I’m putting together a New Mom Basket for one of our Canadian couples who now live in California. We don’t see them often since they’re down in SoCal, but they recently welcomed a new baby, and I wanted to send a little bundle of my favourite things…items that have been tried, true, and well-loved since I became a mama myself nearly 8 years ago.

For the Baby

Tubby Todd All Over Ointment
This has been a staple in our house for years. I use it on myself and on my eldest son, who has sensitive skin. It’s thick, nourishing, and honestly a miracle worker for dry patches.

Zinc Oxide Baby Bum Cream
There is nothing like a good zinc-based cream for diaper rash. At one point it was in every corner of the house for diaper changes.

Baby Sound Machine
A friend gifted me one when I had my eldest, and it’s still going strong 7.5 years later. My middle boy uses the exact same model every night…it’s become part of his bedtime routine to listen to it.

Parade Organics Zip-Up Pajamas
These are made from the softest organic cotton, and the zipper (especially the two-way zipper) makes nighttime changes so much easier. They’re honestly just adorable. I’ve saved some of ours as keepsakes because they were such favourites.

For the Mama

Plain Jane Loungewear Pants
A new discovery this year and an instant favourite. I grabbed a pair during their Black Friday sale, and they are incredible. Soft, flattering, cozy … basically the perfect “new mom uniform” for those early weeks.

Anything Else I Should Add?

Before I seal up the parcel, I’m thinking about adding a few more little comforts. Some ideas:

• A really good lip balm (postpartum dehydration is real)

• My favourite hand cream

• My favourite protien bar?

Let me know if you’d add anything else!

This weekend was simple, sweet, and birthday-perfect. My two youngest boys have birthdays just one day apart (totally unplanned, as my youngest surprised us by arriving 6 weeks early). Now we get to celebrate them together with a joint birthday weekend.

I spent one evening decorating two little “birthday corners” in our dining area so each boy had a space that felt special just for him. My middle guy requested a rainbow cake with chocolate icing, so I ran with the rainbow theme for his decorations too. It was so colourful and extra cheerful – the look on his face when he came out the morning after was soooo cute.

We keep our birthday celebrations pretty low-key… just immediate family, presents opened at home, a homemade cake, and phone calls from grandparents and cousins. It feels wonderfully old-school, and I love that.

And now that the birthday festivities have wrapped up, I can officially dive into Christmas decorating! Our tree has been up since early November, but the rest of the house is still waiting for its holiday magic.