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.
Jessica says
Nevermind – just watched the video!! Thanks for the great product recommendations :-)
Lisa says
Love the Aden + Anais blankets! We have the blue “Prince Charming” set for our son, who is due on 6/27. I have to wash them so they’re ready for when we come home… once we get the nursery furniture delivered next week. And so funny that Clara loves to pee when she’s being changed. I thought it was only boys who did that!! My friends also swear by the Angelcare monitor. I think we’re going to get that as well as a video monitor bc with our noisy NYC window air-conditioners, we want to be able to see our little guy while he sleeps… however, I did realize that at least for the summer, the A/C should serve the same purpose as a white-noise machine, which will hopefully send him happily off to dreamland!
blueloom says
Wow, Clara is growing so fast! She is so cute. Love the baby pics, just need some with Clara and her mommy and with both of you. John is doing great as a new dad. You guys should be very proud.
Cheers!
kinga
Michelle Goertz says
We’re expecting baby #2 August 31st, and I have my list of faves I’ll be using again from Baby #1 (who is now 2 -1/2!) Here are a few of mine to add:
1. Tri-fold cotton baby diapers. They are cheap and make the BEST burp cloths… super absorbent! They are also great under a little bum while changing, or for dusting around the house… then you toss them all in the washer and they’re ready to go again. I have about 2 dozen and need more because I use them for everything and you go through a LOT of burp cloths!
2. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste – Not greasy and nasty like a lot of diaper ointments and does an amazing job on sore little butts. It even smells kinda good!
3. Thymes Baby “Sweetleaf Baby” Wash and Lotion – All natural and free of all the bad stuff. But the best part is the SMELL… combined with the natural baby smell, it makes you want to sniff and cuddle them all day. I’m going to use the drawer liners in the dresser I’m rehabbing for our new baby Desmond. They have a blanket wash too,m but I haven’t tried it yet. The lotion even smells good on mommies. :)
4. Gerber Graduates Sippy Cups – I tried tons of brands, and these staples are the only ones that DON’T leak! Another mom turned me on to these and they’re great! The secret is the little white nozzle that fits into the cap that keeps liquids from dribbling out. A must for houses with toddlers… unless you LIKE thinks smelling like soured milk.
5. Digital Camera – it shoots video and stills. We have TONS of pictures of son #1 thanks to our digital camera. We’ve shot some amazing pictures on our own and never needed to pay for a photo sitting.
Michelle Goertz says
Oh… and the Baby Bjorn too! Look for them at local child resale shops and they’re about 1/2 the price.
AND… I forgot to say before that Clara is GORGEOUS! Love the pictures of her each week – what a great idea!
Jennifer says
I don’t think this has been asked yet: Would you mind sharing what font you used on Clara’s photoshopped onesies? Please and thank you! Love this post and all the Clara photos, by the way!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
Good question! We’re surprised you’re the first one to ask. The numbers are a font called Fyra (they look exactly as they appear, a number inside of a circle) and the letters are a font called Otari. We found them both for free online but we can’t remember the source. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tim Suddarth says
Our little guy Eli is just past the 6 week mark and there are a few items that we have come to love.
#1 BumGenius 3.0 diapers
They’re more expense up front than disposables, but save a ton in the long run. We’ve got the one-size and plan to adjust the snaps out as little man grows. Eighteen is the magic number for us as it allows us to have a couple in each of our diaper bags and still have rotations of seven. With a nighttime insert that protects from those massive night pees, they work great. We just toss them in the washer every night and haven’t had a problem yet.
(http://www.amazon.com/bumGenius-One-Size-Cloth-Diaper-White/dp/B000OFT7NC/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I20L4H0XY6C24M&colid=LHIITBZO3PDT)
#2 Prince Lionheart Ultimate Wipes Warmer and Natural Flannel Baby Wipes
this is an awesome idea. Working in a daycare, I always felt bad for the poor kids’ bottoms getting wiped with the ac-temped wipes. The warmer takes care of this for our guy and we can toss the flannel wipes in with the diapers
(http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Lionheart-Ultimate-Wipes-Warmer/dp/B00008ODBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1276051921&sr=8-2)
#3 SwaddleMe 3-Pack
I was a little skeptical of these at first, but after Rachael explained them to me and showed me how to use them, I’ve become a believer. They are perfect for swaddling at the shoulder or under the arms. But the best part about them is the design that lets you set one in a car seat, snap the little one in and swaddle around both baby and straps.
