Getting Messy With a Baby

Okay, let's face it, babies are messy. They poop and pee - sometimes while they are sans diaper and sometimes so much that it doesn't even stay in the diaper (Poopocalypse, anyone?) They drool like there is no tomorrow, they throw up without warning (case in point below), and when they start solid food, so begins a whole new level of mess (and smell). The little ones can't help it so all you really can do is embrace these messy moments and maybe even laugh about the cute innocence that babies have, and, if you're like me, take a hundred photos of the messy moments....you never know, they may want to make a wedding slideshow one day!

When a time comes to voluntarily make a mess in baby's early months, I imagine not many parents or caregivers would want to partake in such an occasion. The time came for us this past week. We were gifted a keepsake Christmas ornament that you imprint baby's handprint and footprint on. We thought it would be fun to try but also knew it would get messy so we decided to try it out right before bath time. Making the handprint ornament was difficult as babies often like to have their fists clenched. The footprint was definitely easier. Lennon seemed interested in what was happening so we decided to take it further. What resulted was not only the imprinting of the Christmas ornament but also an impromptu painting session with Lennon. Out came the washable finger paint and dollar store canvases that I had stored for DIY projects and we let him go at the canvas with his feet. There was paint everywhere. His feet, his hands, my hands, his cardigan, the towel we had him on, and, since brave us were simultaneously giving him diaper free time, the paint ended up on his genitalia as well. It was a mess but it was nothing a little bath and laundry couldn't clean. Seeing the excitement in Lennon's face (and legs as well) made this activity definitely worth all the mess. There are lots of great ideas on Pinterest to introduce your little ones to art and spark their creativity and also many great recipes for edible paint.  I highly recommend trying an activity like this with your little ones. Just be prepared and have the bath ready! Here are some photos of the mess that ensued and little Lennon's art work (or should we call him little Leonardo?) Looking forward to being creative and allowing him to explore more of the wonderful world of the arts soon!