silly to worry about a bored toddler; however, they can get into a lot of trouble when they are bored. Here are some activities that you can do with your toddler on those stuck inside days.

Play Dough

Play dough is one of the favorites of most toddlers. There are so many recipes for play dough, some edible, and some not.

Here is a yummy recipe that many toddlers love. Peanut Butter play dough is one that is fun to play with and safe to eat. The Imagination Tree has many great recipes. This recipe only takes three ingredients. The three ingredients are powered milk, peanut butter, and honey.

Another recipe for play dough that is not as yummy but still safe if your toddler does lick their fingers. The play dough can be colored. You can use natural coloring or food coloring to change the tints. No cook play dough is a great recipe that toddlers will enjoy making and you can feel safe with them enjoying the fun.

Messy

Sometimes as parents, we hate the idea of getting messy. As parents, it can be important that on those stuck indoor we offer them some fun messy activities. Messy play can help to expand a child’s fine motor skills, concentration, and even their coordination. Offering different types of sensory activities can give your child wonderful experiences.

Rainbow Sensory Rice Bags is something that can offer bright colors, fun, and no messes. All that is needed is rice, food coloring, ziplock bags. Remember that not only the feel of the rice can be educational. Using different types of rice can offer different scents to peak your toddler’s interests.

Hands on as We Grow has a great sensory activity that involves leftovers. You can simply cook some new spaghetti noodles, or use ones from last night’s dinner. Add food coloring to the noodles. Add some oil to the outside of the noodles; this will help to keep them shining and slimy.

Sensory bags are something that can be very helpful. This is a wonderful activity for those individuals that have occupational therapy. You will need a plastic bag, some hair gel, and some small toys or little balls. Mama OT is a great place to get some ideas on other occupational activities.

There are days when you cannot find anything to do. When those days hit it can be very important to have things to do with your toddler.