7 Quick Takes

Before little H was born I fielded a hailstorm of unsolicited feedback on the downsides to having a December baby including: "Just pray he doesn't arrive on Christmas. That would ruin his life," and "December babies always get the shaft, what with all of the combined Christmas and birthday gifts." Even: "Having a baby is just one more thing to add to the workload of an already stressful time."

The Wall Street Journal even published an article about how winter babies generally aren't as high-achieving as babies born in the spring and summer.

Having thought, for a time, that we'd destined our poor third child to a dismal-at-best start to life, I've now firmly changed my mind.

I'm devoting some quick takes this week to: "Seven benefits of having a winter baby"



Here goes.

Ahem...

1. All regular social and educational activities take a two- to three-week pause at the holidays, leaving lots of quiet time at home to settle into life with a new babe.

2. By the time summer rolls around, Sir H will be sitting up and staying awake long enough to really enjoy the great outdoors. (Plus he'll have an adorably chubby physique for beachwear.)

3. Nursing under the cover of a receiving blanket in January at the playground doesn't leave my poor cherub in a puddle of sweat.

4. No debating about when to send the little tyke to kindergarten, even in California, where the cutoff date for turning 5 is Dec. 1.

5. I have a good six months to recuperate before anyone expects me to be in a bathing suit.

6. Winter foods like these must-try recipes for shepherd's pie and lasagna are awesome fuel for withered, weary and maxed-out parents. (Did I mention tired in that string of adjectives? Yes, tired, too.)

7. And finally: The colder months deliver some of the sweetest newborns of the year.

Don't believe me?

Just feast your eyes on this little dab of sugar.

 

If you love quick takes as much as I do, visit these folks. They probably didn't mention anything about lactation, but they're still worth a read.

Have a great weekend all! We'll be spending it shuttling all of our earthly belongings between our current home and the new one we'll be inhabiting a couple of blocks away.

A new chapter in our little family's housing saga begins next week. Stay tuned...