Your Purchase Through 9-1-09 helps the Starlight Children’s Foundation

For every purchase that is made at BabySakes.com through September 1st, BabySakes will give you 5% off your purchase and we will donate a BabyPrints handprint keepsake to the Starlight Children’s Foundation of Canada when you enter coupon code STARLIGHT at checkout.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.

Starlight Children’s Foundation is currently putting together Starlight-in-a-Box care packages for families of babies that are hospitalized with serious illness. These packages will be delivered to hundreds of hospitals and will help families engage in activities with their babies while they are hospitalized. The impression keepsakes will be included in these care packages so that parents can create a lasting keepsake of baby’s hand or footprint.

To participate in this program just enter coupon code STARLIGHT at checkout and you’ll receive 5% off your order and BabySakes.com will donate a Pearhead BabyPrints handprint impression kit for these families.

Filling Out Your Baby Book: What Happened in Baby’s World (2008 Edition)

You ‘ve been asking and we are always happy to oblige. We at Babysakes  are always keen to help out new moms – especially when it means doing the research so you can fill out those Baby’s World pages in your fabulous  Baby Book from BabySakes.com!

So here we go with the wonderful topsy-turvy year 2008 – just choose the key bits that you would like to add to your baby memory book:

World Leaders:

• President George W. Bush – USA
• Prime Minister Gordon Brown – UK
• President Hu Jintao – China
• President Pratibha Patil  – India
• Prime Minister Kevin Michael Rudd – Australia
• Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy – France
• President Horst Kohler – Germany
• President Dmitry Medvedev- Russia

Top Stories of 2008

Near financial collapse, the US Government came to the aid of some of the historically most financially solvent institutions. Because of the sub-prime mortgage debacle, many banks found themselves out of cash.  Those that weren’t gobbled up by their former competitors, were left floundering. Lehman Brothers was allowed to fail, but Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG were helped out by taxpayers. By the end of the year, consumer spending was at record declines, home values continued to plummet and joblessness on the rise.

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States in an historic victory that brought the United States its first African-American President. In an equally historic democratic primary, Obama defeated Hillary Clinton for the nomination after a 50-state caucus. On the right, Alaska governer Sarah Palin energized the ticket headed by John McCain in the Republican nomination. The long and hard-fought election also showed a marked generational shift in American Politics with the Internet, mobile phones and social networking being used to rally support for candidates.

For three days in November  Mumbai, the financial and movie capitol of India, was held hostage by 10 armed men. The tourism center was hit hardest with hotels and restrants becoming sites of unbelievable carnage.

The term “Made in China” brought about a great deal of fear in the minds of consumers as the chemical melamine was found in food products given to animals and humans and high levels of lead in children’s toys brought about new consumer saftey standards.

Top Selling Music Albums of 2008

1. As I Am – Alicia Keys

2. Noel – Josh Groban

3. Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne

4. Long Road Out of Eden – Eagles

5. Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift

6. Rock N Roll Jesus – Kid Rock

7. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay

8. Now 26 – Various Artists

9. Carnival Ride – Carrie Underwood

10. The Ultimate Hits – Garth Brooks

Top Grossing Movies of 2008:

1. The Dark Knight

2. Iron Man

3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

4. Hancock

5. WALL-E

6. Kung Fu Panda

7. Twilight

8. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

9. Quantum of Solace

10. Horton Hears a Who!

Highest Paid Actors of 2008:

1. Will Smith

2. Johnny Depp

3. Eddie Murphy

4. Mike Myers

5. Leonardo Dicaprio

Actresses

1. Angelina Jolie

2. Cameron Diaz

3. Jennifer Aniston

4. Keira Knightly

5. Jennifer Lopez

Best Sellers of 2008:

(Non Fiction)

1. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins

2. The Thief at the End of the World by Joe Jackson

3. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

4. The World Is What It Is by Patrick French

5. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

(Fiction)

1. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño

2. Lush Life by Richard Price

3. Lush Life by Richard Price

4. Anathem by Neal Stephenson

5. Unaccustomed Earth Jhumpa Lahiri

(Children)

1. The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman

2. Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

3. Bats at the Library, Written and illustrated by Brian Lies

4. Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

5. Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert

Top 10 Highest Rated Television Shows of 2008:

1. American Idol Tuesday (Fox) 2. American Idol Wednesday (Fox) – 15.3%
3. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) – 4. Dancing with the Stars Results (ABC) – 11.4%
5. The Mentalist (CBS)
6. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC)
7. CSI (CBS)
8. NCIS (CBS)
9. 60 Minutes (CBS)
10. Survivor: Gabon

What Things Cost in 2008

Gallon of Milk: $3.72

Gallon of Gas: At its highest it was $4.20 for regular unleaded.

