NewMom: Jazzercise Anyone?

This summer at a baby shower, I received what I have to admit I thought was the most bizarre gift: a pair of rainbow striped baby leg warmers. The gift was shipped in from a friend who wasn’t able to attend, so there was no explanation. It was the middle of the summer, and visions of Flashdance ran through my head. But then winter came, and we popped NewGirl in the Baby Bjorn only to watch her pants ride up her legs exposing those little baby ankles to the elements. The blanket wouldn’t stay tight around the Bjorn, and then I remembered, tucked away in the back of a drawer, those little leg warmers.

And – oh what a feeling – NewGirl might have been able to pose as a stand in for an early ‘80’s fashion magazine, but they were easy to get on and off and she was warm. This holiday season, I bought five pairs. One went in NewGirl’s stocking (after all, if she’s going to have leg warmers, they may as well be in fashion colors); one went to a friend whose toddler won’t wear mittens (think, arm/hand warmers); and the rest are going to friends as shower and holiday gifts. My new rule this holiday season: if the baby gift seems too weird, too dated and too obscure to be true, keep it in the back of the drawer for at least six months before giving it the heave-ho. It may just be your next saving grace.