First Christmas Presents

The kidlets will be 8 months old (6mo corrected) at Christmas. We're trying
to play it low key--after all, it's not like they're going to understand
anything about what's going on :-) But I've already had a couple of family
members askwhat "the boys would like" for Christmas.

They're only beginning to play with toys, and since I sell toys for a living
there's no shortage of them around the house. Not that I'm saying "no
toys," just that I have no feel for what sort of things they like so far.
We already have two cribs, three play pens, two highchairs, 4 double
strollers, and two swings. Someone is giving us a hand-me-down exersaucer,
so unless we want a second one that's taken care of. They *don't* need
anymore clothes ATM.

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and 12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)
Meet the Kidlets at http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/mmcw2

Marie wrote:

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and 12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Marie



They can never have too many books. :-)

Lesley

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003, Marie wrote:

The kidlets will be 8 months old (6mo corrected) at Christmas. We're trying
to play it low key--after all, it's not like they're going to understand
anything about what's going on :-) But I've already had a couple of family
members askwhat "the boys would like" for Christmas.

They're only beginning to play with toys, and since I sell toys for a living
there's no shortage of them around the house. Not that I'm saying "no
toys," just that I have no feel for what sort of things they like so far.
We already have two cribs, three play pens, two highchairs, 4 double
strollers, and two swings. Someone is giving us a hand-me-down exersaucer,
so unless we want a second one that's taken care of. They *don't* need
anymore clothes ATM.

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and 12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Christmas ornaments -- personalized and dated

My kids are 12 and 17 now. They reach for their "baby ornaments" first
thing every Christmas.

If you are the one doing the giving, money is always good. If money is short
in the household, the money could be used for necessary things like diapers,
clothes & toys, etc., that the either child might not get enough of or would
have to do without. If money is not so tight, the parents can elect to put
the money into an account for the child's education.

Other things that would be appreciated by the family (let's face it, for the
first Chirstmas and birthday, the parties are for the parents and family --
as long as the diapers are clean and dry, the mouth fed and the crib
available for sleeping, the kid is happy) include gift cirtificates to
places like Target, orniments for the tree, and books. Certificates for baby
sitting and other things that might help the parents get some away time
would be appreciated too.

Getting the kid stuffed animals seems to me a waste of money. Most little
kids I know have so many stuffed animals that if you put the child in the
crib and piled the stuffed animals in front of the crib, you would not see
the kid.

Jeff

Marie wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I
haven't thought of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets
when they're between 6 and 12 months old. What was the
best "first christmas" present your kids ever recieved?

Julie got the Little Tikes Little RhythmMaker Drum at her first
Christmas (she was 9 months old then) and still plays with it (in fact,
IS playing with it now :

http://tinyurl.com/v9ps

I was also going to suggest books. Cloth books are great at that age.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 7 mo.
And Jaden, 2 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

"Marie" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
The kidlets will be 8 months old (6mo corrected) at Christmas. We're
trying
to play it low key--after all, it's not like they're going to understand
anything about what's going on :-) But I've already had a couple of
family
members askwhat "the boys would like" for Christmas.



Bath tub toys, books, rattles and teethers [if you don't already have a
million and two!], photo albums personalized for each child for you to fill
up or full of family pics for them to treasure as adults, a video camera for
mom/dad to take movies of the kidlettes with, a *full sized* handmade afghan
for each [I used the one greatgrandma made me until it wore out when I was
well in my 30's].

-Aula
--
see my creative works on ebay under aulame123

I'm trying to think back...

Yes I'm sure! My son just loved duplo bricks!
I think we also got his first computer game... Tortoise and hare... of
course dad/mum has to do all the clicking and he liked to see what happened.

.... and he like Simon and Garfunkle to sing him to sleep... when daddy
wasn't there to do it for them ;-)
(Mummy doesn't sing)

"Marie" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
The kidlets will be 8 months old (6mo corrected) at Christmas. We're
trying
to play it low key--after all, it's not like they're going to understand
anything about what's going on :-) But I've already had a couple of
family
members askwhat "the boys would like" for Christmas.

