Baby Bundles Cooed Content At Product Fair

For anyone who can’t resist going “coochie coochie coo,” Sacred Heart’s Providence Auditorium was a target-rich environment Sunday afternoon.

Because at “Baby’s First Christmas” - a party-like products/ services fair - there were lots and lots of babies. Babies in strollers. Babies in backpacks. Babies in fancy holiday outfits that should fit for about two more days. Babies burrowed deep inside puffy oversized snowsuits. And babies being carried around in blankets like little loaves.

A few cried. And once or twice, when a chain-reaction squall seemed to be building, it looked like things might get ugly. But for the most part, these members of the Class of 2012 seemed content to be lugged to the diaper-service booths, to the infant-formula stands and even up to the stage to see Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Big brothers and big sisters, most of whom seemed to be about 3, played with toys and watched videos in an organized-distraction area.

A teenage boy at a piano played Christmas songs. And now and then, someone would make an announcement: “There are changing tables in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms.”

A few parents held babies up to one another and did squeaky-voice make-believe conversations. And approximately a billion times, people slid their finger into a baby’s tiny open hand and said “What’s YOUR name?”

But being kids of the ‘90s, these babies knew better than to talk to strangers.

Outside on the icy streets, the event looked more like “Baby’s First Illegal Parking.” And even though it takes families with infants about two hours to go from turning off the car engine to actually making any real progress toward their destination, people arrived at the fair in good spirits.

“Look Amber, a big Christmas tree.”

Amber, working on a bottle, ignored her mother for what probably won’t be the last time.

The parents ranged in appearance from teenage couples aspiring to look like gang members to hint-of-gray middle-management types in expensive sweaters.

But in more than a few cases, the mothers and fathers had something in common. Their expressions.

You knew that if you asked them what they wanted for Christmas, they would just smile and glance toward their strollers.

Already got it, they’d say. Best present ever.

, DataTimes MEMO: Being There is a weekly feature that visits gatherings in the Inland Northwest.