Most expectant
mothers have a gift registry which you can most certainly utilize. For me, Gift Registries tend to overwhelm with
the long lists, serial numbers, trying to locate the item in-store…yes, I can
feel my eyes starting to glaze over just thinking about it. Not to mention, I find practical items, like a
Diaper Genie, sorely lacking in the “memorable” or “touching” gift department.
My
go-to-gift for Baby Showers is inspired by my niece who is now 7, and still
loves a gift her mother received for her at her baby shower: a constellation Lady Bug night light.
This
gift has been used nightly, even on vacation, for the past seven years to
soothe my niece as she falls asleep. The
lady bug casts a constellation of stars in a dimmed hue on the ceiling. It allows you to select from three different
colors, and automatically shuts off after 45 minutes.
Even as
an infant, as soon as she saw the constellation in the dark, she knew it was time
to settle down to sleep. Now, she just
loves it as a night light which keeps her room from being pitch dark.
I love
this gift for more than just how cute it is, and here’s why:
+ comes in a variety of animals (the most popular are a Turtle and Lady Bug) for
boys & girls
+ easy to ship (lightweight) to out of town friends, and can be ordered online
at Barnes & Noble or Babies R Us
+ can easily be exchanged as most small and large cities have a B&N or Babies
R Us
+ provides inspiration to parents & babysitters for off the cuff storytelling about stars/flying to the
moon/etc.
+ great for kids who are afraid of the dark—they can have a neat constellation
on the ceiling without feeling like they are “scaredy-cats” for needing a night
light
Spice
It Up: Pair it with a great book! I’m a believer in encouraging kids to read
from the time they are very young. Some
ideas of great books include: The
Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, or Shel Silverstein’s Where
the Sidewalk Ends. Another idea
is to send a book with a compilation of Fairy Tales. This is something that can be read to them
for years to come, or that they may one day read themselves.
Spice
It Up: Pair it with a great book! I’m a believer in encouraging kids to read
from the time they are very young. Some
ideas of great books include: The
Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, or Shel Silverstein’s Where
the Sidewalk Ends. Another idea
is to send a book with a compilation of Fairy Tales. This is something that can be read to them
for years to come, or that they may one day read themselves. 
Where to Buy:
Night Light – It is produced by a company
called Cloud B. Go to their website to check out other neat
products they have for children. You can purchase directly through them, or it
is available at Barnes & Noble,
Babies ‘R Us, and Amazon. Approximately $34.99
Books – Available at most books stores
and baby stores including: Barnes &Noble, Babies ‘R Us, Amazon, etc.
Price varies on book selection/edition/hardback or paperback, but estimate $5.00-$40.00
