Holiday Gift Guide

So for this post, I cheated a bit. It's the December GBE Newsletter. For some reason I'm feeling a bit panicky about finding the perfect gift for everyone on my list. So if you're feeling what I'm feeling, here's a few gift ideas for you. I hope you find what you're looking for at Green Baby Elephant!!

Green Baby Elephant Gift Guide

Green Baby Elephant is the place to shop for all of the little ones on your shopping list. There are much more than cloth diapers to treat your babes & tots to this holiday season. There are even great gifts to pamper the expecting or new mom on your list. Take the time to shop Green Baby Elephant without having to even leave your house. It doesn't get much easier than that. Here are some great gift ideas for the kiddies you love...

New Baby:

• Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks are super stylish and functional. They help keep baby's legs & feet toasty warm. No more pant legs riding up in the stroller, car seat, or carrier exposing their chunky legs above their socks. These thigh-high socks will protect baby's legs from winter's chill. Even diaper changes will be cozy with their legs covered in the fashionable Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks.
• Hevea makes natural rubber pacis and an adorable panda teething toy. Hevea pacis are soft and comfortable on baby's face. No hard plastic creating an uncomfortable suction around baby's mouth. And since they are all one piece there's no need to worry about a choking hazard. Hevea's cute panda teether is perfect for little hands and mouths. Different textures on each side will give babies something to gum, gnaw, and bite.
• Eazz Wrap Burp Cloths are much more than just your average burp 'rag'. These high quality, made in the USA, organic cotton/hemp fleece burp cloths are dreamy soft. Use them as changing pads at home or on the go. They also make great lightweight car seat blankets for infants. The looped tag allows for them to be attached to the car seat or stroller with toy rings, so they can be close at hand for whatever use you need.

Toddler:

• Potty training & dress wearing are difficult for toddlers during the cold winter months. Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks will keep legs cozy this winter. Green Baby Elephant has 'big kid' styles of these fab thigh-high socks for the older kiddo on your list.
• Looking for bath toys to last the test of time? Hevea Pond Bath Toys are just the thing. These all natural rubber bath toys don't have holes in them, so no more moldy bath toys. Each set comes with a fish, frog, and duck. Perfect for kids of all ages!

Expecting/New Mom:

• Pamper the new moms on your list with a set of nursing pads. Choose from Bamboobies, BabyKicks, and FuzziBunz. Whatever you pick will help keep mama dry plus save her money. Complete your gift by picking up a new nursing shirt or cover. She'll be glad you're supporting her decision to breastfeed her baby.
• Cloth diapers. How could they not make the gift list? Let mama see for herself how wonderful modern cloth diapers are. She'll love how easy they are to use and how cute they look on baby. Plus, she'll start to see how much money she can save by using cloth. You can't go wrong by giving her a gift that she'll be able to use over and over again.

Tucson Baby Fair 2011

I am excited to announce that GBE will be attending the 94.9 MIX FM Tucson Baby Fair on August 20^th from 9 am to 3 pm at the TCC. Diapers and accessories will be available to purchase. That’s right. I’m bringing the whole kit and caboodle with me. And with every purchase of $30 or more, I’ll include a free wet bag {valued at $6.75 and while supplies last}. You’ll also really want to stop by and see me because GroVia has generously given a diaper package worth over $100 to be raffled off. It’s a great prize for any and all stages of cloth diapering and whether you’re new or an old hat to the world of cloth diapers.

And I’m shaking things up at this year’s Baby Fair. The Daddy Diaper Olympics is going green this year. For those of you that don’t know what the Daddy Diaper Olympics are I’ll fill you in. It’s a relay race where Dads change diapers. It’s super fun to watch. And as far as I know disposables have always been used. When I first pitched the idea of using cloth, I was told “No” due to liability issues. I was honestly stumped for a while, and I could not figure out where the liability was in changing cloth diapers until it dawned on me…PINS. Once that was straightened out, everything changed. Thirsties graciously supplied 12 refurbished diapers to be used for the Daddy Diaper Olympics. When the Daddy Diaper Olympics are over, the 12 Thirsties diapers that were used for the competition will be donated to the Gospel Rescue Mission. {How cool is that?} Cloth diapers are going to *WOW* everyone there. Since the race takes place two separate times, cloth diapers are going to be showcased on center stage twice during the Baby Fair. {No one is going to think about pins when looking at the Thirsties Duo Diapers!} And I love the fact that Dads are going to be up there changing CLOTH diapers. I hear from many clients that Daddy is the hesitant member of the family, and I know that was my experience as well. At the Baby Fair, Dads are going to be showing off how easy it is to change a cloth diaper. And to make the race even more interesting, a prize valued over $100 will be given to the winning Dad. Thirsties once again stepped up to graciously donate a prize, and FuzziBunz has also generously provided a prize. Want to know what the prizes are? Well, you’ll have to get yourself to the Baby Fair! Or an even better idea would be to have Daddy compete for the prize. I encourage you to come and watch or participate in this historic Daddy Diaper Olympics. 

Are you excited yet? I’m at the point of “Field Trip” excited. Think back to elementary school and how the night before a super fun field trip you couldn’t sleep at night? Well, that’s me. I’m constantly thinking about how much fun the Baby Fair is going to be. I’m looking forward to seeing you there. And pass the word along to your friends, family, and mommy groups, especially those that don’t cloth diaper. What a great way to show them on a grand scale how easy & cute cloth diapers are without talking their ears off about cloth. This is going to be an event you and your friends won’t want to miss.



