Baby Shower Gift Suggestion: Down With the Dowdy Diaper Bag

It seems that most of my friends are either having babies, have had babies, or are talking about having babies. Naturally, the issue of baby gifts has been coming up a lot the past few years and the shower invites have been rolling in. Now call me a rebel, but I generally shy away from purchasing things off of a registry. Not that I haven't been lured by the ease of it at times, but it somehow seems a little impersonal, and, since I pride myself on gift giving, a little too easy. Plus, the number of baby products available is completely overwhelming and it is easy for new parents to become easily frustrated during the registering process, hurriedly throwing things on the list (often copying some other registry) before escaping for lunch (where dad, if he was forced to participate, undoubtedly drowns his stress in a fresh pint). If you want to be a little unique, and don't feel like giving another Boppy pillow or a package of unisex onesies with little ducks on them, then you might consider giving this great portable changing pad/nappy tote/wipe holder from Skip Hop ($30, photo courtesy of Skip Hop). The nifty thing about this little invention is not only does it include all of the necessities for a diaper change on the go (plus a handy waterproof pocket for the used booty covers), but it also comes in bright primary colors with fun patterns (thereby skipping the annoyingly outdated pink and blue scheme with the requisite ducks or teddies). Best of all, it's no bigger than a clutch - making it a great portable diaper "bag" that can be clipped to a stroller or thrown into mom's much cooler and hip handbag - you know, the one she carried BEFORE she became a mom. Result: the ugly and oversized diaper bag is rendered void and unnecessary and mom gets to retain a little of her own unique style, even amidst burpings and changings and tooling around in the minivan. Sweet. And if mom really loves her jeans, you've got check out the super cute version made of denim, with jeans pockets. If you like, throw in a few books like Goodnight Moon, Where's Spot, and Guess How Much I Love You, and you've got a shower gift that will be used far longer than any Boppy pillow and will make the parents wonder how in the world they would have managed without it. I would recommend, if budget allows, giving the books in hardcover because I guarantee they'll be well read and kiddie hands have a way of tearing through things with brute strength, especially flip up books. When I started giving this gift it was only offered through Skip Hop, but a quick search confirms that at least Babies R Us now carries this particular product (online only, however) and of course Skip Hop carries more of a selection of patterns and colors. I encourage you to also check out their diaper bag selection as well, if you insist on heading that route. I'm a sucker for bright, fun patterns and colors and the Skip Hop selection does not disappoint.

As a caveat, I should mention that I have not personally utilized this little invention, but friends I have gifted it to have described it as "genius". Now, don't be mistaken - I have seen it well utilized while observing diaper changes from the enviable vantage point of "guest" status, ready to receive the little bundle of joy all cleaned up and ready to play with auntie.