Loaf of Bread: Approximately $1.59

Movie Ticket: Average price $7.20

College Education: Private – $25,143 per year Public: $6,585  per year.

House: $206, 200(Median Home Price)

Car: About  25,000 to 35,000 for a moderately priced new car or SUV.

Diapers: Approximately 18 to 28 cents a diaper.

Babysitter: Approximately $12 – 15 an hour for someone over age 18.

Sunday Paper: Average price $2.50 to 3.00 or free online.

Postage Stamp:  42 cents

As always, let us know if there is any more information you need in the comments. We are happy to oblige.

Christmas Keepsakes for Baby and You

Celebrating Christmas with baby is such a special time. The keepsakes you create this year will become part of your holiday traditions in Christmas future. Whether it is your baby’s first Christmas or you are expecting a bundle of joy,  or you just need a gift for your favorite new parents, Babysakes.com is here with original Christmas Baby Keepsakes ready to help capture those cherished Christmas memories.

BABYPRINTS HAND PRINT OR FOOTPRINT ORNAMENT

Precious little hand or footprints can forever be cherished with the Babyprints Hand Print or Footprint Ornament.

One of our most popular holiday items is one you make yourself. The Babyprints Hand Print or Footprint Ornament enables you to make a permanent impression of your baby’s foot or hand print and hangs from your choice of red or green ribbon. Just kneed the no-mix, no-bake, no-fuss impression material like dough, roll it out with the included rolling pin and voila – you’re ready to take your baby’s footprint or hand print impression. Don’t worry about making a mistake – you can redo it in a snap. Once you get baby’s digits in the perfect position – just let your masterpiece air dry for 24-36 hours. Makes a great gift for grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, godparents, friends – anyone special in baby’s life.

CUSTOMIZABLE AND PERSONALIZED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS:  ANGEL ORNAMENT

Customize these hand-made ornaments for a special touch for your Christmas Tree.

Start a tradition with these fun customizable tree ornaments. These wonderful ornaments are lovingly hand painted by artist Kathleen Virtue. The angel ornament can be customized to match your baby’s hair color and style and skin tone as well as adding their name. Other ornaments celebrate Baby’s First Christmas, Big Brother and Big Sister and even Family ornaments. 

These make wonderful gifts that will add that special touch to grandma’s tree as well!

Your child will love to hang their own ornament on the tree year after year! Check out all of the customizable ornaments with seasonal designs that are sure to add that special touch to your Christmas Tree.  Order yours by December 3rd to guarantee Christmas delivery!

PERSONALIZED HOLIDAY PLATES: COOKIES FOR SANTA CHRISTMAS PLATE

Santa's cookies taste even better off this personalized plate.

Leave those special cookies for Santa on an even more special plate! This special Cookies for Santa Plate is hand painted by artist Kathleen Virtue and can be personalized with your child’s (or children’s) names and even a special message on the backside.  This makes a great family gift for friends or relatives who have little ones, or even a special treat for your own family to make your Christmas tradition of leaving Cookies for Santa Claus even more special (and don’t forget the apple for Rudolph!) Make sure to place your order no later than Wednesday December 3rd for Christmas Delivery. Check out the other designs like the Baby’s First Christmas plates featuring Rudolph by Kathleen Virtue.

Commemorate Baby’s First Christmas with other Personalized Holiday Plates by children’s artist Jamie Risdon Lentzner that include storks, snowmen and even Santa himself. The simple designs from What a Dish! Studio are classic and perfect for Christmas treats and the Personalized Christmas plates by My Little Dish studio feature a choice of different sayings and smiling Snowmen or Santa faces. Perfect for Christmas Dinner. Plan ahead with these original gifts. Some need to be ordered by  December 3rd to ensure your Christmas surprise.

HOLIDAY PHOTO FRAMES AND ALBUMS: SANTA AND ME PHOTO FRAME

This is the perfect frame for your Santa Photo.

