Creative Ways to Document a Baby's First Year

If you’re a new parent, someone’s probably told you something along the lines of “enjoy this time—they grow up so fast.” This advice is true! The first year of your baby’s life goes by very quickly, leaving nothing but memories. This is why it is so important to document a baby’s first year —you want plenty of photos and videos to look back on (and potentially embarrass your kid with in later years).

Here are a few ways to record your little one’s growth:

Month-by-Month Photos

Taking a monthly photo to record growth and development is a common way for documenting a baby’s first year. Most people photograph their baby in the same place with the same reference points, so viewers can see changes in height and weight. You can make monthly photos extra special by:

• Clothing baby in a one-year old outfit and record how he grows into it.
• Using monthly bodysuit stickers to announce baby’s age.
• Get creative with balloons, stuffed toys, and fun backgrounds.
• Dress baby in clothing that complements each month.’
• Use lettered blocks to spell out the name of the month.
• Make a 12-month calendar from your baby photos.

Baby-on-the-Go

Why limit yourself to home photos? Even a trip to the grocery store is an opportunity for documenting a baby’s first year. Use photos to tell stories like baby’s first visit to the park, baby’s first trip to the zoo, and other excursions.

Whiteboard Thought Bubbles

It’s easy to get lost staring into your little one’s eyes, wondering what he or she is thinking. While you’ll have to wait until they start talking to find out for sure, whiteboards help you put words into your little one’s mouth. Draw a cartoon thought balloon, write something funny in it, and use it as the backdrop for a picture.

Memory Boxes

A memory box is a delightful tradition, and an excellent way to document a baby’s first year. Find a decorative box and fill it with little reminders of those first twelve months. Possible items include hospital name tags, first shoes and gloves, pictures, and other small memorabilia.

Baby Clothes Quilt

Babies grow quickly, and you’ll go through plenty of rompers and bodysuits in that first year. Many of those clothes will have happy memories attached to them, and you won’t want to give them up (that duckie romper was just so cute!).

If you’re handy with a sewing machine, why not cut the front of outgrown baby clothes into squares and make a quilt full of memories?

Backing Up Precious Memories

Today’s precious memories are almost entirely digital, which makes them vulnerable to damage and loss. If your phone is stolen or a power surge hits your computer, a lifetime of photos can disappear in an instant.

Backup your photos to ensure the effort you put into documenting a baby’s first year doesn’t go to waste. Picture Keeper Connect quickly and securely backs up all your baby pictures and more, so you always have a copy of those first wonderful twelve months!