Baby Book?

Aurora1181

I have a very detailed baby book that my mom made when I was born; it is the fill-in kind with info about delivery, firsts, etc. My hospital bracelet is pasted into it, as are cards from her baby shower. It is one of my most cherished possessions. I'd like to do something like that for my twins, and since they will each get their own book, I know this will be a lot of work- hence getting started on it early with what I can. But there are sooo many choices! My SIL just does a shutterfly book of pictures from each year for her son, but I'd like something I can write in without it being a full fledged scrapbook. I am not crafty. Like, at all. STM's- any personal preferences on books? One you loved? FTM's- do you already have one or have you looked at them yet?

persephonerose

We bought a baby book for DS1 but what I ended up doing so far is using OneNote from microsoft and making all of the notations of milestones, my thoughts, important events in that. Then putting all of the special cards, pictures, ect in a photo box. So that when I have more leisure time I can sit down and nicely write in the baby book and organize everything without feeling rushed to do it at each milestone. 

We picked the Ultimate baby book up at barnes and noble so that is what everything will go into when I'm ready.

erinchrisitne424

I wish I was better about it with DS1. I had the kind you just filled in and had spots to paste pictures and I still didn't keep up with it. I think that it takes a very motivated and dedicated person that is passionate about doing the book to stay up with it. Good luck finding one you really like, maybe if one of the grandparents is creative they can help you keep up with it and you can just add the notes and details.

MuffinMom14

Do you have a Hallmark near you? That's where I got mine. I can't find my same one online (it has chevron on the outside with a slot for the baby's picture), but this is the same brand:

https://www.amazon.com/Hallmark-BBA7019-Retro-Alphabet-Memory/dp/B00CYLEQ9E/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405645562&sr=1-5&keywords=5+year+memory+book+hallmark

It has what you are looking for. Lots of slots, it's a binder, so I'm adding inserts from my baby shower (people will fill out baby wishes), and little envelopes for first tooth/curl/etc.

If you just sarch for Hallmark 5 year memory book, lots come up. I'm on my tablet and copy/pasting is a pain in the ass. I can look again tomorrow for you to see if I can't find my book online. I do have a picture of it somewhere, too. It's cute.

Aurora1181

SPurp13 said:

Do you have a Hallmark near you? That's where I got mine. I can't find my same one online (it has chevron on the outside with a slot for the baby's picture), but this is the same brand:

https://www.amazon.com/Hallmark-BBA7019-Retro-Alphabet-Memory/dp/B00CYLEQ9E/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405645562&sr=1-5&keywords=5+year+memory+book+hallmark

It has what you are looking for. Lots of slots, it's a binder, so I'm adding inserts from my baby shower (people will fill out baby wishes), and little envelopes for first tooth/curl/etc.

If you just sarch for Hallmark 5 year memory book, lots come up. I'm on my tablet and copy/pasting is a pain in the ass. I can look again tomorrow for you to see if I can't find my book online. I do have a picture of it somewhere, too. It's cute.

hallmark! I should have thought of that! Thanks for the tip.. and I'd love to see a pic if you have time.

cozybluebear

I found a great one for my son on Amazon. I've been slacking on filling it in and my goal is to get it up to date before baby comes. I also keep a small plastic tote in my craft room that I put memorable items in like his going home outfit, hospital cap, bracelets, cards, etc.

MuffinMom14

Aurora1181 said:

SPurp13 said:

Do you have a Hallmark near you? That's where I got mine. I can't find my same one online (it has chevron on the outside with a slot for the baby's picture), but this is the same brand:

https://www.amazon.com/Hallmark-BBA7019-Retro-Alphabet-Memory/dp/B00CYLEQ9E/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405645562&sr=1-5&keywords=5+year+memory+book+hallmark

It has what you are looking for. Lots of slots, it's a binder, so I'm adding inserts from my baby shower (people will fill out baby wishes), and little envelopes for first tooth/curl/etc.

If you just sarch for Hallmark 5 year memory book, lots come up. I'm on my tablet and copy/pasting is a pain in the ass. I can look again tomorrow for you to see if I can't find my book online. I do have a picture of it somewhere, too. It's cute.

hallmark! I should have thought of that! Thanks for the tip.. and I'd love to see a pic if you have time.