(http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-SwaddleMe-Pack-Neutral/dp/B003JI5G36/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1276053059&sr=8-5)
#4 Boppy Feeding Pillow
I know my wife love this as it puts Eli at the perfect height for breastfeeding (Full disclosure: My wife is short. Okay she’s very short – with one of those small strike zone torsos. Taller women might need an extra pillow to make the Boppy hit the perfect height). I like the Boppy because I can use it to snuggle him up to me at night when Mommy is tired and just needs some sleep.
http://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Nursing-Pillow-Slipcover-Lots/dp/B001GIOPH4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1276054313&sr=8-2
#5 bumGenius Diaper Sprayer
This sprayer is easy to install (I think it took a crescent wrench, a pair of scissors and about 4 minutes), works great and is useful for far more than the makers intended. Trust me, you’ll be really glad for it the first time your little one drops a deuce in the baby bath or decides to display the projectile spit-up trick they learned from their baby friend or if Dad is just a hairy beast that needs to hose down the shower after using it. Seriously – lots of uses. Oh, and it makes spraying out cloth diapers pretty simple too.
(http://www.amazon.com/bumGenius-Diaper-Sprayer/dp/B0019HXQLS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)
Angie says
Hi!
Have you tried the Wee Giggle?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weegiggle/id316465611?mt=8
My friend developed this app to occupy babies while they are getting changed. I am not sure if it would occupy your little bean enough to keep from peeing, however … :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Lucky for me, I’m an expert font hunter! ;) Found them both at MyFonts.com, thanks again!
Cara says
Great post! I love baby/parenthood tips and I hope one day you’ll write a post about keeping baby stuff organized. I have one lil’ munchkin and it’s tough to maintain a peaceful feeling at home when there are so many necessities that are hard to hide and it all starts to feel cluttered. For me, toys actually aren’t that hard to corral… it’s the constantly full drying racks (for clothes AND bottles/sippy cups) that seem out of control. I’m so interested to hear about your experience, especially with somewhat limited laundry room and kitchen counter space. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Cara,
We’re thinking that we’ll be using all sorts of storage ottomans, baskets, bins (and any other methods we discover along the way) to keep things organized when Clara is more mobile and her toys start to take over. Stay tuned for those details as we tackle them…
xo,
s
Rachel says
I love how you use photoshop to put her age on the onesie! Can you give us a tutorial?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachel,
The photoshopped weeks on Clara’s onesies are 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. To learn more photoshop tricks just check out Barnes & Noble or even the library (we both learned Photoshop in school but there are lots of how-to books available). Hope that helps!
-John
Rebekah says
Top 5:
1. Stainless steel mini food mill – awesome for bananas etc when you are first starting out on solids.
2. Baby Oxy Clean
3. Trifold baby diapers for burp cloths
4. Hoodie Towels
5. Wicked sense of humor – parenting is a wonderful experience; it can also have it’s challenges – those days humor comes in handy :)
** Notice I have no gear – our kiddo just simply didn’t care for anything (!!). Her favorite spot was lounging on my legs.
Chari says
Hey there, I’m having my first baby soon too… and am amazed at Clara’s sleeping for 5+ hours during the night! Wow!! Did you read any fantastic books that seemed to help that you would recommend on parenting/babies etc etc? ooor is she just an amazing baby? :) Thanks!
Chari
YoungHouseLove says
She’s actually up to 6.5 or 7 hours these days! And then she goes back down for 3 more after a quick feeding. She’s the best! We didn’t read any sleep-related books in particular, so we can’t share those, but we do think it just has to do with her personality. She happens to be a really sleepy baby! Even in the hospital the nurses said she was the least fussy baby in the nursery and she often slept through feedings and they had to wake her up. Here’s hoping your baby (congrats by the way!) will be just as happy to count sheep!
