If you’re anything like us, patience is easier said than done, so we’ll get straight to the something free. After many (many) requests, we’re happy to announce that we’ve finally created a downloadable PDF or Word Doc (click here for print-ready PDF, here for editable Microsoft Word) of our “DIY Baby Book” that we revealed in our getting-ready-for-baby post a few weeks back. Just to jog your memory, here’s how we whipped it up:
The idea was actually John’s brain child (I’m telling you, he’s the sweet sentimental one and I’m the neurotic fool who worried about ruining our sofa if my water broke). He suggested that we get a fabric covered album and create our own little baby book of sorts, with fun patterned paper and printed prompts that you see in typical baby books like “The First Week Was….” and “My First Word…” I loved the idea of adding in keepsakes like Clara’s inked footprints from the hospital along with a ton of photos, so we headed over to Michael’s (with a 40% off coupon in hand) and snagged a sweet 8.5 x 8.5″ album covered in super fun Amy Butler fabric for just $9 after my coupon.
We also picked up a pad full of 8 x 8″ patterned paper to use as a backdrop in our keepsake album (to the tune of $6). So our entire DIY baby book project ran us $15 total. And after adding all the decorative paper and leaving room for notes about momentous occasions- along with photos and other memorabilia- we were left with a pretty sweet way to document many of Clara’s firsts (a few of which we’ve already written in!):
And since we made it ourselves we had fun sprinkling in a few quirky things, like this page of “Future Predictions” where John and I guessed everything from Clara’s hair and eye color to her first word, her favorite subject in school, and even her future profession – before her arrival of course. It should be fun for the beanette to look back at all of our goofy (and most likely completely wrong) guesses someday.
Plus the fact that it looks so cute in the nursery is the icing on the cake…
So now you can download the print-ready PDF or the editable (and then print-ready) Word Doc by following the links in the first paragraph. Then you just have to grab some pretty paper and an album and you’re ready to print out our little PDF/Doc, cut each caption out, and arrange them in your new homemade memory book.
And now on to those five lifesavers that we mentioned in the title. Much like the frequent requests for a version of our DIY baby book, we received a lot of questions about what household items have come in handy since Clara came along. And although this isn’t exactly home improvement related, it definitely falls under the “what makes your house more efficient” category so we figured we’d dedicate one post to this much asked question. Although at first we wondered if we’d even have any favorite items at just three weeks into parenting, but we’re happy to say that we most definitely have a small collection of items that we ABSOLUTELY LOVE. As in probably couldn’t have lived without. So although every baby is different and every parent has varying opinions, here’s what we’re so glad that we had on hand to help us adjust to life with Clara-Clara-Bo-Bara:
1. These Aden and Anias swaddle blankets are amazing. They’re made of thin stretchy (and breathable!) muslin and they’re giant (44″ x 44″)- which makes them perfect for giving Clara that back-in-the-womb feeling. Ever since we noticed how happy she was when she was swaddled by the all-knowing nurses at the hospital, we vowed to carry on that tradition at home. Have we mentioned that we actually have to set an alarm and wake her up to feed her at night when we swaddle her before putting her to bed? Note: be sure to securely swaddle your wee one before putting him or her to sleep since loose blankets can pose a suffocation hazard- just google “how to swaddle” for some great step by step tutorials.
2. This little clutch from Skip Hop can be slipped into any large purse to make it an instant diaper bag- which appeals to a deal hunter like me. See, I’ve noticed that bags billed as “diaper bags” can be over $150 for something that looks polished, while non-diaper bags of the same quality/size can be found for a lot less. In fact I grabbed a chic oversized black bag from The Gap for $25 (on clearance!) and just slipped the Skip Hop clutch right inside. Now I always have diapers, wipes, and an extra outfit on hand – I even have a clean mat to change her on while we’re on the go. Plus I can easily drop it the clutch into other purses and bags if I feel like changing up my look without buying another official diaper bag. Oh the versatility. We actually plan to pick up another one because the changing mat part (which can be detached) is great for dropping over our changing pad in the nursery. Clara LOVES to pee when she’s being changed- seriously the girl does it 8 out of 10 times. Thankfully, the slippery waterproof material makes those little impromptu pee-fests so much easier to clean up!
