Baby's First Christmas Gift Guide

With our own baby just arrived, it seemed the perfect year to show some great options for Baby's First Christmas.  We have always used the opportunity to gift a few new toys and treats for the next stage alongside essentials and practical gifts (like the next size up clothing) and this gift guide reflects this idea.  Whether you are buying for a brand new baby or one that has left the newborn stage behind, here are some ideas for a very first Christmas.

Mizzie Teething Toys

It doesn't take long before babies stop waving their arms and legs around with no control and start wanting to use all their senses to experience the world around them, and it often coincides with teething.  Mizzie are a new brand to me but the kangaroo is sure to be a big hit with little hands.  Made from all natural rubber, Mizzie stimulates babies sense of touch, smell, sight and hearing (she can squeak!).  It also helps to sooth sore gums and comes in different styles so you can take Mizzie on the go with you.  Mizzie is available from John Lewis, Amazon and www.mizziethekangaroo.co.uk.

Chicco Rainbow Sky Arch

As new babies sight develops, they become a lot more interested in their surroundings and the Rainbow Sky Arch from Chicco can be fitted on to the Chicco next to me crib and other similar styles to light up and entertain sleepy babies (and hopefully settle them for sleep too).  It comes with a removable, portable night light and the plush toys can also be removed so baby can enjoy for longer.  I love how calm and sweet this looks and I think it makes a gorgeous gift for little babies this Christmas.

Joone BabyCare

Joone is a brand for new babies and parents that offers complete transparancy about what is in their products.  From nappies (which can be delivered so you never run out) to gorgeous tiny clothing, they have a great selection of products, and their baby care range makes a brilliant and practical gift for new babies.  Joone Babycare is organic and good for delicate skin - something very important to me as I have always had problems with mine.  I love how transparent the ingredients list is and the products come beautifully presented.

Nuby Stars and Clouds Play Mat

A playmat is an essential for the early days and I love how soft and snuggly this Nuby Clouds and Stars playmat is, especially with a winter baby due! The fluffy base is machine washable and the bars can be removed for transport and cleaning.  With different textures, sounds and a little mirror, this mat stimulates all baby's senses and when they outgrow it, I know the fluffy mat will still be used for snuggling on!  This is perfectly unisex and I can't wait to try it out with our own baby soon! A great Christmas gift for a newborn.

Gund Kissy the Penguin

Kissy the penguin is just the softest toy for babies aged 10 months + and I couldn't stop stroking it when it arrived!  The buttons on her feet play 'Frere Jacques' as she lifts her flippers to her beak to blow kisses.  Kissy is surface washable and comes with three AA batteries ready to start playing on Christmas morning! Gund have a selection of adorable soft toys suitable from newborn onwards so perfect for baby's first Christmas.

Snoozeshade

Snoozeshade is an award winning pram and pushchair shade for single buggies, strollers and prams that offers protection from the sun and encourages sleep.  It attaches in seconds and protects babies from 99% of UVA and UVB rays as well as encouraging a dark sleeping environment.  This is a practical present that parents are going to love as much as the baby!  It comes with three different colour trims, pastel pink, safety green and a soft grey and folds up in an easy travel bag.  It is breathable mesh and so safe to use, unlike muslins which should never be used to cover prams.

Taf Toys Tummy Time Book

Tummy time is so important for little people and this tummy time book from Taf Toys is designed for babies from birth upwards.  With different pages designed for different stages, the black and white is perfect for early days when their vision is still developing and the mirror and more interactive pages will encourage strong core and neck muscles as they get bigger.  The book is a fantastic gift for a first Christmas.

Frugi Hat and Booties

With Winter coming, most parents are starting to think about how to keep their babies wrapped up and warm and Frugi's matching hat and booties set are perfect.  You can even get a matching blanket if you want to brighten up a colder day.  Everything is made from Organic cotton and this set is wonderfully unisex and perfect for baby's first Christmas.  If you want to treat the baby to new clothing, then check out Frugi's wonderful 'My first Frugi' collection.

Nuby Portable UV Steriliser

As much a gift for parents as it is baby, Nuby's portable UV steriliser has a handy strap to attach to a pram or bag and can sterilise a dummy without water, chemicals or a microwave in only one minute! I remember how often Finn used to drop his dummy when we were out and about and this would have been a game changer!  This award winning innovative product runs on three batteries or can be plugged in and used through a USB port.  It comes with one dummy ready to go and is such a handy little device, ideal as a festive gift!

