Babies and Gifts - A Quick Guide | Babies | Type-A Mom
I remember waking up on Christmas
morning when my first born was a teeny tiny baby and feeling a
flutter of excitement. Her very first Christmas!
Babies and Gifts - A Quick Guide | Babies | Type-A Mom
I changed her diaper
and hoisted her onto my hip and made my way to the family room to see
the tree my family had decorated a couple days earlier, right after
we had arrived in NJ. We stopped for a moment, mesmerized by the
shining lights and hoard of presents stacked under the massive tree.
Then Clara let out an annoyed little cry, reminding me that 7 month
olds don't actually care about presents as much as they care about
milk.
Later, one bottle downed and a few
cousins, aunts, uncles, and daddies woken up, we finally got down to
the order of business; opening all the presents. Clara attentively
watched all the action from the safety of my lap. I had gone all out
and bought a zillion toys for her: stacking cups, links, books,
dolls, stuffed animals. She couldn't have cared less about any of
them. Well, that's not quite true, she really enjoyed the crinkling
of the wrapping paper and ribbons!
Halfway through the present opening
frenzy Clara got fussy and cranky and I realized that I'd missed her
nap time and that she was seriously overwhelmed. In all my excitement
over seeing her enjoy her first Christmas I forgot the key thing
about babies; they really like routine. I left the chaos and took my
sweet baby to a quiet corner of the house. We snuggled for a moment
and played with one of her new toys until she calmed down, then I
tucked her into her crib and let her enjoy the day her way.
Now, don't go calling me Scrooge! I'm
all for enjoying Baby's First Holiday. (Yes, with the capitals and
all, it's an important milestone!) No matter what you celebrate it's
a special time for everyone that should be treasured by all. Here are
just a few tips that might reduce the holiday stress.
1) Remember, this is about your
child's desires, not yours! Don't go overboard and buy every
single toy, book, outfit, and trinket you see. Your baby doesn't need
much, just a few special toys can go a long, long way. Trust me, your
house will be overrun with toys soon enough. No need to rush things!
2) If there are a lot of presents to
open, despite your attempt at frugality, spread the joy out
throughout the day, or even the
week. Your baby might get overwhelmed if you shower him with
tons of presents all at once. Let him open one or two and enjoy them
before digging into the rest of the pile.
3) Make sure to keep an eye on the
clock. Sometimes time flies during present opening or family
events. Not missing your baby's nap time and giving her a bottle when
she expects it will keep everyone much happier.
4) Keep safety in mind. Just
because your baby is only opening age appropriate toys doesn't mean
siblings or cousins aren't opening toys that could pose a certain
danger to him. Don't forget that many shiny holiday decorations are
very attractive to young children and they're rarely child safe!
5) Have your camera and camcorder on
hand at all times! Holiday seasons are all about hustle and
bustle and it would be a shame to miss the best photo ops because you
left your camera in the other room. Your baby won't ever remember
what toys she got for that first Christmas, but you'll always
treasure the picture of her gazing up at the lights in wonder.
I remember waking up on Christmas
morning when my first born was a teeny tiny baby and feeling a
flutter of excitement. Her very first Christmas!
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