I made my way down to Bismarck, ND on Thursday for a long weekend, to help move stuff from Dickinson back to Bismarck/Mandan. I figured I’d turn my cellphone off since all my friends were going camping and knew I wouldn’t make it anyway. . .
Saturday morning, I turned it on just for the hell of it and let it zero in on a signal. BEEP BEEP A message. Aw shit. Who wants what out of me now?
“Trip, it’s your mom . . .” :rolleyes: I hate it when she calls my cellphone.
“. . . I just wanted to let you know your sub[/sub] cousin Stephanie had her little baby girl last night, a couple of weeks early, but I wanted you to know!” :eek:
Holy cow! I’m an uncle!! Kickass! I get to spoil the little rugrat and be the cool uncle!! WOW!
Gimme some pointers! What can I do? What should I send? A card? Baby clothes? This is a first for me, and it’s long overdue good news for a change.
Tripler
My relatives got me savings bonds. I’m thinking I may start the same thing.
Christmas shopping has forever changed for you (two nieces, two nephews here). I hadn’t been to a toy store in probably 30+ years when the first arrived (stuffed animals work great for the first year or two).
Yeah! Isn’t it great to get good news! I am happy for you!
Savings bonds are a great gift all around. You will need a social security number for the tyke, though.
Another great gift ( well, I love giving and receiving it) is the gift of books. Maybe give your neice a copy of Cecil Adams’ stuff
Just to get her on the right path.
One of my all time favorite book catalogs ( on line, but the print is mucho better as it is fun to mark it up and dog ear it) is Chinaberry. (They have really directed me towards books I would have never given them a glance at and I am very faithful to them…but I’ll shut up now…)
Have fun. The best ages for gift giving start at about 2 or three.
Start off by purchasing a gift certificate for the mom - spa treatment, dinner out for an evening, etc. Something to recuperate with. Cozy up to her. (Oh, and a couple of savings bonds for the kiddo - always a good thing.)
Then…
When the little tyke turns two years old, that’s when you purchase the toy drums, whistles, radios and other assorted loud items.
I think technically you’re not an uncle – you’re a cousin once removed – but heck, if you want to BE an uncle, you go right ahead! Your new niece won’t care in the slightest what degree of relationship you two share as long as you spoil her like an uncle!
I think the best gift my kids got was from a close friend, who sent each of them – at birth – the Winnie the Pooh books. Although Goodnight Moon will be popular sooner – I haven’t met a 2-year-old yet (or his/her mother/father) who hasn’t memorized that book!
Congrats Tripler! As the good uncle (and now great uncle) with the cool gifts, I have lots to offer. Savings bonds are good. I did that with the nieces and nephew and now with the great nieces and nephews. When they get around the age of 18, they’ll appreciate that. However, there must be many, many trendy toys, clothes and stuff bought also. You gotta keep up with what’s hot and cool in kiddie stuff from now on. Never, I repeat, NEVER allow the rugrat to go without the latest in kiddie fashions. Scope out the latest cool toy and make sure she has it. It is your duty.
Course, being me, even when they (the nieces and nephew) grew up, the trend continued. I have bought refrigerators, microwave/vent hood combos, living room furniture, bedroom furniture, computers, and on and on.
Oh, and if you feel like you are an uncle, then you are an uncle.
As for the Uncling, you came to the right place. Have a seat, young Tripler. The trick is, ingratiate yourself with the parents by taking over any and all child entertainment duties on visits, giving the parent time to do something, ANYTHING else. Then the PARENTS start talking you up, so the kid gets excited, and they ply you with pleading and begging until you visit again, and you take over entertainment, and the parents get a break, yadda, yadda, you get the drill.
When playing board games, never, ever question the rules, they do not exist as you and I would understand them. They are in flux. The term “rules” is rather confusing, come to think of it.
Gifts? Picture books, with pictures you took. Short captions. Story told by a pet. Parent read the captions, kid sees the pix, mongo identity reinforcement for both generations.
Once you have mastered these simple tasks, return to me for the advancement test. When you can snatch a soggy Cheerio from my grasp, you will be ready.
UncleBill
Hero to the Barney crowd
Grand Master of the Tao of Diapers
Yay! Congrats, Tripler! I just became an aunt for the first time on May 21, my 22nd birthday, no less. My sister-in-law gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Abigail.
I’d never been around tiny newborn babies before, so I didn’t think I’d be that excited…but she is the cutest thing ever and despite my crazy schedule I’ve been over there three times so far just to hold her. It’s even cute when she cries.
Congratulations, Tripler! I was going to put in my vote for a loud, obnoxious toy, but in reality, I’d go for a soft, snuggly crib dolly for her. That’s just me, though.
I’m not sure how much money you have to work with but here goes.
Open her up a savings account and put X amount in it. Put an amount in it every year on her birthday. Depending on how close you’re gonna be to her, maybe it would also be appropriate to put money in it for Christmas and if/when she brings home good grades on her report card.
The catch: no dipping until she’s 18.
By that time, she should have a nice lil chunk of change in there … maybe enough for a (small) down payment on a car or something.
I sure wish my uncle had thought of that for me when I was born!
Even cooler: open her up an IRA. Stick, say, 100 bucks in it. Maybe add more with each birthday.
My point is, do something for her that will really help her out in the long-term. Everyone else will give her clothes and toys … how many people are going to see that her retirement gets off to a good start?
For a more immediate gift, I recommend the Baby Einstein video collection. Start with Baby Bach and Baby Mozart.
swampbear, want to be my uncle? I can send pictures and write thank you notes and I’m a fantastic college student. Very interesting, witty and cute. I’d be a fun niece, I promise!
Don’t know if the stores exist where you are, but look for Zany Brainy. These stores have tons of way cool stuff-things that you’ll buy for a youngster just so you can get to play with it after they’ve opened the gift!
Kickass! I get to spoil the little rugrat and be the cool uncle!! WOW!