Gifts for Babies {Christmas Gift Guide 2012} with a Giveaway

Fall is here, and that means that it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. Early? Maybe. But I’d LOVE to be finished with my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. So let’s have a little fun with this!

I’m partnerning with Amy from The Finer Things in Life to share some of our favorite gift ideas for babies, kids, grown-ups, and the home. If Amy hasn’t used it and loved it, I have. If neither of us has, then one of us wants it! We’ll also have some fun giveaways for you along the way.

If you want to keep up with all of the gift guide posts, you can subscribe to the Saving & Giving Christmas Gift Guide email newsletter. (It’s free!) This won’t get you the regular posts, just the gift guide ones. We’re doing our best to make your shopping a little easier. 😉

Today we’re sharing our favorite gifts for babies. Plus we have a fun giveaway that would make a fabulous Christmas gift.

1. Melissa & Doug Toolbox Fill and Spill

Our nephew was just a baby last Christmas, so this was the perfect grow-with-me gift. He could chew on it as a baby and ‘fix’ things as he got bigger.

2. Bumbo Floor Seat

This little chair enables your baby to maintain a sitting position on the floor, allowing you to play with, read to, and feed your baby. While not essential by any means, it’s fun for the little ones who aren’t quite ready to sit on their own but still want to be part of the action!

3. Usborne Books for Babies

These books are adorable! The textures fascinate little ones, and as they grow (and hear the book repeated over, and over, and over!) babies and toddlers start to “read” the short descriptions themselves.  So cute!  “That’s not my lion, his mane is too shaggy…”

4. Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine

Emma has always slept better with a white noise machine, and we still use one. This one has 12 sounds to choose from plus an MP3 player plug-in port and nightlight.

5. Baby Wrap, Carrier or Sling

Pictured is the Baby K’tan Baby Carrier, which wears like a Moby but without all the fabric. I used a Hip Hammock with Emma, and it was a back-saver! A carrier like this always made me feel safer carrying Emma around in a crowd. Snug and secure.

6. Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder

Want to know a secret? When I asked my friend Amy about this one she replied with Ice, ice, baby. (So sorry, I know you’ll be singing that all day now!) You can let your little one gnaw on frozen items through this mesh feeder, and it’s super easy to refill when you’re out and about.

7. Fisher-Price Infant To Toddler Rocker

This is our favorite baby chair ever! Emma starting using this (reclined) as a newborn and sat in it to read books as a toddler. This is another great grow-with-me gift that they’ll use for years.

8. Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Microfleece Blanket

This swaddling blanket with velcro was a God-send for us. Emma slept all night long when we started using these with her, and we felt safe because the velcro kept the blanket closed.

9. Child to Cherish Handprints Tower Of Time Kit

I wish we would’ve had one of these when Emma was born. What a fun way to make a sweet momento of baby’s handprints for the first five years.

10. Car Seat Canopy

The handmade car seat canopy is both pretty and practical. It keeps little one cozy, and the two-sided design is entertaining for baby eyes. Little Sweet Pea, Inc. offers diaper clutches and fabric flower hairbands in addition to the canopies.

11. Taggie Blankie

How clever is the Taggie Blanket? Babies and toddlers love to play with and look at all of the different colors and textures. Taggies are great to take on the go and the perfect size to stuff in a diaper bag.

Now that you’ve looked through all of these goodies for baby, it’s time for a little gift for one reader. Amy from Amy’s Monkeys has graciously offered to give a Taggie Blankie to one Saving & Giving reader. I’m thinking that some little one is really going to enjoy all the fun of playing with your choice of blankie!

To enter, leave a comment telling us which Taggie Blankie design you like the best.

Entries will remain open until Monday, October 29, 2012 at 9 p.m. EST. One winner will be randomly chosen. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, a new winner will be chosen.