 You need that perfect frame for your photo of your little one on Santa’s lap (even if they weren’t all that thrilled to be there.) This wonderful keepsake frame by Mud Pie is made from red and green twill fabric and embroidered with “Santa and Me.” Also featured in this collection are “Baby’s First Christmas” photo frames and lovely “My First Christmas” and “Christmas ’08” photo album that each hold 80 4″ x 6″ photos.

Also available are wonderful photo frame and a photo album designed to look like Santa’s Red Suit – made from red patent-leather with a black belt with a gold buckle. There is even a cute Rudolph photo album that is perfect for your holiday photos.

Check out our entire selection of Holiday Frames and Photo Albums.

ADORABLE HOLIDAY OUTFITS : CHRISTMAS TREE TUNIC AND LEGGINGS

Festive holiday clothes are a perfect fit this Christmas.

Dress your baby in the holiday spirit with a fun and festive Christmas-themed outfit.

Perfect for your holiday photo with Santa, this adorable Christmas Tree Tunic and Leggings features candy-cane striped leggings (super-comfy for babies who are crawling) and a white tunic with a Christmas Tree applique. Ruffles on the sleeves make this a cute and comfy outfit for a little girl.

Other outfits like a red jersey dress or a Santa tunic – both with candy-cane striped leggings are perfect for your little girl – up to six months old.

Also available are onesies with appliqued reindeer, Christmas trees or holiday wrapping. Or what about reindeer and Santa booties, festive holiday socks to keep baby’s feet warm.

Don’t forget your special Christmas bib for baby’s first Christmas Dinner! Make sure you check out all the adorable outfits!

HOLIDAY PLUSH TOYS: GUND STORYTIME BEAR AND NICHOLAS NIGHTCAP

Storytime Bear reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

A special holiday deserves a special teddy! Even better –  How about a special teddy that reads a story? Storytime Bear by Gund is not only soft and adorable but when you press his hand he becomes animated and reads the famous Holiday Poem by Clement Clarke Moore, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” This is sure to delight the little ones – and even Grandpa and Grandma! Such a fun and unique Christmas bear. This makes a great gift for children of any age!

 

 

Nicholas Nightcap has had his Christmas Cocoa and is all ready for bed.

Or maybe the classic Nicholas Nightcap Teddy Bear by Bearington Baby is the perfect bear for you. Nicholas is all ready for slumber on Christmas Eve with his cozy nightcap and red jammies. He’s even got his own copy of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” (but he’s quietly reading his copy to himself). A sweet and adorable bear that is a great gift for your favorite little one (and Grandma too!)

Be sure to check out the entire selection of holiday plush toys – including more pajama-clad bears, penguin pull-down musicals and cuddly polar bears!

At BabySakes.com, we would love to help you make and preserve your holiday memories this season.

The Best Baby Books for Adoption

Tell your baby's adoption story with "The Story of Me."

Here at Babysakes.com we understand every child is unique and deserves a special book to document their lives. That’s why we offer a wide selection of baby memory books to fit every family situation. When a child is adopted, there is a unique aspect to their birth story that makes it difficult to use a traditional baby record book. However, there are a number of  adoption baby books designed just to tell the story of the adopted child.

The Story of ME Adoption Baby Memory Books
The Story of ME baby book allows you to customize everything from the cover fabric to an optional embroidered name and photo window for a special first photo. The hand-sewn cover fabric choices are wonderful, but you also have the option of providing your own fabric for an even more special and more personalized touch! With The Story of ME, you get to choose from several different styles of page packs that fit neatly into The Story of Me’s three-ring binder.

The optional adoption page pack include 18 pages to tell the story of your little one’s adoption, whether it was open or closed, domestic or international. Since the baby book is a looseleaf binder, you can easily  customize this book by adding or removing pages at any time. What a great way to tell your child’s story!

This is what Jenna Devereaux from Granite Bay, CA had to say about the Story of ME baby memory book:

“Love the book. I chose it because it was one of the only books I could find for adoptions. It has all the pages for all the information you’ll want to write about your baby. I love the fact that you can add blank pages, religious pages, etc. If you like to scrapbook, this book can be used in that manner. It’s a great book for anyone.”

It's the adoption page packs that make the Tessera Baby Book special!

