Month: December 2014
After the Holidays
Happy Holidays!
Baby Girl Dress Coats
{Baby, it’s cold outside! Time to don our winter wear! These adorable baby girl dress coats won’t ruin the look of that special outfit. Each one is made from thick Nordic fleece. It’s double sided, so it’s super soft inside and out. Perfect for fashionable bundling! Our Madison coat (above) features classic pleats and covered buttons.}
{Our Quinn jacket (above) is decorated with pretty cotton lace and a satin ribbon tie. See all our baby girl dress coats here.}
Shopping for a boy? Check out these handsome winter sweaters! Perfect for keeping baby warm and stylish on those chilly snow days!
Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions
Today we are rounding up some of our featured moms for Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions. Every family has traditions they look forward to for the whole month of December. But sometimes adding something new can be fun and inspiring.
Katie Lindsay, and her husband set up a fort in their living room with cameo coverings and Christmas lights. Her four boys sleep in it on Christmas Eve while the wait for Santa.
Our own Bethany has a tradition that many families do. Her children receive pajamas on Christmas Eve each year, but they come from a few special someones. Santa’s elves leave the pajamas on the front door step and ding dong ditch so they are not seen.
Jen Haderlie, the new mom of twin girls, loves to go to Starbucks for a cocoa and driving to see the Christmas lights where she lives. After they get home they read the story of Christ’s birth before going to bed.
We hope you take time to make new traditions, while still enjoying the old ones, with your family this holiday.
Mom Fact #5
Making Baby’s First Christmas Special
The Christmas season is full of magic and memories-starting with baby’s first Christmas. Part of what makes it special is creating Christmas memories. Baby’s first Christmas season is the time to start some fun family traditions. They will become special memory makers through years to come! Here are some simple ideas:
Visit relatives-especially elderly Grandparents. The elderly are always lonely this time of year. Why not take baby for a quick visit to brighten their day? You can ask them to share a special Christmas memory with you and baby. You may learn a funny story or two about your family history while you’re at it!
Make a keepsake ornament or Christmas craft. You’ll cherish baby’s first Christmas ornament-whether bought or home-made. We love these DIY ornaments from Disney Baby’s blog. If you’ve purchased a keepsake ornament, make a cute hand/footprint craft with baby to document their tiny toes!
Take a photo with Santa. Baby will love to reminisce on photos with Santa each year! You’ll get a laugh out of their cute little crying face when the snapshot is taken too!
Let baby play with Christmas lights. Your little one will be captivated with that string of bright lights. Sit back and watch them have at it! This makes an adorable Christmas photo, too!
Write a letter to your child. Who wouldn’t love to read a letter from their mom about themselves as a baby? Take a few moments to jot down a fun memory or two. Be sure to express your love for your little one!
Have a Christmas photo shoot. You’ll enjoy capturing the magic as you photograph baby during the holidays. It’s fun to look at snapshots of all the traditional Christmas activities. Make sure you get at least one album-worthy shot! You’ll be displaying it for years to come.
Read Christmas stories to baby in special holiday pajamas. Babies love stories! Make an evening out of reading some great Christmas stories together in your holiday pajamas!
Dance to Christmas music. Even the youngest kids love music. Turn up your favorite holiday tunes and dance away!
Drive or walk around a neighborhood with lots of Christmas lights. Bundle up your little one and go out for a ride. Find a neighborhood that glows and you’re all set! Baby will love being out and about looking at all the bright lights.
Read the nativity story from the Bible and visit a live nativity. Take some time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas with your child. It’s never too early to start teaching baby what Christmas is all about.
Wrap Christmas presents together. This may be your worst nightmare. Let him crinkle the paper and pull off the bows. Picking a gift or two to wrap together will help prepare an older baby to open them! Decide if your nerves can handle it, then let them go wild! (Even though you’ll have to re-roll your ribbon spool seven times.)
Sing Christmas songs. Baby will love to hear you singing all those Christmas songs! From Silent Night to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. If you’re uncomfortable with singing, turn on the radio and hum along!
What other Baby’s First Christmas traditions do you love?
