Album for a present

[Nellyphant]

Hi everyone

There are lots of babies coming into our family this year - 4 - and I want to make albums for them/their parents. Instead of a baby album, I was thinking about doing a birthday album with their birth photo up to 18 with a journalling card tucked in somewhere for notes about their likes/dislikes etc that the parents can fill in.

I was considering also putting in 3 months, 6 months & 9 months as babies change so much but wanted your thoughts about this. Also I'd like to put a note in about the sort of things that the parents might want to journal - suggestions please?

Thanks.

[lizzydripping]

I just done 2 for a baby but done very general pages & titles. Some I have done without titles completely.

Liz

[Mozi]

Hard to know what the parents might want to journal as I know I found all the pre-prepared baby books really hard to fill in and felt guilty because I couldn't remember (or even identify) when they first smile, have first tooth, roll over etc. Head was always in the fog! Instead I have just written a piece of journaling for 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, then yearly. Perhaps you could include a largish journaling card with the age on it and title it something like 'All about me at (insert age)'

I am also doing birthday books for my two DDs. I have followed a scheme by Vanessa Matthews from the Spring issue of SI where she uses 3 templates and rotates or flips them so that the book has some unity. It's working really well. I'm not journaling about likes/dislikes etc as I have that in my other albums but I have included a large hidden tag between the pages in the page protector (IYSWIM) that has a list of their birthday presents and a picture of the cake (at least it will have when I get round to it), BTW the albums are 8X8. I don't know if any of that is helpful!

Good luck with your project and the the new arrivals

[Ladybug]

I have followed a scheme by Vanessa Matthews from the Spring issue of SI where she uses 3 templates and rotates or flips them so that the book has some unity. It's working really well. I'm not journaling about likes/dislikes etc as I have that in my other albums but I have included a large hidden tag between the pages in the page protector (IYSWIM) that has a list of their birthday presents and a picture of the cake (at least it will have when I get round to it), BTW the albums are 8X8. I don't know if any of that is helpful!

Good luck with your project and the the new arrivals

I was going to suggest this book as well. I have just started putting the pieces together for one of these books about my great nephew he's only six months old but I know my niece will love it and keep it upto date as it's only one photo a year. It will be such a great book to look back at over the years.

[Nellyphant]

It's going to be a page for every year.

"Perhaps you could include a largish journaling card with the age on it and title it something like 'All about me at (insert age)'"

I like this idea Morag, thanks.

[JulieSE]

I think this is a brilliant idea - might steal that one.

I have been doing baby albums for friends, a DLO per month plus extras for Christmas, baptisums etc. The problem is that they are often also given traditional baby books so have the issue of which to use - I usually suggest they use both, one that they can give to kid when s/he grows up and the other that they keep. But I've never seen a birth to 18 year book, which would be different and just as special.

Julie

[elsie-scot]

There are a few baby journals for sale, I'd have a search on the net for some and steal some of their examples - friend of mine did one, and had some things like first house etc, as remember her taking photo of the house on the day her baby arrived home. Suppose what everyone likes to keep a record if is differnet - ?doing one that can add extra pages to if they what a few other things than the normal.

I like the idea of a family tree with photos.