Between birth and two years old, your baby will develop at an extraordinary rate, and each milestone will be a new source of wonder for you. Discover with us the major stages of their development and how to communicate with them to help stimulate their learning.
Advent season
At the beginning of December, Christmas is already in the air… And with a baby, the holidays undoubtedly take on a new dimension, especially if it is your first child.
From this first year, you can start introducing your little one to the traditions that make this period unique: advent calendar, candles, nativity scene, Christmas tree, home decoration, small spiced biscuits, Christmas stories and carols… These rituals take on a new meaning when you perpetuate them to pass them on to your child, who will undoubtedly reproduce them in turn when he grows up.
To gently awaken him to the magic of the holidays, involve him as much as possible in all your preparations: lights, colours, scents… For your child, Christmas will be a wonder for all the senses!
The Christmas tree and its thousand lights
As for the Christmas tree, it's best not to bring out your most beautiful, delicate glass baubles this year, especially if your little adventurer is starting to crawl...
Opt for sturdy decorations that you can show your child before hanging them up high, to prevent them from being torn down immediately. Also essential are twinkling fairy lights that will delight even the youngest babies, who will likely have eyes only for them!
Every day until Christmas, take a moment to let your baby admire the Christmas tree and its lights, nestled snugly in your arms. A word of caution, though: don't let your little one crawl around unsupervised near your beautiful tree and its electric garlands…
Gifts: less is more!
THE Gifts for a baby of just a few months old can be a real headache… He has probably already received many for his birth and he does not yet have great needs, but the whole family probably wants to spoil him anyway.
If you have a surplus of toys for toddlers, consider giving them to him (or having him given them to you). toys for someone a little older than him, which he'll use in a few months. The same goes for clothes: ask Santa for some nice outfits for the following season. Another clever idea: instead of toys, ask for useful everyday items, like a blender/steamer, a high chair, a playpen…
Also, keep in mind that young children are quickly overwhelmed by opening presents: beyond two or three shiny packages that catch their eye, they'll struggle to engage with this moment so eagerly awaited by older children, and they might even be frightened by the general excitement. So don't be disappointed if your baby doesn't seem particularly interested in their gifts: they'll discover them gradually and calmly over the weeks following the holiday.
A first New Year's Eve to immortalize
On Christmas Eve, don't hesitate to give your baby a good nap in the afternoon so they can stay up a little later than usual – without disrupting their routine too much. It's also best to feed them dinner before the guests arrive: in the festive atmosphere, they might have trouble concentrating on their feeding, bottle, or purée! This will also allow them to be more receptive to enjoying the festivities afterward.
Even if your baby isn't fully aware of the holiday yet, they are very perceptive of the emotions of those around them: the joy of the adults, the excitement of the children, the wonder of everyone… This first Christmas Eve will thus leave its mark on their emotional memory. However, don't get your hopes up: your child won't retain any conscious memories of their first Christmas.
But for you and the whole family, this moment will remain a precious memory, and when your little one is a bit (or a lot!) older, they'll love looking back at the pictures. So, get your cameras ready! To make sure everyone is included in the photos, pass the cameras around and ask everyone to take a few pictures during the evening: this way you'll have enough to create a beautiful photo album of this magical day.
