Present from baby?

ilovemybaby wrote: For those with two or more kids... did you give the older child a present from baby when baby was born? If so, what did you give them? I want to give Abby something from Sophie but I can't think of anything.

My3LilMonkeys replied: No we didn't. We got Brooke something from us as a big sister present (as did Grandma & Grandpa and 1 of her Aunts) but didn't get Brooke anything from the baby or vice versa.

MyLuvBugs replied: We're planning on getting Lorelei a "big sister" gift. Not necessarily from baby, but just something from DH and I to let her know that she's still #1. KWIM? I think we're going to get her a big aqua-doodle pad for drawing. We'll see come August.

ilovemybaby replied: Yeah I have until late August too I just want to get her something really special KWIM? Something she'll cherish forever. Something that will remind her of how much she loves her sister even though they will fight sometimes. I don't know....
My sister and I were forever fighting. She recently gave me a necklace that's half a heart with Big Sis on it. She has the other half with Lil Sis on it. Unfortunately Abby is still a bit little for necklaces.

MyLuvBugs replied: What about a little doll so that she can have a baby also? (although that's not really a sister to sister gift)

I like the idea of jewelry, but you're right...a little young. You could make a picture frame at one of those "paint your own pottery" places. Do you have those in NZ?

jacobsmama replied: I only have 1 child but I think it is a great idea to make them feel special as well.

CantWait replied: Yup, Anthony gave Robbie a starter set of yugio (however you spell it) cards.

ilovemybaby replied: Unfortunately we already got her a baby doll for Christmas... to get her used to babies It's a Baby Amore and it cries and it breathes (chest moves up and down) and sucks it's thumb or the bottle (lips move) and it's eyes open and close (like a real baby). It's sooooo realistic! I saw it on TV and thought "hey that looks great" and thought it'd be about $120 or more but it was only $45! She loves it. She brings it to me when it cries and she feeds it the bottle. It's so cute.

I don't know about the paint your own pottery places... never seen them here but we probably do have them. I'm sure I'll think of something

ilovemybaby replied:
Yeah I figure the baby is going to get lots of presents and Abby would feel left out.

boyohboyohboy replied: we did get our son something from the baby. It was a magnetic board set for thomas trains, it was something he could play with at the hosp. since we knew he would get bored quick looking at his new brother, I wanted something for him to do that wouldnt fall on the dirty hosp floor.

It was a town that you moved the trains on a track, and played with, I know that they had a magnetic doll house too. we got it at toys r us, in the book section, and they were large pieces ok for small kids..

Momof3inMe replied: I think we are going to get Emily something from the baby when we go to Ohio to pick her up. I am not sure what it will be. I know for sure I want to get a big sister t shirt but not sure what else. I love all the ideas so far.

ashtonsmama replied: I know with my older sister they gave Morgan something at the baby shower, and some of her friends sent Morgan presents, and the same happened when she was pregnant with Declan, and I'm not sure what I'll do, Ashton's still going to be so young, I think he may not care if he gets something too or not, but we'll see. I think it's a good idea to keep the first child/older child feeling special and loved, and make sure not all the attention goes to the new baby...for sure.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: I was 2 1/2 when my brother was born and I got a new baby doll...I still have her up in my closet!

ilovemybaby replied:
Yeah hopefully my family will remember to give them equal amounts of attention. If they don't then I will be asking them to remember Abby as well. IMO it's not hard to do. But for some reason newborn babies always get ALL the attention. I don't remember when my sister was born ... so I don't know if my grandparents gave us equal attention.

PrairieMom replied: I went to build a bear workshop and had a teddy bear made for the baby to give to Ben. We are also having him make one for the baby when she is born.
Another thing that I am doing for him, is instead of having a baby shower, I am having a big brother party. It is basically an open house for everyone to come meet the baby a week or so after she is born, but I'm sending out invitations from him that say something like "come meet my new sister" or something like that. The theme is going to be Thomas the Train. (I HATE Thomas! ) and we are going to have a Thomas cake that says Congratulations Big Brother Benjamin on it.

Jamison'smama replied: Jamison gave Jack a Build a Bear when he was born and she recorded a message that said "welcome Jack". He gave her a Big Sister charm for her charm braclet (that she will get when she's older) and Jack gave her a new baby doll. I had given her a pack-n-play doll bed and carseat for christmas (5 days earlier).

I started the charm bracelet for Jamison on her first Christmas and we add a charm for significant events.

BAC'sMom replied: I sat down with my older two and let them make big brother and big sister t-shirts before Callum was born. They really enjoyed it. Then when they came to the hospital they brought a stuffed teddy bear angel for the baby.

Momof3inMe replied:
We were talking about doing the same thing with our new baby. I dont know what the theme is going to be but thats a great idea about making it a big brother thing.

Momof3inMe replied:
I remember that baby!! Suzie??

coasterqueen replied: Kylie got a doctor's kit from Megan. Kylie got Megan a sleeper outfit.

PrairieMom replied:
Ben of course had to pick out the theme. I'm hoping to keep it to just red, blue and yellow balloons, with one large Thomas Mylar balloon and the Thomas cake. I don't think I could stomach having Plates and napkins and all that with Thoms on it. It will be cheeper that way too!

ilovemybaby replied: I would love to do one of those build a bear things! But unfortunately we don't have one here. There is one in Christchurch but that is FAR away
And Abby has a TON of soft toys already. I have to go through those again.

Thanks everyone. Keep the ideas coming!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: My playgroup just had a shower for me and every mom gave Wil a new book in addition to gifts for me and the baby! I thought that was really sweet, so I'm sure we'll be taking a lot of books to the hospital. They keep Wil pretty busy. Maybe I'll buy a cool carrying case for the books that says "I'm a big brother"! Other than that, I'm not sure...I like the Thomas magnetic board idea, but probably more of a boy thing, huh?

MamaJAM replied: We've always taken pre-wrapped gifts to the hospital for the older kids from the baby and given them at that first visit.

Let's see -- what have we given....

DD#2 gave DD#1 a "BIG sister" sweatshirt - and a stuffed cat family (mommy with 2 babies)

DD#3 gave both of her sisters "sister bears" -- we bought matching bears for all 3 girls

DS#1 gave:
DD#1 - Star Wars figures
DD#2 & DD#3 - NeoPets (that talked to each other)

DS#2 gave:
DD#1 - Star Wars figures (guess what she was into in 2002/2003)
DD#2 - stuffed poodle
DD#3 - stuffed dog
DS#1 - stacking cups

ilovemybaby replied: I've never seen the Thomas magnetic boards here... so I'm not sure if we have them. We got Abby a Thomas the tank engine holiday set for her birthday (which is on Friday). I guess we could get her another train for it?

AlexsPajamaMama replied:
Yup thats her!!
For a while Suzy got new clothes on "her birthday" too!