Best baby shower gift

Howe to have the pre-baby party you want; Plvs, nine great gift registries - The Perfect Shower - Brief Article

A baby shower is not only a special time to receive gifts for your baby, it's also a chance to get closer to, and learn from, family and friends.

* Although tradition dictates that you don't throw yourself a shower, you'll probably have in put in the planning. Here, Jennifer Jenkins, author of The Everything Baby Shower Book (Adams Media Corp., 2000), shares some shower etiquette tips and tells you how to get the special celebration you want. We've also included store and online baby-registry recommendations for everything from useful gear to stuff that's simply fun. (Some of our favorite gifts are featured on these pages.)

* The host naturally will want to throw a shower you'll enjoy, but Jenkins says that if a conflict arises between the two of you, your wishes should come first. "The mom-to-be should prevail; it's her shower, after all."

* Give the host a list of people you want to invite. If your husband will be attending, other men should be invited, too, and this should be noted on the invitation.

* There is no such thing as having too many showers (there might be separate ones for family friends and co-workers), but keep the guest lists separate.

* Even if you don't have a pre-birth shower because it's your family's tradition to wait to celebrate until after the baby is born, or because you are having a welcome party for an adopted baby, you can still register for gifts. No matter when your friends and relatives shower you and your child with love and presents, it surely will be a memorable event.

Goody Goody leather booties $25 Oh-so-cute booties make for a precious keepsake. Sizes 0-6 months and 6-12 months. From Babystyle.

Thomas Toy Cart $149 The perfect present for storing gifts now, toys Later. In cart: Charlie the Dog $40 [20" x 13" x 8") has a friendly face and plush, huggable body. Newborn and older. Counting sheep guilt [crib size 36" x 50"] This cozy crib quilt is also available in blue. All from Pottery Barn Kids.

Baby Bellissimo Moses Basket $185 A Moses basket can be a perfect place for baby to rest and steep. [Never use the basket to carry your baby.] Newborn to 75 pounds. Inside basket: Holly Baby fleece hat $14 Newborn and older. Manhattan Toy's Big Betty Bunny Tip Toes $19 This 18-inch pat is made from long-lasting terry cloth. 2 years and older. All from Babystyle.

* Grandma Nes Handknit Collection's ducky sweater $45 [sizes 3 months to 12 months], hat $21 [one size], and blanket $65 Sweaters, hats, booties, dresses, pants, one-piece suits and blankets are available in several colors and patterns. All of these items and more from Babies Classics.

* Kids II Bath Time Finger Puppets $4 Your baby will Love this set of three colorful fish and an alligator for scrubbing and playing. Target brand Tearless Baby Bath, $2, is a pH-balanced cleanser that won't irritate or dry baby's skin; Night-Time Baby Bath, $2, has chamomile, aloe and soothing lavender to help calm your little one. All ages. All from Target.

* Kids II Comfort Me Bouncer $50 Here's a cozy place for your baby to rest and play. Classical music, soothing waves or heartbeat sounds, along with a voice- or manually activated vibration feature, will lull your baby. The fabric features John Lennon's sweet animal print, and a detachable toy bar is included. Newborn to 25 pounds. From The Right Start.

* DEX Baby Products Mommy Bear Sleeping Aid $20 A friendly bear soothes babies to sleep with repetitive natural sounds and rhythms. Newborn to 3 years. From Babies "R" Us. And this selection of books (from www.amazon.com through babiesrus.com], which includes Goodnight Moon, $13, Runaway Bunny, $13, and The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh, $25, features timeless stories to share with your child for years to come. All ages.

"The baby shower is a ritual to prepare yourself for the baby that's coming, but it's also a celebration of the end of your pregnancy," says SAMANTHA PHILLIPS, author of "The Perfect Shower" "When I was pregnant with my daughter, I loved having little things in the house and looking at them before she was born. They helped me imagine the reality of having a baby." Phillips and her husband, Bruno Oliveira, live in Cambridge, Mass., and are the parents of 3-year-old Sophia. Phillips is the co-author of Real Girl/Real World (Seal Press, 1998), which she co-wrote with her best friend from college, Heather Gray.