3. Our next must-have Clara item is actually a super handy iPhone app that we downloaded on the day that we returned home from the hospital. We were obsessed with trying to keep track of how many diapers she was wetting and dirtying (since the docs & nurses stressed that as a great way to monitor her health and the quality of my feedings). I also kept blanking out about which side I needed to start nursing her from every few hours. Enter Baby Brain stage right. It’s just $4.99 and it keeps track of all my feedings (it even has a ticker at the top to track how long it’s been since the last one) and it also tracks wet & dirty diapers. We love that we can push a button and see everything there is to know about Clara’s day (and even compare that day to others) . Especially since products like the ItzBeen Timer are sold for around $25 and this app does pretty much the same thing for $4.99. Plus we didn’t have to acquire yet another baby gadget. Score.
4. This mouthwatering lasagna photo represents all the amazing frozen meals that were dropped off by friends & family members after returning home with our little bundle of baby. John and I joke that we’ve never eaten better. Seriously, the kindness of our loved ones has been amazing, and if you’re not sure how many relatives and friends will show up with meals as you adjust to having a wee one around we would definitely recommend making (and freezing) a few meals before delivery day, just so you have them on hand. Anything that makes things like feeding yourself a no-brainer is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit when you’re so focused on providing for your babe that you forget to eat!
5. This last gadget is totally a personal preference thing. We know some moms who scoff at the idea, but personally it’s been the reason that we sleep at least 8 hours a night (interrupted by just one feeding!) so we’re eternally grateful. Basically, it’s a monitor that detects movement in your baby as he/she sleeps- even just their chest rising and falling as they breathe. And if there aren’t any movements/breathing in 20 seconds it sets off an alarm. John and I can’t tell you how much peace of mind this gives us. Plus it allows us to sleep more soundly and not do that hover-over-her-crib-to-make-sure-she’s-breathing thing. Seriously, I haven’t done that once. It has also helped us to get her into her crib from day one (as opposed to a moses basket in our room) which has done wonders for her sleep schedule since she isn’t disturbed by us moving or the dog bounding around the bed at night. Remember, we have to actually wake her up to feed her or she’d sleep right through the night! Oh it’s also a sound monitor so we get to hear her cooing… and if she were to wake up and cry someday, we’d hear that too.
So those are the five things that have been indispensable these first few weeks. And in case it’s not obvious without this little disclaimer, none of the makers of the items mentioned above have paid us or perked us in any way to call them out here, they’re just honestly the five things that have helped us out immensely so we thought we’d share ’em (especially since we get so many emails from new parents or parents-to-be who want our opinion). We’re honestly kind of shocked that anyone cares about what we like, but there you go!
And now, since that’s an awful lot of words up above, let’s break things up with a few photos:
We’ve decided, like many other fellow bloggers, that we’ll be documenting Clara’s growth with a series of weekly photos. And we came up with the idea of using a white onesie (along with some Photoshop magic to add the week) and a colorful swatch of fabric for the background. We already had some great textiles laying around, but we also look forward to hunting down some cheap remnants to keep the project going (and using baby blankets and even our bedroom duvet if we ever get desperate). In fact the last photo was taken with Clara laying on the fun pillowcases I got for the hospital (mentioned in this post). By Clara’s first birthday we’ll have 52 weekly photos showing how much she’s changed on a slew of punchy graphic backgrounds to compile in a photo book (you know, one of those Snapfish or Kodak Gallery ones?). Should be fun. Oh and we’ll be adding all of our weekly beanette photos to this album in Flickr, just in case you’d like to follow along…
But back to the subject of those five favorite lifesavers, we’d love to hear your top five can’t-live-without-’em baby picks. And if you’re not packing the parental card in your wallet just yet, we’re definitely interested in hearing the five must-have items that make your life easier. What’s frying your bacon these days?
Psst- This post contains affiliate links.
Sandy says
How I wish blogland was around and especially YHL when I was expecting! Let’s just say you are a couple of decades (plus some) late! These are fantastic ideas for expectant and new parents! Love the colors and the weekly pic of Clara. She is beyond adorable!!! Hope you are all well!
Jennifer says
Your #5 is a good one. When my first niece was born, her heart would tire from pumping, and it would just stop. She was hospitalized for weeks. She’s now a happy 2 year old, and a proud big sister….to my other niece who was born in March. They monitored her heart’s development in utero, and they were fine. It was her lungs that would tire from working. More hospitalizations. For their 2nd baby girl, my sister got that same pad. That’s what woke my sister up at 11pm when baby Nora had stopped breathing a few days after coming home from the hospital. Scary stuff. All is good now!
