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My little cousin (well, she’s not little anymore, she’s in her mid-twenties. But to me she’ll always be little) had a baby girl just one month ago. Since this is the first new baby in the family in several years, we were all more than happy to get a head start on spoiling her rotten. When it came time to pick a baby shower gift, I wanted to get her something practical off her registry, but I also wanted to buy the fun things, like fancy newborn girl clothes that my cousin would be less likely to buy for herself.

Obviously I was eager to jump on SophiasStyle.com and start picking out cute baby girl clothes right away, but luckily my mom gave me a few tips first on how to choose clothes that are both adorable AND genuinely useful.  Here are some of her hints for picking out fabulous baby shower gifts that aren’t on the registry:

- Buy clothing at a variety of sizes.  New babies grow fast, and those 0-3M outfits will only last so long.

- If you don’t know the sex of the baby, look for options that aren’t necessarily just green or yellow, like these reversible sleeper sets by TwoTara.

Unisex Reversible Sleeper by TwoTara

- Find out what colors the mom likes.  For example, my cousin is a bit of a tomboy herself, so even though she was having a girl, she didn’t want a sea of pink clothes.  I opted for purple outfits and a cute little sailor dress by Bonnie Jean.

- Figure out what holidays are coming up and search for cute baby clothes for girls that match the theme, like girls Halloween outfits or baby Valentine’s Day dresses.

- Consider picking out a chic diaper bag, because it’s probably going to double as the new mom’s purse for the first year.  Little things like having a stylish bag will help new mommy’s feel good about their appearance during those hectic and exhausting first months as a parent.

- Avoid buying a ton of lotions, powders or baby formula.  Sometimes it takes a few different tries to find the brand that works for the mom and baby, so it’s better not to have a huge supply of any particular type in case it doesn’t work out.

- Diapers, diapers, diapers.  In a variety of sizes.  This may seem like a dull gift, but the parents WILL appreciate it.  Big time.

As much as I love shopping for baby girl clothes and newborn baby girl clothes, I also can’t wait to volunteer to babysit!  Which might actually be one of the best gifts you can get for new parents

My daughter loves to cook, but my son thinks cooking means heating something up in a microwave.  He likes instant food.  Although my son has no interest in cooking, my daughters enjoy reading recipes and being creative in the kitchen.

Children eat too many snacks and fast foods, but when it comes down to it, child-friendly and great tasting food is easy to prepare. I believe that parents should try to take the time to cook with their kids. The time together can be educational and also can be a great way to spend time together. As Thanksgiving and other holidays approach, consider planning holiday meals with your family.

In addition to learning how to cook, children may enjoy dressing up for meals in fancy dresses or suits or in Easter dresses for toddlers. They may enjoy setting up a fancy table with pretty dishes and flowers.

How To Make Cooking Fun For Your Children:

Yesterday, as I was driving down the street with my kids, we saw a wonderful scene. Two little bunnies were playing together under a tree! It was such a charming sight. I remembered when I read books about Peter Rabbit to my children. They loved hearing about how naughty little Peter escaped from Mr. McGregor and gets to drink camomile tea after his mother puts him to bed.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was written by Beatrix Potter for a little boy in 1902. Potter’s classic has been read and enjoyed by children for more than one hundred years. That story should not be confused with “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” an Easter television special based on a book about the Easter Bunny. Both books are associated with baby Easter dresses, Easter dresses for girls, bunnies, tea, eggs, flowers, plants, vegetables, candy, and cookies. Both books are also great learning tools.

Books about Easter and other holidays can be read over and over again since kids love reading and learning about bunnies, candy, Easter dresses, and decorations. The more books are read, the more success your child will have in school and in life.

How To Use Books to Increase Children’s Vocabulary:

A few months ago, I saw two children sitting on a bench in their cute kids clothes reading actual books! They weren’t looking at iPads, iPods, Kindles, or other electronic devices; those two kids were reading books with pages and paper. I was amazed. Seeing children reading actual books they can hold and feel is rare.

