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Are you doing anything special for your older DC(s)?

post #1 of 17
4/9/06 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
If you already have kids, are you doing anything special for them for the big day when they become a big brother or sister?

Thoughts I had:
Book with inscription (maybe a library favorite like Richard Scarry's Cars, Trucks and Things that Go)
Big Sister T-shirt (got a cute one from Granola Threads)

I also have a bin I've been collecting token things in to give her either when people bring baby gifts and forget her or when we have marathon nursing sessions with baby and DD needs something new to check out, kwim?

More importantly though, is how to make DD (2 yrs) feel special too? Material things aren't the only answer, I know! But I'm stumped for someone so young!
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post #2 of 17
4/9/06 at 7:57pm
Well, DS is SUPER into birthday parties, so we've told him that when the baby comes home we're having a party. We keep telling him that the baby will be too little to eat a cupcake, so he'll have to eat his and his new sibling's cupcake. Luckily we have a bakery less than a block away, so I'll just send someone out for cupcakes and balloons; that'll be enough to make DS happy.

Then we picked out a gift for him to give the baby, and we have something for the baby to give him. Actually, like you I have a bin of things in reserve for breastfeeding and other desperate occasions!

-Erin
post #3 of 17
4/9/06 at 8:05pm
When Alden was born, Zachary had 2 special big brother shirts to wear (thanks to MIL who just *had* to get one for him herself after she already knew that I had bought one : ) so he had a different one to wear each day to the hospital plus he got a gift "from" Alden. It was a red Power Ranger- something that I had thus far forbidden in the house but it really made his day because Alden "knew" that he wanted a Power Ranger and it was red (his favorite color).

This time- each of the boys have special big brother shirts and I'm going to get them each a little something from baby sister although it's not like Alden is going to have a clue.
post #4 of 17
4/9/06 at 8:19pm
Hmmm... this has kind of floated in my mind, but mostly i have passed on gift ideas to my MIL who has more money to spend than i do... and likes to!

I know she has already gotten her a big sister shirt, and since dd is so into playing with her "babies" and stuffed animals i suggested a nice wooden stroller. we have one of the cheesy kid umbrella ones right now, and it's a piece of junk. So, hopefully MIL will get that and a few other things i suggested...

I'm following through on painting some murals in dd's room that i've been promising for awhile. It would be easy to put them off, but i wanted to do what i told her i would do. Today i did the whale... it came out pretty good!

Oh, and dd's birthday is June 13th, one month after my due date. All grandparents are chipping in to buy materials to build a wooden playset- that's the big one! I'm counting on getting relief from that allllll summer long!
post #5 of 17
4/9/06 at 8:27pm
Oh gosh, thanks for reminding me! I do want to have a small gift for each of the kids, not sure what yet. Maybe a new book and a small toy or something...

The kids each have cute shirts to wear that a friend gave us, dd has one that says "I'm the Big Sister" and ds' says "I'm in the Middle".

Not sure what else we'll do... that might be all I get done!
post #6 of 17
4/9/06 at 9:21pm
Thanks for the reminder.

I've been thinking of a few things but haven't actually done anything about it.

My mom is making my DD a doll and I'm planning to make her a doll sling.

Hmmm....so much for my "few things"....I guess that's all I have so far (and I don't even have either of those things yet! )

I like the idea of setting aside some special items for when people come with gifts for the babe and might not think of DD.

Guess I better get working on this....

post #7 of 17
4/9/06 at 10:53pm
I bought ds a Big Brother shirt and my sis took him to Build-A-Bear and made a present for his brother on the way
post #8 of 17
4/9/06 at 11:05pm
DS gets to spend time at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and that is enough celebration for him.

