Baby’s first year is a magical time of, well, firsts. And of course we want to preserve all those special memories so we can revisit them again and again as baby grows up (and of course to use as devices of embarrassment for 21sts and weddings!)
From starting a scrapbook, to taking cute month-by-month comparison photos, to making a photobook, here are five adorable ways you can capture those precious memories:
1. Scrapbooking
This lovely idea tells the story of baby’s first year wonderfully. Through looking at photos, receipts and tickets, page by page you can see at a glance where you went, what you did and how much baby has grown. We suggest getting a good quality hard-backed scrapbook that will last, and sticking in your precious memories with a glue stick – it won’t distort the paper like a wetter glue.
2. Month-by-month comparison photos
Babies grow crazy fast, so one of the cutest way to document this growth is to take a photo each month and at the end of the year, compile them into a collage print. Harvey Norman Photo Centre does a brilliant 12x12 montage frame. All you need to do is upload your pics on the site, pop them where you want them to go, and the guys at Harvey Norman will do the rest.
3. Video diary
A sweet video diary is such a lovely way to capture all of baby’s firsts and milestones. Invest in a small handheld camera and record all those special moments, like their first day at the pool, or the first time they ate a banana (and the ensuing mess!) and at the end of the year you can edit all the footage to make a gorgeous vid of baby’s first year.
4. Create photo ‘stories’
This is such a cool and creative way to capture that precious first year. Once a month, when baby is asleep or lying down, create a ‘scene’ around them using felt, paper or just things you find around the house. For example, lying baby on a yellow blanket, putting a gold star 'sheriff's badge' on their front and and cutting out cactus shapes can create an adorable Wild West scene. Let your imagination run riot!
5. Photobook
A photobook is a great alternative to an album of photos, and works particularly well as a gift for grandparents, aunties and uncles. Again, Harvey Norman Photo Centre has an easy online portal where you simply upload the photos you want to include, choose your photobook size and whether you want a matte or glossy finish, and pop your snaps where you want them to go. Simple! And there’s even the option to choose from heaps of cute photobook themes for baby girls and boys.