Today’s technology does encourage children to read, but still, it is sometimes difficult for parents to get their kids to read. There are all sorts of creative ways to encourage reading. For example, it might be fun to have your little ones dress up in little girls clothes and pretend they are characters in a story. Bedtime stories can become a family tradition.

How to Make Reading Fun:

My son used to be frightened of rain. His fear was real and serious. He woke up every morning and asked everyone in our family if we thought it might rain. Conversations with total strangers centered around the weather forecast. I didn’t know what to do about his fear or where the fear came from. I suspected it happened when he was in a severe thunderstorm with me and my husband and his baby sister dressed in her newborn dresses when he was a tot.

One day, all of a sudden, my son’s fear of rain was gone. He even insisted we go outside and sing the song “Singing in the Rain!” Our entire family was delighted! He put on rain boots and his sisters put on dresses for girls and raincoats and hats. We danced in the rain as a family! Although my son overcame the fear of rain without assistance, many children who are scared of rain may need some help in order to overcome that fear.

How to Help Kids Overcome the Fear of Rain:

I love to swim. I wanted to share my love of the water with my children as early as possible, so, I took my kids into the pool when they were babies. The children enjoyed wearing their toddler swimsuits and girls swimwear and boys and girls swimsuits almost as much as they enjoyed being in the water. My main concern, of course, was safety.

My son took many swimming lessons when he was little, but I did wonder if the lessons had done any good. Then, one day, he fell into the deep end of a pool fully clothed. In shock, my little four year old swam on his own to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out! I realized that he didn’t need to be wearing toddler swimwear or any type of bathing suit in the water and that those swimming lessons paid off and were worth every penny.

Swimming Safety Tips Parents of Young Children:

When my niece celebrated her first communion, her grandparents bought her a special doll that looked just like her. Her first communion dress was made of lace and she looked like a bride. Relatives flew in from all over the country. It was a very special day that will always be remembered.

A child’s first communion should be very beautiful and holy. Boys should dress in fine suits, and girls usually wear special first holy communion dresses and veils. A little girl will sometimes wear a very, very expensive first communion dress, but expensive clothing is not necessary. There are also several things first communion kids must know before the special day.

First Communion Tips and Facts:

When my son was in Kindergarten, just before bedtime, he’d sit next to his baby sister’s cradle and sing to her. I treasure the memory of Joel singing “I Love You” to baby Annabelle who smiled at him in her baby Valentines day outfits and Valentines dresses for girls. Most parents of young children know the words to the song by heart. The words of that song certainly teach about love:

I love you
You love me
We’re a happy family
With a great big hug
And a kiss from me to you
Won’t you say you love me too!

Singing that song showed that my son may have proved the theory that loving seems to come naturally for children, but parents can still take the time to teach their children about love. Kisses, hugs, sharing, Valentine dresses for girls, and hearts can be shared year-round.

Ways to Teach Your Children to Love:

The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.

My youngest daughter has become a master at braiding her hair.  After she puts her hair in two french braids, she uses girls hair accessories to create various styles.   One of her favorite new hair accessories for girls are spin pin corkscrews.  With the corkscrew, she can put her hair into a bun or create a “Swiss look” without using bobby pins.  She truly looks like she belongs in the alps with that hairdo.

I used to have very long hair, and I became quite accomplished at french braiding my own hair.  Sometimes I wore a classic french braid; other times I put my hair in a dutch braid where the braid was on top. Braids are a great way to keep long hair free of tangles.

Hair Braiding Tips:

I take my camera wherever I go. If I ever forget my camera, my phone is also capable of capturing quick photos and videos. My children complain sometimes that I use my camera too much, but I know that years from now, that they will be delighted to see photos of what they looked like when they were little dressed in their cute baby clothes for girls or boys or newborn girl clothes. I think all of us will enjoy remembering holidays and lazy summer days.

The parents of today are fortunate since professional photos or fancy cameras are no longer needed to capture special memories or moments. When my kids were babies, I was limited to the 12, 24, or 36 photos that were included in a roll of film. Now, I can point and shoot to my heart’s content. It’s so much fun to capture thousands of my children’s smiles!

Baby Photo Tips: