Baby gifts revisited (again)

At the start of this month our friends welcomed twins, a girl and a boy, and we went to their naming ceremony on the weekend. It was a lovely way to meet them and it so moving to hear their names for the first time during the ceremony.

Lately, my most favourite things to give to new babies is a wrap from Halycon Nights. It takes the stress out of trying to pick an outfit in the right size for the right season, and there are always fun new prints to choose from. We've sent this one overseas, and have seen it used as a swaddle, a pram blankie and a floor mat too.

Next weekend I'm planning to make a meal to drop round to our friends, I'm thinking it'll be this slow cooked ragu, a dark chocolate olive oil cake, and a nice bottle of red wine.

P.S This post isn't sponsored in any way. I just love these little wraps and enjoy picking a pattern to suit each couple and their new babe :)

A great book for toddlers

I love buying books for my nieces and nephews, only sometimes it's hard to know what's good beyond the classics we grew up with, which they probably already own.

My friend Vanessa pointed out a board book that was given to her son and I flipped through it at his birthday party. The book is called Oh No, George! and it's a beautifully designed book about a dog who really wants to be good but has trouble resisting temptations - like an unattended cake.

It's simply written, funny and has a wonderful message for kids. It even has a philosophical quote on the back page for parents too. I found a copy at my favourite kid's shop in Summer Hill, Sydney and have since bought another two copies, which I'm saving for my nephew and a friend's first baby.

P.S - My favourite picture book as a child was There's a Hippoptomus On Our Roof Eating Cake and I'd love to buy this book for my niece when she's a little older.

What I buy for one-year-olds

I've just come back from a first birthday party and thought I'd share a few tried-and-true gift ideas because buying for babies can be surprisingly tricky, especially if you don't have any of your own.

I really like these gorgeous ride-on animals, which my friend Kristy recommended (her son has the pig!). They're great as special presents. I bought the small wheely bee for my niece and teamed up with a friend to buy the cow for our nephew. They're surprisingly small and are made from wood and leather, which makes them lovely keepsakes too. Most importantly, they've been a hit!

For smaller presents, you could buy a board book about their favourite animal (I bought this one for my niece), an insulated lunch bag with their name on it (for all of their snacks) or anything bubble related like a bubble machine. If you choose the latter, just make sure you have the toy set up and ready to go so you're not fussing around with batteries and bubble liquid. I've totally made this mistake before :)

P.S Speaking of first birthdays, this is my favourite ever smash-cake story!