omg we had a very similar thing, but specifically with cereal! We always picked the sugariest shit - my sister’s favorite was Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs, and mine was usually Cinnamon Toast Crunch lol
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hiking
baking
teaching me how to hold a book in the bathtub and not making a big deal when I dunked the library copy of Curious George
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On my 6th birthday my parents took me out to a grown up restaurant by myself with just the two of them. Afterwards we went to the ice rink (where my dad knew a guy…) and I got to skate on the WHOLE RINK ALL BY MYSELF with fun music. It was probably the best birthday. I think anything out of the ordinary like that makes a pretty cool kid memory.
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In my family the tooth fairy brought books, not a quarter. I loved reading and was always so excited about waking up with a new book under my pillow.
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Haha, same! I always got 100% junk 
and I specifically remember when I bought one of those pizza lunchable things. I had been so covetous of them at school because I always had boring homemade lunch, and I still recall it as one of the single biggest culinary disappointments of my life, lol. I had built it up so much and then it was like, hard raw faux pizza discs? Five year old AllHat was appalled.
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I am kind of a freak about my pets and have done annual bloodwork and annual dental cleanings for all my (adult) pets. So far the only one, cat or dog, that hasn’t lived past 20 had a known life-shortening illness when I adopted him and even with him he had good quality of life several years past what was expected. A bit of luck, for sure, but dental health has been the biggest factor to keeping their organs healthy longer.
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Should I ask about a dental cleaning when I take her? The vet has never brought it up, but does look at her teeth.
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Yes, we do. Mainly for the rabies shot because legally we have to have it done in our city, and our vet will hound us if we are late with it.
But also I want to catch anything that’s wrong early, particularly if it’s something that would cause the cat to suffer.
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In my experience they’ll say something if their teeth are in need of a cleaning. I just took mine in for their checkups and the vet said their teeth looked good, no gingivitis.
I asked when typically they start needing cleanings - our last cat, we got as a super-senior and she wouldn’t have withstood the anesthesia so we never had hers done, and the cat before that, I couldn’t remember when we started his. She said it depends on the cat - they don’t do it at a specific age, just when they start showing signs that it’s needed. (Our cats are 3.)
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I did groceries with my mum every Saturday morning. We usually got a snack or treat before or during (but not normally at the grocery store) those are some of my best times.
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I think this is something the vet would tell you–mine generally has better teeth than I do 
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Anyone have a health insurance comparison spreadsheet they would be willing to share with me? I’m actually comparing pet insurance, but a lot of it is the same (monthly payment vs deductible vs OOP max in a high, medium and low use scenarios).
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My sibling has a vet who comes to visit her cat at their house. They’re in a fairly small area so might be widely available? I think a lot of cats are not very happy about vet visit is
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Does anyone have any experience with filing an 83(b) election after the 30 day timeframe? I had no idea I needed to do this within 30 days of receiving restricted stock from my company. It would save me a ton in income tax so I’d really like to find a way to still do this. I’m really mad at myself for not looking into this sooner. The stock was granted back in January!
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Can anyone make suggestions for gifts for 5-year olds (turning six in December/January)? My niece’s and great niece’s birthdays are right after Christmas, so I generally shop for both occasions for each at the same time. Limit of $50-60 per child. My sister (mother of niece) and SIL (grandma to great niece) sent me ideas, but it’s all plastic, branded junk. I get that it attracts a kid’s attention in the store, but I just don’t see either one of them playing or being creative with that stuff. Bonus points for ideas that are not heavily gendered or branded pink to show they’re made for girls.
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Do they like to read or be read to? Maybe a stack of new books.
Art supplies?
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I’ve heard good things about Magnatiles/Picasso Tiles, and that kids continue to use them for years.
I’ll also second the book suggestion, especially if their parents will read to them. I’ve really enjoyed “Ada Twist, Scientist” and the other books in that series.
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This age is really a hyper fixation age for a lot of kids. You can try to find what they’re fixated on. Otherwise, magnetiles or a wobble board are pretty universal favorites. Zero gendering on either of those.
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They both have parents/grandparents who read to them and have many books (or that’s the direction I’d take). I’m thinking the magnatiles are a good bet.
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Family board games?
+1 for art supplies.
Those “paint by stickers” books
Depending on what winter looks like where they are…cute hats / mittens, a sled…