My cousin’s baby girl is turning 1 in a few days. When searching for a gift for her, I had a surprisingly difficult time. For one thing, she’s too small for big kids toys and too big for infant things. After scouring the Internet for a week, I finally found some unique gifts for her and maybe for the soon-to-be 1 year old in your life.

1. These adorable T-shirts from Etsy: Happyfamily are perfect for the birthday boy or girl!

2. This adorable hand-knitted hat is perfect for the little monkey in your life. Monkey hat and fruit rattles from Cocoa Crayon.

3. Soft and cuddly for any baby, this little monkey cuddling mat from RedEnvelope is a gift for all ages.

I was babysitting an 18 month-old a few nights ago, and was shocked to see that she absolutely adores taking a bath! I honestly could not get her out of the tub. And here I thought babies always squealed and squirmed their way through bath time!

I think she loves it so much because she has some really cool bathtub toys to play with. In my family, bath paints have always been all the rage. You can buy some great ones from Avon (they even list the ingredients online if you kids have allergies!), or make your own using this recipe from Family Education.

But this little splish splasher preferred to stick Rub a Dub ABC letters all over the bathtub instead of painting it. She could even say all of the letter’s sounds! I was impressed.

If you are looking for tips on making bath time more enjoyable for you and your kids, check out Love to Know’s section of inexpensive activities that are perfect for soaking in the tub. You can also try one of these fun ideas:

• Play a story on tape.
• Read poetry aloud.
• Have your kids make up stories about what their floating toys are doing.
• Review all of the fun things you did together that day.
• Give your little ones cups, bowls, and ladles from the kitchen to play with.