Being a new dad to twin girls, I have been fortunate enough to receive some great gifts.  I celebrated my first Father’s Day in June, as well as taking part in four baby showers before and after the girls were born. 

The following are the best gifts I have received in my time as a new dad:

A Diaper Bag Backpack
Wearing a backpack takes me back to my school days.  It’s fun, and it’s much easier to carry my twin daughters when I have a backpack that doubles as a diaper bag.  The backpack also has multiple compartments to store all the items that any new dad would need while away from home.  You can also get one in a solid color, like black, which is a little more “manly” than some of the other diaper bag designs out there.

A Stroller Cooler
From time to time, it’s nice to enjoy a cold beverage while I’m out walking with the girls. There are some coolers that strap onto the stroller and can hold up to six cans or four bottles. The lining in the cooler prevents the need for ice, and the beverages stay cold for well over an hour. This is definitely a must-have new dad gift.

Sports Team Onesies
As a new dad, there is nothing better than watching my favorite college and professional sports teams play, while my daughters are dressed in outfits ready to support my favorite teams.  One quick suggestion: When registering for gifts, take into account what size clothing your baby should be in during the different sports seasons.

Baby Life Jackets
If your family enjoys spending time out on the water in the summer, as mine does, lifejackets for the kids make a great new dad gift. After we had them, whenever we went boating for the day or the weekend, we didn’t have to worry about renting them -- which can be expensive -- and we always knew the girls were safe.

Burp Cloths
You’ll need plenty of burp cloths, and you can improvise using any cloth at home.  They are much more cost effective, absorbent, and more practical than the frilly designer (and sometimes expensive) burp cloths.  Any new dad could use these -- in bulk!

Photo by David Straight on Unsplash

The holidays were big in my husband's family. No, actually, they were huge. His grandmother--or “Nanny,” as everyone called her—is a forever cheery, incredible cook, who went all out. From lasagna that took two days to make, to bows cut from rolls of grosgrain ribbon, to a celebration that lasted from 5:00 p.m. on December 24 to 11:00 p.m. on December 25, nobody did Christmas like Nanny. And what Nanny wanted more than anything was a great-grandchild, a baby to brighten her house even more at the holidays.

One May, Nanny was diagnosed with cancer, and by October, she was gone. Christmas came, and her shell-shocked clan was left to stagger through it. We gathered quietly, planning to eat and go home. There had been no breakfast with homemade cinnamon donuts, no mountain of presents tied with grosgrain ribbons, no antipasto or soup that'd been simmering for hours.  

The family made a wane toast, ate a ham dinner, and was waiting for coffee to brew.

That's when my husband, after muttering an excuse for running out to his car, burst in, wearing a Santa outfit and ringing a bell. "Merry Christmas! Ho, Ho, Ho!" he shouted. His mother's jaw dropped. His uncles looked as though they might hit him over the head with the bell. "Why so sad?!" he continued. "Santa has something to show you!" His sister whispered "Has he lost his mind?!"

Undeterred, he started to play a DVD. "Gather round, everyone! Santa is going to show how each of you will have something to look forward to in the New Year!" His aunt stayed in the kitchen, wiping away tears, weakly pouring coffee.

The video first showed scenes of happy holidays past. Then the family was taken through photos of themselves, with narration announcing what their new roles would be come July. His sister would be Aunt Debbie, his brother, Uncle Rob. Gasps as each one caught on. I was going to be a new mom and him a new dad!

When his aunt heard her name and the shouts, she came out of the kitchen, asking "What's going on?" She'd be a great aunt, she learned. She paused, smiled a little, and said that made her feel old, laughter, for the first time that day.

The last photo was of Nanny, beaming in her famous reindeer apron, with the words underneath "Great Grandma."

As far as pregnancy announcements go, I’ll always hold ours near and dear.

Photo by Melvin Thambi on Unsplash

A great diaper is absorbent, fits well, and is comfortable. Sounds simple, right? Well, if you've ever strolled down the diaper aisle, you know that there are as many options as your new baby has fingers and toes. But it’s not hard to find the perfect diaper for your perfect baby when you know what you're looking for.

First, you'll want to determine your new baby's diaper size, which is organized by weight. There are two ways to know when you need to move to a bigger size: your baby weighs more or your baby begins soaking through diapers. The bigger diaper will be capable of handling more waste. Even though he’s within the size three weight range, I recently moved my son Henry to size four because his pajamas pants were damp to the touch every morning. Now that he's in size four, he's perfectly dry.

You’ll also want to purchase overnight diapers. During the day, you should change your baby's diaper whenever it's wet and after every poop, but at night, your baby will probably end up wearing a dirty diaper for longer. Overnight diapers hold more waste for long periods more effectively than regular diapers. They're designed to last twelve hours and work amazingly well!

