Shopping for the newest members of your family can be so much fun! Watching them learn and explore in this big world is one of my favorite things about babies and toddlers! Of course there are also those who bring them into this world as well. Every expecting mother deserves to be spoiled this holiday season! Here are our favorite items for 2014

We received a variety of samples for inclusion in this gift guide. All opinions are our own. 

 Gifts for Baby

With a new baby comes lots of worry! aden + anais has created a multi-tasking tool to ease all your new mommy fears and help you keep track of important information, too. Their Serenity Star is a clock, nightlight, temperature indicator, soothing sound machine and a feeding diary all in one! Middle of the night feedings are eased when you can push a button and record what time you feed your baby and view the last feeding time as well as record which side you nursed from last, if nursing. I can clearly remember waking up every 2 hours wondering which side to start with in my dazed lack of sleep state! I love the gentle glow of a night light that won’t wake you up but will give you enough light to help your newborn. aden + anais also are known for their popular muslin swaddling blankets, but they also make comforting muslin crib sheets, too!

 

 

A sheepskin rug makes a beautiful and comforting gift for your infant. Sheepskin can be used year round as it naturally regulates temperature and has a cooling effect in warm weather by absorbing excess moisture and can keep baby warm in cold weather with it’s insulating properties. Newborns especially can benefit from a sheepskin rug by helping them to maintain a stable body temperature which they can’t yet do on their own. Elks & Angels offer a range of wool and sheepskin products, including a sheepskin rug, that can be used for playtime, tummy time, and nap time!

 

Give your little one (and mom) the gift of sleep with Zen Swaddles. Perfect for babies 0-6 months, these unique double layered swaddlers provide comfort and security while helping your baby drift off into a peaceful slumber. During the first few weeks of your baby’s life, Zen Swaddles’ unique interior pouch help keep your baby’s legs snug while they sleep. As they begin to grow, this Zen Swaddle allows you to move their legs to the extra long outer sac for added space and leg room. What a brilliant idea – a swaddler that grows with your baby! Not to mention, Zen Swaddlers luxuriously soft material is perfect for your baby’s delicate skin. With many different designs to choose from, such as the Wheels pattern pictured above, there are swaddlers perfect for every baby.

 

When your little one starts to get active, give them a way to play, have fun, and burn energy! The Little Tikes Discover & Learn Activity Center is made for children ages 6 months up to age 3. It can grow with your baby and provides 12 different interactive play areas. This activity center starts as a support for your young infant to help strengthen legs, back and neck muscles while keeping him distracted so mom can get a minute to herself. Then, the built-in train track can be removed and used separately as your child grows for more playtime fun!

 

Tiny Love makes great toys for your developing baby. Follow Me Fred and the Musical Stack and Ball Elephant are my favorite of their line up. Both toys grow with your child as they learn new tasks and skills. That way the same toy is just as interesting and engaging at 6 months as it is at 18 months! I love toys that I can keep out for awhile when my babies are changing so quickly! Tiny Love also carries a wide range of activity gyms, gear, and play mats as well. If you are looking for a well made, awesome toy for your baby and young toddler, Tiny Love is your place! Make sure you enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of these great toys!

 

I am so excited to show you this next item. Popular Brazilian shoe brand Melissa widely known and loved for their unique jelly style and collaborations with top fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, is launching their first newborn collection “My First Mini Melissa” this November! The collection is designed specifically for newborns and is about as cute, comfortable and enviable as you can get Even better is that the entire collection is 100% eco-friendly and recyclable. You can find “My First Mini Melissa” at department stores including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bloomingdales. My two-year-old LOVES her Pink Mini Melissa Ultragirl Bow mary janes. Every time she looks down she says, “They are just so pretty!” They are the perfect practical item to wrap up under the tree. Plus, you can win a pair by entering the giveaway below!

 

Gifts for Toddlers

Tackle those scared of the dark moments and build independence with a portable night light with their favorite Disney character! Philips and Disney adorable SoftPals lighting creates a comforting glow that will soothe your child to sleep. The SoftPals are charged on a base during the day and then can be carried with your child to bed or on trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They use a safe LED system which stays cool to the touch and you won’t need to change the batteries or lightbulbs! The SoftPals are available in four styles: Minnie, Mickey, and Monster’s Inc. stars Sulley and Mike. Look for them at Babies ‘R’ Us, Home Depot, and on Amazon.

 

Let your kids love of animals show with adorable and educational Peek-A-Zoo t-shirts! Each shirt features a headless animal where your child becomes a part of the animal while wearing the shirt. The backs of every shirt feature fun facts about the animals to help encourage learning, too. I love the bright colors on the shirts. My 4-year-old think it’s really fun to “be a shark”! These adorable shirts can be found on the Peek-a-Zoo website and at zoo and aquarium gift shops nationwide.

