Baby Prep: Gifts for Parents That Say, "Life Isn't Over" + Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

You know what's funny about being pregnant? People can't wait to congratulate you and swoon over the bump, but then -- in the next breath -- they will remind you that your life will soon cease to exist as you know it. They'll usually smile when they tell you this {like it's suppose to soften the blow} but they'll also make sure to follow up with further admonition just to be clear.

"No, really, though. You'll never sleep again. Get used to it."

Card from 9SpotMonk

Oh ok... um, thanks?

Whether or not you are "ready" to become a parent, there are still so many things to learn that no method of preparation will truly ever suffice. You realize this when you start opening baby gifts and -- though you proudly display your achievements and degrees in expensive frames on the wall -- you find that you have no stinkin' idea how some of those things work. A scary moment, for sure. {And for goodness sake, how many tubes and pieces are part of a breast pump??}

I was so very lucky to have not one, but TWO baby showers hosted in Cole's honor. And I can say pretty confidently that we have been stocked with most of the essentials we'll need for the first few months of his life, which is a wonderful blessing!

While many of the gifts we received were items we carefully chose and placed on our registry {car seat, stroller, baby swing, etc.}, there were also a few surprises here and there that seemed to say, "Hey, I know you're about to be a mama... but I also know you're still YOU!"

So, if you're looking for fun things to gift to parents-to-be that will help remind them that life is changing but it isn't over, here's a list of some of my favorites:

This necklace is from MangoJewels on Etsy.

Baubles. When one of my friends recently had her baby shower, I decided to get a little something just for her. At a local shop, they had an artisan creating custom jewelry right in the store, so I bought her a hand-stamped pendant sporting her new little one's initials on one of the charms {hers had a silver starfish & an aqua crystal}. There are also very pretty "teething necklaces" for moms that serve both as a statement piece AND a soothing teether for baby.

From Total Wine & More

Wine. I thought it was so cute and fitting that several of my friends gave me wine as a part of my gift! The sentiments attached ranged from "For when you need to stay zen." to "Let's plan a wine date together soon!" A creative twist on this was a friend who also attached a Starbucks gift card to the bottle with a note saying, "For the mornings... and for the evenings!"

From Toys'R'Us

Breast Milk Testing Strips. Wait... what? Well, if mom's going to indulge in a glass of wine or two, she's also going to want to make sure that her breast milk isn't giving baby a taste of Pinot too early in life. These handy little strips tell you whether or not the milk expressed is safe for baby, giving mama some peace of mind if she decides to pour herself a glass.

Gift cards for date nights.  Remember that guy that you liked a whole lot before your days were consumed by diapers and feedings? It would be nice to see him again, and not just when you're passing the baby back and forth! Gift cards for date nights to the movies, restaurants or events provide a reminder and a reason to hang up the "Mom & Dad" name tags for a few hours and try on that "Mr. & Mrs." title on for size again.

Original website not available, image found on Oh So Beautiful Paper.

"Me time." Many mamas forget to take some time to decompress, mostly because it can be hard to find that time. Gift certificates for manicures, massages, salon time or even just an "I'll watch the baby and you go grocery shopping... alone" pass could mean the difference between a calm, relaxed mom and a mother on the edge! She'll be grateful and you'll be a hero.

From Project Nursery

Comfy nursing wear. Let's be real: A new mom's wardrobe is most likely going to consist of spit up-covered tops and yoga pants that fit over her {hopefully} shrinking belly. Finding comfy, convenient pieces for her to wear post-baby will make her feel like she's slipping into Balanciaga. These modal camis and nighties from Gap Body are heavenly. {I can't yet speak for the "nursing" part, but I have a few comfy sleepwear pieces that I love.}

From ClosetCat on Etsy

Friendship, Support & Humor. I know that my "girls nights" will soon be very limited, but it makes me sad when friends act like they won't see me for the next 18 years. It's nice to know that, though you may be trading in gym time for Gymboree and fancy handbags for a well-stocked diaper bag, your girls will still be there when you need something more than baby talk. So, make sure to let your friends who are parents-to-be know that you're still on for coffee dates and wine nights whenever time allows.

Food. Never underestimate the power of food. Food can also be a great gift to give to new parents who will have little time to prepare meals for themselves once they're preoccupied with another mouth to feed. A few days ago I saw this cool idea from Once a Month Meals for a "Stock the Freezer" baby shower! How cool and useful is that?

If you haven't seen Meal Train before, it's another popular way to get friends and family to sign up for bringing over prepared meals to new parents over the first few weeks of adjusting to their new family unit. Food Tidings and Take Them A Meal are two other sites that have a similar setup for organizing food gifts.

One of the sweetest things someone can do is reassure you that you're going to be just fine and remind you that this little one on the way is opening a new, exciting chapter of your life... that is indeed a gift!

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It's so important for parents to remember to eat properly and fuel themselves during those long days and nights. But you know what else is important? A treat every now and then.

And this Apple Cider Caramel Sauce is just the sweet treat you'll want to give to new parents, friends, family and yourself during this fall season. It is so, so good.

With just 4 ingredients {and a watchful eye}, you can make this sweet, decadent sauce that tastes like a perfect autumn day. FOUR INGREDIENTS. There are just no excuses.

What can you use it for? To drizzle over pie or cake. Dip apple slices in. Stir into beverages. Package up & give as a gift. Eat off a spoon. It's pretty ridiculous. I have a really, really good way to use it coming to you later this week, too...

But for now, let's just focus on not eating it all so we have options. It's easier said than done.

It's not terrible with a sprinkle of sea salt, either. ;)

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

From Epicurious

4 cups apple cider* {I think what really made this taste amazing was the kind I used -- Trader Joe's Spiced Cider.}

1 vanilla bean, split & scraped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring apple cider to a boil. Add vanilla bean seeds scraped from pod and drop in the pod itself. {You'll pull this out later.} Continue to boil until reduced by about half, about 12-15 minutes.

2. Add brown sugar and butter and stir until melted in and well incorporated. Reduce heat to medium.

3. Allow the mixture to continue to boil until the bubbling starts to slow down as the liquid becomes more thick and syrupy, about 7-10 more minutes. {You'll have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.} I didn't use a candy thermometer for this, but you'll want the mixture to be pourable but thickened -- it will thicken some more after it cools.

4. Carefully pour hot sauce into a heatproof container or jar and allow to cool before sealing and decorating.

Pour over everything. :)

Sweet Potato, Fontina and Pecorino Flatbread & a {Bourbon} Cocktail!

I consider myself a pretty reasonable person.

And then college football season starts and that goes out the window.

I spent SEVEN very long {but lovely} hours watching college football last Saturday. Well, the football-watching accounted for only about 4 of those hours. But we had to get there {3 hours} early to make sure we were able to secure tables & chairs at this place because it gets packed, fast.

See? Complete loss of reasonableness. 

Had my Gators lost at the end of that long stretch {on my birthday, no less}... we may have had a slight problem. 

Luckily, that wasn't the case and all was right with the world.

Now, football food.

I wish they would have had something like this where we watched the game.

You're in luck because I'm sharing the recipes for this Sweet Potato, Fontina & Pecorino Flatbread with Rosemary and Honey AND an Apple Pie Bourbon Sweet Tea Cocktail over on Palm Beach Lately today.

The only reasonable thing to do would be to click here and check it out so you can make it next game day! ;)

Go Gators!