Baby’s first Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is almost here, and this year you have an extra special reason to celebrate all the love in your home. Now that your little family has grown from two to three, the day's activities might be different than in year passed, so we’ve outlined some baby-friendly ways to navigate the holiday of love (bows and arrows not included).
1. Wear a cute outfit
Playing dress up is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of having a newborn, and this occasion is no different. Cozy them up in snuggly pajamas with an all-over heart print and get matchy in a matching set of your own. Make the day sweeter with adorable playsuits and a matching sweater for you and any older siblings!
2. Take a special picture
Now that you’re both (or all) dressed on-theme, there is nothing better than to snap some selfies to capture the memory. These are great to share with family and friends on your social media or to include in a baby book full of first moments and milestones.
3. Send love notes
Love is in the air, why not spread some of that good feeling with friends and family? Send a picture of your little sweetheart with a special message for the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to make some more happy hearts.
4. Write a love letter to your baby
In the spirit of sharing, put pen to paper and write down your feelings for your baby. What an incredible gift when they’re older, perhaps at graduation, or their wedding, to know how their mom felt when she first had them. When they start crawling, walking, and running time will literally pass you by, so use the first quiet naptimes to do this.
5. Create a special keepsake
There is nothing more delicious than those tiny little hands and feet. Make sure you remember just how precious they were by creating a painted print or go a step further with a clay plaque. There are loads of DIY videos and recommendations on the web to choose from to help you create the perfect memento.
6. Add some décor to the nursery
Every holiday offers the opportunity to add a few decorative items to your baby’s nursery to get everyone in the festive mood. Valentine’s Day is no different, with an array of heart-shaped pillows and crib sheets and Valentine teddies. The good thing is love never goes out of style, so you can keep the “I love you this much” wall frame up way past February 14th.
7. Read some books
There are so many great baby books about love to pick from. Whether you snuggle up to your number one with I love you through and through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak or Guess how much I love you by Sam McBratney, these beloved classics set the mood for extra special bonding time.
8. Create a Mixbook
You’ve no doubt been accumulating a great deal of pictures since your lovebug entered the world. Time to make a book full of your favourite memories. Shutterfly and Mixbook are great online resources to help you create a photo book you’ll cherish forever.
9. Three’s company
No matter what your Valentine’s Day plans are, include daddy in a special activity, just the three of you. You can choose to divide your day or evening in two: pre-bedtime for family appreciation and post-bedtime to spend some one-on-one time with your other half.
10. Have a play date
Invite some new moms over with their little cuties to celebrate their first Valentine’s Day. Take lots of pics and include them in their memory book, along with all their other Firsts. If you’re especially festive, get some heart shaped bowls for snack time and heart shaped wooden blocks for entertainment.