xo,
s
Megan says
Sherry, This might be too personal but are you breastfeeding? I only ask because our little guy born June 1st sleeps max 5 hour stretches at night and I’ve heard that formula fed babies tend to sleep longer…
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, I’m exclusively breastfeeding so I don’t think there’s anything to that formula rumor! Clara is just an amazing sleeper, and she actually cluster feeds in the evening before bed (every hour or so) as if she’s stocking up for the long haul. It’s pretty funny since it was totally her idea. I just go with the flow! She was always really active during the day when I was pregnant (and virtually motionless at night, no kicks at 3am like other friends of mine mentioned) so I wonder if that contributes to her propensity to sleep longer stretches now that she’s out. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Megan says
I figured you would be breastfeeding, after seeing/reading about all your other parenting decisions. I am as well and it’s good to know there are some BFed babies out there who sleep! What time does Clara go down for the night? Sorry for so many questions, but it’s nice to hear other people’s routines. :)
In regards to your A+A swaddle blankets, what technique do you use for swaddling? I have been using another type of swaddling blanket (similar to the Swaddle Me)with mixed results but am waiting for my A+A to arrive in a few days. Can’t wait for them, I hear they are great and hopefully my houdini baby won’t be able to escape them while staying cool in this insane heat!
YoungHouseLove says
Clara is totally a houdini too! The A & A blankets are nice because they’re super huge, so it really holds her tight and she can’t kick out of them like smaller blankets. Be sure to really pull them tight (they’re thin and elastic-y, so they really can be tugged around a baby so they’ll stay put). We’re using the wrapping technique from the Happiest Baby on The Block (maybe you can google to see a diagram or get the book from the library- it’s by Dr. Karp). Oh and we discovered that Clara is much more “slippery” and can easily escape the swaddle if she’s just wearing a diaper so we always put her to bed with a onesie on underneath, and sometimes even one with sleeves so she’s even less likely to slip out of the blanket as easily. As for bedtime, it’s almost always between 8 and 9pm. We have a nice little routine involving lots of feedings, low lighting, and we swaddle her from around 7pm on so she’s in that sleepy and cozy state of mind (she even feeds in the swaddle the last few times so she’s totally ready for bed if she should drift off). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Candyce Smith says
I was recommend your blog by a good friend of mine and I am in love! I love your style. It is so enjoyable to see how much our “little” families have in common. Thanks for posting!
Allison says
Do you have a video monitor? I am on the hunt for a good one. Ideas?!
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Allison,
We actually don’t have a video monitor. We had purchased one of the Summer versions but could never get a clear signal (Google tells us that it might have to do with the frequency of our wireless signal) so we returned it and decided to give it a go without one… and so far haven’t looked back. But my sisters each have a Summer video monitor and have been very happy with them. Unfortunately I don’t know the specific model.
-John
Amanda says
I’m a recent reader of your blog (I love it btw~) and I just stumbled across this post and would really love to make a baby book for my twin girls who are due in Nov. Unfortunately, since I discovered this post so late, Scribd has archived it and is asking me to pay to download it. Is there any way to still get the template for free?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amanda,
We poked around on Scribd and figured out how to unarchive it for you. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Worked perfectly. Thanks so much!
bklyn76 says
the photoshoping of the onesie is a PERFECT idea! love the baby book and wish you had a baby 20-something months ago so that i would’ve seen it then! ;) i’ve been so lax in filling one my bean’s book.
clara is beautiful!
Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says
Hola, YHL-ers! I just used your prediction page tips to create two fantastic and personalized gifts for my friends that are expecting this September. Thanks for this, and all of your other great ideas!
You can see my post featuring the two pages here, along with the small tweaks I made to make it more “southern gal” style.
Alycia says
Sorry I’m so late on this…
the document has been archived again…is there anyway to ‘un-archive’ it?! Thanks so much :)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s officially been recalled from the Scribd archived Alycia so you should be able to access it now!