They're only beginning to play with toys, and since I sell toys for a
living
there's no shortage of them around the house. Not that I'm saying "no
toys," just that I have no feel for what sort of things they like so far.
We already have two cribs, three play pens, two highchairs, 4 double
strollers, and two swings. Someone is giving us a hand-me-down
exersaucer,
so unless we want a second one that's taken care of. They *don't* need
anymore clothes ATM.

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't
thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and
12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)
Meet the Kidlets at http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/mmcw2

Marie wrote:


I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and 12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?


What's the best present almost anyone can get? Time!
People who live close can give the gift of time spent with
the kids, perhaps one-on-one, doing something fun (and taking
pictures, and making a photo album for the future, etc.). If
they do it right and you all end up with a night or weekend
to yourselves, so much the better ;-)
Another idea would be to start a collection that
will be continued year after year--start with a bookcase
(maybe even a personalized one) followed by books;
Christmas ornaments (maybe including a nice box to store
them in); a book documenting their first calendar year
(to be followed by a volume each year); etc.

Best wishes,
Ericka

In article
ogers.com,
"Marie" wrote:
I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and 12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Well, they won't care what they get, so if you have what you need for
now, I'd suggest that people buy up and get items to put away for later,
like clothes in the next sizes up, or toys for next summer.

Books. Music CDs. Videos (music, like Raffi or Wiggles)

Keepsake items. A special ornament, or the first piece of a themed
Christmas set? (Personally, DS got a beautiful Chanukah menorah -
stained glass in the shape of a train.)

A great set of blocks that will last for years, or pieces of a future
toy (e.g., brio trains).

Photo shoot at a local studio?

Padders slippers - cute and really stay on baby's feet, great for baby's
first winter.

Walkers/Push toys/Riding toys - push toys, esp. with buttons to push to
make things happen, play music, hear animal sounds, etc. (we had one
called "Magical Activity Walker" and another that was a convertable push
or riding toy)

Feeding items? Sippy cups with no-spill valves, forks and spoons, plates
and bowls, placemats.

When our first child was 6 months old at Christmas, my wife and I mailed
away for an expensive Radio Flyer tricycle, you know the one with the
tassles and the bell you never had when you were a kid? Well she's 3 now
and just started riding it so I would not recommend a bike. Erika's
favorite thing about Christmas was playing with the wrapping paper and
bows... whatever you get them will be soon forgotten (by them), they don't
care about the same things adults do. It's like that MasterCard ad where
the 18-month old kid in the diaper gets all the expensive Christmas presents
and ends up playing all afternoon with a cardboard box that one of the
presents came in.

PS If you have twins get two exersaucers, they are a fantastic invention
that give kids some sense of mobility and freedom when they have none. Our
second is in the exersaucer now and you will REALLY appreciate that 1/2 hour
when they are absorbed with some toy... you know they are safe and they
really like it.

"Marie" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
The kidlets will be 8 months old (6mo corrected) at Christmas. We're
trying
to play it low key--after all, it's not like they're going to understand
anything about what's going on :-) But I've already had a couple of
family
members askwhat "the boys would like" for Christmas.

They're only beginning to play with toys, and since I sell toys for a
living
there's no shortage of them around the house. Not that I'm saying "no
toys," just that I have no feel for what sort of things they like so far.
We already have two cribs, three play pens, two highchairs, 4 double
strollers, and two swings. Someone is giving us a hand-me-down
exersaucer,
so unless we want a second one that's taken care of. They *don't* need
anymore clothes ATM.

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions of things that I haven't
thought
of that will prove invaluable for the kidlets when they're between 6 and
12
months old. What was the best "first christmas" present your kids ever
recieved?

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)
Meet the Kidlets at http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/mmcw2