My brother and his wife are expecting their first child this summer. He isn't even here yet and already dozens of people have spent thousands of dollars in preparation for this blessed event. This article uses Peter Lynch's principle of "buying what you know" in order to make stock recommendations for first time parents.

Disney (DIS)

Why You Should Own It: Disney has a vast array of intellectual property backed by a marketing team more powerful than the government of a small country. There is a very high chance that my nephew will be exposed to a Disney product within days of being born. As he grows, he will no doubt receive and consume countless Disney products ranging from toys, books, movies, and trips to theme parks. As a parent, it is only a matter of time before you give The Mouse some of your money. It is best to own shares of the company as soon as possible so that you can maximize your return over the greatest number of years.

As an IT person by day and a stock blogger by night, I occasionally attend IT conferences and seminars that showcase new technologies and trends in the IT market. My most recent adventure took me to Las Vegas, at the VMworld 2008 conference.

Between lectures on best practices and technology previews of some new features that will be included in future releases of VMware's (VMW) virtual infrastructure, I had the opportunity to network with various vendors on the trade show floor and learn about the products they had developed for VMware. One of the most intriguing vendors present was a company named Compellent Technologies (CML).

Hercules Offshore Inc. (HERO) is a leading provider of offshore contract drilling, liftboat and inland barge services with operations in nine countries on four continents. With a market cap of $1.5 billion, Hercules Offshore is trading at a new 52-week low at under $17.00 a share. Much of the recent sell off has to do with a second quarter earnings miss coupled with fears of equipment damage due to the recent hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico. However, the recent sell off may be a great time to buy stock that is poised for growth at a cheap price.

Valuation

Apogee Enterprises (APOG) isn't a company developing the next generation of life saving drugs or a Silicon Valley rising star working on a revolutionary computing technology. Apogee is an established, profitable company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that designs, installs, and maintains many types of glass and windows used in commercial buildings.

Unlike other industrial goods companies that are struggling to maintain profitability due to the softening economy and downturn in the construction industry, Apogee is growing earnings and operating margins.

Anesiva (ANSV) is a tiny biopharmaceutical company about to enter a stage of high growth thanks to the successful launch of a niche pain relief product that has the potential for adoption as the standard treatment for pain related to needle procedures and orthopedic surgeries.

It All Starts With Zingo: Zingo is a needle free, painless, topical product approved by the FDA for use on children ages 3 to 18 in order to numb the skin prior to drawing blood or inserting an IV. Each Zingo device contains .5 mg sterile lidocaine powder. When the device is activated, compressed gas accelerates the lidocaine particles into the skin, numbing the area after approximately one minute. This is a vast improvement over anesthetic creams which can take between 30 to 60 minutes to work.

Shares of Electronic Arts (ERTS) have hit a new 52 week low this week, and are sitting just above historical two and five year lows.

While this may prove to be frustrating for current EA stockholders, it will serve as an excellent entry point for new ones.