My other sister swears by her wipe warmer (a gift from ME!). It keeps the wipes nice and warm so the baby doesn’t get startled by an ice cold wet wipe. I got it on Amazon.
Kelly says
WOAH, that iphone app is killer!!!! I have notebooks where I kept up with feedings and diapers for my two kids! I am so jealous that is available now.
Kelly says
How are you managing the crease under your photoshoping? Just a change in opacity or are you making your layer an overlay? How cute!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kelly,
The photoshopped weeks on her onesie is an overlayed layered set on “Multiply” and I also decreased the opacity a bit, that way the shading of her shirt comes through. On the most recent one I had to transform the 3 a bit to make it match the fold in her shirt better too. It’s not perfect, but we think it does the trick. Hope that helps!
-John
Sarah says
Thanks for the tips! We are in family-planning mode and my friends are all expecting so these pre and current-Clara ideas are wonderful!
Erin @ Domestic Adventure says
Hey Sherry and John,
Did you have any favorite frozen meals that friends and family dropped off? I want to put together a few things for our friends who just arrived home from the hospital with their newborn, but I’m having trouble being more creative than lasagna or baked ziti! Also, did you find things like cookies or muffins equally as helpful?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Erin,
Great question because now that we’ve been on the receiving end of these meals, we never want to miss a chance to help out a friend with a newborn. The lasagnas we got were great, actually, because they lasted more than one meal. But we also had some people bring some dessert-y type things like pound cake (which was also nice because it lasted a while) and got some great side dishes like salads and pre-marinated asparagus. My parents also made a great “one-dish” meal that included baked chicken and roasted potatoes in the same pan so it was easy to heat up.
We didn’t get too much breakfast stuff, but the muffins and OJ that Sherry’s mom got us definitely got gobbled up quickly, so I would say that’s a clever thing to do if you’re trying to be different. Hope that helps!
-John
sarah says
As a mom of four (2 boys, 2 girls ages 7.5, 6, 4, 15 months) I have lots of experience in knowing what is a must have in our house. So, here is my top 5:
5. sleeping gowns- makes nighttime diaper changes a breeze and keeps their itty bitty legs warm.
4. onesies- you can’t have too many.
3. diapers- i’m sure by now you know how often her little bum needs to be changed!
2. wipes- i still use them for the older kids too! we have a bag in every room of the house and one in the minivan.
1. cloth diapers- another item you can’t have enough of. I never did use them as actual diapers, but they are wonderful to have around for feeding, wiping spills, mini blanket to lay the baby down, night time feeding leak protection (if you’re nursing) and my most favorite thing to use them for is to put between my arm and baby’s head when feeding- it keeps them from getting sweaty-heady, especially in the summer.
As new parents I hope this helps you with a few items to keep around!
Have fun and enjoy every minute because it goes by so fast!
Congrats on Clara, she’s beautiful! :)
Kristen says
My son is now 20 months old, but here are a few things we couldn’t live without in his first months of life:
1. Mylicon gas drops
2. Chicco Lullaby LX playard. It includes a bassinet and changing table, which make it great for traveling, AND there a remote controlled music/vibration/light that sits on the side and helps baby to feel comforted in the few seconds before Mommy or Daddy come to the rescue.
3. Lamaze Freddie the Firefly: Full of colors and textures, this quickly was something that engaged our little boy and helped him discover this brand new world.
4. Each other–my husband and I learned how to rely on each other in totally new ways, and our relationship grew (and continues to grow!) stronger and stronger as we shared in the joy of loving our little bundle.
Katie says
Must haves if you haven’t got them… a Moby Wrap (for being handy while still carrying your bebe)& an amber teething bracelet (they work wonders and their fashionable).
Here are some links for you to check out:
http://www.mobywrap.com/ – Moby Wrap
http://hyenacart.com/inspiredbyfinn/ – teething bracelet
~Katie, Mom to 3 boys!
amelia says
quick question…first, great post! i’m looking forward to expanding my family of 3(me, hubby & fur baby) to 4 in the very near future and i will definitely keep this post in my library! The photos of Clara are super cute :-)
Okay, back to the question…when i click on the link to get the downloadable baby book you made it says “opps. sorry page not here”. Is this just something on my end?
Plume says
Oh boy. I have a 21-month-old now, and I think I can better tell you what has been a total waste as opposed to what has been a life saver for us, ha! I honestly cannot think of something that I would’ve died without. Hmmm… But I do have a similar clutch as the one you do, and it was pretty good, though bulky. We live in NYC so we walk/take the train everywhere, and to carry that plus a bag plus the baby and the stroller, just wasn’t really fun. Now I just throw a slim changing pad in the stroller basket, disinfect before and after use, and we’re good to go. Best to you guys!