Critically Endangered Animal Socks

Is there anything cuter than tiny baby socks? This box of four not only fits perfectly through a letterbox, but every sale of these sustainably made socks helps save critically endangered animals.  This pack of four should fit babies roughly 6-12 months but they can also be used as sock puppets! Supporting the World Wildlife Fund UK, these organic socks are also supporting the protection of the rainforest so you can purchase them and feel great! If you are looking for a gift for a new parent, then check out Critically Endangered animal socks for adult too! 

I think there are some great suggestions here for different stages of baby's first year, I hope you find some inspiration! 

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Our Christmas

There are people with their Pinterest perfect Christmasses - all colour schemes, co-ordinated place settings and beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree.  And then there is me, writing this sat next to a Christmas tree covered in a mismatch of baubles and after Finn has pulled the beads off for the hundreth time they have literally been thrown back at the tree.  The presents were in all sorts of paper, using up what we had last year (and the year before) and all four children had their own paper so that I didn't have to write labels for each gift.

Our Christmas is beautiful though, the excited faces, the wonder in their eyes, the beauty of generosity, the love of family and friends and the table stacked full of delicious food.  No matter how much or little is under our tree, my children have all they could ever need - Love, support, strength, people who love them, food, drink and a home.  They aren't yet at the age where the value of gifts matter, a colouring book can be as great as electrical toy, chocolate coins are the ultimate stocking filler and their wish list is short.  

Every year we spend Christmas morning at home, enjoying time as our little(ish) family of six, we open gifts, we eat breakfast, we pack our favourite toys and we head over to my Mum and Dad's for the day.  They cook lunch and dinner and we stay the night.  We put the boys down in the evening and stay up late playing cards and eating cheese boards.  On Boxing Day we see the Bloke's family for more food, family, gifts and fun and then we usually head back to my parent's house for a quiet evening together.  Family is the focus of our Christmas and we are lucky to have two great ones.

One of the best presents is that my Mum and Dad take the children in the morning when they wake and let us have a leisurely lie in - these things are worth more than money can buy!

This year was magical, it was Cora's first Christmas and she got her first tastes of food.  In typical baby style she was more interested in the wrapping paper than what was in it.  Finn got to have his first go at opening presents and he wasn't content to stick to only his own.  Archie was more aware of everything that was going on and insists that his best bit of Christmas is 'everything', and Dylan totally gets it all, he loved everything he recieved, he was excited and thankful.

I didn't take many photos this year, I was too busy enjoying the moments, but these are the ones I did take, little moments from our Christmas.

Dylan's favourite gift this year

Fourth baby life

We Facetimed my sister who is in France

 
I am sad it is all over and we have so many new toys to find homes for.  We also have a kitchen side stacked full of tins of posh biscuits though, so it isn't all bad!

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A Fourth First Christmas

This is my fourth time celebrating a first Christmas and the novelty has worn off a little.  I was so excited when we approached December 2011, Dylan had all the beautiful dress up onesies, I took him to playgroup parties and to see Santa and I lovingly wrapped a few gifts to put in his stocking.  Since then I have realised that Christmas just gets better the older they are, so instead of planning ways on remembering Cora's milestone, I am focusing on her big brothers, and making Christmas special for them.

Dylan and Archie are a wonderful age for it, they understand  more, they remember the excitement, they are learning the songs, watching the Christmas films and Dylan has been learning about the Christmas story at school.  They write lists to Santa, they discuss where they will hang their stockings and they want to send Christmas cards to everyone we know.

Cora meanwhile is pretty oblivious.  I am still her world, she wants milk and cuddles and she doesn't care much for toys or books just yet.  She will wake up on Christmas morning to gifts under the tree but I will be unwrapping the same presents I wrapped the night before, getting excited on her behalf and with three big brothers and all their toys, she will mostly be receiving clothes ready for her in the next size up.

Cora's first Christmas is still special though, it is still a first, it is still full of magic and joy and so I decided to dress her up and take some photos, because this is probably the only year she will sit still and I was a little excited about buying her a tutu (I bought it a size big so that she can actually wear it next year).  These photos are a 'just because' and I love them.

I bought her skirt from Florrie and Max, her vest from Le Petit Chiffon and her headband from Harper Jade

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A Little Christmas Message

This year is Finn's first Christmas and whilst that is incredibly special, Christmas with a 4 and 2 year old is even more exciting.  Finn will be clueless as to why we are all so jolly, where his stocking appeared from and what is really going on.  Dylan gets it completely now though, he knows the story of baby Jesus, he knows that Father Christmas lives in the North Pole and delivers presents to boys and girls, he knows Christmas is about friendship and giving and family as well as gifts and his excitement is contagious.