Adoption Baby Books by Tessera Publishing
Tessera Publishing makes a wonderful adoption baby memory book as well. This album comes in 4 gorgeous cover options and features a post bound binding (screw posts that allow you to add or remove pages). The album includes pages to cover baby’s first three years and offers a huge selection of optional page packs to tailor the album to your family’s story. With the Tessera baby memory book, you can add the Domestic Adoption Page Pack (includes pages such as “Starting The Process,” “About Your Birth Mother,” and “Adoption Documentation”) or the Foreign Adoption Page Pack (includes pages such as “Your Homeland Culture,” “Travel Itineraries,” “Visiting Your Country” and more). Since you can insert just the pages you want, you can choose how much information to include about the adoption process of your baby. Hillary Carter from Ruston, LA raves:

“This album was the only one I could find that was a really great option for adoptions. It is absolutely elegant and beautiful. It has pages for almost anything you can imagine.”

Penny Laine Adoption Baby Books

Penny Laine Adoption Baby Albums
Penny Laine offers a selection of adoption-specific baby books in a choice of four fun fabric covers. Each book contains enough pages to record your baby’s milestones as well as all adoption information. This album also includes a special “Birth Parent’s page pack” that you choose to include in the three-ring binder style album. The Birth Parent’s page pack includes pages such “Things You Might Like to Know About Your Birth Mother,” a “Birth Family Tree” and “Things we talked about with your birth Mom.” Each cover has a photo window for a first photo and includes a color-coordinated satin ribbon.

This gorgeous adoption-specific album has many fans! For example Crystal St. Pierre from McKinney, Texas says:

“Very beautiful book. I adopted my daughter so finding a good adoption book wasn’t easy. This book was what I was looking for.”

And, Peggy Streck from Brook Park, OH said:

“Wonderfully specific to adopted babies, who are special in their own right! Plenty of useful pages to fill with all sorts of personal info. Very well done.”

A page from the "This is Me" adoption baby book.

This is Me!
If you want an album that is more of a comprehensive historical record keeper,  then the This Is Me Memory Book is just for you. This 76-page book has a post binding so pages can be added or removed easily. This book is gender-neutral and is great for domestic as well as international adoptions – there are versions for adoptions that are country specific, including China, Russia, South Korea and Guatemala and more. 

“This is Me” allows you to document your child’s life all they way through age 18. The book is great especially if you are adopting an older child or a child with special needs as well! It includes a huge variety of adoption pag you might not find anywhere else, such as “Places I Lived / Foster Families,” “Health Information About my Parents,” “Why Don’t I Live with My Birth Parents,” and more.

The international adoption versions include a map of the country of adoption as well as a brief history. Andrea Young from Spring Lake, NC had this to say about the China version of the This is Me book:

“My husband and I are in the process of adopting from China and I was looking for an adoption baby book.  This book is perfect!  It has a section on China and also info pages about the adoption as well as information through the years (it goes up to age 18).  The book itself can be taken apart to add or remove pages.  I’m looking forward to filling it out!”

Baby Baby - A Memory Book

Baby Baby – A Memory Book
On the other end of the spectrum is a baby book that doesn’t specifically address the adoption situation, but is designed to eliminate pages that are typically unique to a birth family. So, the Baby Baby  – A Memory Book album looks more like a traditional baby book, but is written in such a way that it works wonderfully for adopted children as well.

Its gender-neutral palate and retro-sixties motifs make it classic and hip all at the same time. It can be personalized with baby’s name and date of birth. The pages are lovely and the verbiage is extremely flexible which makes it an appropriate book for all kinds of families!

For instance, gone are pages detailing pregnancy and references to the hospital. Instead, the album starts with a page titled “First Glimpse” which reads “We found out you were coming on ____” and continues with space for a photograph for an adoption photo. Instead of a “Visitors to the Hospital Page,” there is a page titled “Who Visited You” which works perfectly for any celebration welcoming the adopted baby to the family.

So, this album is absolutely perfect if you do not want to detail the specifics of the adoption, but still want to have a baby book that can be filled out completely without awkward blank pages. The “Baby Baby” Memory Book helps you record childhood memories up to Kindergarten.

Of course, each book is acid-free, archival quality and is appropriate for adoption. And all are ready to be made into a cherished keepsake with those special memories written by a loving parent. You can view the complete selection of adoption baby memory books here.

Posh Halloween Costumes for Baby

Ribbet Ribbet - your child could be a froggie for Halloween!

It’s that time of year again. Time for ghosts and goblins – or rather, fluffy bunnies, bears, frogs and horsies. (We here at Babysakes.com get scared too easily and prefer our trick-or-treaters to be of the adorably cute variety.) 

