Letting your parents know that you are just a call away becomes more reassuring the older they get.The knowledge that help is just a phone call away can literally be a lifeline if they are housebound.Good idea eh? But to make it happen you’ve got to overcome the objections of learning new fangled gizmos and cost!

Technology: How many of us have bought a mobile phone for our parents, only for it never to emerge from the original box?Many older people are quite comfortable with IT, but many will still prefer good old fashioned telephony.Perhaps you can push them as far as changing to a cordless ‘phone. Chances are they’ll prefer to stay with the equipment and the landline provider they’ve got because that’s what they are used to.

Cost: It’s not just the older generation, but now everyone is wary of running up huge costs on ‘phone bills!People will be afraid of running up huge phone bills, especially if they are on a pension of have a limited income.

Callagenix seem to have the perfect 0800 number solution. You simply set up a dedicated 0800 number that simply sits on top of your existing UK landline number without affecting that existing landline number in any way. So anyone else can still get you on your established number, but you just let your relative know that if they ever want to call you, they should use your “special” number beginning 0800 and it will cost them nothing at all!Any call from your elderly parent will be free, provided they use the new 0800 number, as it’s charged to your account - not theirs.They can rabbit for as long as they like.

Contact Callagenix on 0870 626 0626 to see how easy peace of mind for your relatives could be with 0800 numbers. Of course, then the final act of persuasion might be tyring to convince them that you can afford to support the cost of their unrestricted calls!

Maybe you were thinking that baby shower cakes were simply an appetizing dessert served to your guests… Well, that is without doubt one form of cake. However there is another kind of baby shower cake which is filled with all sorts of helpful gifts for the expectant mom. One very popular choice in this area is a gift that really can look like a tiered wedding cake. But instead of being made of flour, eggs and sugar, it’s built from the one thing that a new mom can never have too many of - diapers.

These decorative and ingenious baby shower cakes make for the perfect gift for the event. Everyone thinks about giving diapers to the expectant mother and she will definitely be able to use them. However giving diapers in this way turns a necessary but mundane gift into an occasion for laughter for the guests and the mom-to-be.

Piled high one on top of another and covered with decorative items that really do make it look like the genuine article, diaper cakes are fun and practical and the recipient can simply peel them off one at a time as needed. Exactly like eating a wedding cake that can last for days or weeks, this particular gift affords its own storage bin.

This same idea has been used with great success for lots of other baby shower gifts. The false wedding cake can be filled with any type of toys for the baby, gifts for the mom-to-be and much more.

After all, it is not only diapers that the happy couple will need soon. Baby oil, baby powder, ointment, lotion and many similar hygiene products are all common items for the nursery. At about 32 inches high, you will find that these cakes can hold a lot of these necessities. A baby cap, booties, a terry cloth towel and several other clothing items are part of the package too.

Even the somewhat smaller two-tiered baby shower cakes offer dozens of valuable gifts and provides a fabulous decoration as a centerpiece for the baby shower table. Merely peel off the outer layers and enjoy the teething ring, pacifier, rattle and more which will assuredly get used. Open it up and discover a brush and comb, socks, a manicure set and other equally useful presents.

A few baby shower cakes will contain only decorative gifts, but these too will be highly appreciated by the mother-to-be. Ceramic baby blocks, silk roses and more set on a silver platter make this a gift which will not be put away the closet after the party. You’ll find the blocks lining the shelf in the baby’s room and the silk roses on the mantle, while the silver platter is used to liven up the table on special occasions.

Discover the full range of baby shower cakes available nowadays and you will be amazed by the number of highly creative options.

And, remember of course to order the real thing for the party while you’re at it.

Can you think of any more natural combination than babies and baths? At times it seems that they spend half their early lives splashing around in the bath. Sponge bath for the first three months followed by a short tub for the rest of the first year and a regular tub for the next five years. So, how about making it easy for Mom, Dad and baby by getting all the bath time items they are going to need as specialty baby gift baskets.

Step out on a cold morning and you will quickly discover that a bathrobe is probably their first requirement. Ensure that baby is comfortable and warm with a bathrobe made from the finest terrycloth and make both Mom and baby happy by buying the one with a design that brings two smiles at once.

Better still, give the baby a preview of what is to come later in life with a spa baby bath set. Miniature slippers in which, pink or blue that are simply to die for and washcloths that are as soft as they use in Baden Baden where the big girls go on holiday. But, remember that there is a long way to go first and so also get that charming toy frog to match the design on the slippers.

Speaking of amphibians, how about a four-piece turtle hat box set? A gorgeous pink hat box wrapped in a white silk bow is the perfect container. The inside there are slippers embossed with those appealing little green creatures all nestled alongside a terry washcloth, a 30-inch hooded towel and masses of other goodies.

For the bath you have lots of choices.

Of course, bath soap is essential. But why not turn this practical necessity into a delight? Ducky baby soap is one answer. Adorned with baby ducks and scented with herbs, the container itself will be a wonderful keepsake. The soap itself is of course designed specially for baby’s delicate skin and will leave baby with the scent of a garden.

The beach ball bath set provides another fun choice. Made of soft terry, it is paired with a hooded towel and washcloth that make for the perfect mix of hygiene and play. All cotton, these items are comfortable, warm and extremely absorbent.

However, before the baby can get out to dry off you will certainly wish to keep them amused in the bath. One sure way to achieve this is with a puppy puppet. And, as soon as they are ready to get out, the matching puppy hooded towel is there and to do its job. Sturdy, soft and hilarious, it will meet its task with fun and style.

Make drying off a warm and easy breeze with a colorful 3-piece terry set. Made of ultra-soft velour cotton and adorned with a baseball motif, the hooded towel is only the start. A matching infant robe and full-sized bib with Velcro latches makes this set decorative, luxurious and practical.

Finally let the baby rest and revel in his or her post-bath time with a luxurious play bucket which is full of fun plush crabs or turtles and watch as those two little eyes brighten with excitement. As a baby shower gift there can be little doubt that these bath time gifts will be more than appreciated.

Bath time makes a great theme for a baby shower but these are only some of the many terrific baby shower ideas which make this such a fun party today.