Baby First Cold

Everyone dreads the cold season. It can be especially hard when you have a baby with a cold.
Babies are too young for most medicine and so I will introduce you to some tips that may help a
little. These tips are not to make up for a trip to the doctor when needed:
Use a soft cloth for a runny nose instead of tissues. It is gentler on baby's nose and saves
money. Be sure to offer a drink often to help replace lost fluids.
Use a humidifier to moisten the air. Don't keep the bedroom too warm. For fast relief from
stuffiness, run a hot shower or bath with the door closed until the whole room is steamy. Turn the
water off and sit with the baby on your lap, or walk around the bathroom for a few minutes while
the baby breathes in the steam.
Babies can't have medicated rubs (like Vicks) applied to their sensitive skin until they are much
older. I have a trick I like to do with Vicks as it is effective in loosening stuffiness and helping
coughs. I take a bit of Vicks and rub it onto a cloth or washcloth. I place the cloth inside the baby's
shirt with the Vicks side facing outward toward the shirt. Make sure that the baby doesn't get too
hot with this added to their clothing. Especially if they have a fever.
Cool a Fever Naturally. With a low fever, I have the baby wearing his t-shirt and diaper and a
blanket that can be removed quickly when his fever rises. I like to use a wet washcloth on his
forehead to help with bringing his fever down.
A high fever that does not come down could be the sign of a secondary infection and may require
medication. Babies who have experienced febrile convulsions should be monitored closely; in this
case your pediatrician may instruct you to administer fever reducing medication. Never give
medication to a young infant without explicit instructions from your pediatrician.
Congestion can be a problem when the baby is sleeping. Elevate the mattress by placing a
folded blanket underneath. I find myself holding the baby alot and usually cuddling up so it is easy
to check on him all through the night.
Everything else comes second to this little baby who needs you so much right now. Before you
know it, all will be well again and you and baby will be able to get back to your normal routine.
Wendy Shepherd is married to Michael and stay-at-home mother of three vibrant, young children
who she homeschools. She is the founder and owner of TipzTime.com & ComputerMommy.com
with ComputerChildren.com & ChartJungle.com (due to open this year).

baby first birthday

First Birthday Ideas

Tweety Bird 1st Birthday Party:
Invitations: Wood cut-outs of Tweety made into magnets, double as souvenirs. Paste party information on the back.

Fall 1st Birthday:
Purchase Anne Geddes plain note cards (the one with the pumpkin - may be difficult to find). Print on paper for inside (I understand these are hard to find)
"Our Little Pun'kin is turning ONE!"
Cake: Pumpkin cake made in a bundt pan.

Frosted orange and decorated with autumn foliage (artificial) in the center. Mini bundt cakes for children with tootsie roll for stem. Serve with pecan praline ice cream.
Activity: Go to the pumpkin patch and choose your pumpkins. Have a pumpkin carving contest.

Baby's Year in Review
Invitations:
Can be printed to look like newspaper headlines.
" ______ Just Turned One"

OR

Made by printing it on acid-free scrapbook paper
Print on them a little story of his/her past year

angel blessed our lives.
We named her Mary Madeline
In the past year she has learned so much,
how to drink from a cup, feed herself, crawl, almost walk
talk, laugh, and love.
Now she is calling on all her favorite friends and family
to help celebrate a wonderful past year and a big kick off
for the next.
Your presence is requested at the very first birthday
party for Maddie.
Where:
When:

Decorations:
Balloons, streamers, baby books, photo albums and photos of the birthday child. For a special reminder of the day, make an album celebrating baby's 1st year. The front could be set up like a news magazine. Include newspaper items from the day he was born.

Cake and Food:
Typical finger foods with a cake with a huge one on it.
Gift for guests: Make paper roll thanks you's, tied with a ribbon, attach a pretty flower or favorite symbol.
Tie up Hershey's Hugs and Kisses in tulle with a ribbon. Attach a hand made tag (business card size on the computer) that says "hugs and kisses from name of child to you" "Thanks for coming to my 1st Birthday" and the date.

Games:
Make up questions from the baby book or for fun. Pass out paper and pencils, let the guests answer them.
When did he sleep through the night?
What was his first words?
When did he first crawl? Walk? Sleep through the night?
Who does he look like? etc.

Time Capsule:
Have stationery, envelopes, pens and colored pencils. Everyone writes a letter to the child to be opened when they turn a predetermined age! Some of these beloved relatives may not even be around then so it will be especially precious. Let the guests know about it in advance so that if they want to, they can write their letter ahead of time and then just deposit it in the capsule.
Use a large metal can that you can tape shut (large popcorn cans work great). Put a label on it that says, "Do not open until year XXXX" and included Child's name.
Other items that will work in the capsule - Time magazine, newspaper clippings, photos and information on where you live, where parents work, what you do for fun, etc.

Who's Who?:
Have all the guests bring their own baby pictures and try to guess, 'who is who.'

"Hopes and Dreams" box
Guests take a piece of paper and write down their hopes and dreams for the child's future, whether it be to make it simply to the next birthday or dreams of becoming a professional athlete or brain surgeon. The idea is that on the next birthday, the box can either be opened, read, and have a new one started, or it can be left alone and added to. Then many years down the road it can be opened and shared when he/she is old enough to understand.