Need your Help Dads

[redracer]

My hubby is having his 35th birthday in the next couple of weeks and I am stuck for a present -- what would any new dad want for his birthday?!?!?! I have thought about a Keg of Guinness (don't have the set up), Golf Membership/lessons (he doesn't have time), Flight lessons (he got that last year) -- I am totally at a loss -- any ideas would be great!!!

[draught]

I asked my husband and his answers were perhaps of limited value - a new golf club (he is obsessed), a week away somewhere, a new watch (pure self interest on his part as he has seen new one that he likes).
From this I came up with an idea - maybe a holiday long weekend somewhere where he can do adventure things but still have time with his new family - like a day of sea kayaking or hang gliding, or car racing (depending on his preferences) and then a nice dinner with you in a lovely beach house while baby sleeps peacefully on (well - you can but dream!!!!!)

[Baby Girl]

What about skydiving?

[Miss_Vicki]

This input is from my DP... Homebrew kits, Flying lap around Bathurst in a V8 Supercar, Deepsea fishing trip on a charter boat... :)

[wattle]

A photo of Dad and baby together? Something to treasure.

[willsmum]

I got the same thing for my DH and both of my brothers - a Leatherman pocket knife tool thingy. (I'm sure men the world over are shaking in horror at that technical description)

These are a bit like Swiss Army pocket knives, except they are from the US. They range from a mini- keyring size with about 8 tools right up to hundreds of dollars for the spekky limited edition mega-size ones.

If the fact that they drag them out at any excuse ("Hey are you sure you don't need a pair of tweezers or a nail file? Got any loose screws? I can open bottles too you know." etc etc ad nauseum) means anything then I think they were a popular prezzie.

By the way I bought them at a knife specialist shop called King of Knives.

[draught]

I had forgotten the Leatherman - gave one to DH a few years ago and he LOVED it - very blokey!

[Graeme]

Hi,

I'm afraid I'm not much use, it's my 44th on Wednesday and I don't know what I want either. We don't fit the "normal" (whatever that is) mould e.g. I gave Cathy an electric saw for her 40th (which she loved).

I always enjoy CDs and books (but then we generally don't spend all that much on presents). For something similar to last year but a bit different, I gave my brother a lesson in a helicopter (he got to use some of the controls). Is there something he'd like for the computer or sound system? If you get down to Sydney ever you could try a work over the bridge.

We also make sure our kids give us presents like a book we can read to them or a CD we play for them, a game to play with them etc. So maybe Mathew could give him a few things. Cathy once gave me a card that Jasmine had chewed on (before she could hold a pencil and do real art work). It was great.

Good luck, and if you get any good ideas, can you give me some ideas for what I want :p

Regards
Graeme

[scarecrow]

Given your handle, redracer, I thought the answer was right in front of you. Give him a ride in a race car. There are plenty of places around (certainly around the capital cities) where you can get a hot lap in a V8 race car, or get a couple of lessons and then take a Porsche for a fang around a track. I think you can even take a WRX for a quick bash through the forest somewhere around Brissy. What a hoot.

Another option is I have seen you can go up in a plane and play dogfights with another plane. I know they do this over the Gold Coast. I think there is also one in Sydney. Now that sounds like fun.

Keep the ideas coming (I have a birthday coming up too :D )

[redracer]

Thanks for these great replies -- I think I might want to look into getting him some life insurance before I purchase his gift --- the DogFight, the V8 or the skydiving!!

I think that I am going to look into the V8 racing - wow, the thought of that runs chills up my spine but I am sure james will love it!!!

The card was great - mathew is a reflux baby so hopefully he will be able to chew it and then toss up all over it - what a great memory for years to come.

Thanks for the ideas - keep them coming just incase the V8 thing doesn;t work out -- we have just moved up to Brisbane so for all you locals let me know what is there is to do in the area

[Chickadee]

My hub is a just a big kid. Except with expensive toys that he prefers to buy bits for himself. But when I'm stuck for gift ideas I still head to a toy shop. For his birthday one year (or maybe christmas? time flies) I bought him an electric model race car set. He immediately set the track up in the middle of the lounge room where it stayed in use for about 6 months. You'd need to keep it out of reach of little fingers though, ours hasn't been used much in 1.5 years since dd was born.

Good luck.

[kamckellar]

this is a messy present but its priceless.paint bubby's hands and feet and put onto plain paper.than when dry write a little saying or poem about bubs and put it in a frame.it means so much that you both worked towards making the present and its something you can look back on fondly.

[Joey]

Saw a pretty cool thing on TV the other day which might interest him (or not) - a remote controlled dinosaur (dyno-raptor) which is capable of learning and develops it's own personality. It's a follow-up "toy" to a robot, which has been on the market for about 18 months. Really a useless piece of hardware but might keep him amused for awhile and looks funky.

Alternatively a quite dinner and drinks with the wife (and some friends perhaps) is always really nice, Brisbane has heaps of fantastic restaurants. One we've really enjoyed is Garuva - in the valley I think - it's kind of like eating in a 2 - 4 man tent, sitting on cushions. Has a really nice candle-lit ambience and feels like the two (or more) of you are alone, food’s good too. Welcome to the sunshine state! :D

[scarecrow]

Thanks for these great replies -- I think I might want to look into getting him some life insurance before I purchase his gift --- the DogFight, the V8 or the skydiving!!

I think that I am going to look into the V8 racing - wow, the thought of that runs chills up my spine but I am sure james will love it!!!

The card was great - mathew is a reflux baby so hopefully he will be able to chew it and then toss up all over it - what a great memory for years to come.

Thanks for the ideas - keep them coming just incase the V8 thing doesn;t work out -- we have just moved up to Brisbane so for all you locals let me know what is there is to do in the area

Have a look at http://totaldriver.com.au/index.htm and check out the Hot Laps section. Depending on your budget he can have a ride or even drive himself. They are just down the highway at Ormeau and have lots of options. Even jet boats. You'll never get the smile off his face.

cheers
Andrew