Instead of buying a baby book for my soon to be son/daughter, I've decided to make my own. My best friend, who is very artistic and talented, is designing the cover and back. I still haven't decided what sort of material to use for the cover and back. I don't want it to look cheap, or poorly done. If any one has any suggestions for the material, that would be great!
Anyways, this is what I have so far to be included in the baby book. If there is anything you think should be added, please let me know!
Name Of Baby
About The Pregnancy (What should be included in this section other than complications that arose, expected due date, expected gender, how far along I was when I found out I was pregnant, how I told dad that I was pregnant, and how I told family and friends that I was pregnant?)
Memorable Prenatal Doctors Appointments
Pictures Of Baby Bump
Ultrasound Pictures
Baby Shower
Wishes And Messages For Baby
Baby's Family Tree
Godparents
About Mom And Dad
Birthing Experience
Birth Date And Time
Birth Stats (This would include weight, height, eye color, hair color, and birthmarks.)
Footprints
Fingerprints
First Thoughts About Baby
Picture Of Baby
Firsts (Please help me come up with a good list of firsts to include.)
Birthdays (This would include years 1 through 18. Each year would include a picture, current height, favorites, least favorites, mishaps during the past year, serious illnesses during the past year, and funny moments during the past year. I also need help coming up with a good list of favorites to include.)
School Years (This would include pre-k through 12th grade. Each grade would include teachers, what grade he/she got in each class, favorite subject, least favorite subjects, favorite teacher, least favorite teacher, friends, and school pictures.)
Thanks so much for the help! :)
It would be great to include "favorites" for each year of life to see how they change as they grow. Such as "favorite ice cream; favorite color; favorite sport", etc.
How fun! I might also include news headlines; prices of certain things like a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, a gallon of gas, a candy bar, coffee, things like that; #1 song/book/movie of the year. I'm sure you will come up with other things like that. My mom kept a journal most of her life. She has notes in it all throughout the years of the prices of things (how much they paid in rent). It is so neat to read now. Have fun! I made a baby book for a friend once. I had a separate page for each month of the first year so they could add a picture, or event from that month. It was so fun to do! Enjoy!!
Go to an art supply store and buy some gorgeous decorative paper for the cover. Include some pages with pockets so that you can stick hair, hospital bracelet, special cards in it. Include lots of blank pages that you can add photos to.
Hi V.,
I keep a "kids journal" with things my charges, I was a Nanny for many years, have said. Funny little comments or actions that are memoriable.
When my charges and I get together for visits, they often ask to hear those stories again. They love it!
Additionally, a family I was a Nanny for MANY years ago sends out a yearly Christmas letter, with fun kidism's, and it's just fun to hear what they have to say as the years past.
This is a tradition I'll continue with my children.
R. Magby
My daughter's baby book included two envelopes taped into the pages where both her father and I included a letter to our newborn. It was a nice part that I really like - that we captured our feelings for her and our advice and everything else that we thought we wanted our baby to know when she was still tiny. :)
For the pregnancy portion be sure to include a spot for cravings and a spot for the names you considered ( My kids LOVE hearing what they were almost named)
I included the favorite lullabyes I sang for each child, I didn't use the same ones ( I have 3 children)
Sounds like you have thought it through quite a bit, what a sweet present!
I kept a list of all the funny or cute things they used to do. It brings back things I have forgotten now that they are teenagers and it is a wonderful and warm memory time. Plus, the kids get a kick out of hearing these. I also agree with keeping a list of possible names - my boys like that too. I wrote down things people said when they first saw each baby, and we all like to reread things nana or grandpa or others said when they first saw the baby. Another thing I did was seal a $20 bill in an envelope with a list of some things that could be bought for that when they were born, so that when the baby books are turned over to them many years from now they can see what $20 will buy then.
Wow this is a huge endeaver. Sounds like it is going to be pretty cool. for the firsts put in the tooth, first rolled over, walked, talked, lost tooth, started school. maybe a pocket type divider in it for things like the newspaper headlines on his birthday each year. My only suggestion as far as the before baby stuff is that you not include all the pregnancy stuff This is a book about baby not about your pregnancy. Thats just my thoughts but later when you give this book to your son he might think its a little weird to have that stuff in it. I do think ultrasound photo's etc. Good luck. sounds like it is going to be a really cool book.
The ones my children and my husband and I have places for college and marriage and of course a family tree. If I remember right they also go into the golden years, so really all through the life from birth to death. The only thing is most aren't filled out past age 5 or so. I kept journals on my kids and now my grandkids and that is really nice to go back and read the funny things they did so if you include that, it is something that will keep you working on it.
Other possible/considered names for baby, cravings, prices of gas, houses, cars in the birth year, president, popular songs, movies, celebrities, athletes, headlines, and a place for the cute things they say when they start talking. Address of house you lived in at the time too. And how mom and dad met, baby's favorite toys, songs, etc. First holidays, holiday traditions, first vacation. Sounds fun!
Wow! Kudos to you. My best intentions with keeping a baby book never came to fruition once the baby actually arrived... Sounds like you have most everything covered! Good luck!
In one of my baby books I had a list of what the pices of things at the time were when she was born (eg: loaf of bread, gallon milk/gas, candy bar, etc).
For firsts you would want to do: rolling over, sitting up, first foods, crawling, scootin, staning up, walking, first tooth and loss of tooth, first hair cut, first word, sleeping through the night, etc.
You might want to put who visited at the hospital.
