I am a Sentimental Sally. If you asked me what I cherish most outside of my family, friends, and faith, it's the memories stored up in keepsake boxes, journals, and photo albums. There is something so fascinating to me about reminiscing on how things were and how things evolved. So when it came time to start thinking about how I wanted to capture my daughter's first year, I did some digging and found so many great ideas that I wanted to share here, all in one place. She is 11 months now so ideally I would have started some of her keepsakes....11 months ago, but I'm still in the process of getting them completed. My hope is to have it done by her first birthday.
Below is a list of 10 keepsake ideas to help remember your baby's first year. I hope if you're a parent or soon-to-be parent you can use this list as a starting point for creating memories with your littles! P.S. If your child is already older than one, you can definitely still use some of these ideas and cherish whatever age your child is!
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10 Keepsake Ideas for Baby's First Year
1. A Month-to-Month Baby Photo Album
This is probably the most common option and one that can be treasured for generations to come.
2. A Baby Scrapbook
Different than an album, a scrapbook can include notes, letters, and a record of milestones. It can include small objects like hospital bracelets, first mittens, a baby announcement and first birthday invitation.
3. A Baby Journal
If you love to write, what better way to express your thoughts through a journal and captures things like: how you felt when your baby was born, a record of milestones, and important events that impacted their livelihood.
4. A Handmade Quilt or Blanket
For the makers out there, you can create a baby blanket that is given to your baby during their first year of life. You can even include fabrics or color choices that you think express your baby's personality!
5. A Home Video of Baby's First Year
You know all those snippets of videos we tend to take? It's so much more enjoyable to watch a full length video! If you can make the time to piece all those short videos together into a full-length home video, it's something you and your child can cherish for years to come.
6. A Keepsake Box for Baby's Favorite Outfits or Baby Items
My mom saved some special baby clothes and blankets from my childhood that were given to me at my baby shower. If there are special items you just can't let go of because of the memories they hold, tuck them away for when baby is old enough to decide what they want to do with them! If they're like me, they'll be glad you held onto them.
7. A Letter For Baby to Open (at a later time in their life)
Nowadays you can find this same idea for sale at stores but it's easy to create your own. These letters can be a way to express your love and encouragement. Some examples: "Open when you turn 18", "Open when you become a parent", "Open when you are sad", "Open when you are nervous".
8. A Handmade Painting on Baby's First Birthday
For those of you interested in arts and crafts, pull out the paint and something to cover your floors with so they won't get stained! My daughter loves to paint (with her hands), and one way you can save a moment from your little one's first birthday is to have them paint something. I've even seen some parents have their child paint something every year on their birthday (sounds fun if you're into that sort of thing).
9. A Voice or Video Recording of a Special Nursery Rhyme or Book
If your child gravitates to the same few books, pick one or two and record yourself (either video or voice) reading it to your child. If you choose the book route, you might even want to pick up a (clean) copy of that book to gift at a later date. If there is a song you sing to your child, you can also record this or have a video recording of you singing it to them. A little heartwarming treasure to give you all the feels later down the road.
10. A Framed Hymn Dedicated to the Baby
There are songs and hymns that can become very personal for parents with their children. For us, we sing a song often that is like a prayer over our child. We plan on getting the lyrics printed out and framed for her. While seasons change, certain songs hold memories, and this is just one of the many ways you can capture this precious time.
Regardless of if your child is one, a teenager, or even an adult, some of these sentimental gifts can be created or gifted at any age. I know for a fact there will be so many moments of my little one's life that I'll forget - like the day-to-day things that seem so routine. Therefore, by creating some of these memories along the way, I hope to treasure as much as I can for my daughter and our family to look back on for years to come.
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