-John
Alycia says
Thank you thank you thank you!! Now I just have to find a cute scrapbook and paper that’s more boyish! Not as easy as it sounds :\
Beth says
I love the idea of the weekly photos of Clara (she is such a model!). We are expecting and I would love to plan this for our little one. Photoshop is pretty pricey. Are there any other programs out there that would be worth it, or am I better off splurging? I do like some of the other projects you have done with the program as well. Any suggestions you can offer would be greatly appreciated! :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a tough question because we love Photoshop and although it’s pricey it can do it all- so it’s totally worth it to us. Does anyone else have a suggestion of a cheaper program that can do some of what Photoshop can do? We just don’t know of anything comparable that’s cheaper.
xo,
s
Heather says
To answer the post above, we picked up Photoshop Elements which does a lot (not everything obviously) PS does but for far cheaper. Staples frequently has a rebate offer for it. We ended up paying around $60 when all was said and done.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s an awesome deal!
xo,
s
RookieMom Heather says
I love your downloadable baby book template — so cute! While you’re still getting started with your milestones, might I suggest our “mama milestone tracker” that helps you keep track of your parental firsts? http://www.rookiemoms.com/track-your-new-mama-milestones/ It includes outings, cocktails, and a few more mom-centric firsts. Take care! [ps Whitney blogged about your Clara weekly pictures this week]
YoungHouseLove says
So fun! Thanks for the link!
xo,
s
Sheri Johnson says
Hey! I am finally getting around to trying to make our own baby book using your template but can’t open the Microsoft word (editable version). Is it still available? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry you can’t get it to work! We believe it still should work for you. Good luck!
xo,
s
Nicole says
I absolutely love this idea and want to make it for a good friend of mine who is due soon. I downloaded the templates from the link, but I’m curious how you split the pages up. I see from the pictures posted above, but how did you do the ones for like “My first month”… Just curious and looking for ideas :)
YoungHouseLove says
Titles like that got their own page, and we’ve added pics from her first month on that page to fill it in.
xo,
s
Hilarie says
I’ve just recently found your blog. Lots of fun topics – babies, organizing, and DIY – oh my! :)
This post made me think (and I saw a few others who thought the same thing) – that if Clara is peeing when she has her diaper off that she would be a wonderful candidate for infant pottying. And it’s not an all-or-nothing deal. We used diapers full time with our girls. But when we took them off – or if we thought it had been a while since the last pee – we’d offer the potty. (We used Baby Bjorn little potty at this age.) Pees were harder to get a handle on (for me), but my youngest never pooped her diaper after 9 months. Never. Ah – just the joy of never dealing with those stinky things made it worth it! :) (She potty trained completely at 16 months.) Anyway, since you’re home and so close to her all the time, it’s something you might consider. You can start anytime…
Thanks for sharing all of your adventures!
kids bed wetting says
Hi, I can?t understand how to add your site in my rss reader. Can you Help me, please :)
Shannon says
It’s been archived again. I would love to download this, it’s super adorable!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Shannon,
Here’s hoping John has a chance to hop over and unarchive it again soon! Sometimes it’s trickier than others…
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
Done! Here’s hoping it works for you!
xo,
s
Parul Patel says
Hi!
Just stumbled on your website from ohdeedoh.com – and I love it! I love the work you both do and your daughter is adorable! I also love the DIY book you have in this post but can’t seem to get a clean version when I click on the link…it’s all scrambled. I’d love to download…can you help me out?
Thanks,
P
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Parul,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with the link. Both the PDF and Word versions seem to be clicking over to Scribd just fine on our end, so we’re not quite sure what to do to help you. So sorry – maybe try from another computer?
-John
Lauren says
Hey guys – I can view both docs, but can’t download either. Is there something special I need to do? Do I need to register w/the site or something? Maybe I’ll try in IE instead of Mozilla…
Lauren says
Nevermind – had to click on the top Download button and I got it to work. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad it worked!
xo,
s
Gracy says
ohh.. i so wish i too had some weekly pics of my baby.. he is 34 weeks old.. well i take everyday pics of him.. but in new dress.. what can i do to hv a similar photo? means i havent clicked any wearing oneies.. but hv lots of pic in different clothes and background.. can u pls suggest me what can i do../??? as i took frm my dslr cam and all dates and time is already mentioned.. so for me 1-34 weeks is not a concern as i can figure out frm the date but what about clothes?? pls suggest!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe print out labels of the age in each photo and make a collage with the dates or ages near each photo so you can look at them all and see how much your baby has grown? Good luck!
xo,
s
Gracy says
also i would like to know.. is this album?? dont they hv partition in between? and what about the material of the paper which u got it print? it seems to be thick one.. which paper is that? or its a regular A4 print paper?
