Babies take to water like fish. They love to splash and play. There are many products on the market to make bath time enjoyable for baby. Run about an inch to two inches of water in the bathtub. Let baby watch as you fill the tub and add the bubble bath. Choose a few waterproof toys that will remain as bath time toys and throw them in the tub. Baby will squeal with excitement as the toys go floating by.

Undress your baby and put her in the tub. Wash baby as she splashes and plays. Baby won’t even notice you washing their hair. You can buy squeeze soap that baby can use to mark on the bathtub walls. Just make sure that baby doesn’t end up with a mouth full of soap on purpose.

Baby Photo Ideas:

Snap a picture of baby’s eyes lighting up as you run the water in the tub with the bubbles. Take as many photos as you can of baby playing with the toys, chewing on the toys, marking up the walls, and getting their hair shampooed.

Also, give baby a small washcloth and see if she’ll clean herself. If you’d like, toss the washcloth on her lap strategically so you can get pictures that you can frame and display.

Try giving her a piece of ice to play with.

Baby may even roll over onto their belly to get a better look at the bubbles. Take advantage and get some naked baby bottom pictures.

Watch that they don’t drink the bath water, though.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

We need an ocean background for this one. Being in the big tub is like being in the ocean to baby. All that water fascinates them. Use foam fish in bright colors to decorate the undersea world. Let some of baby’s pictures bob on the surface and some sink below the sea surrounded by the fish. You could call it, “Baby’s Bath Adventure”.

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.

You never quite know how your other children will react when you tell them you’re going to have another baby. If they’re under five like my oldest son was, they might throw a tantrum. Children that age don’t want anyone or anything new invading their home to steal the undivided attention of their mommy and daddy. I was confident that he’d love the new baby once he was home.

Older children will love the idea of a new baby. They will want to play with the baby and protect him or her.
Baby Picture Ideas:

Get all the siblings together to see the new baby when you come home from the hospital. A group picture of them surrounding the new addition is a camera worthy event. As the days pass, let each sibling have their own special time with the baby. Snap pictures of each one holding, dressing, diapering, and feeding the baby. Sneak pictures of the siblings watching baby in the crib or playing with the baby when no one else is around.

Candid shots like these will add surprises to your scrapbook. If baby’s siblings are very young, have daddy snap pictures of you teaching them how to stroke baby’s head and wiggle baby’s hands and feet. They may even want to kiss the baby.

Scrapbook Ideas:

Each sibling should have their own scrapbook page to highlight the time they have spent with the new baby. Let them have a hand in the creative process.

Show them the pictures you took and ask for suggestions about how to decorate each page. Ask questions about the baby and journal their answers onto the pages like “What will you teach the baby when he is older?” and “What’s your favorite thing about your new brother/sister?”

Make sure you include the name of each sibling on their page.

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.

Introducing the new baby to the family pet can be tricky. Take the process one day at a time. Before the baby arrives, let your pet explore the nursery to see where baby will stay. Let your pet sniff the baby when you arrive home.

Shooing your pet away from the baby will increase their anxiety over having the baby in the house. Give your pet as much attention as you can when you are around the baby to reassure your pet that your feelings for them have not changed.

Picture Ideas:

Take a photo of your pet eagerly awaiting you and baby at the door. Your pet will be curious about the swaddled bundle. Unwrap baby and sit him/her on your lap to officially introduce the new baby. When the pet puts his paws on your knees, have daddy snap a picture. Every time your pet interacts with you and the baby, take a photo.

If your pet is used to snuggling with you for a nap, the next time you put baby to sleep, roll on your back so your pet can cuddle under the other arm. Don’t forget to take a picture.

Baby Scrapbook Ideas:

Try to find scrapbook paper with an animal background. Decorating the page with foam bottles and bones or a ball of yarn is an interesting idea. This page should reflect baby and pet living together in harmony.

Title the page “Best Friends” or “Kitty meets the New Baby” or “Puppy Love”.

When you crop the pictures, use straight scissors to cut on three of the sides and the craft scissors to create jagged cuts on the fourth side. Do the same with the construction paper matting. This technique gives the appearance of chew marks on the pictures. Vary the side with the jagged cuts. How cute!

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.

My husband and I were so excited to have a healthy baby that we forgot about what came next. I didn’t realize how much a baby could scream until our son’s first night at home. It was time to call in an expert. I phoned my mom and begged her to stay for a couple of weeks.

When your baby meets his grandmother for the first time, you and grandma will likely be in tears. She’ll remember what it was like when she brought you home from the hospital. Grandma will fall in love with the little one from the start. Let your mother have her time with the new baby. She will show you the best way to feed, burp, change, and rock your baby. Listen to the advice she gives because it is meant out of love. I appreciated everything my mother did to help us adjust to our new baby.

Baby Picture Ideas:

Capture each moment with grandma. The most precious photo will be baby asleep on grandma’s chest while she herself snoozes on the couch. Having grandma to share these first moments is priceless.

Do the same for your mother-in-law when she comes to visit the little one. Catch her brushing baby’s hair and washing baby’s tender face.

Also, be sure to get three-generation pictures. One of you, your mom, and baby. One of dad, his mom and baby. Of course grandpas are welcome, too!

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

First of all, each grandmother should have her own personalized scrapbook page. The pages could be entitled “Grandma and Me”. If you could find scrapbook paper with an angel design, use it as the background. If not, angel stickers will do very well. Be sure to ask Grandma some questions and journal the answers into the book.

Grandmothers watch over their grandchildren like guardian angels. Use construction paper in each grandmother’s favorite color to frame the pictures you choose for the page. Add grandma’s name to each page and the dates of her initial visit.

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.

Reading to baby will familiarize him with words, shapes, and colors. My favorite book for my sons was “Pat the Bunny”. Baby can actually feel bunny’s fuzzy body, ears, and tail. Books like this keep baby’s attention while you read. Picture books are also good “first” books for baby.

My oldest son had a book made of cloth when he was a baby. There were numbers, letters, shapes, and animals in it. If he ever spit up on it all I had to do was toss it in the washing machine. My children loved when I read to them. Story time will provide many shared moments that you and baby will cherish for years to come.

Baby Picture Ideas:

Take pictures of baby being read to by mommy, daddy, grandma, siblings, and whoever else will volunteer. Photograph baby turning the pages or even chewing on the book. They like to help you with the book. I have pictures of my baby son sleeping in the middle of his cloth book and sleeping with the book on top of him.

I laugh at those pictures because it looks like he read so much that he fell asleep! Take photos of baby’s favorite books so one day you can show them what books started them on the road to reading.

You can also do “smart baby” pictures and let him wear a pair of glasses while looking at a book. Get lots of pictures of your little Einstein.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

You could choose a night sky background with a lot of stars. When you know how to read, the sky’s the limit. Create an arch out of the book pictures near the top of the scrapbook page and another arch of pictures at the bottom featuring baby and family reading books. In the center, paste a foam rocket bearing baby’s name reaching for the sky.

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.