Holiday Movie Night
Having a Holiday Movie Night in only takes a small amount of preparation to have an enjoyable evening that you can turn into a yearly tradition. Movie theaters are open on Christmas Day every year with some kind of a holiday show for families. But that also requires getting dressed, getting in the car and spending astronomical prices for popcorn. Besides, who wants to get out of their Christmas pajamas anyway? Why not stay in, stay warm and enjoy your vacation at home? I thought you might agree.
Needs:
-Favorite Christmas show (Polar Express is always a good one because of the hot chocolate dance)
-Sleeping bags, blankets and pillows. Enough to fill the floor.
-Hot chocolate bar on the counter with ingredients like: marshmallows, chocolate chips in several flavors, cinnamon sticks, peppermint sticks, flavored coffee creamer, whipped cream and sprinkles.
Bring out some cute containers to put everything in and put on the pajamas! Send invitations out to family and friends you make with the kids. When everyone is over, let all of them sit on the pillows and blankets and cuddle up together. Turn out the lights and have just the Christmas tree on and it will feel magical. If the kids fall asleep there on the floor, leave them! What could be more fun than that? (Just not on Christmas Eve, you don’t want to trip on them while delivering gifts under the tree)
Traditions are part of what we look forward to during the holidays. Being able to share those things we cherish with those we love is a great way to give a gift that has no monetary value. It also shows your children what is so important this time of year, being together and growing as a family, extending the hand of friendship and making bonds. Happy movie night!
Adorable Winter Baby Gear
Winter weather is here to stay. Are you ready? Keep baby warm and cozy with our adorable winter baby gear! From thick cotton bodysuits to book and blanket tote sets. Bamboo dream blankets to car seat covers.
{Snug and cozy! Baby is wrapped in a muslin swaddle blanket from our Aden and Anais Boy Gift Tote.}
{Swaddle baby in organic luxury! From our Aiden and Anais Girl Gift Tote.}
{Baby will sleep soft and sound in a thick dream blanket. See our entire selection here.}
Shop boy’s bodysuits. Shop girl’s bodysuits here.
{Add a layer of warmth to baby’s ensemble without ruining the look! Our sleeveless and camisole bodysuits are lusciously thick and oh-so-soft! }
{Keep baby snug and warm during winter travel. Our car seat kits can be personalized with the baby’s initials.}
{These soft, minky Car Seat Canopy Sets include: a canopy, small blanket, slipcover, umbrella, and a head support pillow. Get the Mikayla Car Seat Canopy.}
{Stay in and snuggle up with a book! Our personalized Book and Blanket Totes are perfect for those cold winter days! Find these and more here.}
Mom Talk Monday: Erica Brady
Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?
Our little family started in 2010 and baby joined us in 2014. We were so excited to expand our family and have the chance to be parents. We love to spend time playing and enjoy being outside.
What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?
Twice a week I go into a Physical Therapy office and do insurance verification and other office duties. Baby gets to come with me to this job! Three days a week I teach gymnastics and cheerleading and love it!
Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?
Our family loves to exercise and be outside. In the warm months of the year we go on walks together or we ride bikes and pull baby behind in the bike trailer.
How do you take time for yourself to recharge?
Getting out of the house and doing things is how I recharge. Baby and I try to go outside every day even if it means sitting on the front porch for a few minutes. Teaching gymnastics and cheerleading is also a great out for me. Sometimes when baby is napping I try to get tons of things done, but other times I take a few minutes to sit down and enjoy the silence.
What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?
Ravioli with Corn and Cilantro.
Cook a bag of frozen ravioli.
Put about half a bag of frozen corn, a diced bell pepper, fresh or dried cilantro (to taste) a little garlic salt and pepper in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Stir the cooked ravioli into the vegetable mixture and eat it!
If we don’t have ravioli in the fridge we eat waffles for dinner!
What is the one product you can’t live without?
I absolutely love my baby’s walker. He will bebop around in it for quite a while and is very happy to be moving around independently.
What is your favorite One Small Child product?
One Small Child’s holiday outfits are absolutely adorable!