A Refubished Thirsties Duo Diaper Size 1 in Alice Brights. It's going to amaze the masses at the Daddy Diaper Olympics!


P.S. Thank you Thirsties, GroVia, FuzziBunz, and Rockin' Green for all the support and generous donations. I couldn't make my spectacular debut at the Baby Fair without you all!!

A Non-Cloth, Cloth Diaper Baby Shower Gift

Want to give a baby shower gift that shows off how great cloth diapers are, but are worried about giving a gift that won’t be used? Or you don’t want to be pushy about how great cloth diapers are to a new mom? I remember registering for my first baby and being completely overwhelmed. It took me months to research and register for everything that I needed and thought I just had to have. Keeping that in mind, it’s no wonder that I never seriously considered cloth. My brain wouldn’t have been able to make any more decisions after choosing a stroller, car seat, blankets, crib, pacifiers {there are about 1,000,000 of those to choose from}, etc. So without causing a new mama’s head explode, I have a great, green gift idea for you. GroVia Shells in hook & loop and a package or two of GroVia BioSoakers. It’s seriously the best of both worlds. Earth friendly, disposable inserts paired with cute, easy to use cloth covers. It’s the perfect match to let a new mama experience the best of cloth without using cloth. Huh? Think about it. She will get to experience diapering a newborn without blowouts. {Isn’t this really the best part of using cloth diapers?!} Chances are she doesn’t have firsthand knowledge about blowouts at her baby shower, but she will by the end of the first couple of weeks of her precious baby’s life. Desperate for an answer to her problems, she’ll vaguely remember the set of “hippie” diapers {her words, not mine} you gave her at her shower and give them a shot. And like the miracle she was searching for, she’ll find the “transitional” cloth diapers you gave her are perfect. Then wanting more of these hippie miracle diapers, she’ll call you. Hearing her tired and desperate voice, you’ll let her know all about cloth diapers. And of course you’ll tell her to shop at Green Baby Elephant, which is where you found out about this fabulous baby shower gift in the first place. And we all lived happily ever after. *sigh*  

See pictures of how BioSoakers work with GroVia shells here.

Also, for the month of August 2011, every GroVia diaper {Shells, AIOs, Newborn AIOs} in Ice {light blue} and Cosmos {light pink} are buy 2 get 1 free. So now is a perfect time to stock up for future baby shower gifts. No scrambling around last minute at a baby store searching for items off a registry! And want to add more to your gift without actually gifting cloth? You can add any combination of the following to your gift to really show how useful cloth diapering accessories are: cloth wipes {can be used a washcloths}, a wet bag {to hold poo covered clothes while disposables are being used, which will then convert to a true wet bag utility after cloth diapers are used}, diaper rash balm {Magic Stick or Rockin' Delish}, and/or cloth diaper safe detergent {Tiny Bubbles, Thirsties Super Wash, or Rockin’ Green as an alternative to Dreft to be used on baby’s clothes}.  Now pat yourself on the back for putting together a unique and green baby gift!

~~Tonya~~

Gift Registry

I recently added a new feature to Green Baby Elephant’s site. It is an option for creating a gift registry. How nice would it be to have family and friends celebrate your new baby’s arrival by showering you with all the cloth diapers and accessories you need and want? Family and friends want to give you and the baby what you need {and sometimes what you don’t need}, and a gift registry is the perfect way for them to help you get ready for the new baby.

For you expectant mommies I encourage you to look around GBE’s store and create a registry for your baby. For the mommies that already have little ones in diapers, don’t think a registry can’t be useful for you. Friends and family are often in need of a little help when coming up with gift ideas. If you’re anything like me, toys are a foot deep in the playroom {thanks to generous grandparents} especially after holidays and birthdays. For little ones too small to realize if they received a toy on their special day, new diapers or cloth wipes would make a great useful gift. Colorful diapers can be added in Easter baskets and Christmas stockings. Red and pink ones are cute for Valentine’s Day. Green for St. Patrick’s Day. Orange or black for Halloween. Red, green or white for Christmas. Patriotic colors for Fourth of July. And brown for Groundhog Day. I got carried away with that last one, but you get the idea.

When you go to create your gift registry, I encourage you not to add your address if you are making the registry public. Your address will be public if you do. One option would be to make it a private registry and include your address then. Since friends and family already have your address or access to it, a public registry would lend you privacy if your address is omitted. For either private or public registry a link will be given that you can then send on to friends and family. And presto, you’re on the way to getting the useful gifts you need instead of 50 {albeit adorable} bibs, 33 pairs of tiny newborn socks {that will be eaten by the washing machine}, 17{soft & sweet} hooded towels, and 23 {cute} teething toys. Don’t be shy in letting others know what you’d like, but do remember to be thankful whatever the gift may be!

On a side note, I have a new nephew today! He’s the newest GBE cloth diaper model as he is already sporting GroVia’s newborn AIOs in the hospital. EEEEEEEE!!! My sister will be testing out all things newborn on her new bundle of joy, so stay tuned these next few weeks as we dress his heiny in the teeniest cloth diapers around!