Preserving Memories When You’re Short on Time: Alternatives to a Traditional Baby Book

When you’re holding your newborn in your arms in the middle of the night, exhausted, in pain, and wondering when you’re ever going to feel normal again, it can be hard to believe that this time will pass. A year later though, as your toddler bounces around the house babbling, smiling, and showing off their big personality, you’ll wonder how they possibly got this big when it feels like they were just born yesterday.

As the years pass you’ll probably want to look back on your baby's early years, but figuring out a way to preserve your memories might be a challenge. Parents of the past often kept detailed, hand-written baby books but, in today’s world, there are all sorts of other options you can use instead of, or in addition to the baby book. Check out the fabulous ideas for preserving memories below!

{ MORE: Do You Sing Your Baby to Sleep? New Research Says You Probably Should }

Make a monthly video

Videos are a wonderful way of preserving memories. Most parents have hundreds of videos of their kiddo on their phone. Many of those videos never end up anywhere else though. And without somehow organizing them, it’s likely they’ll never end up getting watched. Consider setting up a date each month to transfer the videos you want to keep, delete the ones you don’t want to keep, and make a compilation for easy viewing. Simply splice your videos together, set them to some music, and enjoy watching your baby crawl, walk, and babble their way through the month all in one video. There are lots of free apps and programs that make this simple. 

Use voice memo to record the sweet babbles of your little one

Pictures make sweet mementos, but nothing beats hearing your little one's voice. Next time your babe is babbling their way through supper or chatting you up at bedtime, simply hit the voice memo record button on your phone and save your little one's voice forever.

Send your kiddo love notes

If you enjoy writing, love notes into the future might be the perfect way to preserve your memories. Set up an email address for your kiddo and send them pictures, videos, and love notes periodically. While the notes, videos, and pictures are for your babe, they’ll also serve as a reminder of what you were proud of or flustered by when you were writing the notes.

{ MORE: Real Strategies for Making Your Baby's Baby Book a Reality }

Journal

Journaling is another fantastic way for a mom who enjoys writing to preserve the memories of their child’s early years. Pick up a journal and commit to writing in it once every week or two. Your notes don’t need to be long. They should focus on what your child is doing at the moment or how you’re feeling as a parent.

As your baby grows, there’s no doubt you’ll want to look back on their younger years. No matter how you preserve your memories—make sure you do!

What's your favorite way of preserving memories? Share in the comments!