New-baby present for a second, older baby?
November 25, 2013 8:47 AM Subscribe
I have spectacularly flaked on a friend's new baby and am now looking to buy a welcome gift for a ~9-month-old. It's also a second baby, so they'll already be overstocked with gear, clothes, toys and books. To be worthwhile, this will have to be monumentally awesome, and/or personalized to the particular baby. What should I get?
Additional criteria:
-- Must be purchaseable online, with a short shipping timeline
-- In ~$20-$40 range
-- Something sciencey/biological/medical-themed might be nice, but not necessary
-- Alternatively, personalized with child's name and/or a flower/plant theme would be a possibility
So far, my ideas are:
-- cute animal winter hat from Etsy (haven't found anything sufficiently AWESOMELY CUTE yet)
-- personalized storybook??
But both of those are far from ideal. Please help, Metafilter! What fabulous gifts are perfect for today's 9-month-old?
Additional criteria:
-- Must be purchaseable online, with a short shipping timeline
-- In ~$20-$40 range
-- Something sciencey/biological/medical-themed might be nice, but not necessary
-- Alternatively, personalized with child's name and/or a flower/plant theme would be a possibility
So far, my ideas are:
-- cute animal winter hat from Etsy (haven't found anything sufficiently AWESOMELY CUTE yet)
-- personalized storybook??
But both of those are far from ideal. Please help, Metafilter! What fabulous gifts are perfect for today's 9-month-old?
Search Etsy for "Nursery Art" or "Children's Art?" I'm sure you could find a nice personalized piece, or commission something sciency.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:55 AM on November 25, 2013
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:55 AM on November 25, 2013
I think you can't go wrong with books.
I like books that help a kid learn about emotions and how to deal with them, since toddlerhood is all about teaching socialization. Right now I (and my toddler) like the Llama Llama series; Llama Llama Mad at Mama went over particularly well. My toddler asked for the book every night for a long time, and we had many talks about how it's okay, and safe, to be mad at mommy sometimes, and that even though we get mad at each other sometimes we still love each other. I think it brought him a lot of reassurance.
We started reading those around the time he turned two, so it might be a little ways out before your friend starts reading them, but it's not like they expire.
posted by vignettist at 9:02 AM on November 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
I like books that help a kid learn about emotions and how to deal with them, since toddlerhood is all about teaching socialization. Right now I (and my toddler) like the Llama Llama series; Llama Llama Mad at Mama went over particularly well. My toddler asked for the book every night for a long time, and we had many talks about how it's okay, and safe, to be mad at mommy sometimes, and that even though we get mad at each other sometimes we still love each other. I think it brought him a lot of reassurance.
We started reading those around the time he turned two, so it might be a little ways out before your friend starts reading them, but it's not like they expire.
posted by vignettist at 9:02 AM on November 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
I agree with vignettist. There is no such thing as "overstocked with books" unless the child's personal library threatens the integrity of their home's foundation. Some delightful-looking recent suggestions from BoingBoing are here and here.
posted by jeffjon at 9:12 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jeffjon at 9:12 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have an 8 mo old baby and an older kid, same gender and would actually not mind some cute new clothes. Some of the old ones are just off by size for the season or stained... Or bibs. Bibs get gross.
Our baby loves books or posters with happy (baby) faces right now ~ Global Babies, etc. And always smiles at a free elephant and piggy mo willems poster we got at the library. Those tyvek books that look like paper but don't rip are kind of nice for babies.
posted by mgogol at 9:17 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Our baby loves books or posters with happy (baby) faces right now ~ Global Babies, etc. And always smiles at a free elephant and piggy mo willems poster we got at the library. Those tyvek books that look like paper but don't rip are kind of nice for babies.
posted by mgogol at 9:17 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love books, but a personalised cutlery set would be used for years to come and can only be for that child. My daughter received a stainless steel knife, fork and spoon set engraved with her name and teddy bears around the same age and we're still using it and will be for a few more years.
posted by goo at 9:37 AM on November 25, 2013
posted by goo at 9:37 AM on November 25, 2013
I'm due next week and somebody just gave me this awesome eggplant hat from Etsy. Very cute :)
posted by Cygnet at 10:13 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Cygnet at 10:13 AM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Something from the Toadbriar Etsy shop, aka MeFi's Own Lou Stuells. I bought a banjo bear print and it is so lovely and warm; I am really looking forward to getting a few alphabet things and such -- oh, and this bunny, or this frog, or this mouse -- when we have a little one around.
posted by Madamina at 10:52 AM on November 25, 2013
posted by Madamina at 10:52 AM on November 25, 2013
Hose that. Give them a gift card to a restaurant and offer to babysit so that they can get out of the house for a few hours.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:23 AM on November 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:23 AM on November 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
What Ruthless Bunny said. Coming from a first time mom of a 12 month old. They will appreciate some time "off" even if it is just a few hours.
posted by elisebeth at 5:38 PM on November 25, 2013
posted by elisebeth at 5:38 PM on November 25, 2013
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Or, geeky flash cards.
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:52 AM on November 25, 2013