My biggest thing I am doing is spending as much of my good time with him. You know, the time when I'm not out of breath, sick, half asleep....
post #9 of 17
4/9/06 at 11:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by *andiflipping*
I bought ds a Big Brother shirt and my sis took him to Build-A-Bear and made a present for his brother on the way
Oh yeah- I forgot about this. When I was pregnant with Alden, I took Zachary to Build-a-Bear and he made a bear for Alden (as well as one for himself). Then with this pregnancy, we did it again except that Eleanor's bear got to have 2 hearts- one from each of the boys. Zachary loved doing it- it was really special to him and Alden loves his bear now.
post #10 of 17
4/10/06 at 12:28am
I'm not sure what to do for dd. I know I wanna get her a "Big Sister" shirt and maybe I'll try and find a book about being a big sister too. Ohh, I almost forgot...since I'm getting a new sling for the baby, I was thinking about getting those lil kiddie slings for dd. She would feel SOOO cool using a sling like mommy!
post #11 of 17
4/10/06 at 1:36am
We're doing most of the same stuff already mentioned. She's going to get a gift for baby, help bake a cake and have a birth day party.

I already have a gift from baby to her...and my mom is getting her a bitty baby. My mom will also stay with us for a few days after the birth, so that will be a real treat too!

Oh yes, and I'm getting a sling made, so I'll probably do a matching sling for dd's new baby doll.
post #12 of 17
4/10/06 at 2:32am

ideas I have

I am going to have big sis/little sis bracelets made (my dd is 3.5 and BIG into jewelry right now)

Matching personalized big sis/little sis t-shirt and onesie

a special doll for my dd (have not picked one out yet - need good suggestions)

I am a huge fan of the dollar store. I always pick up extra coloring books and little things to have around for my dd for if she does something special or I need a break.

oh and I am having my dd make a special picture that we will frame and put in the baby's room. I am only going to give her colors that will coordinate in there to the pic doesn't end up all black and orange or something. I am also taking her to buy something special for the baby (whatever she picks out I guess - maybe and outfit or a toy).

My friend visited this weekend and brought me a nice bag of stuff for the baby and my dd was like what is in the bag??? then was asking her about another bag what is that? I know she was kind of disappointed she did not bring her anything so I am thinking too about having the token gifts for people to give my dd. The only thing is I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings about not thinking of it on their own. My Mom and my MIL have been great about buying for both girls, but I have friends who will visit that might not think of that. What do you all think???

babydoll
post #13 of 17
4/10/06 at 9:25am
My dd has been asking for a "Pack-pack" - aka as a backpack - when she sees them in the store. I think that we are going to get her a backpack and fill it with some new stuff - a "big sister" shirt, maybe some books or simple toys. She will get to stay with grandma and grandpa during labor, and at the hospital after baby is born, so this will be her "baby bag". I am not sure what else we are going to do - maybe having her get a gift for/from the baby.
post #14 of 17
4/10/06 at 4:10pm
We are doing the same thing as Bellasmom is, getting the girls a backpack, and then filling it with crayons, markers, coloring books, etc. for when they go to my mom's.
post #15 of 17
4/10/06 at 4:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EcoMama7
Ohh, I almost forgot...since I'm getting a new sling for the baby, I was thinking about getting those lil kiddie slings for dd. She would feel SOOO cool using a sling like mommy!
Oh man, I can't believe I forgot!! My friend is making DD a doll sling too!! There's the pregoo brain for you! I'll look into getting someone "special" to go in the sling.

I love the birth day party ideas. DD loves balloons too (I guess what kid doesn't?). So that can be my sister's "job" to throw the party. She loves to throw themed parties.

As to possibly hurting visitors' feelings who didn't bring a gift - that's a very good point, one that I should try to handle as tactfully as I can. However, I'd rather have an adult have their feelings hurt a bit than a child's, especially my own child, kwim? I also think it is a critical time in the development of the relationship between the siblings, and the relationship between the visitor and our family is very secondary to that.

Love all the ideas, keep 'em coming!
post #16 of 17
4/10/06 at 6:51pm
I should, but I'm not.

Hey, they're all getting a brand new baby! What more do they want!!
post #17 of 17
4/10/06 at 8:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cicerosum
I should, but I'm not.

Hey, they're all getting a brand new baby! What more do they want!!
:
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