baby book

One of my favorite things that I have done for my boys is their baby books. I know it's a running joke among most parents that they kept up with it for their first child and each subsequent kid got less and less when it came to the baby book. I'm a little proud that I have managed to keep up with Gideon and Nolan's, at least for the first year of their lives. And now I get to start on Lincoln's.

I'm so sentimental when it comes to physical things. I remember grabbing everything out of the hospital room before we took Gideon home because it all felt so special. Every bracelet we wore, his hat, blanket, bassinet name tag. I took it all. And I glued those suckers in his baby book. I love having it to look back on now.

I had this baby book on our registry for Lincoln and a sweet friend gifted it to us.  The fabric cover and beautifully done pages are incredible.  I love filling it out with stories of pregnancy and birth and I know I will be so grateful to have it in the future.

One of my favorite things in each of their baby books is their birth announcement. Gone are the days of announcing a baby in the newspaper, which is really sad for this Journalism major. But, we have such a fun alternative in printed birth announcements to mail out to family and friends. Tiny Prints has beautiful ones specific for gender or neutral. If you haven't figured out that I love paper goods then you haven't been reading my blog for very long. I love how sturdy these are and am glad I will have them forever tucked away in these books.

I've heard people say that they don't think their kids will care about the baby book when they are older, but I have always viewed the baby book as something for myself.  Yes, I think they will enjoy looking at them down the road, but in all honesty I think I will be the one who keeps them and pulls them out to ugly cry amidst the prom dates and college packing.  Do your future self a favor and write just a few things down that you don't want to forget about these stages.  Print a birth announcement to look back at and save the little treasures that you never want to lose.  It is so worth it.

Here are some things that make it easier:
+ I do monthly photos and keep them organized on Instagram with a hashtag.  Then around their first birthday I use a site like this to print them out and put into their book.  It makes it easier to do all at once.
+ Washi tape is your friend.  It makes it quick and easy {and un-messy} to put things into the book and brings another fun aspect to the pages.
+ Write little things down throughout the month or keep a running note in your phone of "firsts" like smiles, clapping, steps and the dates they happened so that you can go back later to fill in the baby book.  You probably have your phone more accessible.


*birth announcements were provided by TinyPrints