There is nothing better than having a baby product serve double duty, so when we considered the amazing booties and coats at BabySakes.com – well, we got to thinking. What better way to dress up baby for Halloween but in a costume that is not only plush and luxurious – but is really a winter coat that will keep them warm in the upcoming colder months!

Bearington Baby offers a wonderful selection of coats and booties for babies 6 – 12 months and 12-24 months. Can’t you see your little one dressed up as an elephant in the Lil Peanut Elephant coat and matching booties. Or how about as a frog in the Froggie coat and booties. Better yet – how about as a pink bunny with the Pink Bunny coat and matching booties or as a sweet little lamb in the Lamby Coat and booties (with any luck the bunny and lamby coats and booties can pull TRIPLE duty as an outfit for the spring holidays.)

These coats are plush and fuzzy and make you want to snuggle your little one even more. Think of all the candy they can procure looking so cute (and if they don’t have any teeth – think of all the candy you get to eat on their behalf!)

Dress your baby in luxury with this faux mink!

Of course there is also the added bonus of looking like a million bucks. These Bearington Baby animal-themed coats and matching booties have the look of mink and leopard – faux of course. Your little one could be a cat or a grizzly or polar bear  – or just look fabulous for Halloween.

For those of you who want to stay a little closer to home – or the farm – these Mud Pie coats and booties are perfect. With a quack quack here or a neigh neigh there, imagine your baby roaming the neighboorhood in one of these amazing coats and matching booties.

For little ones who are spending the holiday indoors, or for our friends in warmer climates, can we suggest these fun Mud Pie sleepers? With the same EIEIO themes as the coats and booties (bunny, duckie, horsie and moo-cow), the sleepers have tails and feet and are just so cute we can’t stand it. Or if you see your baby as more of a superhero, then these Wry Baby snapsuits will help them be “Super Cute!”

So check out the fun animal-themed wear at Babysakes.com today and get your order in just in time for Trick-or-Treat. These are more than just baby Halloween costumes… they are posh baby outfits for all seasons! View the complete selection here.

Gotta Getta Gund, Baby!

Who can resist Pink-a-Boo Pony's sweet face?

We would like to announce our newest addition to our collection of baby keepsakes – Baby Gund. Gund, the quintessential purveyor of fine plush toys is now available on Babysakes.com.

But it isn’t just plush toys, Baby Gund now offers  wonderful collections with many adorable baby keepsakes and useful items to choose from.

The Happy Moments Collection from Baby Gund includes themed keepsakes for boys and girls. The boy’s collection has everything a boy could want – trains, planes and automobiles in fun primary colors. The girl’s collection includes flowers, gingham and embroidery in lovely pastels. The Happy Moments collection features frames, photo albums, pillows, hooded towels, banks and growth charts.

The delicate Li’l Boutique Collection also features a boy and a girl collection. Lovely stripes, flowers and rocking horse accents in pink and aqua adorn these lovely keepsake boxes, frames, blankets, photo albums and layettes.

Some of the fun Baby Gund collections are centered around a Baby Gund character. You can meet “Spunky” the dog who comes in pink for girls, blue for boys and a gender-neutral tan.  “Winky” the lamb comes in either white or pink. Both collections include plush toys, blankets, outfits and nursery decor.

There is also a collection of corduroy and patchwork snugglers that your child will love. Baby Gund’s “Snoodle” is an adorable blue puppy, “Pink-a-Boo” is a cute pink horse, and “Hopscotch” is a fun yellow giraffe. Each collection includes plush toys in a variety of sizes, blankets, and toys. They are cute and durable enough to be your child’s favorite friend for years to come.

Wonderful gifts for baby and moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas come from the Hugs and Kisses Collection. Frames, plush toys and photo albums show the world who baby’s favorite is. Is it Grandpa? Then the adorable plush giraffe says so right on his tummy. If it is Mommy, then a wonderful purple frame will showcase a touching photo of mom and baby and the words “I love my Mommy.” If it is Daddy or Grandma, there are photo albums for treasured photos. Each collection is centered around a special Baby Gund plush animal.

Spunky Huggybuddy - sure to be your baby's new best friend.

Can’t think of a fun shower gift? Why not check out Yummie Tummies or Bitsy Baby Bibs? These wonderful, high-quality bibs have clever saying and fun characters and are sure to be cherished as keepsakes.

