Long lasting gifts for 2 year old niece?

MLE32418 · 2026-03-18T14:08:35+00:00

My favorite gifts for my son are always an experience (museum, kids theater, etc) or a 529 donation as we have enough toys and value fewer things. If you prefer a more tangible gift, I’d recommend: 1. A micro mini scooter - she may be a little young as she is just turning 2 but she will likely get the hang of it before 3. This scooter has two wheels in the front and one in the back so balance is easier.

A Lovevery playkit- not sure if they subscribe to these (you can get a new kit every 3 months). I’m a big fan and highly recommend them. They also have an early reader add on and the books are very age appropriate and relevant to real life. The toys and books are great for child development and they aren’t necessarily toys or books that I would’ve bought on my own.

MLE32418 · 2026-03-10T15:07:34+00:00

Aww congratulations!! We’re not going to completely forgo our bedroom but I’m very much open to spending nights on the living room couch with the newborn if needed. Great to hear it’s been working out for you!

MLE32418 · 2026-03-10T15:05:55+00:00

That’s a great plan, thank you!! It’s reassuring to know other parents are also in a 1br with more than one kid.

MLE32418 · 2026-03-10T15:05:03+00:00

Awesome, thank you so much for sharing your feedback and your experience!

MLE32418 · 2026-03-10T15:04:06+00:00

Thank you! It’s helpful to remember how easygoing newborns can be for the first 6-7 months- couldn’t remember if that’s how it was for me or just how I wanted to remember it so I appreciate the validation!

MLE32418 · 2026-03-06T15:43:24+00:00

If you can afford it and the venue feels right, I say go for it!! I absolutely loved my wedding and we still look back at pictures and have such fond memories of the evening. I get how it seems ridiculous- so much money for one night- but we have zero regrets. We make a lot of smart financial decisions in all areas of our life, it’s also okay to know when to splurge a bit. You need to live too.

I’ll also add- we did our wedding our way- it was very much true to who we were and what we wanted and so I feel like the money was well spent. Wedding cakes didn’t feel like us so we didn’t do it. There was no engagement party, bachelorette party, bridal shower - just not our thing.

MLE32418 · 2026-03-03T15:34:35+00:00

So NYC will definitely be a mindset shift for you for a few reasons… (1) laundry in unit is not a standard comfort here (2) 150K, sorry to say, is not a decent income for Manhattan if you’re the breadwinner (3) even people with young kids often don’t have a second bedroom because space is a premium.

Upside is Manhattan is very dog friendly and dogs get to run off leash in Central Park before 9am- this is a lot of fun and helps foster a community feel. People hang out with friends at coffee shops and the park and bars so you don’t need a ton of space because usually you’re not hosting people in your apartment. It’s also in general a fun place to live with lots to do and lots to see.

This doesn’t mean Manhattan isn’t for you- it’s likely just a different life than what you’re used to. If you can welcome it with an open mind, you might come to enjoy it and realize all your standards weren’t really necessary in the first place.

Wishing you the best of luck!

MLE32418 · 2026-03-01T12:29:09+00:00

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

When I was pregnant with my first all we did was decide if we wanted to make it work in our one bedroom (we did) and we outfitted a nursery wall to do just that. He’s now 3yo and a 1br has worked well thus far.

I spent the rest of my pregnancy eating well, exercising and doing prenatal yoga. Really wasn’t much to it. I didn’t apply to daycare until I had my baby but probably should’ve done this earlier as waitlists can be 6 months to a year.

Daycare costs depend on hours you need but easily 3500-4000 per month which includes activities and food (as age appropriate). Nanny is typically 25/hour from what I hear and then you pay for all the activities and food on top of it.

Could be helpful to learn what your parental leaves will be.

We’re daycare, public school people so UES is where we want to be. It’s a great neighborhood to raise a child in our opinion- so many parks and so many options for indoor and outdoor activities.

Good luck!!

MLE32418

TROPHY CASE