The other day I was going through some files on my computer and happened upon some videos of my baby. (He’s eight now, so I guess baby is not quite the right word, but I digress.) Anyway, I opened up a video where he is about one month old, laying on his back and cooing, while kicking his legs. So sweet!
I called him over to watch with me. It was such a sweet moment, as he thoroughly enjoyed watching himself as a tiny baby. I realized it’s been a while since we pulled out our videos and photos; and I started thinking about how I REALLY need to organize all the little “memories” that I’ve been keeping. Why didn’t I do a better job of that when he was little and reaching all of his baby milestones? Oh yes, now I remember. I had an infant!
So, it got me thinking about ways to make recording the milestones of pregnancy and babyhood easier. Here are some of the fun ideas that other moms have tried.
Make a Month-by-Month Chalkboard. – This is a monthly task that with some planning up front, should only take a few minutes every month. Think about some things that you’ll want to remember, like baby’s weight, height, number of teeth, new words, favorite activities, favorite foods, etc. Write in a spot for each item on the chalkboard, leaving space to fill in the answers. Don’t forget to leave a spot for baby’s name and the date. Once baby is born, fill in the answers to each item at the one month mark, two months, etc. Then just snap a cute photo of baby sitting by the chalkboard. After you have a photo for each month leading up to his first birthday, you can put them all together in a cute little book. It might be fun to do on each birthday for the first few years, too. And, you could also do this during pregnancy. Record the week or month, along with cravings, symptoms, etc. Take a photo of your growing bump in your favorite dress and a pair it with a different pair of Preggers Maternity Tights or Leggings to mark the months as they go by.
Courtesy of The Everyday Momma
Courtesy of EllisonMade on Etsy
Use a Unique Hashtag to Tag all Pregnancy Photos and Baby Pics Online. – Use a cute nickname your little munchkin, or something else that distinguishes her. Be careful with your selection. Make sure it only spells or means one thing!
Set Up Baby’s Own Email Account. – You can start this one early in pregnancy, after the baby’s born, or whenever it strikes you. Send emails daily, weekly or monthly about how you’re feeling during pregnancy, how much baby weighs at three months old and what he’s getting into at 10 months. Attach photos of baby growing up. (Might be a good place for your chalkboard photos.) This “diary” of your child’s life as his mother could continue for as long as you like – first day of school, tenth birthday party, new driver’s license, leaving for college, etc.
Memory Box. – Decorate a box for your baby. Place it by your changing station and use it to store your favorite keepsakes of baby as she grows out of them. Examples of things to keep: baby’s going home outfit or baptismal gown, baby’s favorite toy during a certain stage, a well-worn book that you will probably know by heart by the time it makes its way into the box. The Memory Box is part of the nursery, so it’s always in arms reach and you won’t forget to deposit a few items when you think about it.
Use a Tracking Website or Mobile App. – Website’s such as Countdown My Pregnancy will allow you to create an account and personalize the details of your pregnancy. You can record all the important milestones of your pregnancy, post bump and sonogram photos, and ask questions to other mommas like you.
Are You Preggers? 
