Treat Yourself Mama! A Coffee Lovers Gift Basket

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SipIndulgence #CollectiveBias

I remember when my older sister had my nephew, I was six months pregnant with my little guy and I went over to her house to visit, bring a meal, and grab a few baby cuddles.  I had no idea the exhaustion that was waiting for me three months later, even while I looked on as my sister fell asleep in her armchair while we talked.  When it was my turn, I remember wondering why no one had warned me how exhausted I would be.  And I couldn’t believe no one had told me to stock up on all the coffee.  I mean, I had bought an extra bag thinking that would hold me over until I could run to the grocery store again.  Or so I thought.  ha.  Oh how naive I was.  How I wish someone had shown up at my door with a coffee lovers gift basket in tow.  I might have started crying at that beautiful sight right then and there.  And then blamed it on the hormones.

As a first time mom it was really hard for me to imagine what life would be like once my baby arrived.  I never imagined how little time I would have to myself once he came home from the NICU, and how taking a daily shower would be a thing of the past.  To be honest, I’m lucky if I even get to brush my hair in the morning anymore.  But it’s all worth it when that little guy flashes me his (still) toothless grin when I go get him from his bed in the morning.

Even though time to myself is limited these days, I’ve come to realize just how important it is to take a few minutes each day to relax and mentally prepare myself before the kid wakes up and my day truly begins.  I find myself cherishing the time I can sit back, read a few blogs, and sip on my coffee in the morning.  And since I can’t do coffee without some sort of flavoring in them, I’ve found myself falling in love with these chocolate boutique flavors!  Adding just a little bit of indulgence to my cup of joe in the morning makes me feel like I’m treating myself in the best way possible.  It’s kind of like bringing a bit of your favorite coffee-house into your home.  And it’s been a great way to jump-start my day.

When I was pregnant I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and so I had to cut back on all the sweets and sugar that I normally eat.  After I delivered I was so excited to be able to have flavored coffee again (oh how I missed it!) and went a little crazy when it came to adding things like the chocolate boutique flavors to my daily cup(s) of sugar-water.  Luckily not everyone will have to deal with the same situation I did, but if you have a pregnant friend who loves coffee you would win major brownie points if you brought her a coffee lovers gift basket.  She may worship the ground you walk on.  She may even cry over all the sugary goodness you’ve presented her with.  Or she may offer you a cup and you can sit around listening to her talk about sleep deprivation, breastfeeding woes, and the latest diaper blowout she had to deal with.  Ah, the joys of parenthood.

The Coffee Lovers Gift Basket Includes:

• Two mugs (in case she wants to share with her spouse.  She probably will hoard coffee like I did, but at least the spouse will appreciate that you thought of them!)
• Her favorite coffee
• Wooden sugar spoons & Stir Sticks
• Baked goods (or, if your oven breaks over the weekend like mine did, go to the store and stock up on quick snacks.  Because what new mom has time to make herself a hearty breakfast in the morning?)
• Disposable to-go coffee cups
• NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® Liquid Coffee Creamer (I included Salted Caramel, Cafe Mocha, & Chocolate Toffee Truffle)
• A colorful notebook to write down all the milestones her new little one is achieving!
• Two diy fabric coffee sleeves in pretty patterned fabric
• A nice basket to put everything in
• Treat Yourself Mama! label (download your silhouette file here)

To make your own label, download it here and open it in your Silhouette software on your computer.  Use the silhouette sketch pens to write out the wording, then delete everything inside the circle and cut out the outer circle!   

I love being able to give a gift that has multiple purposes, so including a nice basket she can use for storage in the baby’s room is a must.  The new mama will appreciate it so much, because you can never have too many baskets!  At least, that’s my philosophy in life.  And if you want to take the gift one step further and you are a pro at sewing rectangles and squares with your sewing machine, colorful coffee sleeves add just the right personal touch!

To make the Coffee Sleeves You’ll Need:

• 1/4 yard of fabric
• 1/4 yard of fusible fleece lining
• A button
• An old hair tie

Cut all your fabric and the fusible fleece lining 8×3.5 inches.

Lay your two pieces of fabric with the right sides touching and then lay your fleece lining on top.  Place your hair tie in-between the two pieces of fabric, leaving less than half sticking out from the fabric.  Sew a 1/4 seam allowance over the hair tie to keep it in place!

Sew around  three sides of the rectangle, and on the fourth side leave a three-inch gap so you can flip your fabric right side out.

Once your fabric is flipped right side out, top stitch around all four sides to finish it off (and close up that gap you left from the above step!).

On the side opposite from your hair tie, measure about two to three inches in (this is personal preference so do whatever measurement you prefer) and attach your button.  Once your button is sewn on, you’re done!

Being a mom is one of the most rewarding jobs I could have ever asked for, and I am so grateful for my little one!  But I will admit that I find it difficult to remember to take care of myself in the midst of everything else that comes with being his mommy.  Giving myself half an hour each morning to drink my coffee and prepare for the day is honestly the best thing I could do for myself.  And it’s so simple.  I want to encourage all mommy’s to do the same.  Because our well-being is so important too!  And honestly, who wouldn’t want to indulge a little each morning with a strong cup of coffee paired with and a NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® Liquid Coffee Creamer?

If you love trying new coffee creamers you  can pick up the NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® Liquid Coffee Creamer at your local Walmart in the milk aisle.  You can also pick up a cash back rebate from Ibotta here!

What advice do you have for a new mommy or first-time mommy-to-be?  What were you surprised about when you brought your little one home from the hospital?