Some things you never want to forget, particularly the birth, milestones and other early memories of your precious bundle of joy. You can buy a ready-made baby memory book to preserve pictures and notes, but if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind personalized keepsake, a homemade, custom-designed scrapbook is just the ticket. There are no set rules — a little imagination and creativity will go a long way toward capturing your baby's personality for a poignant record of the moments you want to treasure forever.
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Choose Your Book Style
Understandably, you want your baby memory book to stand out as a treasured souvenir of your child's babyhood. However, there is no need to stress over your artistic talent or lack thereof, as the case may be. Keep it simple or go all out — choose to make a homemade scrapbook featuring a simple chronological story in pictures or opt for an elaborate creation with colorful backgrounds and borders, a clever cover, page decorations and cute captions. If you have neither the time, talent nor inclination for all that cutting and gluing, create pages using graphic design or publishing software. You may also make a digital "memory book" if that's your preference.
Organize Your Book
A chronological structure is most conducive to recording your baby's life and growth. But you have a great amount of leeway in choosing which history and milestones you wish to include. Some parents start as far back as their courtship while others begin with the "We're expecting!" story. You can also choose to have pages for showers, labor and delivery, doctors' and nurses' names, the location of birth, the birth announcement, name and meaning or story behind it, vital stats, baby firsts and favorites, health record, family tree, family pictures, baby's foot prints and holiday celebrations. You'll likely want to include baby's first visitors, too. Create a title for each page with stickers, die cuts, handwritten titles, digital artwork, fonts or word art. If you are making a homemade scrapbook or photo album, be sure to use acid free papers, markers and adhesives. Match the style of facing pages for continuity.
Select Your Content
Pictures are a given in a baby memory book but they aren't the only thing you can include. Supplementary materials might include the hospital wristband and crib tags, newspaper notices and locks of hair. You can avoid a cluttered memory book by limiting yourself to four to six pictures per page. Keep in mind the mantra, "Less is more." You may choose to take weekly or monthly pictures and add a page each month with the highlights. The beauty of making your own memory book is being able to highlight what you want rather than what a pre-made book dictates. Your memory book can reflect the singular details of your family experiences and relationships with baby as he grows and develops the distinct personality you want to spotlight and celebrate.
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Decoration Time
Add captions, names, dates, locations, labels and anecdotes to each page using an acid-free pen. You might journal about the cost of bread, milk, a house and a car in the year baby was born. Jazz up the pages with embellishments such as stickers or die cuts, or use clip art if you are making a digital memory book. The decorations should reflect a baby theme or the theme of the page, such as Christmas or Easter. Save your digital memory book frequently as you work and when you are finished. If you are making a hard copy memory book, slip each finished page into a page protector before placing it in the album.
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