Gift for a New Mom of 2 - La Jolla,CA

The thing I did for my BFF when she had her child was go to the store and shop for food. I spent two days cooking and produced two weeks worth of food that I put up in her freezer with instructions for reheating. That way on really bad days, she didn't have to worry about feeding her family. It was already there. I can't tell you how many times she thanked me over the next month.

If you don't want to do it all you can organize her friends and family and see if they would be willing to donate a day, a chore, an hour of babysitting, coming over so she can take a nap...basically anything that you think she could use help with. Then put it all on a calendar for her and give it to her the day of the party.

As a new mom it wasn't things I needed so much as just help. Knowing someone had dinner covered, I could take my baby to his well child without bringing other kids, my mom was coming over to help with laundry, I was going to get a nap that day. Those things were priceless.

As for the little boy, books all about being a big brother would be good and allow something for him and mom to do before bedtime.

Hope this helps

I'd get a small toy for her son and a "gift certificate" for her to have some time either alone, or alone with her baby.

Boy:
Chunky truck: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Toys-DTK01R-Dump-Truck/dp/B00...

Little People's airplane:http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Little-People-Movers-A...

Mom:
A basket of healthy, on the go snacks.
An on the go mug

I definitely like the dinner idea for mom, even just offer to bring over dinner hot and ready one night. For the boy's birthday gift, something that he could learn to play with on his own while mom is busy with baby. My boys have loved Thomas the Train (wooden railway) and Lego Duplos. Wooden puzzles are also another good one, but that's hit or miss whether he is into puzzles.

Why don't you take the boy to the zoo (or wherever) - do lunch, buy him a stuffed toy of his fave animal that day for his gift, get his face painted like a lion.... and give the new mommy a couple hours with just her and the baby?

or if you're REALLY adventurous.... offer to take the baby too (not sure how long "not to long ago" is.... so if it's only a couple weeks than this might not work.... but if the newborn is a month or two... you'd be ok to take them for a couple hours to the zoo.)

Having my second close together (my oldest is 15 years older than my second) was really tough. It would have been great if someone could have just come by and watched my girls so I could get a shower.

As for her son's birthday gift, there are a lot of great toys out there. I'd just choose something that either doesn't make a lot of noise or has a volume control. Our youngest just celebrated her first birthday and it seemed like everyone brought something from V-Tech... great in theory until the one year old and three year old realize they can get them all going at the same time. O. M. G. Help! LOL