Your little baby - they grow up fast & you are busily clicking the camera, snapping every moment. So now you have a mountain of photos (or lots of files on your computer), so which ones do you include in your album?
Here are some ideas to try & narrow the field a bit:
Baby’s First Bath
As soon as the "belly button" falls off, it's time for the first real bath. In addition to taking pictures of your baby in the cute, little bathtub, be sure to take one of him/her all swaddled in the hooded towel after the bath is over. And in your journaling you can write about how old your baby was and his/her reaction to the bath.
Baby’s First Trip
Whether it's a day trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house, a weekend getaway or even a full blown vacation, baby’s first trip is a significant milestone to preserve. Regardless of where you go on this first trip, your baby will encounter many new new sights, sounds, smells, people, etc. Journal about how your baby reacts to these new and different surroundings.
Baby’s First Solid Food
The first time your baby tries solid food is a fun event to capture in photos. The facial expressions are priceless. Things to journal about include what the food was, how much your baby ate and your baby's reaction. When your baby is older, take some pictures of him/her feeding himself/herself pasta with tomato sauce. A messy tomato sauce face is quite a sight!
Baby’s First Tooth
Although a toothless grin is absolutely adorable, it is exciting to see that first pearly white poking through. Once it’s visible enough to be seen in photos, take some great close-up shots for your scrapbook album. Note in your journaling the date the tooth first poked through and the date the photos were taken.
Baby’s First Step
While it’s often difficult to capture your baby’s very first step on camera, you’ll certainly get lots of photos of those very early steps. Try putting them in sequential order – from letting go of the furniture to taking those wobbling steps to landing on a diapered bottom – to show your baby’s progress across the floor.
Baby’s First Easter
Depending on how old your baby is for his/her first Easter, here are some ideas for what to include in your scrapbook album: dyeing Easter eggs, visiting the Easter Bunny, going on an egg hunt, opening his/her Easter basket, finding eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny, and preparing/eating Easter dinner.
Baby’s First Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
The first Mother's Day/Father's Day with your baby is, of course, very special. And you'll certainly take lots of photos of Mommy/Daddy with Baby. In addition to journaling about how you spent the day, it's interesting to journal about what you were doing and feeling on the previous Mother's Day/Father's Day. Maybe you were pregnant and received gifts from your baby-to-be. Maybe you didn't have any idea that you would be a parent in a year. Either way, it's fun to reminisce about what a difference a year makes.
Baby’s First Halloween
Depending on how old your baby is for his/her first Halloween, you may or may not put them in a costume. If they're in a costume then of course you'll take lots of pictures of them all dressed-up. If they're very young, putting them next to a very large pumpkin makes for an adorable photo. Remember to include pictures of your pumpkin picking trip, too.
Baby’s First Thanksgiving
On our Thanksgiving pages we often journal about what we're thankful for. Of course, as new Moms we're most thankful for our new babies. Journal about the "little things" you're thankful for – how your baby tightly holds your pinky when you feed him/her, the way your baby smells after a bath, the sound of your baby's giggle when you make funny faces, the peaceful feeling of rocking your baby to sleep, etc. – to make these pages extra special.
Baby’s First Christmas
There are so many memories you'll want to capture in your photos - getting the tree, trimming the tree, Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, favorite gifts and more. I've written another article called “Scrapbooking Your Christmas Memories” that has lots of suggestions for things to include in your scrapbook album.
Baby’s First Snow
If you live in a cold weather climate, your baby's first encounter with snow makes a fun page for the album. Even if your baby isn’t old enough to play in the snow, you can bundle him/her up and go outside so he/she can see the snow and feel it on his/her face. Some things to journal about on this page are the date of the snowstorm, your baby's age, what you did outside (e.g., pulled your baby in a sled, built a snowman), and your baby's reaction to the snow.
Other Photos
Undoubtedly, you have lots of baby pictures that aren't part of a specific event, holiday, milestone, etc. It can be hard to come up with ideas for how to categorize them. Here are some page/title ideas to use for your "every day" photos: Month (e.g., March, August Days), seasons (e.g., Spring Time, Winter Days), Sweet Girl/Boy, Play Time, Having Fun, Silly Sisters/Siblings, Peek-a-Boo, Cute as a Button, Busy as a Bee, Laughing and Smiling, Say "Cheese", Mommy's Little Girl/Boy, Daddy's Little Girl/Boy, Apple of Mommy’s/Daddy's Eye, Memorable Moments, Friends and Fun, "Look at Me!", Miles of Smiles, Precious Moments, and Movie Star (photos wearing different pairs of sunglasses). Also, if you have a nickname for your baby, that can make a cute page title.
Baby’s First Birthday
In addition to the standard pictures – singing Happy Birthday, blowing out the candles, eating the cake, opening the gifts, posing with party guests – take a picture of your baby right after he/she wakes up in the morning on his/her birthday and another one right before going to bed that night. That way you can put just these two pictures on a separate page and focus your journaling on how your baby spent his/her first birthday, from waking until bedtime.
The Perfect Ending
If you still have your baby’s hospital hat (you know, the adorable little hats babies wear right after they’re born), put it on your baby’s head and grab your camera. Although it will look pretty funny stretched out over the head of a one-year old, it makes quite a poignant picture. Put just this photo on the last page of your baby’s first year album, and you’ll have lots of room for journaling about the amazing year that has passed since you welcomed your baby into your life.
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