Let me start by saying that celebrating your child’s sixth month is totally worth it, all be it slightly unnecessary, and that you should definitely do it. For new moms and prior daycare workers alike, the sixth month milestone on the journey to a fully functioning one year old adult is the marker that you kind of know how to keep a baby alive and can officially start to breath -and sleep! again. Why not celebrate?
It’s not really for the “whole” family, and more for the parents and grandparents and close friends, those who are closely tied into your journey as a new parent and have a higher chance of understanding the gravity of this picture moment. That being said, how do we even celebrate baby when they likely don’t have any teeth yet? Here’s how we did it, and some things to keep in mind.
1. Go To The Beach!
P.S. This is what we did.
Picking a good day to go to the beach means a cool breeze, less people, and all the time to enjoy the sounds of silence. When done right!- The beach can be a great place to escape the regular rhythm of your life and experience what some may call a day of relaxation, something most parents are craving at this stage. The beauty about this choice is that there are usually restaurants near by for before or after, which takes the stress off of you when it comes to food. All you have to worry about is cute outfits, a fruit platter for yourself and baby, water, and the beach essentials. Here are some things I splurged on for our day.
- Beach Tent Sun Shelter – Even with umbrellas, this is a MUST have! It was so nice having somewhere sand free and completely shaded. We could sit, lay down, eat, and nurse in privacy. We still enjoyed the views and sounds of the beach.
- Fold Out Picnic Blanket – If you don’t already have one, you need one.
- Baby Sun Glasses and Baby SPF 50 Sunhat – Let’s Be Honest, this is for the pictures.
- 100 Pack Reusable Ice Cubes – Great for keeping pitchers of juice or *adult juice* cold without watering it down.
- Anything else you’d bring to the beach or for baby, a million wipes, and supplies for picnic.
The beach can be dressed up into a fancy full on event, or kept casual for parents and friends, it’s up to how much YOU feel comfortable with.
2. Keep It Intimate!
Most of the people who come to mind when thinking about invites expect a first birthday. Some may feel like they just finished celebrating your baby shower and childbirth. (Which they kind of did.) Be real with yourself and your needs post partum and make sure you aren’t stressing out or over working yourself when it comes to this event. It’s meant to be a relaxing, fun celebration. It brings you back into the outside world. It gives you the chance to look at how far you’ve come. You are half way there, and it’s worth celebrating!
Invite the people who are going to make you feel like you’re on vacation, and who are going to value you on this day instead of pushing you to the side for baby. We invited every relative we could think of, but only the intimate family rsvp’d, and we were so relieved! It went from an anxiety packed day centered around serving guests to a fun day at the beach with Baby and cute pictures of his feet in the sand.
3. Get Creative With Food!
At this point, most parents are introducing some form of solids or “Stage 2” purees to their little one. Thinking about food really means thinking about what you and baby feel like eating, and if you feel like feeding others or not. Finger foods like sandwich squares, charcuterie boards, and fruit cakes are great ways to “feed the masses” without breaking the bank at home or at venues. If you choose to celebrate at a restaurant, consider if the place is giving off the right vibes for the event and your tastes, and if you see something on the menu for baby if they’re at the point of stealing your food.
There’s no need to stress about a cake yet, at least probably not for baby.
4. No Pressure! Don’t Overthink it.
There are two types of people, Pinterest and not-interest[ed] lol. Either way, if you’re reading this and leaning towards celebrating the six month milestone, rest assured people will not be expecting chandeliers at the party/kickback. In one way or another, a person came out of you less than a year ago, and it is completely understandable to prioritize sleep, relaxation, and joy. It’s okay to still be healing. It’s okay to not want people surrounding you. It’s okay to not want to answer all the “do they [insert obvious baby action here]” questions. It’s also okay to want to do and have all of that. This is really the time to assess you’re needs. The earlier you start “planning”, the less rushed you’ll feel and more relaxed you’ll be the day of.
Again, no pressure. This isn’t one year, this is a kudos to you as parents and opportunity to enjoy the moment. Keep this in mind, and anything that stresses you out can get pushed to the first birthday. You’ll be much more well rested and mobile by then.
5. Capture- and Embrace -The Moment
Whether you do something or not, take a picture. If you eat out, go to the beach, have a picnic, or stay home and have a movie marathon with the girls/bros, you’re going to want something to look back on one day. These moments can be fleeting, but a picture will make them last forever.