YoungHouseLove says
I used 100lb card stock to print on so it was thicker (and scrap book paper to tape whatever I printed onto that for some color). The album is just a regular scrapbooking album with one big plastic sleeve that you can slide the paper into (from Michael’s). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cara says
I am really wanting the Angelcare montior and have been reading all the reviews. Did you guys have many false alarms with yours?
YoungHouseLove says
Around three months we started to get them so we called the company (just looked up the number on the website) and for $30 they sent us a two-pad set (we had a one-pad one) and we haven’t had a false alarm since. We would definitely recommend starting out with the two sensor set and hopefully you won’t have any issues.
xo,
s
Cara says
Thank you so much. I am definitely putting this on my registry. I added the swaddle blankets and changing station too after reading your post. Thanks so much! I’m planning on cloth diapering too. I hope it goes as well as it did for you guys.
Sabrina says
I wanted to thank you guys so much for posting about the angel care monitor. I read about it on here and thought about it but thought maybe it was out of my pricerange. About a week ago I heard this weird noise coming from my sons crib and he had managed to flip over but couldn’t turn his head. He was turning blue. Thankfully he is in our room or God knows that would have happened. We went out right away and bought it. So thanks otherwise I would have never heard of this thing.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- how scary! So glad your son was ok and you ran out and got a monitor!
xo,
s
Kerry says
I am a huge fan of the bobby pillow!! I never breastfeed, so I didn’t use it for that, but Miss P sleeps in the things almost exclusively during the day when I’m awake and checking on her every two min. **Though not at night or when I’m not able to see her constantly since if she rolls she’s too little yet roll her head away to breathe**
Patty says
So I tried to download BABY BRAIN on my iPhone and I searched through several apps and didn’t find it :( Do you know of something similar? Also, with the swaddle blankets (I have the A + A too), did you put Clara down for the night in a swaddle blanket or did you swaddle for naps and use a sleep sack for the night? I watched the happiest baby on the block and love the idea of swaddling, but it makes me nervous to have him wrapped in a blanket all night – even though A+A are so thin and stretchy, the baby is wrapped like a perfect burrito! :) just curious what you did. Oh, and how many bg diapers do you have total? I’m building my collection! And lastly, did you wash each bg individually in the wash prior to use or all together (wih or without your vinegar). I know you are suppose to wash them like 6x’s on hot and I’m nervous about bleeding colors. Thanks so much!!! I appreciate it.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no maybe they don’t make it anymore? I would just search for baby on your iphone and see what apps come up for timing their feedings and diapers and stuff. We swaddled for naps and nights until 3 months (sometimes with a sleep swaddle sack thing and sometimes just with A+A) and then let her free since they worry about swaddling too long! Hope it helps. Oh and our cloth diaper total is 12. We’re still using the same 12 diapers today! And we washed them all together every time – no bleeding!
xo,
s
Nancy W says
I was rereading some of your old kid posts (I’ve got baby fever, what can I say). I’d love to see you revisit some of these as you’re getting ready for the new bun. I’d especially love an update of these “future predictions” based on Clara now if you haven’t already posted something like that. It’d be fun to see how you both would answer them now and Clara’s own answers!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be so much fun!
xo
s
Jessica says
Hey John and Sherry,
I first wanted to say congratulations on baby #2! When I was pregnant, I actually referenced this post and ended up registering for the same monitor. I just saw on the news tonight that Angelcare has done a voluntary recall and the company is offering free replacement kits (you can order online). Anyway, I wanted to pass along the message, just in case you’re planning on using the same monitor with your next one!
Take care guys!
Jessica
YoungHouseLove says
I heard that too! John saw the link and we were just talking about it last night. Thanks for keeping me in the loop!
xo
s
Stacy S says
Love the scrapbooking idea so much I have just ordered mine with pretty paper for my baby (not due until July). Love all the ideas you have, and all the best for baby no.2!
Katie says
I happened across this post and was wondering if you also made a baby book for Teddy. If so, did you DIY it? Is it the same as Clara’s or did you pick different/more boy-specific questions for his book?
YoungHouseLove says
I need to make one STAT! I owe my friend Cat one for her third on the way too! Will share the details when I do it!
xo
s