Need Suggestions for Spoiling My Niece

[becka]

I am getting really excited about going to see my family over the 4th of July. I saw my parents and brother for about a day and a half in late March but I haven't seen anyone else since last Thanksgiving including my only niece who was only about 6 weeks old at the time.

My sister and I have never gotten along but I still love my niece (after all it is not her fault that her Mom is a brat ). I send her packages occassionally but I really want to spoil her in person! I bought the cutest little sundress already and I plan on buying her a few toys (possibly a little percussion set - DS has one and he really loves it) and at least one Disney item (my sister thinks Disney is terribly overcommercialized and will just do this ).

Do you have any other ideas?

 

[d.kurz]

Becka, I've long enjoyed your posts and think your DS is adorable. You might not want to hear this, but if you really love that niece, and want to spoil her, you should probably avoid antagonizing her Mommy! She will grow up and she WILL see the underlying tension.

But if you are determined, I'd go for more Disney stuff!

 

[MICKEY88]

I agree with d.kurz ..spoiling is the job of grandparents..Aunts And Uncles should Love and support.....it almost sounds like you are more concerned with annoying your sister than with loving the child.....birthdays and holidays are good for presents but if you try too hard to spoil her year round it will possibly annoy your sister who might think you're trying to show her up with better gifts......that can only lead to conflict which will have nothing but negative impact on your niece...

 

[jamsmom]

How old is she?

I got this idea from a very special friend....buy about 4 rolls of streamer and make into a ball. As you are making it into a ball, put dollars, small lip gloss/chapstick, stickers, ...... fairly flat stuff. My nieces loved this. In the center I had a Christmas ornament. It took a while to unwrap mine, but they had so much fun.

I also like buying the shoe holders that you can put on a door and filling each little holder with something.

 

[becka]

I guess my post came off the wrong way. Yes there is no love lost between me and my sister but I am not trying to piss her off by buying gifts for my niece. She is only 8 months old and this will only be the second time I have gotten to see her and I just wanted to buy her a few little gifts...I am not looking to just annoy my sister.

The Disney thing she will roll her eyes at but she expects it from me and since she is a non-believer in all things Disney she just doesn't get it.

The rest of the gifts are not too make my sister mad (even the percussion set). I found one for DS that he loves and I thought she might like it as well (plastic tambourine, two maraccas and a rainstick) - it is not obnoxious. I didn't realize Aunts were not allowed to spoil.

 

[MICKEY88]

geeee don't pout.....OK spoil away as long as at least 75% of gifts are Disney related

 

[d.kurz]

I'm all for Aunts spoiling nieces and nephews! Oh, I had a lot of good years doing just that when I was young, single and had a lot of money and my older 2 DB's had kids. Man, I LOVED buying them stuff.

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

Aunty Becka, I could use a new hammock, wanna spoil me? hey go for it, buy your neice what you want and leave it at that. I can't stand my brpther and if he did have kids I would take it out on them

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Wow nobody ever told me that Aunt rule either. I love buying for my nieces (and now Great Nieces).

hmm 8 months old...she's going to love anything that makes noise. But as you know Mom may not appreciate that so much.
She's probably working on getting ready to walk, so developmental toys centered around pulling up and cruising might be nice.

And there's always books and gift certificates.

 

[CarolA]

OH NO! Aunts are allowed to spoil.

I don't have kids of my own so I get to spoil my neice and newphew. (My mom told them one Xmas that after they got board with the Santa gifts, Aunt Carol would be in with new stuff. You get the picture!)

Actually mine are getting to the age where it is harder. My neice at 8 has definite ideas of what she wants. (As matter of fact, my SIL sent me a note today volunteering to let me have for the next 10 years lol!)

It is a little hard at 6 months however, they seem to like the box the stuff came in at that age!

 

[Pooh93]

Spoil and love that baby all you want! The one thing I always thought would be cool is to be an aunt. (I'm an only child, so I had to marry into a larger family) However, mil is raising niece as sil is a mess and so is the niece. Things are so messed up, I can hardly stand to be around the niece. Maybe I could spoil your niece too!

Is your sister doing well with the baby? It seems I remember you posting that your sister was not bonding very well with the little one when she was born. (If I am wrong, please correct me and I apologize for the mistake) I can't believe your niece is 8 mos old aready!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

SPOIL away !!!! I have teenagers and my sister has a almost 3 yr old son ( He is going to WDW with me in Oct.) and a 1 yr old daughter. I just get them everything I can and let her worry if they are spoiled LOL. I am taking her son on a trip to WDW in Oct . Because he loves Mickey Moush and when the commercials are on he says " I go to Moush House with Aunt Boo soon " LOVE HER AND HUG HER while you can!



Wishing you many Moush Housh days !!!

 

[jamsmom]

I have never thought that I spoiled....I just love. Took my oldest niece to WDW Jan 1-5 and my youngest niece June 1-5. Told my nephew he has to wait until he is a little older. (and I have a job)

 

[browneyes]

How about one of the books that you press the buttons to make sounds as you read? Perhaps a Disney book.

 

[becka]

Originally posted by Pooh93


Is your sister doing well with the baby? It seems I remember you posting that your sister was not bonding very well with the little one when she was born. (If I am wrong, please correct me and I apologize for the mistake) I can't believe your niece is 8 mos old aready!

Yep that is her. According to my Mom she is doing better. It has been easier since Katie has gotten a little bit older and does not require as much constant care. (My sister thinks it will be even easier as she gets a few months older!!! Wait until she gets a good look at DS and how "easy" he is to take care of at 13 months! Being mobile DOES NOT make them easier to take care of. LOL!)

She did decide to go back to work because she wanted Katie in daycare but thankfully she seems to have found a nice place for her to stay. My sister also just recently went back to law school at night so I don't think she is getting to see her daughter very much during the week. My parents still help them out a lot and they usually have Katie at their house at least one weekend a month so they can "relax" and "have a weekend off". From what I hear her husband still does most of the work and my sister helps him out a little. Whenever they visit my parents my sister just kind of turns Katie over to my Mom to take care of her. However, she is much more affectionate towards Katie than she used to be and that is a very good thing. Katie is a very sweet, happy and quiet little baby so I guess she is doing OK with all of the arrangements. I really can't wait to see her again and make up for the last 6 1/2 months. I think it will also be so exciting to see Nathan and Katie play together. I think Nathan will love having another baby to play with.

 

[wovenwonder]

Kids that age LOVE to watch other children. To give her something personal --- how about a video of your family with ALOT of Nathan. I bet this would be something to keep her 'content' for awhile ---- plus she would have something to remember you by until your family get to see her again.