Baby (or Parents’) Gifts

Since this is our first baby, we’d rather pick most things out ourselves if possible, so if it’s not on this list, please check with us before you buy something. We already have an overabundance of baby clothes, bibs and toys. If you are thinking of buying us something, please see below for more ideas. Thanks!

Baby/ parenting stuff

  • Something (anything) from Mooo.
  • A gift voucher from Mother’s Direct. (For purchasing or hiring a breast pump and buying breastfeeding essentials).
  • A gift voucher from Big W, Safeway or Myer (For assorted baby items like wipes, nappies and groceries).
  • A gift voucher from iTunes, ABC Shop, The Avenue, Coventry or Readings bookstores.
  • Breastfeeding tea: $8.50 for 50g/ $15 for 100g from ArtofTea. Fill in their online order form or find other ways to order here.
  • A direct deposit to our baby account.
  • Hire a cleaner for a few hours.
  • Come over for a girly spa day: paint my nails, give me a hand/ foot/ head rub and bring treats like cupcakes and chocolate to share!
  • Drag me out of the house – to the beach for a walk, to a cafe or bistro, or to the op shop for some therepeutic relief.
  • If you are intent on buying baby cute cuddly things, please get some microbes or guts.

In conjunction with your visit, you could bring:

  • Home cooked food, in frozen protions.
  • Decent Asian takeaway meals.
  • Some groceries we forgot to buy.
  • Organic fruit.

Books

Since we love to read, we can’t wait to start reading to our baby. Find out “Why should we read to newborns?” and get tips on suitable books here.

This list is a guide, but it’s not exhaustive. If you are having fun reading a children’s book, we’ll probably have fun reading it too!

  • Start with any book on Mem Fox’s Top 20 List
  • Up Down And Around by Katherine Ayres and Nadine Bernard Westcott
  • Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox.
  • Hello Baby by Mem Fox, illustrated by Steve Jenkins.
  • Whoever You Are by Mem Fox.
  • Actually, any Mem Fox book would be great! But we can start with those.
  • The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • Go Maisy Go by Lucy Cousins
  • Meg & Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski
  • Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont
  • Window by Jeannie Baker
  • We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
  • My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton
  • Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts and David Legge
  • Annie’s Chair by Deborah Niland
  • Multicultural children’s books would be excellent too.
  • Books in Spanish or Mandarin

When baby is 6 months or older

My favourite independent book retailers in Melbourne:

For Me

I generally do all my shopping at 2nd hand shops and on eBay so you can certainly buy something second hand!

(Almost) Free

  • Make me a mixed CD.
  • Cuttings from your favourite plants: herbs, heirloom varieties of yummy edibles, scented plants or succulents.
  • Give me one of your books. (That you don’t mind parting with!)
  • Print your favourite photo of me (or P and I, you and I, etc..)
  • Cook me a meal, make me some cookies, biccies, yummies.

Gardening

  • Diggers Club subscription
  • My favourite nursery is Going Going Green so you can definitely find me something there!
  • Self-watering pots in either terracotta or blue.
  • I can never get enough of fragrant plants. Especially fragrant plants I can cook with.

Gadgets
I love technology if it is simple, smart and environmentally friendly. And I’m a big sucker for excellent design.

Kitchen toys

Books
I love books, but I love them more if they’re not new. Please buy me a second hand book when possible and save the environment! I generally like:

  1. Cookbooks: I have some great ones, but I love ones that tell a story. I generally don’t like books with pretty pictures of every dish. I love books with a useful index (like C – Chicken; A – Appetisers). I love books that teach me how to be creative and inspire me. Have a look at my bookshelf and take a look at the ones I use the most.
  2. Gardening books: Right now I am still learning about gardening, so something like Flora’s Plant Finder would be great.
  3. Architecture books: especially about common-sense environmental design. Anything by Terence Conran, or Warm House, Cool House: Inspirational Designs for Low-Energy Housing by Nick Hollo.
  4. Fiction (which I tend to find in the library anway):

Music
I will usually love anything classical, Brazilian or Latin American; jazz, tribal vocals, choral music; folk and blues.

Still stumped??
You can always:

  • buy me chocolates from Xocolatl
  • take me out to dinner
  • get tickets to a performance or exhibition
  • arrange a massage, facial or haircut
  • book a cleaner for a day, week, month, year
  • ask P! (which is cheating, you know…)
  • or as a last resort, act Chinese and give me a red packet. The money will go into our house fund.