It's on my Facebook somewhere, I'll dig around tomorrow when I'm in front of my computer and not on a tablet. 

ladybug0088

I had the same problem and finally gave in to a five year memory book at Hallmark. In debated on scrapbooking and making my own, but lets br honest...we're not going to have too much time and I didn't want to put it off.

I've been filling out a little bit of it this week and I love it! Really, go check them out in store. It's perfect for me!

cshade07

I found some really cute ones in BRU. the easy but adorable fill in ones that you are looking for. Only thing is I ordered it on amazon because it was way cheaper!

MuffinMom14

Let's see if this works. 

Aurora1181

SPurp13 said:

Let's see if this works. 

Oh that is so cute! I'm going to check out Hallmark this weekend!

ladybug0088

Aurora1181 said:

SPurp13 said:

Let's see if this works. 

Oh that is so cute! I'm going to check out Hallmark this weekend!


That's what I got too, just a different pattern on the cover!

MuffinMom14

@ladybug0088 There were tons to choose from! It was between this one and one with a little baby carriage on it, which was cute, but a little too girlie for my own tastes. But I almost did it. I just really wanted the slot for the photo. The inside pages are awesome. That's really what sold me.

The damned thing is a million dollars. But. It's what I was looking for. I wonder if I can pre-fill anything out in there. I need to make sure I actually do this shit.

kittenmitton

Try Ruby Love on Etsy. They have lots of beautiful patterns for the books and all the pages have prompts for firsts, special moments, etc. There are places for photos and you can buy extra pages for different milestones. They aren't cheap but I love the one I have for my son!

ladybug0088

SPurp13 said:

@ladybug0088 There were tons to choose from! It was between this one and one with a little baby carriage on it, which was cute, but a little too girlie for my own tastes. But I almost did it. I just really wanted the slot for the photo. The inside pages are awesome. That's really what sold me.

The damned thing is a million dollars. But. It's what I was looking for. I wonder if I can pre-fill anything out in there. I need to make sure I actually do this shit.

I got the baby carriage one! Haha I thought the colors were cute but it says our lovely lady on it and it's super cheesy. They only had 5 at my hallmark and 3 were blue so I got it. I loveeee the pages though. I've been filling out the all about daddy and mommy pages and putting our ultrasound pics in.

AmandaJean12

Has anyone used Project Life? I've been considering trying something like that. I know I won't keep up with an actual scrapbook, but I'm afraid I won't keep up with a fill-in-the-blank baby book either. At least if I do something flexible it won't LOOK like I missed a lot.

vrj0522

I recommend going into BRU and looking at their selection. They have a ton to choose from and you can look through their pages and choose the one that you like best. It seriously took me like 1/2 hour of looking through all of them before I picked one out but I love it and it's been perfect for me and everything I want to put in it. 

DaniGrace89

Got mine from hallmark for my birthday. I love it for a few reasons 1, it has optional pages if your child is adopted/ pages for two mother or two father families. 2. A lot can be filled out before baby is born. 3. It has a lot of relevant info to fill out about coat of living the year babe is born.

It was on mega clearance, so I don't know if they have it anymore.

MorganWP

For DD I just bought a little notebook and wrote in it while I was pregnant. It was more of my own little documentation of how she got here than a baby book. I also wrote her measurements in it. I havent kept up with it though. I meant to but its hard to remember to do. I saved her bracelet, hat and going home outfit and I eventually want to put it all in a box for her. 

I'd like to say I'm doing the same for DS buuuut I'm not. (Second-child syndrome probably) He will most likely have a little box with his bracelets and outfit but not a journal. 

MrsL2B

I really like the CR Gibson Jack Loose-leaf Baby Memory Book. The loose-leaf style book is important to me because you can take out pages that aren't relevant and add in ones that are. I also like the matching chest for items like hospital bracelets, locks of hair, etc.

crystal8503

I love, love, LOVE my son's baby book and will be getting this baby the same one. I purchased the toddler pages and album when he turned one. FYI, the toddler pages don't fit in the first year album even though it says it does, which is why I have two albums for him.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/74512942/baby-book-green-and-white-stripes-80?

Also, a tip for making the baby book less stressful and setting yourself up for success is to keep a calendar in a room you are in often (I chose the kitchen next to the coffee pot...lol) and write all milestones down as they occur. I sat down once a month to fill in the details and it only took about 15 minutes doing it this way. His book is beautiful, personal and totally fits my style. I seriously love it and it was well worth the cost to me.

archi35

We are going to do photo compilations with a program, and then have them professionally printed to pages for binder-like book.  That way we can add pages as we want, as he gets older.  

