NAIVE NEWBIE: what the HELL am i supposed to do with a baby ALL. DAY. LONG?

a CHECK LIST for the #NaiveNewbie

_ movie time

_ zoo field trip

_ park field trip

_ nap time

_ arts & crafts

_ dance party

_ sing-a-long

_ library field trip

_ run errands

_ go for a walk

_ go shopping

_ go for a drive

_ go field tripping in your own backyard

_ tummy time

_ story time

_ walker time

_ exersaucer time

_JOIN A GROUP ON meetup.com

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(print above and hang somewhere should you find yourself in a "what the hell am i supposed to do with baby now???" bind)

checklist explained...

_ go for a walk

a no brainer, dear naive newbie, however, don't limit your walks to baby in stroller. baby in sling/ergo/snugli etc. is also so very good. L prefers it often times. and baby wearing whenever you can manage it is so beneficial to your wee one. (read more about baby wearing here.)

_ go shopping

i get the most giggles, smiles and babble when i roll L around in a shopping cart. he stares up at the ceilings of stores in awe, as they often have things hanging from them. he giggles hard when i push and pull him toward me over and over. he smiles when strangers say "hi there!" he focuses on me when i put objects before him to look at and touch. this applies to the grocery store, to target, tj maxx, etc.

_ go for a drive

this most definitely involves music and singing. baby music or your favorite tunes, your call. sing loud, sing hard, encourage baby to sing too. benefit from the motion of the car and its ability to lull most babies to zzz. side note: L has a love hate relationship with our car. so, this might not work for everyone, every time. but, when he was a teeny tiny newborn and i was going NUTS stuck in the house all day, a drive to my nearby starbucks w/ drive-thru each morning likely saved my life.

_ go field tripping in your own backyard

i could kick myself in the head a hundred times for not starting this sooner. granted, L was born in florida in august. so i guess i couldn't have spread the quilt in my backyard much earlier in his precious little life. anyway, do it. it's so cool. the grass provides for a soft fall when baby is learning to sit up and crawl. pre-this stage, it's also a sumptuous and comfy place for newborn baby to stare up and soak things in, maybe even sleep. it's so easy, no stroller or car seat needed. just go outside with a blanket and seek out a patch of grass.

_ tummy time

not a fave of L by any means, and yet, essential. give it time, he used to cry the moment he was placed on his tummy, now, he SLEEPS on his tummy. he also propels himself about just a bit on his tummy, reaches for toys on his tummy, listens to stories on his tummy, and so forth. i suggest a cushy area rug or large safe bed for this. plus toys and books for baby to gaze at and reach for. tummy time is fundamental for reaching bench marks. a must.

_ story time

i have been reading to L since he was like, what? three weeks old? book after book after book. chunky board books are a hit. easy to hold and lately, to chew on, whilst being read. it's so so beneficial to babies from birth. read more here.

_ walker time

this is new, something we didn't begin until L was a bit over five months old. and wow, he digs it. his face lights up bright when he realizes he's moving himself about. and able to explore his surroundings on his own and at his leisure. L's walker has some fun activities for him to entertain himself with too. i love L's walker.

_ exersaucer time

this thing looked so boring to me, and yet, he is happy happy when placed within it. he slowly spins around entertaining himself with all it's little gadgets. he's been enjoying his exersaucer since he was almost four months old. pair it to a baby einstein movie and you have a wee break from entertaining baby, use this time to make a sandwich or check email.

_ movie time

baby einstein movie and you have a wee break from entertaining baby, use this time to make a sandwich or check email.

_ zoo field trip

holy cow, was joining the zoo a brilliant idea. what a cool place to take your baby as often as you wish. all the animals in the books you read to him or her are there in the flesh! L & I love strolling our local zoo and will for years and years to come i'm certain. the cost of joining is nothing in relation to how cool it is to be able to pick up & go any time.

_ park field trip

even if baby is no where near the age to play on park equipment, go! baby can observe other kids playing, which i've found to be just as rewarding for L. also, beneficial. he gets to see the reward for reaching all the milestones ahead of him. plus, it's a great opportunity for you to meet other mommies.

_ nap time

ha ha ha. this one isn't easy. but, even if you have a wee one like mine that naps best in your arms, it's worthwhile to make it happen, twice a day if possible. if your baby lets you transfer them to beddy for a nap, lucky duck you! just know, babies are happier when they've gotten their daily zzz's.

_ arts & crafts

this one is tricky too, baby wants to put EVERYthing in his or her mouth. but, if you can make it happen, you will have bright, beautiful reminders of days you two spent together. i got L finger paints when he was not even three months old. his 1st work of art is framed above his changing table and he so loves staring at it!

we also created an ornament for christmas together that i know i will cherish for eternity. next up, we'll move to painting on canvas.

_ dance party

no matter HOW old baby is, you can do this. teeny tiny baby, just hold them tight. then, hit play on your iPod and tear. it. up. doesn't have to be kiddy music. L & I dance to beat-driven electronic and 80s new wave mostly. p.s. you will be so surprised how much of your own music mentions "baby" in it. ha ha ha. sing your fave songs out loud as you dance.

_ sing-a-long

L has always lit up when i started singing to him. rack your brain for those songs you and your mom/dad used to sing together. that's easier said than done if you're my age, right? here: here are a few. seriously, singing can even talk a baby out of melting down if you're lucky. it's great in the car too. songs with hand motions and such really delight baby! think: head and shoulders knees and toes...

_ library field trip

sooooo glad i got a library card. how cool it is to go check out baby DVDs and give them a go before buying the ones L (or I) really like. not to mention, check your local library's schedule. it's likely they have baby story/lap sit time. This is usually for babies 3 months and up. but am sure you won't get kicked out for bringing a younger baby. going to the library weekly is a fantastic habit to start with your kiddy. once L's older, we'll check out books too.

_ run errands

mundane as this is, if you talk about what you're doing the entire time you're doing it, it becomes a learning experience for baby. going to the post office, running to the grocery store, picking up dry cleaning, returning a movie, etc. etc. this world is new and exciting to your baby, even the stuff that's dull and tedious to us. such errands have become more fun now that i have L to teach everything to!

_JOIN A GROUP ON meetup.com

lastly and so vastly important. go to meet up.com and search for mommy/baby groups in your area. such groups will provide infinite ideas on things to do for you and your wee one. this is also an awesome way for YOU to meet other mommies. this adventure is HARD. you need friends, loveys.

(A huge shout out to the Palm Beach County Moms group, I'm grateful for you!)

would love love love to hear from other mommies about what THEY do with baby on a daily basis. i can always use new ideas. seriously. leave your comments below.

i so hope this post helps other naive newbies navigate the long days they have ahead with their precious tots. i know i was going absolutely crazy trying to figure out things to do with L at first.