There are also great gifts for the new big sister or big brother. The My Family collection includes plush, baby-safe  photo albums that can be shared. Also included are mom and dad and grandpa and grandma albums.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Baby Gund if there weren’t a whole bunch of things to snuggle. The Tender Beginnings collection has an adorable giraffe with pink or blue accents, in a variety of snugglers and plush toys. The Secure Snugs collection has a variety of blankets with plush characters included. Probably the most versatile snuggler of all are the Snugapuffs. Part pillow, part plush friend, these character pillows are soft and perfect for nap time.

But don’t take our word for it. Check out these new baby keepsakes from Baby Gund and other items yourself at Babysakes.com.

BabySakes.com Giveaway

To celebrate the BabySakes launch of the Baby Gund gift line, we are giving away a Spunky baby keepsake gift set. This giveaway will include the Spunky Huggybuddy, the Spunky Buddyluvs, and the Spunky Plush Puppy. The retail value of these items are $70 and make a great collection to give as a baby shower gift, or to pamper your little one. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog post letting us know what your favorite item is from the Baby Gund collection.  We will select a winner on October 30th, 2008. Contest is open to U.S. residents over 18, void where prohibited… (complete rules here.)

Contest Closed – Winner Announced
The winner of the Gund giveaway from BabySakes.com is Tara LaMagna with comment number 7. Congratulations Tara!

Where did the Silver Baby Gifts tradition come from?

A classic gift - the silver baby rattle

At BabySakes.com, we’ve recently expanded our offering of silver baby keepsakes and that got us wondering… where did this tradition of giving silver to babies come from anyway? Can an infant truly appreciate such a fine gift and isn’t a silver teether a bit tough to chew on?

So, our crack research team has been on the trail of identifying these mysterious origins. As it turns out, silver gifts for babies are a tradition that dates back to before colonial times.

Silversmiths, such as the famous patriot Paul Revere, created silver baby rattles, cups and spoons as part of their craft. Which leads us to the question… did Paul Revere shake a silver baby rattle to attract attention during his famous midnight ride? Hmmm… a tale lost to history!

Giving a silver gift now is generally considered to be a keepsake for parents and not a functional gift for baby. That wasn’t always so. Babies have played with rattles for a long time. The first known rattles were made from clay, which was easily broken. When silver came into vogue rattles were soon fashioned out of the versatile metal, which didn’t break so babies could safely chew on them.

Silver spoons were a traditional gift given by godparents at baby’s christening among the upper classes in Europe. But the saying “born with a silver spoon in his mouth,” says as much about health as about wealth. Silver has been used as a bactericide since the 1800s and its purification uses were widely known throughout history. It was commonly known that babies who used silver pacifiers and were fed with silver spoons were in better health than their less fortunate counterparts. So, don’t feel guilty… it’s healthy!

As silversmith technology advanced, silver-plated baby rattles, cups and spoons became a less expensive alternative to the Sterling silver products used by more wealthy families. Families with more modest incomes could finally enjoy the benefit silver for their children.

Nowadays, with the advent of antibacterial soaps, modern medicines and washable plastic toys, silver is more of a luxury, but certainly a cherished keepsake. Our heirloom-quality silver baby gifts at Babysakes.com will last generations, and certainly won’t be forgotten at the bottom of a toy box.

Silver Plated Feeding Set

BabySakes.com Giveaway
We at Babysakes.com are curious about your family traditions of silver baby gifts. Do you have any silver baby rattles that have been in your family for a long time? What were you told about them? Who did you get them from? Leave your answers in the comments and help us to fill out our little history lesson. We will select one of these comments to receive a silver plated feeding set (retail value: $50). We will select a winner on September 26, 2008. Contest is open to U.S. residents over 18, void where prohibited… (complete rules here.)

Contest Closed: And the Winner Is…
We are happy to announce that Rochelle is the winner of this contest, with comment #4. Congratulations Rochelle! If you didn’t win this one, look for additional BabySakes.com baby keepsake giveaways on the BabySakes blog.

My Baby Book Stinks!

Victim of Stinky Baby Book

Ok, well… that’s not quite true. My baby book definitely does not stink, because I had a rather nice selection to choose from. But, it just may be that your baby book wasn’t exactly what you were hoping for. Perhaps you bought it only to find out that the memory book pages didn’t collect the information you wanted. Maybe it’s too hard to fill out… or doesn’t have enough space for the things you really want to add. Maybe you received it as a gift and felt obligated to use it, even though you secretly despise the album and want to re-do it. Or, maybe it was poorly constructed causing the binding to come unglued and the pages are falling out. Or, it could be that your two-year-old spilled juice all over it and the pages are now water-warped.

