By nature I am a very sentimental person and like having memories to look back on. When it comes to my children, I really want to make sure I am preserving their days when they are small as best as I can, as I loved looking back and hearing stories of when I was small from my parents.

I have found so many wonderful, unique, creative, and different ways to log and keep track of these fleeting days of my life and that of my children. Here are some of the documenting ideas I have found, have started, or will be starting soon as a way to keep some of these memories.

Pregnancy

I never took pictures of my bump week to week with Drake and Juliet. The next baby will likely be my last, so I am thinking it might be nice to mark those changes weekly. I like the idea of writing notes to the baby as well to catch a glimpse into what life was like when they were in womb. I also love this series where you capture how small the baby is compared to fruits.  It’s just a fun and interesting way to marvel at the miracle that is a growing life.

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Drake and Juliet were both timed babies (which luckily took), as I was trying to schedule around my job at the time. Because of that I never got to really surprise Mr. Chocolate about my pregnancies in a creative way. For the last baby since we aren’t trying for a particular month anymore, so I thought it might be fun to try to surprise him. I haven’t thought of a perfect way yet, but my stand by is always a onesie saying “Future NY Rangers Fan Coming Soon.”

New baby ideas

Since my disappointing newborn photos of Juliet, I plan on making sure I get my last baby’s newborn pictures (and failing that hiring someone else to!). I never took any really nice hospital photos before, but I have seen some incredible ones as of late so I want to try to really capture those moment.

I captured both Drake & Juliet’s first year by taking monthly photos of them with a toy giraffe I made. I will definitely be doing that with the last one, but I think I also want to take it up a notch and try for maybe daily photos, or even sibling comparison photos so that I can see not only how much baby changed, but Drake and Juliet as well.

I don’t know if I’ll have the patience to try this, but a time lapse video seems like a really neat idea, especially with 3 kids.

Baby time-lapse: Henry’s first year in a minute from Bryan Chan on Vimeo.

I found these milestone cards and think those might be really cute to use. I admit I barely remember when Drake and Juliet sat up, crawled etc. and even if I jotted it down I cant remember where. But with these cards and a photo I’ll be able to remember!

General ideas for the kids

I found this idea on Pinterest where you put balloons over your bed attached with a memory for every anniversary.  I liked the idea and stole the idea and changed it for my kids’ birthdays. Drake woke up to 4 balloons in his room this year and Juliet to one. Mr Chocolate and I both wrote little messages and placed them on the balloons and we shared them with Drake & Juliet on their birthdays. I like this tradition a lot and will continue with it yearly hopefully.


(via rowdystroudy)

I love this personalized height chart and have been begging Mr. Chocolate to make one for the kids. I think one for each would be neat or one for them all to compare.

I already took a photo of Drake this year for his first day of school (but I forgot to do the last!!!)  I hope to continue this tradition through the years as well.

(via lifewithfingerprints)

Mr. Chocolate already made emails for both Drake and Juliet as he worried that someone else would claim their name before them. We shared the address to family to send emails when they want to. Mr. Chocolate and I both email from time to time too. We hope that when Drake and Juliet are old enough to read emails, they will be delighted by all the mail they have from us and their extended family

I read on Pinterest about a girl whose father had every teacher of hers from preschool to high school sign a note for her inside a copy of Oh The Places You Will Go by Dr Seuss and gave it to her at her high school graduation. I loved that idea so started that this year with Drake’s pre school teacher. I admit I cried when I read her note. I can’t imagine how many tears will come when he graduates from high school!


(via asprinkleofthis)