It's easy to get caught up in day to day activities. Play is an important part of a baby's development. There are so many ways to incorporate play into daily life.
Sometimes when life gets busy I have to remind myself of the things that really matter. Spending quality time with my children is the most important thing there is. Other things can seem more urgent at the time but the only thing that will matter in the long run is how I took care of my family.
My baby just turned one and when he starts to get cranky I know that he is either hungry, tired, or wants some mommy time. Once I realized that was the reason he fussed it made things much easier. Every baby is different. My oldest son enjoyed playing on his own and was content to entertain himself as long as I was nearby. My baby loves attention though. He needs cuddle time frequently and isn't shy about letting anyone know what he wants. It's obvious when he needs some attention because he will crawl over and lay his head on my lap or give wonderful wet baby kisses. He loves his brother too. Often he will scoot over, holding onto the couch until he can get close enough to my 3 year old and then let go of the couch and wrap two chubby arms around his brother to give him a giant hug. I think it's adorable. His older brother hugs him quickly and then walks away, leaving the not-quite-ready-to-walk baby to fall flat on the floor.
Visit Playing with Baby for some simple ideas for interactive play with your baby.
