Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love so I don’t think it has to be limited to celebrating as a couple. While the holiday is a nice excuse to give your love some extra care and attention, it is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the love you have for your friends and your family as a whole. Before Edwin and I had Rowan, we were used to celebrating Valentine’s Day as a couple but things certainly changed last Valentine’s Day since it was our first one with a baby in tow. Rowan’s arrival onto the scene didn’t make Valentine’s Day any less special. It was quite the opposite actually!
For our first Valentine’s Day with him in our world, my parents were kind enough to watch him for a few hours during the day so Edwin and I could sneak off for a lunch date at our Charleston favorite, Chez Nous. I think we actually appreciated that lunch date and chance to celebrate Valentine’s Day together so much more than in previous years because it was a treat to have the few hours break from parenting. We then got to spend the rest of the day loving on our littlest love, Mr. Rowan, and enjoying the day as a family. It was a love-filled day all around! It is definitely possible to celebrate a romantic and memorable Valentine’s Day even with a new baby.
Valentine’s Day With A New Baby
Below, I’ve got a few tips for you on spending Valentine’s Day with a new baby + a handful of Valentine’s finds for babies. Next week, I’ll be sharing a Valentine’s Day gift guide of sorts for celebrating the holiday with your littles that will include more finds for children as opposed to babies. It will include everything from adorable jammies to heart shaped waffle makers to Valentine card ideas. I hope this post helps you get in the mood to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year! If this post applies to you, then just remember you might not be celebrating Valentine’s Day the way you used to but that’s okay. You’re in a new, beautiful season of life and have so much extra to love this year with your new baby!
My Heart Pajamas (they also come in kids) / Rowan’s Valentine’s PJs (old, this year’s version here) / My Heart Nightshirt
Planning Ahead
If you are a mom to a new baby, then you might be reading this post and thinking “Valentine’s Day is in a month. I can’t possibly think that far ahead right now!” I know I felt that way last year. This year, I definitely have my footing more as a mother so I will be taking my own advice and planning ahead. Planning ahead is one simple tip that can make all the difference with your Valentine’s Day plans coming through. It is a popular day to need a babysitter so plan ahead and book your sitter now for that Monday night or for the Saturday night before to celebrate a little early on the weekend.
The main goal with planning ahead is to tee yourself up to be able to take a mini pause from the hectic nature of parenting for a stolen romantic hour or two away from your baby. If you aren’t booking a night out, then still plan ahead to get your ducks in a row if you want to do anything extra to mark the day. It can be a superfluous holiday but, when it rolls around, it might bring you joy to pause and celebrate it in the midst of having a new baby.
Involve the Baby
So, you’re celebrating a baby Valentine’s Day. Why not involve your little baby bundle of love in your celebrations? Plan a cute family day date out with a trip to the park or the beach or somewhere that feels special and beautiful to you. Spend Valentine’s Day collecting precious memories with your spouse and baby who fill your heart up on this day and everyday.
Write Love Letters
Life is so hectic. It can be really meaningful to sit down, reflect, and take pen to paper to write down a few words to your husband. No doubt, your relationship has changed and evolved since having a baby and you’ve needed each other in more and in new ways than you ever have before. That doesn’t mean the romance has to die. Words of love, support, and admiration will never go without being appreciated.
In lieu of gifts or a big hoo-ha, take a few quiet moments to gather and write down your thoughts about what your spouse means to you. Be sure to date your love letter too! Have you ever come across a love note from older generations in your family? They can become such special little pieces of family history (especially when they are dated and you can imagine the exact time and place). I have a cherished file of love notes Edwin has written to me over the years. Valentines Day is a perfect time to give out some words of affirmation to the one you’ve chosen to spend your life with and build a family with!
Give the Gift of Time
If you have a new baby for Valentine’s Day this year, maybe the most romantic thing you can do is give the gift of time to your spouse (or request it from your spouse for yourself). The gift of time can be a few hours “off” of parenting, or an hour or two to pamper or take a leisurely shower, or to sleep in. When you become a parent, your time is no longer your own so the gift of time is a huge gesture!
Practice Small Acts of Kindness
Obviously kindness is a key component of marriage but, on Valentine’s Day, go out of your way to practice an additional small act of kindness. Trust me, as the mom of a 15-month-old, these little gestures go so far! Take care of some easy tasks that you take for granted that your spouse does to make their lives a little easier. Do a chore like folding the laundry, vacuuming, taking the trash out, getting the car washed, walking the dog, or unloading the dishwasher. Do it quietly, without bragging, and I promise your spouse will notice and be so grateful of the small but kind gesture.
Recreate Your Favorite Restaurant Experience at Home
If going out isn’t in the cards for you this year with your new baby, then try recreating your favorite restaurant experience at home. If you have a favorite restaurant that is well known or have a memorable meal in mind you both love from somewhere special, then you can probably Google the recipe (or a food blogger’s take on recreating it themselves) and make it at home. You can even set a beautiful table with your wedding china and a bottle of wine to make the night feel romantic. Depending on the age of your baby, you can set the baby up by the table in his or her bassinet. Sounds like a special way to spend Valentine’s Day with a new baby!
Valentine’s Finds for Babies
