Searching for birthday presents...

What do you get a 3 year old for their birthday, when you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, want to get something that will keep their attention - but that isn't *just* a toy, and is actually somewhat educational??? I can't find the *perfect* 3rd birthday present for Gaby, and it's driving me a tad nuts! I wanted to get her her own toy digital camera, but the cheapest I've found is $180.00, which seems a bit exorbitant to me - especially for a 3 year old.

Jason & I searched around KMart & Farmers, on Thursday, but nothing really jumped out at me as being the PERFECT gift, howeve I THINK we might get her a new LeapFrog [educational] toy - the LeapFrog Scribble & Write http://www.leapfrog.com/en/preschool_toys/scribble.html - it looks like it'd be a really good tool for helping her learn her alphabet, which is something I'd like to start teaching her. My other idea was the LeapFrog Tag Reading System, but it may still be a *little* bit too old for her.. it says on the box it's for ages 4+, so perhaps that will be an idea for next birthday, or even for this Christmas.

I am thinking of asking people to buy Gaby clothes for her birthday, rather than everyone getting her toys - because she already has toooooo many toys, and she has grown out of ALL her size 2 clothing, so we really need to get onto the size 3 clothing. Pity that size 3+ clothing is about twice the price of 0000-2 clothing, it was actually quite a surprise to me, you don't seem to be able to buy just PLAIN tshirts, or PLAIN shorts, or PLAIN dresses, everything has print & frills - and adds an extra 50% to the price of the clothes, if they were just PLAINNNNN. Beggars can't be choosers though huh - and I'd be lying if I said I didn't think all the pretty, bright, frilly stuff is cute!

Gaby had some time with her big cousins today, well, her 2nd cousins - and it was so cute seeing her running around, keeping up with them . Geordie is closest in age to her - he is just under a year older than her, but there was still quite a big difference. She had fun following Livi (12) around, and playing with Will (the birthday boy - 10), they played with a soccer ball, with bubbles, wrote on the concrete in chalk, and explored Aunty Sally's garden (hopefully not too much trampling was done!). A huge difference from when we were there for Will's birthday last year!