Whatever the disaster may be, it could just be that your baby book simply stinks, and you want a new one, but you have a hard time justifying buying another because you have a perfectly…err… well, not so perfectly good one right now.

We want to hear your story. At BabySakes.com, we understand the importance of a good baby book – it’s the one baby item that your little one is still sure to treasure when they are all grown up. A family heirloom that will be passed down from generation to generation. Just think… one day, your words could be read by your great-great-great grandchildren as part of your family history. After all, it’s a keepsake that’s not to be taken lightly!

That’s why BabySakes.com provides a huge selection of the best baby books we can find with dozens of boutique brands and carefully crafted albums.

Now, back to your lousy book. In the comments below, please let us know why your baby book stinks and deserves to be replaced with a new one. You don’t have to say the brand of the book, or where you bought it…. just why you don’t like it. We will select an entry on September 12th to receive a $75.00 gift certificate towards the baby book of your choice – hooray! (complete rules here) The only catch is that you must report back to let us know which baby book you choose and how you like it when you receive it.

And, with your comments, we might all learn a thing or two about what makes a better baby book.

Which is the best baby book?
To make it even easier to select the perfect baby book, BabySakes.com is now collecting and posting customer reviews of the baby albums they have purchased. These now appear on the product page for each baby album for which reviews have been received. We do not filter these… if the review is negative, we want to know and we want you to know so that you can make the best decision when choosing an album. We even pass this info back to manufacturers to help them with their future products. Thanks to other Moms and Dads, you might just pick up a few tips on which baby memory book will be best for your family!

September 15, 2008 Update – And the Winners Are…
We have completed our drawing and the official winner from a random drawing is Bev, with comment #1. Bev wins the $75 gift certificate of a baby book of her choice! Hooray!

We appreciate all of the stories of your baby book disasters and can’t stand the thought of you all having to be stuck with them.  It’s just too heartbreaking! So, everybody else who submitted to this contest will receive a $30 gift certificate “bonus prize” for taking the time to share (as long as you meet eligibility requirements). We would love to have everybody report back on the baby album that you choose to see if you are able find the perfect baby book for you!

Getting Out the “Youth” Vote (BabySakes.com Blog Giveaway Post)

Tiny Democrat Outfit by Wry Baby

Election Year Fever for the Not-Quite-of-Age Crowd
(Please see the end of this article for giveaway details). There are many issues to be thinking about during this campaign season and we here at BabySakes.com understand the balance of power will be decided by this year’s youth vote. The question is… which direction is the youth in your family leaning?

What, they can’t talk yet? Have no fear! In preparation for the November 4th election, we are proud to introduce this collection of perfectly partisan onesies and outfits for the newest members to the party.

Was baby born to be a Democrat? We recommend the dashing Tiny Democrat Snapsuit or Tiny Democrat Outfit (shown above). They certainly rival any Hillary Clinton pantsuit in terms of sheer style and a bold statement.

Teeny Republican Onesie by Wry Baby

Or, maybe baby is a fan of the Grand Ole Party? Then she’ll definitely want to show her colors in the “Teeny Republican” onesie to be worn proudly about town or the matching Teeny Republican baby outfit.

Or perhaps yours has an independent streak and prefers to look at the issues rather than vote party lines. BabySakes offers the Totally Non-Partisan snapsuit as well for this year’s “baby swing” voters.

 

Me for President Baby Tee

Then again, when you are six month’s old, isn’t it really all about you? If baby thinks that she is ready to be “commander” in chief then the “Me for President” long sleeve tee may fit the bill.

Personalized Plates for the Kiddie Crowd
BabySakes.com is also delighted to introduce these partisan plates – handpainted ceramic plates that will become a lasting keepsake and reminder of his life-long party loyalty.

For the conservative eater, the “Born to be a Republican” plate features the trademark GOP elephant.  And the liberal diner can keep company with the democratic donkey whilst eating her mac and cheese with the “Born to be a Democrat” plate.

Born to be a Republican Personalized Plate

BabySakes Blog Giveaway
Which will be the preferred party for babies this season? We will find out… be sure to order your baby’s favorite and we will keep you posted on which way the baby vote is swinging!