 

Reading can take children on a magical journey. Give your little toddler the gift of imagination and adventure with Lost My Name personalized books. Each book allows you to insert your child’s name making the story line personal and entertaining. “The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name” and “The Little Boy Who Lost His Name” tell the story of a child who sets off on a journey to find the lost letters of their name. Along this adventure, the child encounters various characters and animals who give the child the missing letters of their name. At the end of the book, the child realizes that the letters spell their own name. What a fun and personalized way to celebrate the magic of reading.

 

Kids will have fun learning and playing with a Sprout Channel Cubby tablet that is designed exactly for their age! This tablet is specifically designed for children as young as 2! It features all the favorite characters including Caillou and The Wiggles from the preschool channel Sprout for learning and fun all in one. The tablet comes loaded with television shows, songs, educational apps and music videos. You’ll also find preloaded recommended apps and a child-safe web browser. Parents will love that they can set time limits and content controls to customize the tablet to their specific ages and specifications. Look for Sprout Channel Cubby 7″ tablet available at Walmart!

 

Toddlers have so much fun learning new things and exploring the world around them. No one knows that better than Educational Insights! My little guy is going to be so excited to see a Brachiosaurus Backhoe under the tree this year. He loves all things dinosaurs and construction so it is the prefect combination for him. Now that he is getting a little older, he loves to use tools and anything he can find around the house to build machines. Design and Drill toys are a great way to encourage this kind of creativity. These sets are perfect for your older toddler 4+. I love that these toys get kids brains moving while they play! you can find them here.

 

Just as every child is unique and personable, every child enjoys personalized gifts containing their very own name. Whether you are looking for personalized plates, towels, totes, lunch boxes, shower curtains, throw pillows, etc. Avery and Ethan offers a wide variety of personalized gifts. I can’t wait to add this Blue and White Leafy Monogrammed Pillow to my son’s nursery. Easy to clean and and completely customizable, this pillow displays dates and titles on both sides. Looking for other fun and unique personalized gift ideas? Check out these adorable lunchboxes, shower curtains, and puzzles.

 

We all know that kids love Legos, why not let them start their obsession just a little bit earlier!? Duplos are a great toy that will get played with for years to come. Even big kids love these chunky toddler sized blocks. Their new Creative Ice Cream set is a great way to incorporate block building with other types of imaginative play! Kids will love building and sharing these sweet treats with their friends and families. They are perfect for using with your play kitchens, too! See all their awesome sets here.

 

We are huge game players at our house, and we like to start our kids young! There are so many lessons that can be learned from playing games. I love Peaceable Kingdom‘s cooperative games for toddlers. We have several here at our house and they get played with on a daily basis, no exaggeration. The games are easy enough that my toddlers can play them unassisted, but fun enough that I love to join them and older kids would too! Peaceable Kindgom knows what life with toddlers is like, they will replace individual pieces of their games if they get lost or ruined. Genius! Check out all their awesome games here.

 

Bring the magic of Disney to your Christmas mooring with Kohl’s Cares. These adorable plush toys and matching books are only $5 each at your local Kohl’s store. Besides being a great deal, you can feel confident knowing that these gifts give back.  100 percent of the net profit from this collection supports children’s health and education initiatives nationwide! With six classic Disney Characters like Dumbo or Simba available, you might just have to grab them all! Grab them at your local Kohl’s store or online here.

 

 

  

The gift of team spirit is something the entire family can enjoy. Have a favorite NBA, MLB, NCAA, or NFL team? Baby Fans’ offers a wide variety of team jerseys, accessories, cheerleader uniforms, hats, and outfits perfect for every infant and toddler. As you can see, we are big 49ers fans at my house. Dressing my son in this adorable Official 49ers Kids Hat and Lil’ 49ers Fan Track Suit gets the competitive juices flowing for game day! Some of my other favorite Baby Fans items include: 49ers Dazzle Dress, Infant Shoes, and Kaepernick Jerseys. With numerous options from various sports teams, the gift possibilities are endless. Be sure to visit Baby Fans this holiday season and browse sporting gear from all your favorite teams!

 

Gifts for Pregnant & New Moms

Every expectant mother deserves something luxurious! Cake Maternity knows how to spoil moms to be. From Bras to robes to nursing pads, they know how to make a new mom feel beautiful and loved. Every expectant mother will love their Maternity Wrap and Robe. Comfy in those long days of pregnancy and perfect for late night feedings with newborns. Once their baby has arrived a nursing mom will need some nursing pads. Cake Maternity’s Cupcake Nursing Pads are the best of the best! They use all natural fabrics and are designed to hug your shape for maximum comfort. They would be the perfect practical stocking stuffer for the new mom. You can see all of Cake Maternity’s wonderful gifts here.

 

I know one of the most exciting purchases I made as an expectant mother was a brand new diaper bag. There are so many options out there, but the PacaPod really offers something unique. With one half for mom and one half for baby it is easy to keep your stuff organized. They take it a step further by featuring a “pod” system. In the baby side of the bag there are two pods included, one for feeding, and one for changing. That way when you are ready to feed or change your babe you can quickly grab the pod you need rather than lugging your whole bag around. They have many different styles and prints and even options in leather.