[NicoleP80]

SO our adoption will be finalized on February 27th. Our son is just 4 months old, but I want to do something. I was thinking Saturday mid afternoon 1-3pm we'd do an open house of some sort where people could come with their families, meet our little one, offer congrats, etc. I know several people do this, but the people who did it went ALL OUT for their toddler and older children adopted. What should we do for an infant? Anything special?

I was thinking of serving some light foods and drinks and then what? I want something memorable for our son to remember this by besides pictures (which OF COURSE we will do/have). I was thinking something people sign or I dunno. He is obviously just a baby.

We do have two older kiddos 11 and 13 so I want them TOTALLY involved too. I want friends/family to feel welcomed to inviting their kids too. So I want/need/should do something to keep their little ones entertained I am sure?! Right?

I don't want to go OVER THE TOP but I want this to be a celebration! We have waited SO long for our son!!!

[loveajax]

Congrats, Nicole!! I love your open house idea.

One thing that I loved from my wedding is that we didn't have a traditional guest book, but had a painting of the house of seven gables (where we were married) and everyone signed/put greetings on the matting. I am wondering if you could do something like that (maybe even with a picture of your son)? Just something to remember everyone who was so excited to meet him!!

Enjoy!!!

[jp4ga]

My dd is only 7 months. We had an open house and had cake and finger foods. We framed a copy of her birth/adoption announcement and had people sign the matting. It is something she can keep for always, and know how happy everyone was to have her in the family. We had a blast.

[JustCourtney]

We did a Sip and See (I got the idea from somewhere - maybe here?)...we just just invited everyone to drop by and meet the baby, and to bring a bottle of wine. Lots of people brought gifts, too - which, I did not expect.

I did not have any kind of register, or photo or anything for people to sign, and now I wish that I would have. Maybe something designed to be put into a scrapbook or baby book?

[kittymom]

I love the idea of having the guests sign the mat around your adoption announcement or a photo of the baby. A friend of mine did that for her wedding, and the picture looked so pretty framed in their home - I imagine every time they look at it, it reminds them of all the people who love and support them in their marriage. That's got to be a good feeling.

[Steph-Jason]

Congrats on the finalization!! We've got one coming up so I know how exciting (and nerve wracking) it can be. Right when we brought DD home (about a week later) we had an open house welcome party for like 4 hours (actually ran long & lasted 6!!) - we had tons of people come over to see DD. We had a cake & light finger type food. It was kind of a shower / party thing (although I also had a shower a week later). I didn't have a picture or anything like that to sign. Now hearing the picture mat idea I like that though--maybe I'll do that for DD's bday!! We did have several pictures of her out & I had a little picture book of all the pics from the hospital for everyone to see (I already had like 100 at this time).

After we finalize DD's adoption next week we're hosting a dinner party for my parents & my sister, my inlaws & hubby's brother, as well as my grandma (our to DD- GG!!). Haven't decided what i'll serve yet... this will just be a chance for us to thank our immediate famly for all the support they've given us. This wil be more low key compared to her welcoming party. Anywho- just do whatever feels right for you!! I think some people were a bit reluctant at the welcoming party because at first they didn't know how to react & how to act about it. Once they realized it was just a big party to celebrate our beautify baby it was perfect!!! Just have fun with it - do exactly what you want because you won't be able to go back & do it again!!

[emdmom]

I have had 2 adoptions so far and I had everyone sign a mat and framed a picture of us with the judge when it was finalized. I think that next time I will get a photo album with room to write beside or under the pictures and take pictures of each person or family that comes. I will have them all find a place in the album to sign and leave good wishes. When I print the pictures I will put them by the signatures.

[jalapeno]

I bought a large canvas and a few colors of paint that went together and had all the guests put their handprints on it. Any babies that attended did footprints instead. A simple work of art to represent the many lives my kids have touched already.

Also with my daughter I took a photo of her outside the courthouse on the actual adoption day and used that on the announcement.

Congratulations!!

[bethy724]

For children attending (that can't write a message) you may want to have a stamp of their hand on matting around a photo of your son(you fill in their name) - I did this for my son's 1st b-day & love it.

Oops - just read the above post - I love the idea!

[binkybear]

Congrats!! Lots of good ideas here!

For my niece' 1st bday my sisters and I came up with the idea of everyone at the party doing their own colorful happy birthday page that we then put into a album for her.

At the party we had a little area with 3 pretty baskets and a simple sign that asked everyone to create a happy birthday page for kiddo. One basket held really nice plain white paper, one held boxes of crayola sparkly crayons and the third held the completed pages. Everyone got their own box of crayons to work with, keep and then take home. It was really fun to see people throughout the day work on their "happy birthday page". Everyone from 1-71 did a page. Some wrote colorful letters and some went all out in their artwork...it's really cool to look at now. I think it would work really well for a finalization party too!

Until they're older I'd make color copies of the pages, make a book that they can hold now and look through and if it gets messed up just make another copy.

[NicoleP80]

Thanks for the ideas! They are great!!!!! Keep them coming,.


His adoption will be on the 27th of this month and we are going to do the open house the following day on the 28th