Some new couples are about to experience a double-whammy: a new baby arriving at the same time as Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, too many new dads will forget about this crucial holiday if mom is due in May. The opportunity is rich for dads who remember, because new moms will talk about it for years to come. So here’s some advice about how to plan for this double holiday.

First off, call a flower delivery service and make an appointment for delivery on Mother’s Day. Even if the delivery date turns out to not be correct, and even two weeks late, she will still appreciate the flowers because you made the connection about her new duty in life. The reason why this technique is so influential is because many wives know that their husband’s mother can be dominant in their mind.

For a more involved plan to surprise her, I recommend cooking her favorite decadent meal and stick in it the icebox. Trust me, near the end of the pregnancy, you both will be bored with quick and easy take-out food and she will love the forethought in cooking her favorite meal on Mother’s Day. There’s no time to think, much less cook, during those final days of the pregnancy or the first days of the baby’s life, so a well-cooked meal that is easily prepared will be convenient and heart warming.

Lastly, do some undercover nursery decorating. Not difficult. Just pick out some original kids art that goes with the established color scheme of the room. This will knock her socks off. Even better: place the fresh flowers in the nursery (whether or not the baby is born yet) and she will be shocked to see the change when she walks into the nursery on Mother’s Day.