Having a special first New Year's Eve with a baby

     We all love to celebrate New Year with good company, but let's face it: New Year's Eve with a baby is not going to be as every previous year. Things are going to be a little bit different. However, just because you have a baby doesn't mean you can't enjoy your time on NYE. So what can you do, then, if you want to bid the old year goodbye and prepare for the new one? And how can you possibly enjoy your time with an infant? 
     Well, there are a few things that you can do to spice up your day, but just know that you're not going to be doing things in the usual routine kind of way. Keep in mind that you might need to prepare in advance for a few things, as your baby is not likely going to last until midnight, that's for one. Secondly, nobody said your celebrations should start late in the evening. Why not start your festivities early on during the day? And who said babies can't be fun? They're just fun in a different way. 
     For some reason, I actually enjoy babies, and I feel that this year is going to be particularly special. I know babies don't understand the meaning of holidays, celebrations, and events, but you can put them in the mood for all of this. After pondering about it, eagerly wanting to make this NYE special for the baby (being his first) and us, here's what I came up with:

1- Dress up. Although for the baby it's going to be just a regular day, it would be nice and pretty exciting to dress him up and snap some memorable photos. Show him that you're excited, and he will sense that and immediately get in the mood for fun.

2- Snap a family photo. Choose a good moment during the day when you're all having a good laugh and snap a family picture to mark the end of the year. It doesn't have to be in the evening. Just choose a time when everyone seems to be in a good mood.

3- Make some special NYE decorations at home. This will brighten anyone's mood, and will amuse babies and children. 

4- Make a time capsule. In a special box or container, place the baby's favorite objects of the year, or a note you would like your baby to read on New Year's 10 years later, or anything baby-related that was memorable and precious. 

5- Go out early. You don't have to start celebrating late in the evening when the baby's all tired and it's almost near his or her bedtime. Just leave the house in the morning or afternoon, and do something special with the baby. Have a walk, or finish your New Year's gift shopping or errands. Just enjoy your time. 

6- Throw confetti. Everyone loves those, particularly babies. It would amuse and excite them to see bright, golden or colorful confetti being blown in the air, along with balloons. It would set the mood for the end of year celebrations, no matter how small you would want your festivities to be. 

7- Have a family brunch on New Year's day. With a baby, you can expect to be up earlier than usual, but don't fret. Use this to your advantage to start the year in an exceptional kind of way, by having a memorable first New Year morning with the baby. 

Those of you with young kids or babies, how are you going to spend NYE? What will your plans be?