2 Questions - Food Organization & Toys

[nic33]

Not sure if I should have entered these separately, but here goes:

1. DS is 5.5mos and about to need all the stuff that goes with feeding - bowls/sippy cups/spoons/etc. Our house has a very small kitchen with even smaller drawer/cabinet space. What have you found to be the best way to store all the feeding accessories? Are the disposable bowls my best bet for stacking or do I need heavier-duty bowls?

2. Going to a good friend's DD's 1 year bday party soon. As my DS isn't that old yet, I'm clueless as to what kind of gift to give, and I'm already guilty of giving her too many boring clothes! Any recommendations on a great toy would be much appreciated - I'd hate my gift to end up in the return or re-gift pile! Needs to be about $40 or less.

Thank you!

[pinkmomagain]

I don't know what to tell you in terms of feeding supply storage. I seem to find the room in my kitchen and dd's stuff is thrown in with ours. I guess my recommendations would be not to buy too much, as everything can be easily washed off and used again later in the day if need be.

I'm sure there are many threads about 1 yo gifts if you do a search in Around the House. Off the top of my head, the Parent musical instrument set is usually a best be and also a good gift for boys or girls. It's $20 at Target.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-2/qid=1168623080/ref=sr_1_2/601-0102925-1361743?ie=UTF8&asin=B000068E6D

HTH,

Gina

[pinkmomagain]

I don't know what to tell you in terms of feeding supply storage. I seem to find the room in my kitchen and dd's stuff is thrown in with ours. I guess my recommendations would be not to buy too much, as everything can be easily washed off and used again later in the day if need be.

I'm sure there are many threads about 1 yo gifts if you do a search in Around the House. Off the top of my head, the Parent musical instrument set is usually a best be and also a good gift for boys or girls. It's $20 at Target.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-2/qid=1168623080/ref=sr_1_2/601-0102925-1361743?ie=UTF8&asin=B000068E6D

HTH,

Gina

[jgriffin]

We have 3 bowls for E and that's more than enough. Initially you can use whatever bowls you use for yourself, anyway, since he won't be eating with a spoon and bowl right away. Depending on what the meal is, E doesn't always even get a bowl (eg cheerios and bananas, cheese and crackers, etc). I've also let him use small tupperware containers when I know he just wants a bowl but doesn't really need one. You'll have the best luck with stacking if you get dishes without compartments.

I just bought E the Parents Magazine instrument box and he likes it a lot (he's 17mo now), I think he would have liked it, though not as much, at a year. Gifts that he got for his first bday that he still likes include a Gertie ball (you can never have too many balls!), stacking blocks, and things on wheels (people mover, cars, etc).

Check out the 2006 Annual Favorite Toys thread for some excellent ideas:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=63663&mode=full&page=8

Jen

[jgriffin]

We have 3 bowls for E and that's more than enough. Initially you can use whatever bowls you use for yourself, anyway, since he won't be eating with a spoon and bowl right away. Depending on what the meal is, E doesn't always even get a bowl (eg cheerios and bananas, cheese and crackers, etc). I've also let him use small tupperware containers when I know he just wants a bowl but doesn't really need one. You'll have the best luck with stacking if you get dishes without compartments.

I just bought E the Parents Magazine instrument box and he likes it a lot (he's 17mo now), I think he would have liked it, though not as much, at a year. Gifts that he got for his first bday that he still likes include a Gertie ball (you can never have too many balls!), stacking blocks, and things on wheels (people mover, cars, etc).

Check out the 2006 Annual Favorite Toys thread for some excellent ideas:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=63663&mode=full&page=8

Jen

[shilo]

i hear you on the small kitchen!!! i'd say the best advice i can give you is to start with just one of each 'type' of thing you're considering using. it's like everything else with baby - you won't know what you like, what they like, etc. until you start using it regularly. so buy one of two or three max different types of sippy's and then see which one you/he take to. this gives you time to consider the pros and cons of how they fit on your counter or in your cabinets, how easy/hard the 'parts' are to clean by hand, or how they do in the dishwasher (ie. i like the take n' toss little bowls for when we're out and about, but i hate that they flip over in the dishwasher and fill up with water - always makes me wonder if they really got cleaned).

once you've established which ones you/he like, then you can buy 3 or 4 or more depending on how fast you go thru them between washings. it's so much easier to have all the same 'type' than a hodgepodge IME, so that's really why i'd suggest limiting what you get until you figure out what works best for you.

as far as storage, i have so little accessible storage in my kitchen (i'm short and most of the cabinet space is up high :( - definitely going to fix that in the next house!) that i just went with little white plastic basket/bins (maybe 8x12", white, have little slits in the sides, they sell them at drug stores, target, etc in the kitchen/bath sections of the store for organizing 'stuff') in a corner on my counter. one has bowls, mostly stacking types in a few sizes and the other has his plates and a small square tupperware in one corner that i put all of his forks/spoons in. up until just recently, i still had one of those bottle drying racks out on my counter with a variety of sippy's, bottles, straw cups, etc. we've been totally done with bottles for a while now, so i finally got rid of that rack and just put the sippy's (milk/yogurt for us) and straw cups (water for us) out on the counter between the two baskets now.

as far as 'hits' at a one year old bday? smaller things you could group together would be bubbles - get one of those bubble blowers if you can find one this time of year - may be a summer thing? balls - ditto the suggestion for gertie or sloMo type balls, they're great! DS really liked the ball run (some call it a ball track i think) at the ymca by about 12-13mos, so much so, that DH went out and bought him one and it still gets some use several days a week at almost 20months. we have the parent's magazine one from target, but there are some beautiful wooden ones available too. my DS also loved chunky (large knob) puzzles at that age - start with something with maybe 3-5 pieces - melissa & doug make some nice ones. last but not least, we have gotten a TON of milage out of fabric activity books. they are great for home and the car, but i won't travel on a plane without one! my favorites are from www.fabricbooksandtoys.com. one would eat up your whole budget, but so worth it in my book. i'd start with the 'play with numbers' or 'the farm' or 'sea creatures'. the 'transportation' one is great too.

hth, lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[DrSally]

Things DS got for 1st bday and seems to be enjoying: a ton of books, touch and feel and sound books are hits, playschool busy ball popper, music CD's (baby loves Jazz), leap frog fridge farm magnets, Parents play cell phone with recordable msg., Fisher price laugh n lear musical chair, FP drop and roar dinosaur (these 2 are more like $35), wood puzzles, FP laugh n learn keys...There are lots of things you can get for about $20-25.

[nic33]

Lori,
Thanks so much for your suggestions! Very creative solutions :) I will have to check out the organization bins when I'm at Target next. Thanks again!