A soft but absorbent diaper will quickly draw urine away from your baby's skin, keeping the skin dry and less likely to become irritated.

When it’s time to change your new baby’s diaper, the secret to keeping baby happy is distraction! Sing a song, offer a toy, or make funny faces. I've also found that it helps Henry ‘transition’ to diaper changes if I tell him what I’m going to do before I start taking off his pants. And whatever you do, before you start changing the diaper, make sure you have wipes and a clean diaper nearby! There's nothing like trying to contain a wiggling, poopy baby while you search frantically for some wipes...only to discover you've run out.

Trust me, as a new mom, I’ve been there, done that, and somehow survived to tell the tale!

Photo by Jamie Coupaud on Unsplash

The first word to come out of my 10-month-old son’s mouth was music to my ears: “Mama.” Carter had been babbling and making bubbles and sounds for a while, so I almost missed it when “mama” passed from his lips. After that, I paid careful attention to his mumbles, eager to catch the next new word. And I know I wasn’t alone in my excitement: First words are memorable baby milestones for any parent. Here’s what you should know about your little one’s chatter.

First words are (often) predictable. Most new babies start to pick up language and spew out first words sometime between 8 and 12 months. Carter wasn’t alone in his first word of choice: Studies show that “mama” and “dada” are tops on infant’s vocabulary lists (probably because both mom and dad repeatedly encourage their new babies to say these words!). Also, infants typically gravitate toward words with repetitive sounds, which is why their early vocabulary often includes words like bye-bye, nana (for banana), and uh-oh.

They have a preference. After “mama,” some of Carter’s other first words included animal names and his favorite objects, something that I learned is common for new babies. In fact, the first words most frequently uttered by babies after dada and mama include baabaa (bottle), dog, kitty, ball, and duck.

They start talking quickly. It takes almost the first year of life for a baby’s language skills to become apparent. But once your baby starts talking, watch out! Most toddlers have a vocabulary of at least 50 words by age two. That’s when Carter started to use simple phrases like “more milk” and asked questions like “Go bye-bye?”

You can help boost vocab. Even when Carter wasn’t saying a whole lot, his brain was recognizing and storing words every time I talked to him. To help boost his vocabulary, I used descriptive words whenever possible. For example, when snuggling with him on the couch, I would say “Your blue blanket is so soft and fuzzy.” I also read and sung to him as often as possible to expose him to a broad vocabulary.

My diligence paid off, and Carter grew into a chatty little kid. Your new baby will also be rattling off questions and commentary before you know it, but if you feel like her talking is delayed, speak to your pediatrician. Together, you can help her reach this fun baby milestone!

My 1-month-old son had a belly full of breast milk, and his eyes shut tight in slumber the first time that I saw his little baby smile. Did that mean he was having pleasant dreams? That he was happy? That he was passing some sort of baby milestone? Or, as the naysayers like to tell us, did it just mean he was passing gas? According to the experts, those sleepy-time smiles during a new baby’s first month are really just reflexes. In fact, no one is sure why newborns smile so much in their sleep during their first month. However, I like to think of those early smiles as practice for the real deal. Here’s what I learned from my little one’s grins: 

Your infant’s smile may develop. Your new one’s baby smile will soon become more pronounced: In terms of your baby’s development, genuine grins may start to brighten an infant’s face around the second month. That means that he’s alert and beaming in response to stimuli like your smiling face or a fun toy. These smiles indicate that your baby is reaching a big baby milestone: He’s developing social skills.         

There are many types of smiles. The baby smiles that I most cherish are the ones my son would make when he spotted his dad or me. There was the “Hey, I’m glad you’re here to get me out of this crib” smile. And the “I love playing peek-a-boo with you” smile. And of course, the “Mommy or Daddy are so silly” smile. You may see these types of grins -- the ones where your new baby smiles at familiar faces and engages in play -- around the third month. Soon after, that smile may be accompanied by laughter, another big baby milestone.         

Keep a camera handy. Capturing this happy baby milestone on video or with a camera isn’t all that challenging. Most new babies seem to find lots of things to smile about during these early months. Of course, babies can also get over stimulated. This is why you sometimes end up with tears when you try too hard to coax a smile. I found it was helpful to lighten up on the baby games until my son was ready for more grins and giggles.

There’s nothing more endearing than when your child hits one of those baby milestones, and it’s especially spectacular when it’s a baby smile. You’ll probably find that your little one’s grin can light up a whole room. Keep the games, snuggles, and kisses coming, and those sweet smiles are sure to brighten everyone’s days.

Photo by Fredrik Ivansson on Unsplash