How to celebrate a BIRTHday as a family

Today JP turns one month old!  Part of me thinks "Wow! She's already a month old!", while the other part of me feels like she has been part of our family forever.  To celebrate her being a month old today, I thought I'd share how we celebrate BIRTHdays in our family.

It is the big day - your baby is born!  Family comes to visit, friends send their congratulations, and all you can think of and care about is that little baby you hold in your arms...  I wish it was that simple!  As a Mom of more than one child you not only are cherishing everything about your new bundle of joy, but you're also worried about your other baby or babies at home.  Are all the kids going to get along?  Is there going to be jealousy?  How is adding one more going to change our family dynamics?  To help decrease any of these anxieties, our family celebrates the new baby's BIRTHday in three simple ways:

Sibling Gifts:  Big Brother and Big Sister gifts can be as big or little as you like.  First, we (Mom & Dad) always give the new sibling(s) a big brother/sister shirt they can wear at the hospital.  Second, the new baby gives the older sibling(s) a gift the first day at the hospital.  We always tell our kids that the baby feels so lucky to have them as their older sibling that they brought them a gift.  The sibling gift starts with a special bag (when MP was born our son LP received a John Deere backpack he'd been eyeing for a couple of months, and this time when JP was born both kids got personalized Cinch Sacks).  The great thing about these bags is that they are reusable and can not only store all of their things at the hospital, but wherever and everywhere after the baby is home.  Inside the bag we include a new book, activities (such as coloring/sketch books, games, cards) to do at the hospital, and snacks for the hospital.  Both LP and MP really enjoyed their cameras in their bags from JP.  We got LP a disposable camera (which he actually did take a few good photos) and MP a play camera.

Share Family Photos:  Make sure to bring a family photo or a photo of your older child(ren) to the hospital to display.  This way your older child(ren) know that this is a special time for your entire family.  We have always put a photo of the older sibling(s) in the baby's hospital bed.  We tell them that that baby loves looking at their photo, and that all of their nurses and doctors know that they are the baby's big brother/sister.

Throw a BIRTHday Party:  What kid doesn't like a birthday party, especially if they get to help plan it?  On the first full day in the hospital we have a BIRTHday party complete with cake and ice cream picked out by the older sibling(s).  The morning of the first full day My Farmer takes the kid(s) shopping for a going home outfit for the baby, a cake and ice cream (and sometimes whatever else they deem necessary while out shopping...).  We tell all of our visiting family that cake and ice cream will be served all day to celebrate and the older sibling(s) are the host(ess) of the party.  They welcome everyone to the party and get the special role of introducing their new baby sibling to guests.  Be sure to sing Happy Birthday too!

Those are three simple ways we celebrate the arrival of a new family member.  What are some things your family has done?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Wordless Wednesday

Big Brother and Little Sister

I'm so happy that LP loves being a big brother

and that MP has been a great little sister and good baby!

Hump Day Bump Report

Another week closer and I'm so excited!  I was hoping that my doctor's appointment yesterday was going to be more than just a little check-up but sounds like if I had went one day later, I would have been checked to see if I was dilated, but since I wasn't a full 36 weeks yet, it didn't happen.  Oh well - next week!  Here's this week's Hump Day Bump Report:

• How far along?  36 Weeks Down - 4 Weeks To Go!

• Baby size:  Honeydew Melon

• Baby milestone:  The baby's liver and kidneys are in working order.

• Have you started "nesting"?  Yesterday I bought some newborn diapers to have on hand but I still need to do a full "baby run."  I haven't started making lots of meals or washing baby clothes, but I do have to say that in the last couple of days I've been better at knocking things off of my to do list.  I'm not sure if that is because I am starting to "nest" or if it is just because I told myself I needed to be more productive during the day...

• Have you been having any heartburn?  Not really.  LP had a full head of hair when he was born with minimal heartburn during the pregnancy, and it'd be fun if MP had hair too.  Baby hair is so cute and soft!

• Have you been having any ankle and foot swelling?  I don't think so - I can still wear my cowboy boots so I say I'm good still!

• Does LP understand what is happening?  I get asked this a lot.  Does any two year old really understand what a new baby means before the baby actually arrives?  We have been reading big brother books so hopefully that will help.  And we talk about the baby - he'll point to the baby in my stomach and give the baby kisses by kissing my stomach.  But does he really understand what it all means - probably not.

• How do you think LP will do once the baby arrives?  I think he will be a good big brother.  He is a big helper around the house now and is a very curious and inquisitive toddler.  I think that will only continue after the baby arrives.  And in the past when LP has been around newborns he is either not interested or affectionate.  So hopefully he'll be affectionate towards his baby brother or sister.

• Do you have a "coming home" outfit picked out for the baby?  Not yet but I do have going through newborn clothes on my to do list.  I'm not too worried or concerned about picking out a "coming home" outfit though.  We had to change LP out of his "coming home" outfit before we even left the hospital because he ended up having an accident in it.  (He ended up actually coming home in a hospital bodysuit.)

• Emotions:  I'm simply happy.  I also am proud that I have been more productive lately.  It is about time, because I feel like since March I have fallen behind staying on top of things because I was so fatigued.

The bets are starting to roll in on my blog's facebook page - what is your bet?  Do you think we'll be having a boy or a girl?  And when do you think MP is going to arrive?  Place your bet and keep your eye out for the next month for the results (well hopefully in the next month)!  So far the girl bets have a slight edge over the boy bets!