gift for new baby to "give" to 4.5yo DD

[Pilgrim]

Hello,

I am soon to deliver a new baby brother or sister for our sweet 4.5yo DD. I've heard that it's a good idea for the new baby to "give" a gift to the older sibling. Most often, that gift would be some sort of doll, I guess.

My trouble is that DD 1) has lots of dolls and accessories (she has a stroller, car seat, 2 slings, cloth diaper, sposies, shopping cart, doctor set, and pack-n-play) and 2) doesn't play much with her dolls. So I'm on the hunt for a different toy for the baby to present to DD. DD has insisted that she wants to give the baby a rattle for Christmas, so I bought a lovely wooden Waldorf rattle/teething ring for her to give to the baby.

But I'm stumped for what the baby should give DD. Also, DD has so *many* toys already - that's another problem. I can't come up with something original that she doesn't already have. Should I just skip this step? Buy her another doll anyway? She loves stuffed animals, but our house is overflowing with those anyway, and she's such an allergy girl. She does love puzzles and is in need of some more challenging ones. I had thought about just doing that. But then, I would like it to be a special something, so I may be back to a stuffed animal or doll anyway.

Help!!! :

thanks!!

[KathinJapan]

Baby gave big sis a dolly sling and a disposable camera so she could take pictures for a special album. Lots of her pictures didn`t turn out so great, but we had some other pictures we could sub. in and she didn`t know the difference, she was a bit younger at 3.5 at the time..


She also got a bag of things to do in the hospital, I had a C section which is a week stay here...
scissors, special books to cut lines, writing practice books, new chopsticks and some origami paper to fold.

Kathryn

[ewe+lamb]

dd got a beautiful new dress and a camera from her new little brother - that was nearly 2.5 years ago, she loves the dress and still squeezes into it - and she took photos but like the pp not many came out that well, but we had fun!

[JBaxter]

Why not get her a keepsake item? Maybe a gold necklace, birthstone or charm bracelet.... You knw something really special for the new BIG sister. The camera idea is a great idea too.

[dianna11]

Ooohhh, I like the bracelet idea! I was wondering about something for the new baby to give to 3YO DD as well.

I read a thread here somewhere that a new baby 'gave' their big brother a pair of pajamas, and he loved them!

[j924]

My ds "gave" his three sisters ( aged 2,4,and 6 at the time) art boxes. It had colored pencils, pads of papers, stickers, ribbon, sfety scissors and lots and lots and lots of tape. It was great as it kept them busy as well as helped them feel special. The key was nothing super messy! They would make the most wonderful cards for him.

[ewe+lamb]

OOOOOh I LOVE the idea of a bracelet or birth stone - I must remember that just in case we ever get organised enough to have another one!!

[absinthe]

Our son "gave" his big sis a doll "treehouse". New big sis spent mommies labor baking a birthday cake for her new brother with her godmother. She was so pleased and proud of herself. We took pictures.

[wednesday]

I never heard of this before but it's a great idea! I love it!

[momofayden]

I bought my son a "I'm the big brother" cloth photo book and took poloroids of him and her in the hospital and put them in there so he could show them off at school. he also got one of his favorite toys at the time (can't remember what - a truck or something). a nice book like "you're all my favorites" or "you're my i love you".

[chaimom]

My dd might have given her twin 3.5 -yr-old brothers a gift. But it's the "big brother cake" they remember. We have the cutest pictures of them in the hospital room with their cake-- celebrating becoming big brothers. They were so proud.

Congratulations on your new baby, by the way!

[wombatclay]

DD2 brought a fold/go dollhouse for dd1 but the bracelet idea is great. Maybe get matching or paired items for the two of them? Like those lockets that split into two seperate charms with one for each?

[LynnE73]

What about a "I'm the big sister" t-shirt or something similiar?