Someone on one of the holiday gift threads mentioned kiwico.com (age appropriate boxes delivered every two months). I wondered if any grandparents here had used Kiwi or another company. Thinking about something along these lines for my cute 5month old granddaughter.
I signed my grandson up for Kiwi last Christmas at the suggestion of my DIL. He was 1 and a half at the time. He loves the boxes, and is also excited to show them to me via Skype. They change with his age. I’m going to continue it, as my DIL thinks the quality/content is pretty good.
Kiwi sounds great! I sent the link to my DS so he could look it over and give me his stamp of approval before ordering it 
I’ll have to check into that too, but GD just had a birthday and she’s got lots of new toys/activities so I’m not sure S and DIL would find it useful. I’ll let them decide.
My GS lives with his parents in a relatively small two bedroom NYC apartment. He is the first grandchild on both sides of the family and, as you can imagine, toys are everywhere. My house in the near suburbs is their self-storage facility for anything that is outgrown. His first birthday is in two weeks and Chanukah comes soon after, so everyone is trying to come up with gifts that don’t add to the chaos in the apartment. My sister just told me she plans to make a video of her 15 and 17-year-old kids reading their favorite story books to him. She’ll download it on a flash drive and send it for his birthday. I think it’s a great idea!
1 Like
Third grandchild due May 2020. Over the moon.
My D and SIL and their daughter also live in a tiny, 2 bedroom apt. They own the house, but rent out downstairs. So we have the same issue of thinking about presents that don’t take up room (she turns one in a few weeks).
Also they have, like, no money. I just want to write oodles of checks, but that gets touchy.
Congratulations, @VaBluebird!
Congrats, @VaBluebird. My 2nd grandbaby, a boy, is due any day now.
Re gifts for those who have “everything”:
I do photobooks which make a huge hit. My D and her H prefer to keep things as minimalist as possible with two small kids. Grandsons have more than enough toys (most gifted by others) and we are discouraged from buying anything other than at Christmas and birthday, one gift for each child, and never gifts for the adults. But they LOVE the photo books, which take up hardly any space.
I did a personalized alphabet book for first grandson years ago, using people in his life and things he was excited by for each letter. (Y was for Yia-Yia, as his paternal grandmother is Greek.) I just today finished a photo counting book for the younger grandson, who is turning two. It focused on the numbers 1 through 10. For one was an image of him, for the number two it was a photo of him with his brother (“two boys playing”) etc. Each number-focused page showed the numeral in a big font and creative design, as well as the number written out in letters, along with the image of that number of an item that he could count. We had five ducklings, etc. At the end of the book I included several pages of counting rhymes (One, two, buckle my shoe, etc.)
I am a hobby photographer and enjoy playing with layout, design, colors and text, so this works well all around, as it is personal and does not take up much space and respects their “keep it simple” goals. Also relatively inexpensive, but does take hours and hours to do.
Wow @JEM that sounds like a great idea for me to do! What type of paper did you use and did you bind the pages and how?
THANKS, @rockymtnhigh2 !
But I am not crafty at all! – or artistic except that I like to take photos and learned layout when I worked for a community newspaper (as an editor, but had to know how to do everything).
This is different from scrapbooking, as I have nothing to do with the physical aspects of the book.
I use one of the many photobook services. I design the book online but they create the hard copy. You can choose among various paper and cover types, from basic to deluxe.
Many of those services will just take your photos and throw them into a book, but I prefer to design the pages and make a lot of use of text. For example, for the alphabet book I had rhyming couplets for each letter.
Some of the photobook services are Shutterfly, Snapfish, Picaboo, etc.
I build in a lot of lead time, and usually order one book and wait until it comes back to see if I want to make any changes. Then I may do some further editing and submit the “final” version, which is the one I use for the gift. The “first draft” I keep for myself.
Some of those services offer frequent discount codes which can cut the cost of the book in half if you refrain from ordering until a discount is made available.
JEM. I for one, would hire you What talent
^ Aw, thanks!
Truly, I have led a relatively low-key life, but my photo books are one thing that people get excited about. It is, I suppose, my one significant talent. To have a talent that gives joy to others (and thus myself) is wonderful. Thanks for the appreciation!
We were supposed to babysit overnight yesterday while S and DIL went to her cousin’s wedding out of town. This same cousin introduced them so it was a special even on many levels. We were on our way into the city yesterday when S called to say GS was sick, woke up with bright red cheeks, and had vomited. By the time we got there he had vomited again - all over everything. Pediatrician assured them it was either a stomach virus or Fifth Disease (basically a virus that presents with red cheeks) and that he would be fine and they could go without worry. However, this was the first time he had really been sick (other than a little cold) and S and DIL couldn’t bring themselves to leave, which I completely understood. We stayed with them for the day, shopped for pedialyte, and took turns holding him - Mr. on the move only wanted to be held. I basically think they wanted us to stay so we could tell them he would be fine. I wish I could help them understand that this is only the beginning of many childhood illnesses and injuries but I guess that’s something they need to discover for themselves. Hoping he’s feeling better this morning.
1 Like
Can someone please PM me a current paper coupon code (the MO number or barcode #) for buy buy baby? Thanks!!
I bought granddaughter two of the cutest little Christmas outfits for her one year birthday yesterday. She won’t be with me on Christmas so maybe she can wear what I have given her. Jealous that she’ll be with her other grandma. Hrumph! ; )
Making my GS a Pout Pout Fish birthday cake today - can’t believe he turns 1 tomorrow. GF chocolate cake for his mom, raspberry filling for GS, and fondant characters on buttercream frosting for his dad! We’re having a grandparents celebration tomorrow night and then they’re having a birthday party for his (um, their!) friends on Saturday. I’ll reproduce the character decorations for Saturday on a larger yellow cake with buttercream frosting only. Don’t want to risk chocolate and raspberries for the larger group . SO excited to be baking cakes for the next generation. -
Making a personalized fun ‘book’ on my own. With ABC’s, numbers, shapes, and colors. Almost done. It’s really fun for me to do. I used the photos we collected in the past few months and years. Won’t look professional but it is cute. Thanks @JEM for the idea.
DIL is 3 days past her due date. OB will induce her if she doesn’t deliver by Sat. She and S didn’t really think they’d be working a full week this week - maybe they won’t have to. We’re all anxious for this little one to be born.