Hilary says
“Remember, we have to actually wake her up to feed her or she’d sleep right through the night!”
Be careful putting stuff like this down in ‘writing’! You dont’ want to jinx yourself! I do like your top 5 though. (Meals are my fave:)
Claire says
I don’t have a baby so I can’t offer any advice or feedback on useful baby items, but I just wanted to tell you how much I adore Clara’s facial expressions. They are just so darned cute! She is so animated!
sarah says
be careful with that clara-clara-bo-bara bit. i thought my middle name was bo-barah for an embarrassingly long time.
that monitor saved the life of my friend’s child. she somehow got a blanket down her throat during a nap. if the monitor had not gone off, it would have been tragic. literally a lifesaver! excellent choice (imho).
your daughter is gorgeous. congratulations!!
Clare says
I’m so glad you posted the monitors for #5. My friend had one (found it in Europe) for her babies, and I was wondering how I’d be able to locate them in the US. As an occasional babysitter during a night out, it was also nice for me to have that monitor nearby, so that I wasn’t interrupting baby’s sleep by my nervous hovering.
The pictures of Clara are adorable – thanks for sharing.
danyelle says
well I have a lot but my #1 is clouds and stars quick zip sheets. Makes changing the sheets a breeze!
Looks like you guys have a little angel on your hands congrats!
Stephanie J says
We have the same monitor and I love it! We used it with our Son and now with our daughter. Great pictures of your little one.
Patti says
I love the idea of the weekly photo! I wish I had had the foresight to do that when my boys were small. I think making the baby book for an expectant mom would be a most treasured gift.
Pamela says
Things I wish they had when my girls were infants:
1. Ultimate crib sheets. You can layer them on and remove one at a time when the crib has to be changed at 3 am. However, diapers don’t leak the way they used to.
2. The boppy. Not so much for feeding, but when baby falls asleep and you just can’t put her down, saves cramping and “pins and needles” in adult arms.
3. Baby Bjorn. I handmade my own version and it was a godsend when cranky baby wouldn’t settle and I had to make dinner (or eat dinner, just put a napkin over baby’s head). I never used a stroller and never missed it.
Shannon @ What's Up Whimsy says
I agree with you on the Aden and Anais blankets! They were a life saver! And they are perfect for the upcoming warm weather – not too heavy and hot. We didn’t have a motion detector for our little guy, but we did have a video monitor. I don’t know how our parents did it with just the audio monitor. It was especially helpful when we were doing the “Ferber” method with him at 9 months. It was so difficult hearing him cry, but just knowing that we could see what he was up to made it all better! She is so cute by the way!
Plume says
Just had to comment again, since I just remembered one thing that has been probably the best purchase we’ve made so far. It’s only seasonal though, and that’s the Bundle Me for the stroller. That thing has been awesome during the winter months! And now looking back at my previous post about disinfecting the changing pad, a travel-size disinfectant spray has been great to have, plus some antibacterial wipes are musts in my bag.
Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says
I may not be having a baby anytime soon, but I can count on more than one hand how many people I know that ARE. So, thank you for all of these wonderful ideas. Instead of the boring and impersonal gifts for the very busy shower-filled weekends I’m expecting shortly, I will have your advice to turn to for practical and thoughtful presents!
Linda says
Love this post, can’t wait to have kids so I can take advantage of the advice and freebie! :) Thanks!
Emily says
I’m so glad Clara’s a good sleeper! :) I completely agree with the swaddling, diaper changing pad, and the yummy food. My nursing pillow and recliner also helped a lot when my baby and I were learning to nurse. Congrats again- she is SO cute!!
Stephanie says
Your photos of little Clara are just too cute! I love the idea of different, fun backdrops! My son is 19 months old…here are my picks for the “can’t live without” category…
1. My Patemm changing pad
2. The maclaren easy traveler. When he was still in his infant car seat, this was #1 on my can’t live without list…It’s sooo light and easy to fold/unfold, unlike his other full size stoller (which I love for other reasons.)
3. lansinoh lanolin
4. Boppy changing pad liners
5. Boppy pillow (although next time around I may try the “brest friend pillow)
Brittany says
Just wanted to let you know that the snapfish photo albums come out great. For Christmas this last year we had photo books made for our families and they turned out wonderful and they are a great deal especially with all the sales that they run on them!
