Is it hard for you to come up with toy ideas for DC #2?

[mom to little e]

Maybe this should be posted in the "Around the House" forum, I don't know.

My dilemma is this - we already have SO MANY great toys (many due in part to this board!) that I really can't imagine needing or getting many more new toys for DC #2. Especially given that their age difference isn't too great, once DS outgrows something DD can use it.

We have DS's bday right before Christmas, then Christmas, then DD's bday - so this has been on my mind quite a bit lately.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

Maryann
Mommy to Ean & Mia!

[spanannie]

We have the same situation. DD doesn't really need or want anything...and if I do buy her something, she either wants what big brother has, or he wants what she has. One thing he didn't have were the Schleich animals, and I've recently bought those for her, and she loves them. I also buy her a lot of new books. I will be getting her a baby doll crib (American girl) for Christmas, and a girl potty doll.

[o_mom]

I just wrap up DS1s old toys and give them to DS2. :-) I do usually get one or two small things, but this has worked well so far.

[Corie]

You are a GENIUS!! :)

[CiderLogan]

I don't have any great ideas, but I do understand where you're coming from. I'm already thinking about what to get my DDs for Christmas, and really there is nothing DD2 will need. The good thing is that (at least at this young age), they don't have a good sense of quantity/money spent, so it probably won't be that hard to get away with DD1 getting something big and thinking that must be equivalent to DD2 getting a couple of new books. For the younger child, there's always giving them clothes, baby gear (cups, pacifiers, etc.), and stuff for their rooms as gifts -- things you might buy anyway, but you can just wrap them up instead. I love the idea of regifting DC1's toys, but then I think the older kid might get confused (or maybe that's just my DD - she has an uncanny ability to know which of the baby toys she used to play with).

Jenny
Julia, 8/03
Clara, 5/06

[new_mommy25]

I am going to be very concious of giving books to DD. I am the second child out of four. My older sister has an enormous collection of books. I always had access to them and thought of them as my own. But when I moved out and took all my childhood books I realized that I didn't own very many at all. Since my sister already had all the Little House books, AA Milne, etc. nobody gifted them to me. I will give or request that people give DD books that can be kept forever, even if they are a duplicate that DS already has.

[JacksMommy]

We do have that issue, but actually I think it's great! Why buy more toys when the kids have plenty. The kids always get so much for Xmas and birthdays from everyone else that there's not really been a need to have a gift from us as well.

Of course, as they get older, they will start to have different interests. For example, my DS never liked dolls, but DD loves them. So she plays with his old dolls and they both think of them as hers. I could see getting her a doll then.

By the time your kids actually notice/care to have a gift specifically from you, they will be individuated enough that it won't be hard to figure out what would be right for each.

If you're really dying to give gifts and don't want to give clothes, you can always go the personalized route - personalized step stool, puzzle etc, or get things "just for you" that DS already has, a lunchbox, a backpack, etc.

Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[Ceepa]

So true about owning your own books. Before DD was born I bought Goodnight Moon for her. DH asked why because DS already had it. "Because everyone should have their own books that they can take with them."

So several of DS's old board books have floated down to DD's bookshelf, but I'm still buying new ones (differnet titles) for her, too. In a way I feel like I get a second shot at buying some cool books that I didn't know about until DS was already past the "level" of the book.

There will be duplicates of special books. Which reminds me how my mom had to buy a few duplicates for me and my brother because we would get into knock down drag out fights over them! LOL

-Ceepa

[KrisM]

That's my plan. With 2 years between them, a lot of his old toys are in storage and will be presents for DD this year.

[Jenn98]

My DC wiull be 17 months apart, and DD#1 is only 13 months right now, so I have a bit of time to think this one over before it becomes a "problem." Anyway, my solution to this so far has been that all major gifts (like a play kitchen) will come on major holidays and be gifted to both DDs. As in Santa brought you and your sister this great kitchen to play with! And the Easter bunny brought you this great set of play dishes for your kitchen! Birthdays will be lower key and focus more on the special things that DC wanted/needed - especially since DD#2 will be born within days of Christmas, I am trying to figure out ways of making it a very special day for her. With mine so close in age I imagine there will be a lot of things I will need two of anyway (like two cribs!) so regifting some toys is an opttion, but not a lot of them! I love the book idea, though. I have been building DD#1s library and it never occured to me to get some special just for DD#2. HTH

[jadamom]

I agree. I found it hard to come up with ideas for DD#2 since I had already bought everything I felt we needed for DD#1. But then I just visit this board and come up with great new ideas. DD#1 got a kitchen for her 2nd Bday. DD#2 got M&D cutting food and a tea set for her 2nd Bday. Also, try Land of Nod if you're looking for great gift ideas. They have nice puzzles, card games, etc.

[mom to little e]

So far I've come up with getting Mia a Radio Flyer Walker Wagon since we didn't have a good walker toy for DS and the Baby Signing Times DVDs.

Her birthday is only ten days after Christmas, so I'm saving some of my ideas for then. For her birthday, I plan on getting her a Waldorf doll (that looks like her as a keepsake doll since I am not a doll person and I won't be buying them on my own accord) and either a tricycle without pedals or something like the pony trike from Magic Cabin

http://magiccabin.com/magiccabin/product.do?section_id=0&bc=1004&pgc=406&cmvalue=MCD|0|Normal%20Search%20Result|P1 (I don't know how to make the like shorter!)

Books will probably round it out for Christmas so she has some of "her own" and Ean doesn't think they are all "his!"


Maryann
Mommy to Ean & Mia!

[mom to little e]

Same thing with Ean. If I had put the toys away in storage - I think I could have gotten away with "regifting" his older presents but most have stayed in playroom and he definitely would know!

And thanks to this board, her closet is packed!! LOL!

Maryann
Mommy to Ean & Mia!

[brittone2]

This has been on my mind as well. Obviously this year, it won't matter much as baby #2 has a due date just a few weeks before Christmas. So, I'll give a few outfits, and fill her stocking with some things I would have bought anyway (new bibs, socks, a Klean Kanteen sippy cup for once she's drinking water, other boring stuff ;) I'll probably get one or two more sentimental keepsake type gifts.

As she gets older, I'll probably just not buy that much, or just buy necessities we would have bought anyway (new shoes, etc.).

As she gets older it may get tricky since her bday and Christmas are so close together...she'll probably get all winter clothes as gifts from people for example. DS is a February baby, and I try to do a mix of things he can enjoy immediately and things for down the road since his bday is actually pretty close to the holidays. I buy toys that he might not really be ready for right away so that he'll have things to enjoy later. My bday is close to Christmas also, and I always end up with an abundance of sweaters, and not much in the way of summer clothes ;)

[vdrake71]

I am in a similar situation. My boys are 18 1/2 months apart and we are expecting our 3rd which will be 18 1/2 months apart. I try not to buy a lot for Christmas since DS#1 birthday is shortly after. I even gave him Christmas presents for his birthday since he did not have time to unwrap them. I was thinking that for Christmas the boys would only get one present from Santa since they get lots of other presents from family members.

My DS #2 just turned two and the only thing that I could think of for a present were the bath boats. This would be personalized to him and it sounds like it would hold up for many years.