Confession: I Stink At Recording Memories
Scroll Down to get the FREE Printable!
Ok ladies, let’s talk Baby Books! I cannot be the only mom with a beautiful baby book full of empty pages. Oh, I started strong! We were recording memories all during pregnancy. Before Belle was born I had already filled out the preliminary pages with info on my pregnancy. You know:
- How much weight did I gain? (29lbs)
- What foods did I crave? (nothing special- maybe donuts? But in that case, I’m still pregnant))
- How did I tell the husband? (That’s a post unto itself!)
- When did we share the news? (8 weeks with family, 12 weeks with everyone else, except for my 2 best friends and our regular waiter at Baker’s Crust- they knew the day after I knew because I couldn’t order my wine at our weekly dinners)
You get the idea. Anyway, I basically have the birth info filled out and a few family tree pages, followed by 22 pages of pink swirls and stock quotes about family. It is so hard to remember to go back and record everything that happens. Of course when you do remember, you are driving the car or at the grocery store. By the time you actually get within 10 feet of the blessed book, you’ve long since forgotten the milestone you wanted to record.
For what it’s worth, I received this one at my baby shower and I do love it! Hopefully one day I’ll finish it…
Go ahead and award me with Mom of the Year now, thanks. Seriously though, I know a lot of moms who also have a baby book or two (or three…) that sits unfinished on a shelf. I LOVE the idea of a memory book of any kind, baby or otherwise. I’m a sap and especially now that I’m a mom, I want to hold onto items that remind me of great memories. However, that mom thing really gets in the way of my ability to sit down and write sonnets about how my daughter learned to walk.
My solution…
In August, when I started a new school year, I bought a beautiful teal planner. A very teacher-y thing to do, I know. If you are like me, you search high and low for the perfect planner– not too thick, pliable yet sturdy, good color scheme, efficient layout. Shall I go on? I may or may not have a love affair with all things stationary. So, I found a great one and started using it all the time, but about a week in we were given one from a local company and it was a bit easier to plan in for school. After a while of trying to use them both, I gave up and primarily used the smaller one from the company.
…I promise, I’m going somewhere with this!
Not wanting to give up on my beautiful planner I originally purchased, I began recording memories: I started using it to write down the cute little things Belle was doing. Not every day, mind you, but whenever she had a mini-milestone, or said something extra cute, I wrote it down. My planner is always on me, so it was easy to grab and jot down something quickly. The small space reigned in my verbosity (who, me? Verbose?) and I never felt obligated to write a dissertation. I simply wrote, “started saying ‘mom-mom’,” or “does yoga on cue!” (Seriously, she does a downward dog and it a-freaking-dorable!)
Writing just enough to clue me in to what she had accomplished or learned that day, but not so much that it was a burden, was just the ticket I needed! This I can keep up! And I have.
As I look back over the last few months, I realize how much Belle has grown and changed. The first few years’ growth is unreal and some weeks it’s like she’s a completely different person on Friday than she was on Monday. This calendar method of recording memories has been a great way to fit it all in. I will keep this planner forever and be able to look back at all of the adorable, memorable moments of her second year of life.
But, There’s One Problem
If I keep this up over the next few years, I will end up with quite a few planners to store. Recording memories is important, but I also have limited storage! So I created a pretty, printable planner that I can customize for each month and write down my daily to-do’s, as well as record the cute stuff my munchkin does! I like them so much, I decided to offer them to you guys!! Yay!
I created a weekly planner, where you can record per week all the cool stuff you guys do, or use the monthly day planner to jot down a word or two to jog your memory down the road. If you already have a planner, just do what I did and add in your daily memory!
OR- you can print out my cutsie one and clip it in the front of your current planner! SO much easier to file and store as our munchkins grow!
As teachers and moms, we already carry planners on the regular, so this way, I’ll never forget to record a special moment. I hope you enjoy 🙂 Now, go make some memories!
(Click image to download from the Free Resource Library!)
#MayContributor #digitalmisscontributor
Love the printables you have! I have like maybe the basic pages filled out in kid #1 baby book and it will probably look like that for kid #2 that is cooking lol. I am a wahm, so I live on planners, but it is hard to juggle everything. I am going to definitely try these.
