pictures taken by me and edited using canva
I love Christmas and I had so many expectations for my Christmas celebration but this Christmas didn't meet that expectation. I guess I expected too much or expected the same vibes I get when it Christmas forgetting that this year wasn't going to be like any other Christmas, it was my first Christmas as a mother and my baby's first Christmas celebration too.
Growing up, Christmas was made wonderful by my parents. I didn't understand the amount of work they had to do to make it as beautiful as it was..especially for us their children and I wanted that for my child too.
Now the baby is here, since November I had so many plans on how Christmas would be for us, saw amazing Santa outfits I would get for him., family photoshoots, Christmas tree decorations, and gifts under the tree. I envisioned the sweetest kind of Christmas for my small family but I didn't understand that there was so much than that to having an amazing Christmas with my baby
It can be frustrating going out and shopping with a baby but that wasn't going to stop me, so I opted to shop online for my baby's first Christmas outfit. I told myself I would wait till the 2nd week of December before I place my order for the outfit seeing how big my baby was growing every day.
I messaged all the vendors I found online with the exact outfit I wanted for my son and they kept on saying sold out, I wasn't satisfied with the other options I was given, till I finally gave in to one vendor that promised delivery before the 20th of December...
Well, it's already the 26th of December and the outfit never arrived. Luckily my sweet mother got him some Christmas items, a cap, and a glass. I had no idea what she was thinking, she still thinks it's the 1990’s when children get excited about Christmas glass.
Hehehe
But it was so thoughtful of her and it helped cheer me up and gave my baby a memorable Christmas
I was too busy getting angry with the vendor that I almost neglected what was important, maybe because scrolling through social media platform all I could see were photoshoots and Christmas outfits for babies and it was just too lovely I wish I had my outfit for my baby too.
If that wasn't enough I enjoyed cooking for Christmas with the family but I couldn't be with them in the kitchen I had to be with the baby, all hands were busy with one preparation and the other and all I could do was look. Christmas day wasn't what I expected it to be it took me a while to understand that I wasn't alone anymore I had a child and some things had to change.
at this point he was tired of our pictures☺️
Thankful for my mother and my sister who reminded me to relax, take a break and enjoy.. I dressed my baby took some outdoor pictures, watch some movies online and relaxed with my baby.
Let me share a few tips that spending Christmas for the first time with a baby taught me
Never do it for the Gram (social media)
it is normal to want the perfect holiday too after you see how luxurious others spend their Christmas with their family, getting a picture by the Christmas tree, wearing matching pajamas. We should understand that social media is not real life, we only see what they want us to see. Pictures alone are not memories, spending time with the family and the baby is as important as those pictures.
Know your limit
You do as much as your strength can take you and everyone should understand that know you have a little one. Slow down on things, don’t overdo yourself. If you can’t cook for the family, get someone to do the job or rather spend Christmas with others to avoid the stress of cooking and cleaning, if that is not an option eat out. just know your limits and do what you can, how you can.
Don’t overspend
I see people go a long way to make their baby's first Christmas a hit and they spend so much on outfits and decorations and cameras and makeup just to make a perfect memory, well it's all good if you can afford it but remember these children would not remember all these.Spend for yourself if you want to and not use the baby as an excuse.
I had to pay double just to get an outfit that I may never wear my baby😭
Use what you have to make the first Christmas memory not just for the baby but for you too.
I am happy I didn’t spend all my day feeling sad about the outfit, I had to cheer myself up and shake off the pressure and I am glad I did because Christmas ended excitingly for both me and my baby.