MuffinMom14

@ladybug0088 It was precious. I was just with my mom, and I'm trying to keep my head about all o this girl stuff, so I wanted to make it a little more modern and neutral. I also wanted that photo slot, and I kinda wondered if the little button wheels would pop of from years of pulling it off of shelves and stuff. That was my thought process. I'm still not certain I love the one I got more. I wish there was the baby carriage with a photo slot. I would have went with that, I think. I also like the retro alphabet above, but my mom said it was ugly. My mom's great.

MuffinMom14

I guess I need to go upstairs and actually open this book if there are things I could have been filling out right now. Damn.

ladybug0088

@SPurp13 LOL You can definitely work a little on it right now. There is a spot for your shower invitation and a place to document the gifts the baby was given, etc. I've really enjoyed filling out what I can so far. 

I thought about doing a photo book and having it professional printed, but something about having my own handwriting I thought would make it more special. My mom filled out mine and she also put in our hospital bracelets, etc. There is a spot in here for lots of pictures, hospital bracelets, a lock of hair, etc. too. 

I'm sure I'll make a big coffee table album with pictures after her first year too with lots more pictures, but this is still really nice. It's actually almost identical to mine from 1985. LOL 

bumpuser10309732

ladybug0088 said:

SPurp13 said:

Let's see if this works. 

Oh that is so cute! I'm going to check out Hallmark this weekend!

That's what I got too, just a different pattern on the cover!

Samesies! I bought that one for DD. Another thing I liked about it that the girl mentioned in the store is that you could buy scrap book pages and since it's like a 3 ring binder you can put in your own stuff too. 

Something else I want to add, I don't know if people still do this but I dont think you have to be very crafty is scrap booking. My mom bought tons and tons of decorated pages with the 3D stickies and she spent every night for like 3 weeks putting one together for me as a high school graduation gift. It is one of my most prized possessions. 

Aurora1181

AmandaJean12 said:

Has anyone used Project Life? I've been considering trying something like that. I know I won't keep up with an actual scrapbook, but I'm afraid I won't keep up with a fill-in-the-blank baby book either. At least if I do something flexible it won't LOOK like I missed a lot.

I have a friend who uses it! I've thought about it too.

SusieBW

Someone bought me an undated 13 month wall calendar when DD was born, and I was pretty good about keeping up with that, but the baby book we had for her never got done.  The calendar came with stickers and you fill it in so that it starts with the month LO is born and goes up to the month they turn 1.  It's got all kinds of milestone stickers that you just stick on the dates they happened, and the tops have spaces for pictures and blanks to write in whatever you want.  As DD's calendar goes on, you can see where I paid less and less attention to the layout and started making the pages more scrapbookish.  I stuck her monthly onesie stickers on there, her stickers from her dr appointments, pictures, and wrote in what she was up to that month.  DD still loves looking through it.

We also do a Shutterfly book for Christmas every year.  I'm torn about that, because the ones I've done so far run from DD's birthday to birthday, even though her b-day is in September and we do them as Christmas gifts for the grandparents.  The last page in both of her books is pictures from her birthday party that year.  This year, making that at Christmas, DS won't be in it because he won't be born until a couple of weeks after DD's birthday.  That feels weird somehow.

TinyTRex321

kittenmitton said:

Try Ruby Love on Etsy. They have lots of beautiful patterns for the books and all the pages have prompts for firsts, special moments, etc. There are places for photos and you can buy extra pages for different milestones. They aren't cheap but I love the one I have for my son!

I am getting one from here too. I have one from her for my son and have loved it.

Justabean3

So one thing I thought was genius was my SIL has a binder she takes to her appointment BUT what I found was an awesome idea is there is a baseball plastic holder and in it are several baseball size cards...

1 month

 head:

 weight:

 length:

 general notes:

2 month:

head:

 weight:

 length:

 general notes:

3 month:

head:

 weight:

 length:

 general notes:

and so on.. so she doesn't have to think about what is needed. Some doctors I have seen provide you with a similar card but mine just gives me a print out of "what to expect 6 month" kind of thing and hand writes the rest on the top. I always lose it!

this time I am making my own baseball cards.