Big Girl

• Give your baby girl something that will make her feel like the "big girl" she is becoming. Although a potty may seem like an odd gift, toddlerhood also marks the beginning of potty training. Your 1-year-old will love to go "potty" like her mom and dad. You may have also noticed that your little girl is trying to feed herself more often and prefers eating on "big girl" plates. Make her feel special by giving her a set of special dishes with a picture of her favorite character or in her favorite color. If your little girl is admiring your jewelry, give her a toddler-safe necklace or bracelet that she can wear, just like mommy. Your 1-year-old girl likely has many stuffed animals and dolls. Give her a toy stroller that she can use to push them around like the big girl she is.
  
  

Sentimental

• You want your little girl's birthday to be something she can remember when she is older. Give her a hope chest and fill it with mementos from the big celebration. Fill it with a copy of her birthday invitation, a birthday napkin, the cards she received and the dress she wore. Also put in some items from the day and year of her first birthday, such as a newspaper, stamp, coins and local store flyer. To commemorate her big day, make your little girl a scrapbook of her first birthday party. Fill the scrapbook with photos of her cake smash, her friends, the party invitation and other mementos.
  
  

For the Future

• Although it is hard to think of your little girl as a teenager or even an elementary student, she will grow up quickly. Her first birthday is a good time to start preparing for the future. Give her savings bonds or open a savings account for her. Fill her account with any birthday and holiday money she receives. For a gift that is more personal and that she can keep in her room, give her a personalized piggy bank. Add a quarter every day or week and watch the savings grow with her.
  
  

Fun and Learning

• Even when she is having fun, your little girl seems to be learning something new every day. To encourage her learning, give her some age-appropriate books about the alphabet and numbers. She will enjoy sounding out the letters and learning that "A is for apple" and "B is for ball." Your 1-year-old is also starting to pick out her clothing and trying to dress herself. Let her learn about clothes, and how zippers and buttons work, by giving her a doll that she can dress and undress herself. Puzzles are toys that most toddlers enjoy. Give your little girl a custom puzzle of her name or her favorite animals. A set of stacking blocks is also popular with all toddlers. You little girl will love to knock down the towers you build for her.