Kelli says
I just found out on Memorial Day that I am pregnant, so I’m loving the baby posts even more than I was before! We’re considering cloth diapers, as I know you planned to use with Miss Clara. How is that going so far? Are you using any liners? The rinsing off part is what scares me the most, but the cost (and environmental) savings are still really pushing me toward it.
Snickrsnack Katie says
I don’t have any of my own little ones yet – but I have a niece and nephew and another nephew on the way. My sister who has the two kids has said she could never have too many onesies, washcloths, and cloth diapers. Also, a baby swing is a must have – and a Bumbo seat for when the baby gets a little bigger.
There are so many other things that are lifesavers, I am sure. But those are at the top of my noggin!
Amy N says
I have to tell you that I totally agree that the Angelcare monitor was a MUST HAVE for peace of mind. After hearing and reading all of the stories about SIDS, it was totally worth it! In fact, we just stopped using ours a few months ago, and my little man is going to be 2 in one month!
stacy says
Oh my goodness Miss Clara is an angel of a sleeper!! I have a 17 month old little mister and I have yet to sleep through the night. GO CLARA!! =) That app is amazing..wish I would have searched for that one months ago!
Leah says
Clara is so adorable!! And your pictures are always so amazing and crisp. Do you use a tripod every time or is your camera just that good? :) What kind is it?
Megan says
1. As a graphic designer, the photoshop idea is genius. As cool as custom onsies are, they can be pretty pricey. Good thinking with the photoshop magic.
2. My friends and I have a saying when we see a cute baby… “That baby makes my ovaries hurt.” Clara might just kill them with her cuteness.
Michele says
Also love the Skip Hop Pronto and swaddling blankets (though we mostly used SwaddleMes).
1) white noise for sleeping (we use this MP3 http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Waves/dp/B001QTSLL4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1262561209&sr=8-3 + iPod + iHome)
2) slings (Kangaroo Korner fleece for winter, Hotslings cotton for summer, Beco carrier for longer trips)
3) stickers for bottles (saves me from writing my son’s name on 20 different bottle parts every night) – http://www.etsy.com/shop/angiecherryhi?section_id=5797772
4) Trixie Tracker http://www.trixietracker.com/ – similar to Baby Brain. We take the monthly printouts to our peds appts.
5) Rain or Shine Kids B Blanket – we used this every day in the winter.
http://www.rainorshinekids.com/rain_fleece.php
My whole list, which I made because I had so many friends expecting right after me, is here:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYc4tnDBJYmTZGQycjN6a21fN2c2Y3NzM2M2&hl=en
Ashley says
I so wish I had thought of the weekly photo! I am doing the month ones, with the pickystickys, but I know how to use photoshop, I could have done it myself! Great idea.
Christa M says
Great Post and I love th ecolorful photos of Clara Bo Bara! Is it just me or are the week numbers reminiscent of the NYC Subway lines?
Ruthann says
I just tried downloading the template for the baby book and you should know that many of the lines are spaced wrong- they carry over to the wrong page.
and the spacing is off on several of them so the lines don’t match with the writing.
Can you fix this and re-upload it? I would love to print this out and use it for my little bean arriving in 4 weeks!
Thanks!
Christa M says
and was it on purpose? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Dannielle- If you click over to the link that we shared in the post, you should see a blue pad (which is also visible in the mood board). That pad goes under the mattress and is so sensitive it can detect movements above the mattress made by the baby- works like a charm. Hope it helps!
Lauryn- We have no idea who Clara looks like! Our childhood photos aren’t helpful either- she’s just her own woman. It looks like we’ll have to wait a while to see who she ends up resembling. Either way she’s a total keeper!
Christa M- That’s funny! We didn’t even notice that but you’re totally right. Maybe it was a subconscious idea from nearly a decade of combined NYC living!
Ruthann- Have you tried downloading the editable one? That way you can just make those tweaks yourself! We’re thinking since we’re on a Mac our PDF version of the file might look different on a PC somehow, because we’ve definitely downloaded it and checked it out on our end and it looks good to go. Hope it helps!
Leah- Here’s the post all about the camera we use. And we actually don’t use a tripod, we just take all the photos on one of our daybeds in the sunroom so there’s lots of light to keep things from getting blurry. Hope it helps!