Oh I am so glad I am not the only one! And congrats on your “cooking” munchkin!
Such great ideas! I’m
Not a naturally organized person so this is very helpful!
Thank you I hope you enjoy!
This is such an awesome idea! My daughter’s baby book has a few pages filled out but nothing more; but when she was two I started journaling — and did almost every day — until she was 4. I write a lot of stories on my blog about her, so in a way, it’s chronicling her childhood a bit.
I am super impressed that you remembered to journal everyday! I just cannot find the time, but I love your blog posts about your family! Maybe I can try to get back in the journal game… 🙂
i started out great with my daughter, then slacked off and then completely stopped. I mean, I have pictures galore but when did her first tooth come in? I have no idea… what is the exact day she started walking? nope, no idea there either. But I have the pictures 🙂
Hehe I am the same! Lots of pics, but I wanted to start writing little stuff down to look back on. Mommy’s need an assistant for this kind of stuff!
Yes! I am terribly forgetful when it comes to taking pictures and recording memories. I am always too busy just enjoying the time with family and friends. How many times did my husband ask me, “Did you ever get a picture when we saw A, C, and B?”. Ugh! I love the weekly calendar idea. I also try to post my little one’s accomplishments on Facebook or Instagram because then I can search or scroll through the memories later.
I had such high hopes but, alas, that book never got filled out. I started this and it really has helped me keep track of some of the cute stuff she says and does that won’t mater to anyone but me hehe!
I love making sure I remember all things about my kids! So this is such a great idea!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Love the printables and what a great idea!
Thank you!
What a wonderful idea! It is so hard to keep up on recording memories; I never wrote down a single thing in my baby book! But I like this because it’s less structured, so it feels more relaxed. Which means I might actually have a shot at keeping up on it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I am so glad you like the idea! It has really helped me to stay on top of Belle’s milestones. Maybe one day they’ll make it to the book lol!
Great tips, I need to try them! I am horrible at keeping track as well. However, I have gotten better since getting an EC Life Planner.
OOh I have never heard of that planner but it sounds like it would be beautiful- going to look it up!
I had a calendar when they kids were at home. My whole life was on that calendar. Turned into my journal.
I know, right?! It basically is a journal at this point 🙂
Haha I actually have a baby book prepared already and I’m not even planning on having a baby any time soon. Bought it when I was like 16 lol. Love the printables!
Oh my goodness you are too cute! I’d say you’re well prepared! Thank you, I hope you can use the printables!
These are great printables for keeping up with the memories! It can be tough to remember to write everything down, but it does making looking back so much fun!
Oh yes, it does! I hope you enjoy!
I do some scrapbooking and add notes and memories this way.
Ooh what a great idea, to make this into a scrapbooking project!
What a great idea!!
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
Great printables! I wish I remembered to write everything down! Baby three has nothing so far for books, and I really need to get on it! Maybe this is the incentive I need! Thanks!
Thank you, so happy that you like them! Girl I only have 1 baby and even HER book is incomplete!
Such a great idea! I would occasionally write a milestone down on my calendar, but this is nice because it’s all in one place. I will definitely share this with my married son and his wife! Super cute!
Thank you! It has been much easier for me to keep track since I started this, for sure!
This is perfect idea, especially for those like myself. Can’t wait to try them.
Thanks, I am so glad you liked it!
Love this!!
Thank you!
I need to get better at this! What a good idea.
It’s so hard to stay on top of! Thanks though, I hope you enjoy!
This is such a great idea!!
Thanks!
Keeping track of those memories is so important! They are forgotten all too quickly! And on the topic of empty baby books–we recently stumbled across my husband’s baby book in his parents’ house, and it was empty except for the family tree page!
Haha right?! I have YET to find someone with a complete baby book!
I don’t know anyone who ever finished any baby book they started. I am getting back into journaling and find it easy to write just a few simple items each day. Doesn’t have to be a whole chapter I am finding out.
Agreed! Just a few short sentences to remind you of the moments will be enough 🙂 I am verbose so it took me a while to come to terms with this, haha!
What a great idea, wish I had this when my son was little!!
Thank you!