Monday, July 26, 2010

First Birthday Gift Ideas

I'm a list maker, a compulsive one at that.  I make lists for everything, sometimes I make lists for things two or three different times.  Only because I have a 3 year old son who loves the way paper feels in his hands when he's crumpling it into a ball and tearing it into shreds.  Since I have around 10 different word documents full of things I want, might want and need for my youngest sons first birthday party, in October, I've decided to post about the things I want to get him for his birthday, as in gifts.  I have around eleventy million word documents, and I don't need anymore.  Plus I thought it might be nice to get some feedback on my gift ideas for his first birthday presents. 

So here are the things I want to get for him.  Feel free to tell me if you have it for one of your children and how they like it or anything else.

These Large ABC wooden blocks are from Growing Tree Toys.  I had a similar set for Aiden as a gift for his 1st Birthday, and he adored them for a long while.  So I want to get a set for Jagger as well.  Hopefully he'll like them as much as his brother liked his!  I've decided on this set because they come in a wooden box with a slide on lid for storage, which is a huge plus in my book!


This Wheely Bee Ride on Toy, which I also found at Growing Tree Toys, since I was already there after my block search.  I've been looking at these for such a long time, and I think they're just adorable.  I'm really fond of the Lady Bug one, but I think that one is more suited to a girl.  I am stuck picking between this one, the cow and the mouse.  Help!  I'm indecisive!  I don't know anyone who has one, so if you've got one let me know how your son or daughter likes it, and if it's a good buy for a first birthday or not in your opinion.


The Bounce and Spin Pony, which I found at Wal-Mart!  I love these things.  Aiden got the Zebra, which is just too cute for words and he just adored, for his First Birthday.  So since we already have the Zebra, I want to get Jagger the Pony, plus it's interactive and I think that is so freaking cool!  It just seems like the cutest little thing, and I think Jagger should like it, as much as he likes to bounce right now anyway.


I'm also looking into getting him some of the Veggie Tales DVD's and that kind of stuff.  Now, I've not see any of the Veggie Tales DVD's, but they do come highly recommended so I am very hopeful that they will live up to what I have heard and read about them.  I'm quite hopeful that they will be very good, attention keeping movies for my soon to be one year old little man to watch.  I'm also thinking of getting some other DVD's for him, as well as some new books.

Aside from these I'm looking for some bath toys that I can get him, and some other small things too.  I'm probably going to be getting him that cute little Fischer Price mailbox, and I might get him a Kitchen too.  Aiden loves play kitchens, hell Aiden loves real kitchens.  When we're at WIC he uses their play kitchen to make us the weirdest food combinations.  So I might split that gift between Aiden and Jagger since their birthdays are close together.  If I do get a play kitchen I will be using one of my favorite online shops, Melissa & Doug, to get them some awesome wooden food sets that I've had my eye on for a while now, especially the Pizza Party set, the Cutting Food set and the Sandwich Making set!  They're amazing, you should check them out if you have a play kitchen for your kids!

What did you buy your kids for their first birthdays?  Any suggestions for me, like toys your kids just loved and played with over and over?
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12 comments:

Cari said...

For my daughter's 1st birthday, we got her this:

http://www.littletikes.com/toys/swingalong-castle.aspx

She's just over 2 now, and still loves playing on it! We got it from Amazon though, for $120!

Melissa said...

Stopping by from The Sometimes Single Mom...

My son (now almost two) likes Veggie Tales, but he can't handle the whole thing yet. If you have Netflix, I'd recommend just watching the ones they have on Instant View first. That's what we're doing with him until he's a little more interested. Then we might start building a collection.

One DVD that he did get for his 1st birthday that he LOVED so much it wore out within six months was a Sesame Street DVD with 25 years of songs. I can't remember the exact title off the top of my head, but it was all songs, so each new one would recapture his attention. Good stuff.

HeartBabyHome said...

My daughter's speech therapist told us that stacking blocks exercise the same part of your brain that forms words. So, even if your baby isn't saying much, stacking blocks helps him learn how to form words.

Favorite birthday toys this year:
-My Pal Scout from Leapfrog (I got 2 for the twins and ALL the kids fight over it. They LOVE that he says their name)
-an all wood activity walker: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00279MP3M/ref=oss_product
-we got this kitchen...and the kids love it but I wish we'd splurged for something more sturdy. It's supposed to be cool that you can take it apart and put it together in different ways...but my gets like taking apart things way more than putting things together so it's always in pieces. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XF3RFU/ref=oss_product
-I almost got one of those bikes with no pedals. I heard kids can ride those as soon as early as 9 months. they just hold the handle bars and walk (no sitting) but then one day it clicks and they're riding a bike. http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3938932&CAWELAID=443829589
(expensive, I know!)

Ian said...

Our kid, now being four got that bounce and spin thing right around when he was one. Still plays with it.

For his first birthday from us we threw a giant party with 75+ people. So we got him a smaller ish gift, a red ryder trike. The grandparents however went all out and got a swingset :)

Anonymous said...

Hi! I am a new follower from Follow Me Back Tuesday. I will be back. Nice blog!

Beth Zimmerman said...

I LOVE Veggie Tales, as did my youngest son when he was little and my grandkids now. I suspect though that your older child will enjoy them more than your one year old will. Have fun planning and celebrating his birthday!

I came to look at your blog per your request for a critique and I have to tell you ... I think it's lovely! Very easy to read and navigate and your color choices are perfect! I wouldn't change a thing!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashlee,
Pizza Party set should be nice, my little one she love it, she also 3 too.
Have a nice day.
Nan

amy said...

Great idea for your list post. I am a compulsive list maker as well. I'll rewrite my lists when I mark something off and often will rewrite it if I add very many new things.

Sandra said...

From one list maker to another, I hear ya!
I have so many lists around the house, I sometimes have to write a list to remember where I've put them all! Seriously: list in kitchen for trip, list in bedroom for exam dates, list in computer room to remind me to call computer fixy guy...

Unplanned Cooking said...

Great ideas! Our kids loved push/pull toys at their one year. My mom got our son an adorable pull puppy that all of our kids have enjoyed playing with.

Unplanned Cooking said...

Great ideas! Our kids loved push/pull toys at their one year. My mom got our son an adorable pull puppy that all of our kids have enjoyed playing with.

Cameron said...

These are great ideas!! I've been thinking about this stuff, too, even though my daughter is only 7 months old today! I also make lists & plan ahead a lot! I've got a running list of birthday party ideas! I can't wait to have birthday parties for my kids!!

I really like that bumble bee rider toy. That's really cute!!

I'm a new follower from Mama's Little Nestwork!! I've also added you to my Google Reader, so I'll definitely be back!!

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