Want to win your choice of a “Me for President” t-shirt for your little one (sized at either 0-6 months or 6-12 months) or a $25 BabySakes.com gift certificate? Just make a comment on this blog article (how about a “baby vote” prediction?) and we will randomly select a winner on September 2nd (complete rules here.)

Contest Results
We have a winner! Tracy, who wrote comment #6 is the winner of the Me for President T-Shirt or the $25 BabySakes.com gift certificate. And, for inquiring minds… here is the latest trend from our baby wear (errr… perhaps not quite scientific) prediction model:

Baby Wear Political Trends

Our results show that this year, more babies are more likely to be wearing the Republican brand, although we have not yet established if this is a correlation due to McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as the V.P. running mate. Today’s babies also seem to have quite an independent streak, as a significant number are wearing “Me for President” rather than affiliating with any political potty party.

So, there you have it. Will this prove to be a model that predicts the election results? Only time will tell!

Filling Out Your Baby Book: What Happened in Your Baby’s World in 2007 (Extra)

It was requested that we add a few more items to help you fill in all those wonderful pages in your baby book. So we will oblige with a few more tidbits from 2007.

Most Popular Television Shows

1. Lost
2. Heros
3. Bionic Woman
   
4. Private Practice
5. 24
6. Survivor: China
7. Grey’s Anatomy
8. House
9. American Idol – Tuesday
10. American Idol – Wednesday

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Fashion Trends

• Artists and Designers collaborating on collection – Marc Jacobs collaborated with Richard Prince for Louis Vuitton handbags. Rem Koolhaas created the backdrop for Prada’s Spring show and Damien Hirst hosted the label’s party at its Soho store during fashion week.
• Eco-Clothing – Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn first jumped on the green-clothing bandwagon in 2004 with their 100% organic cotton denim line Loomstate, which also uses factories that enforce fair labor and control pollution.  Stella McCartney, Philip Lim, Theory and Lutz + Patmos have also done exclusive eco-friendly lines. In the spring of 2007 Levi’s launched its line of eco-jeans available in several styles and price ranges.
• Bangs –  bangs were the most accessible and affordable fashion trend of 2007
• Turbans – First worn on the fashion week runways, soon fashionistas such as Mary-Kate Olsen and Naomi Campbell could be seen embracing the look. Satin head scarves became en vogue again for those not as daring to wear the complicated head pieces.
• Color – fuchsia, canary yellow, orange, teal and crisp green were the new black this year.
• Eyeliner, Amy Winehouse style – Winehouse’s signature Cleopatra-like eyeliner was a hit.
• Burlesque Revival – Old style lingerie and the classic female hourglass form saw a huge revival in 2007, complete with garters and corsets.
• Ladylike dressing – It was time for women to leave more to the imagination.
• Anniversary Parties – Some of the most celebrated designers – Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein all had grand celebrations.  John Galliano held a soirée at Versailles to mark the fashion label Christian Dior’s 60th year.
• Going Global – Designers reached out to more distant and underrepresented markets.

Source: Time

Of course huge expensive bags, over-priced footware were still very much on the scene, just like these items:

Top 10 Fashion Must-Haves

1. The Tent Dress – formless, shapeless but oh, so comfortable.
2. White Sunglasses – all the cool kids had ’em. Ray Ban Wayfarer style made a huge comeback.
3. High Waisted Jeans – after years of being subjected to plumbers crack and muffin top, women were finally able to cover up.
4. Day Clutch – A purse without a strap (obviously only popular with those without children.)
5. Ankle boots – Rock and Roll style. The most popular had almost 5″ heels.
6. Vests – Classic menswear made its return to women’s closets.
7. Fedoras – Hats that looked great on people like Sinatra, made a splash with women this year.
8. Bright Tights and Leggings – women were running around with candy-colored legs (and keeping warm to boot.
9. Red Lipstick – Does this classic look ever go out of style. It looked great on grandma, and still looks great on you.
10. Cocktail Rings – Large bejeweled rings (real and faux) adorned the fingers of every dirty-martini sipping fashionista.

Source: Time

Most Popular Baby Names for boys

1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Christopher
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Matthew
10. Andrew

Most Popular Baby Names for girls

1. Emily
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Ava
5. Madison
6. Sophia
7. Olivia
8. Abigail
9. Hannah
10. Elizabeth

Source: Social Security Administration.

Well, that’s all for now. Any other requests? As usual, leave them in the comments.