[Clodfobble]

(I'm not trying to shoot you down here, I'm just trying to give you more insight into her personality for additional help...)

Originally Posted by BigV

Craft-y cut it up and glue it together kits.

She has about 6 or 7 of them, never opens them.

If she's attuned to the baby, maybe a baby doll of her own. I'm not sterotyping here, I'm trying to read your vibe. I saw a commercial this weekend of a "Mommy make me better" baby or something like that. Brings out the inner nurturer. The dolly has red leds behind her translucent cheeks. They glow when she has a "fever" and dim when the "medicine" is administered. The same for the heart shaped boo-boo on her wrist when covered with a band aid.

This is a possibility. She's only with us for a weekend at a time though, are there negative repercussions if the baby doll has a fever for two weeks?

A musical instrument.

We have a nice keyboard, and she takes piano lessons at her mother's house but hates them. Maybe a recorder (you know, the kid-friendly flute-like things) or something though.

A special trip somewhere--the zoo, the museum, the science center.

Her main birthday present last year was a trip to a local water park, and the year before that was a special trip out to see a play with her grandmother.

A bike. I remember fondly my first two wheeled bike. My world expanded dramatically when I had my own "wheels".

She's had one since she was about 5, but still doesn't know how to ride it (doesn't have one at her mom's.) We work on teaching her a little bit each time she's here, but she's generally terrified of falling over and it's hard when you don't get regular practice.

A ball to play catch with. A glove. Not a baseball whiz yet? How about one of those kits that have hook covered paddles for the hands and a fuzzy ball. Velcro catch. Veeerrrrry easy to succeed. Or a throw toy called a foxtail--a ball with a long (three feet) fabric tail. If you miss late on the ball, maybe you'll trap the tail.

The velcro paddles are a possibility. She has a foxtail ball (and it never gets played with... notice a pattern yet? ) Easy-to-catch would definitely be a requirement, she's not terribly athletically inclined. She's complained before that at camp they don't let her "sit and relax" enough.

A kite.

She has two.

Clothes. I love the sons and the daughter (and nephews and nieces) equally, but you have to admit, the girls are a lot more fun to decorate.

Unfortunately she views clothes as a simple necessity, not an enjoyable thing. Her relatives all give her clothes and she has told us (in private, she's a polite child!) that she doesn't understand it.

Jewelry, maybe a special pendant or earrings? Can she get pierced ears yet, Mom?

She has pierced ears, and probably a half dozen each of earrings and necklaces, but she never wears them. She just keeps the same one pair of studs in her ears at all times.

I could go on and on. I love kids.

Please do! I love kids too, and I'm usually the one who comes up with really awesome gifts, but this kid is just so introverted and really hard to figure out!

Originally Posted by lumberjim

a trampoline

I'm not sure I'm ready for one of those huge monstrosities in my backyard, and the little round ones suck.

Originally Posted by SundaeGirl

Something like Sylvanian Families or Polly Pocket - as long as it's complicated, not just a toy figure...Barbie is still a safe bet

At last count she has about a dozen Barbies and probably a similar number of Polly Pockets. She does play with them on occasion, but I kind of feel like giving her more of them is a cop-out? Maybe I'm trying too hard to expand her horizons though.

I was about her age when my mom got me a large and complex dollhouse kit where you painted and assembled the whole thing yourself. I really liked it once it was done, but I admit I got lazy and made her put most of it together. Maybe I could find something like that.