Kelli- You can read about the exact diapers we picked in the post that we link to in the first paragraph of this post. They actually are all-in-ones, so there aren’t any liners. We haven’t been using them yet because Clara’s still a bit too small, but we can’t wait to take them for a spin soon! And of course we’ll share the details when we do.
Amelia- Hmm, maybe it’s on your end? It seems like others can download them (and we have tried it on both of our computers and they’re working for us). Perhaps checking back later will help? Just in case it’s too busy now and is getting all jammed up with all the traffic we just sent over?
xo,
s
Tiffini S. says
Proud parent of a 2.5 year old boy – Jameson King C. He’s a handful and a ton of fun!
1. Pee Pee Teepee’s – little package of 5 to put on the tip of the, well, pee pee whilst changing baby to hold back the flow. Saved quite a few shirts for me and Dad!
2. My breast pump, since I was a working Mom.
3. Wipe warmer – made the wipes nice n’ toasty for his backside, our hands, whatever. We lived in a downright breezy old house when he was a wee one. Any warmth was welcomed.
4. My sisters, both mothers themselves, who knew exactly when I was to ‘that point’ and would come over so I could ______ (shower, sleep, watch a movie, zombie-walk around the grocery store).
5. Laundry baskets. Seriously. They hold clean laundry, dirty laundry (sometimes I couldn’t tell the difference and ended up throwing dirty laundry into clean clothes baskets – DARN!), toys, books, things to tote up to bedrooms or down to the basement, even one in the kitchen (with a liner/lid sewn of new receiving blankets to hold the jumble of plastic feeding accessories that always tipped over in the cabinet). Laundry baskets were my friend. Baskets of any kind, really, but I found that laundry baskets, either rectangular or circular, were perfect for almost anything. I passed my extras (8 of them – still keeping a few for me!)along to an expecting friend when my son turned 2 and I was reveling in his newfound independence. She LOVES them and plans to pass them along
Leigh says
What a doll! My boys are 4 and 2, so the baby stage is past us, but looking back the things I couldn’t live without in the first year are my boppy, a snack trap (genius!), and my camera. The rest is a blur, but those really stand out to me!
Tracie J. says
No babies here. Just wanted to say that Clara is gorgeous. What a sweet baby girl!
Drea says
<3 your blog!! I some how missed your babies birth but do love the idea of the onesies, how fun!! our baby is 10 weeks old ;-) got to love newborns!!!
Lauryn says
That mini diaper bag is really awesome! A perfect cost saving gift. I was wondering if you guys think Clara looks like either one of you more or like one of your family members? I looked at the Flickr album and Sherry looks exactly like her mom, although Im sure you know that already!
Alicia says
Not a mommy…but I’m a total household finances geek and I am in love with mint.com!!!! It’s free and tracks all of our accounts so we know where all our money is going!
Sarah @ Dream in Domestic says
I absolutely love the weekly photo idea with the different fabrics!!! Awesome!
Dannielle says
Clara is adorable!! I love her facial expressions! (:
Question about your number 5 gadget, how does this exactly track your baby’s breathing/heartbeat. Guess I dont understand it to well. My sister is registered for baby monitors but I’m wondering if this is better!
Letty says
I just wanted to share that I don’t have any kids, and I still LOVE hearing about all your baby-related stuff and especially the pictures of Clara! I’m planning on having kids one day, and so it’s helpful to hear all your tips and favorite things– I consider myself better prepared :)
jamie says
Love the graphic designy weekly photo! That’ll be so fun to review a year from now. Definitely worthy of converting to a fun stop motion video too! Hope I remember this when I have a baby!
DemMom says
I’ve considered having more babies so people will bring us meals. I’m that bad a cook!
Emily S. says
My iPhone was a lifesaver for getting our little one to sleep when or where he wasn’t used to sleeping. I downloaded a simple (free!) alarm app and was elated to find multiple sounds for relaxation! Everett’s favorite was the the rain noise. Worked wonders!!
Love your baby book; I’ll definetely be saving it for the next bebe.
superartsy says
Your photo shopping idea is ingenious!!I am expecting our first one come Sept and she is a girl too. Cant wait to do something similar for her. Which leads me to ask, did you maintain a baby book(pregnancy journal)?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re definitely filling in Clara’s DIY baby book as she grows (so many milestones and photos already!). As for keeping a pregnancy journal, I just wrote down a bunch of milestones on a few pages in my regular journal so I have some nice reference points for my next pregnancy (and can always remember when I felt my first kick, etc). Hope it helps!
xo,
s