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Gizmo Guy: Gizmo Guy suggests gifts for Mother's Day

Mom's Day is nigh. Sure, flowers and candy might please. But Gizmo Guy's got some nifty, gifty ideas that will last lots longer and show you've really got her best interests at heart.

The 1288A Sound Conditioner offers a good night's sleep. Marsona
The 1288A Sound Conditioner offers a good night's sleep. MarsonaRead more

Mom's Day is nigh. Sure, flowers and candy might please. But Gizmo Guy's got some nifty, gifty ideas that will last lots longer and show you've really got her best interests at heart.

Soothe the savage breast: Does your favorite gal toss and turn in bed, unable to shut down or de-tune the noises from the street? An audible distraction can often help - especially something sweet like the hypnotizing sounds of waves crashing against the shore with seagulls squawking overhead.

Such is a charm of the Marsona 1288A Sound Conditioner from product pioneer Marpac, best price $114.99 at buybuybaby.com (So yes, you may have to wrestle the little one for it.)

The Marsona is "the Rolls-Royce of our line, the most finely tunable sound conditioner and the one audiologists recommend," said Marpac marketing director Liz Heinberg.

First, select one of eight base sounds - including lapping lake shore, babbling brook, sweet rain shower (my fave), rolling surf (calm or turgid), a surprisingly busy country eve, speaker-rattling thunderstorm, or, if you must, unwatery, unvaried white noise.

Now, if desired, customize the soundscape with yet more effects from the "overlay" menu. Think the realistic chirps, tweets, and ribbits of sea gulls, owls, song birds, loons, frogs, hawks, and doves, plus a bell-dinging buoy, pushed "forward" in the mix as volume and tone levers are shifted upward. Only one overlay is heard at any time, though, so it never seems there's a jungle in there. But these realistic nature cues might perk up the ears and agitate four-legged friends.

One remedy for that - disable the Marsona's internal speaker by connecting and tucking a low output, sleepy-time speaker under your pillow. The tiny, plushly encased SoftSpeaker ($23-$25 from ccrane.com) is highly recommended. And a good gift unto itself.

Ready for your not-so-close-up: Mom likes taking selfies with her cellphone, right? Bet she'd relish a selfie stick - an extending "monopod" arm that holds the phone as much as three feet away, getting more people ("ussies"?) into the picture. Distance also softens the flash and focus to flattering ends. A GoTech Original Bluetooth SelfieStick boasts a built-in wireless shutter trigger, collapses to 8 inches, weighs 4.9 ounces. $24.99 at TheSelfieStick.com.

Safety patrol: Many's the baby-monitoring camera that offers audible and visual clues when an infant's agitated. But for moms (and dads) who also stress that "it's too quiet in there," the Snuza Hero ($99.95 at amazon.com) provides an extra measure of support and comfort. This cordless device clips to the infant's diaper to monitor abdominal movements. Snuza Hero emits a gentle belly vibration after 15 seconds of stillness to "encourage" the return of regular movement and beeps loudly five seconds later if no motion is yet detected.

Alerts for elders: The typical "I've fallen and can't get up" emergency alert device comes with a significant monthly charge. Not so the new V.ALRT, a stylish help button that can be worn on the wrist (band included) or around the neck as a pendant, or carried in a pocket or bag. Actually good for anyone in a threatened situation, this emergency alert uses the latest, low-energy Bluetooth SMART (Bluetooth 4.0 LE) technology plus a software application from VSN Mobile.

Push the help button and V.ALRT "pings" a wirelessly connected smartphone (Android or iOS) to send a personalized text message (plus your GPS-tracked location) to three preselected contacts. $59.99 at vsnmobile.com.

Foodstuffs: Another new-mother Mother's Day special, the BEABA Babycook Pro 2X is a mini-food processor and cooker in one, using a patented steam-heating system. Has two prep bowls to prepare large portions - from purees to solids - in under 15 minutes. Makes grown-up edibles as well as fresh and pure baby fare. $199.99 at Williams-Sonoma.com.

Kids (and dad) won't mind making and serving mom breakfast in bed with a Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker ($24.99 at Target, a nickel cheaper at Wal-Mart.) You stack the ingredients (muffin or bagel, ham or sausage, egg or egg white, cheese, spinach, etc.) vertically inside the multitiered cooker. Then slide out the frying plate and the sandwich assembles itself. Cooking surfaces are nonstick, so cleanup is easy, too.

Have a great day!