<p>How about the book " On the Night You were Born" by Nancy Tillman? There is also a plush polar bear that you can get to go with it. The book is just so wonderful. The plush animal is a rather recent addition, I think. If you haven’t read the book, it will bring tears to your eyes.</p>
<p>I get sibling gifts for friends and family because logistically they open their gifts at a shower, where you have a toddler old looking on feeling left out. But I wasn’t considering it for a boss to whom I would mail a gift after the birth, esp. if I go with a gift that a “isn’t fun” and is more for the parents; of course if I was buying toys or clothes, I wouldn’t just buy for one. Here I figured the 3 yr old wouldn’t even care to look at some silver item or a gift card. I have this pic of her opening a box with a nice silver gift and having a box of crayons fall out. Are sibling gifts considered standard now – i.e. is it bad form to not get one?</p>
<p>I’m seconding Splashmom’s idea of a tooth fairy box. A very distant great aunt sent a silver one to us when my first child was born. 21 years and three children later it was used by all of them, is cherished by all of us, and is one of only a few baby items that will be passed on to the next generation.</p>
<p>I have given similar tooth boxes as gifts through the years. An older sibling would get a big kick out of opening the gift, and would be able to use it as well.</p>
<p>We received a beautiful woolen winter cap for our son, it looked Scandanavian, with his name stitched on it. It fit him when he was one year old and it still fits him 21 years later. I did remove his name at some point, but that is one quality item. I can wear it myself and do. It’s cold in VT and a winter cap is always welcome.</p>
<p>If the parents ever talk about where they went to college, you can sometimes order college t-shirts in toddler sizes from the college gift shop online.</p>
<p>I really wanted to do the college thing. Both parents went to the same school, are season ticket holders, and are from the same general area of the college so they go back many times a year. Problem with that is much of their extended family also went to that school, so I have a feeling they are well set on school stuff; I have actually seen pics of their first child at a few weeks old in an outfit/cap from their school. I would normally get this kind of thing for a boss/business associate because they tend to find it cute and have too much going on to be checking out their school’s bookstore for such gifts, but in this case I think those gifts are already coming from their large extended families and it will seem odd from an employee who is not even an alum of that school.</p>
<p>I don’t know if sibling gifts are standard, it likely won’t be missed. More something my mom always did, and I’ve followed the pattern. I guess in my picture mom opened the shipping box and said this is for you to the 3 yr old while she opened the (separately wrapped) beautiful silver something. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, love the tooth fairy box idea.</p>
<p>I like giving “Baby’s First Year sticker calendars” - you google for many stores. This works expecially well if there are older sibling (you can add more stickers too). It’s a quick and fun way to mark milestones.</p>
<p>Sometimes I buy a set including first and second year. If I see the family a lot, I hold back the second one (so it does not get lost at a busy house). For my 2nd, I had a 2nd year calendar… and it was so fun.</p>
<p>I’d add handwritten notes like, “waved bye-bye and then locked himself in closet”. (OK - it wasn’t really locked. He could only pull knobs, not turn them.) Brings back such great memories, possibly otherwise lost in sleep deprivation.</p>
<p>If the baby’s birthday is in the other half of the year from her older sib’s, the older one’s seasonal clothes will not fit. So if Older was born in April, and this one is coming in Oct., this one will need smaller blanket sleepers, etc.</p>
<p>Also, if the month difference is going on, and this baby is due very soon, you could buy a “sleep & play” that is colored like a pumpkin, with a pumpkin hat, or one with a turkey on it, “First Thanksgiving”, etc. </p>
<p>Our second grandchild just arrived 2 days ago, and yesterday I sent him his pumpkin suit, and in the same box his older brother (Dec birthday) will find a blister pak of 5 small construction vehicles. I don’t think coworkers or subordinates need to feel obligated to send gifts to older sibs, unless they know them very well, but grandparents kind of have to include something in that box.</p>
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<p>I don’t think that it’s weird coming from you (because you are not an alum). I think it’s sweet and thoughtful that you noted a detail that is important to the family. If such a gift is easy for you to obtain from the college bookstore or other source, I say go for it.</p>
<p>As for the sibling gift, I tend to agree that it has to do with the closeness of the relationship – it’s different with family/friends than with more formal relationships. I may check out the college related gear. Keep the ideas coming if there are any. What do people think about food gifts? I’m seeing cookie baskets and the like and have mixed feelings. Somehow it doesn’t seem like “enough” to get someone a few dozen cookies, even if it’s in a handpainted/personalized basket that can be saved, but the parents will be awake day and night for a while so maybe it would be appreciated? I don’t know if there are/will be any dietary restrictions.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t send cookies to a new mom who is probably trying to lose the baby weight… just my 2 cents. </p>
<p>Again, I go for practical. Bibs, books, toys, clothes, gift certificates. Gift certificates to restaurants that do take-out is a nice break for a tired new mom who may not feel like cooking. The least practical thing I’ve bought as a baby gift was a picture frame.</p>
<p>You could make a donation in the baby’s name to a charity they like .</p>
<p>Another somewhat practical gift are cute socks. Maybe some socks for the sibs as well depending on how close the gift giver is to the family. Halloween ,Thanksgiving,Christmas socks ,etc. could be fun. Little shoes (like Robeez) can be cute too.</p>
<p>I agree. I wouldn’t send cookies to a new mother either. However, a gift certificate to a local decent restaurant that delivers (not pizza or burgers) would be a good idea, as would some kind of fresh fruit.</p>
<p>I like to give the personalized puzzle stools.</p>
<p>I like to give the board-book toddler version and the hard back version of the same, classic book. That way there is one for the baby/toddler to really use and one that they can have in their library as an adult. It’s never too early to begin ones’ library!</p>
<p>It’s also easy to pick up other books that are appropriate for the sibling(s).</p>
<p>I always get sibling gifts, generally books or some kind of puzzle, game, craft activity but for a new baby in the family with everything, you can never go wrong with really nice picture frames.</p>
<p>Great point about food – I’ll look to see what good restaurants near their house have delivery. The majority of the ‘new baby’ gift baskets seem to consist of cookies and other sweets, which I didn’t even consider that she may want to avoid for a while; I was thinking she’d want “comfort” food, though maybe real food/dinners are better than desserts.</p>
<p>Aj, I’m guessing you are a man and not a woman :-)</p>
<p>Just a lack of experience with this – hence all the requests for ideas :-).</p>