Those two big little boys of mine have been patiently counting down with their advent calenders, discussing what they hope Santa will bring, planning what they will eat and dreaming of the man in red and his reindeer.  This year they both 'get it', although at 2, I know it is only going to get more exciting for Archie.

Finn's first Christmas is so special, he will be dressed up, spoiled by family and eat at the table with his paper hat on alongside us (if he hasn't eaten it already), but it is his big brothers that will really make it what it is.

Our Christmas is all about family, and we are fitting in as much of that over the two days as we can.  My uncle is celebrating his 70th birthday on Christmas Day so there is even more to celebrate this year.  We will give modestly, love generously and eat greedily.  

To everyone who reads my online ramblings, who follows our story or who knows us in person, I wish you the merriest Christmas.  I hope your day is special whatever you choose to do, whoever you decide to spend it with.  

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A Family Christmas

Christmas is full of sparkle, lights, good food and gifts but the most important part is definitely family.  I have grown up with big family Christmas, generations all coming together, joined by board games and Quality Street and this year was no exception.

This year was Archie's first Christmas and he loved tucking into some turkey, lots of attention and crawling and cruising round the room.

Dylan really understood a lot about Christmas and was very excited that Father Christmas had come to visit.   He was loving the fact that every room had chocolate in it although he may have eaten his body weight in apples!

This year the rule was Christmas jumpers, the cheesier the better and everyone joined in.  I got a great opportunity to put my new tripod to good use.  

The boys were utterly spoilt (as were the bloke and I) and we are lucky to have so many thoughtful friends and relatives.  Uncle Oli bought them a slide and both boys had fun playing on it over the 2 days we were staying with Grandma and Grandpa.

Christmas was everything it should be, full of fun, love, chocolate and card games.  How was yours?

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Baby's First Christmas Gift Guide

A first Christmas is a magical time, a time of wonder, of lights, of gifts and of love.  The baby may not have a clue what is going on, but everyone around them enjoys it that little bit more with a tiny one around.  Archie will be 10 months on his first Christmas, old enough to join in with Christmas dinner, have a go at ripping some paper and playing with the boxes, but not old enough to care what exactly is in the boxes.

That doesn't mean to say that he won't get utterly spoilt by family, friends and of course the big guy in red.  Whilst we are putting a limit on how much we spend on him this year, I am still looking forward to buying him a few treats.

So, I have put together this gift guide for baby's first Christmas, with toys, clothes, keepsakes and cuddles.

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December 1st Advent Box

This year for us is about starting our own traditions.  Dylan will understand so much more than last year, and I can't wait to show him how magical and fun the festive time can be.  From putting up the tree and covering the house in festive red and gold to watching those classics like Miracle on 34th street and Elf.  This year we will be visiting Santa, seeing the reindeer at the zoo and making gifts for family and friends.  It will be Archie's first Christmas too and I want to make it perfect for him.

For me, December 1st marks the beginning of Christmas, and from that day on, anything is acceptable. Christmas music, films and socks, decorations and glitter.  This year on December 1st, there will be an advent Christmas Box waiting for us when we wake up.  A box to symbolise that our festive fun is just beginning.

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The contents will be what we need to put us in the mood for everything December has in stock.  We will each have a pair (or three) of festive socks and the littlest member of the house has a lovely penguin bib that I bought from Funky Giraffe when I was pregnant.

I have included a picture bauble to make with Dylan, and a First Christmas decoration for Archie that I picked up at the Baby Show.  We have some crafty bits; stickers, festive sprinkles and paper chains to keep us busy for a few days as we decorate the house.

There is a seasonal film to get us in the mood, perfect for those cold and cosy evenings and I want to add in a new story book too, but I haven't found the perfect one yet.

Alongside this box, will be the homemade advent calendar that I have been busy creating and a Playmobil advent calendar that we were sent as part of our role as Playologists.

Last but certainly not least, I want to fill the box with ideas of things to do together in the month of December.  From creating Christmas cards, finding the best Christmas lights, decorating gingerbread men to making snow angels.  I want the box to be the beginning of a month of celebration in every sense.

It is only something little, but I hope that it will be something big to my boys, the promise of magic to come, the start of an exciting month and a little cheer on what will undoubtedly be a chilly day.

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Homemade Advent Calendar

There are so many amazing ideas for homemade advent calendars around, that I couldn't resist attempting my own.  Armed with a box full of empty toilet rolls (the most useful craft tool to date I reckon), some paint and some washi tape, I set to work creating something unique for the boys.

I started off by painting all my tubes white, and then made four slits in one end, and folded them over to make a cup shape.  I secured it with white duct tape and decorated.

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