Anna's Baby Book | Thoughts, Images, & A Video Walk-Through

Peeking In

PLEASE NOTE: Most of my Memory Keeping Q&A posts are being presented on my main blog. I decided to put this post here on the Projects blog as it feels more at home here with the images and the video.

ANDI | I know Anna is 2 now but I was wondering if you ever did a baby book for her, you talked about it. I know that she will have her own set of books like Simon but I remember you saying that you didn’t like the “pre-made” ones that you find at the store. I didn’t buy one of those either and I was wondering what you scrapped and how you did it.

AE | I'm so glad you asked about this as it spurred me to pull out her album and see exactly what I had done with it.

It's been awhile since I've looked through this album - I've added layouts here and there but have not actually taken the time to see what I have and what I don't have.

Here's the original post from April 2009 where I talked about my approach to this album. I mention that there is no master plan and there really wasn't - which resulted in what I have here - a collection of stories from her first year of life along with some other bits and pieces I saved along the way.

Here's some things that came to mind as I looked at what's in the album right now: 

  1. I know if I go back to my 2009 and 2010 photo folders I'll find more stories I'd like to tell about Anna's first year.
  2. I'm seriously thankful that I have stories told. I'm not upset that I don't have every little thing documented. Many of the most detailed stories came from posts I did on my blog that document all the little things that were happening with her from month to month (not on a specific schedule necessarily, but enough to get a good picture of specific points during her first year).
  3. I like that I kept the well-baby visit handouts that include her weight and height.
  4. The pages are going to be re-organized in chronological order. For this post and video I just took pictures and did the walk-through "as-is" so you could see it just how it is off the shelf without being fixed up.
  5. I actually kinda like that I haven't looked at it in awhile. Looking at it again over the last couple of days I have a new sense of excitement about getting some more pages done specifically for this book to round out the project. It's a nice reminder that things can sit for awhile and all is not lost (and part of the reason it's not totally lost is that I've got content to pull from in the form of stories I've posted on my blog).

MOVING FORWARD

After looking at what I have, here's a list of layouts/elements I'd still like to add: 

  1. A layout (or more than one) about our childcare and the relationship both my kids have with the people who make a big difference in our lives.
  2. Maybe a month-at-a-glance. Using a multi-photo layered template (like this one or this one or this one) I could easily go back into my monthly photo archives and grab photos from each month of her first year. I'll share these as I do them.
  3. Title page/album intro.
  4. Gather up additional journaling I did on my blog and either create layouts or simply print out journaling pages similar to what I've done in Project Life using the Long Journalers.  This shouldn't take too long as the posts about her are tagged as Anna (oh how I love that simple little organizational tool).
  5. I also found, as I was looking through my Designer Digitals gallery and putting this post together, that I have quite a few other pages completed that belong in this album (both paper and digital). I need to see if I printed the digital pages already (which I think I did) and either get them printed or move them from the 2009 or 2010 family albums. Pages like this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one.

Here's a video where I walk you through what's currently inside the album:


Ali Edwards | Anna Baby Book Walk-Through from Ali Edwards on Vimeo.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO

Here's a look at the inside of this album via the lens of my camera with links to more information about specific layouts when available.

IMG_2808

A divided page protector opens the album and includes the notice of her birth from the local paper, our bracelets, the hospital photos, her newborn hat, etc.

Birth Story

BIRTH STORY. A few of these pages were featured in my Studio A column in Creating Keepsakes magazine in November 2009 (and other Studio A columns throughout the second half of 2009). The theme of the article was using your own past pages as inspiration for new pages. I used a bunch of page designs I had created that told stories about Simon's first few months as jumping off points for these pages about Anna.

Birth Story

The photo opens up to reveal her birth story.

Dad And Daughter

DAD AND DAUGHTER. Details about this digital layout can be found here. First featured in Creating Keepsakes Studio A column July 2009.

First Seven Days

FIRST SEVEN DAYS | THE JOURNEY BEGINS. I love this one. One of my favorites.

Love.

I LOVE YOU.

You = Love.

YOU = LOVE. Details about this layout can be found here. Words came from a blog post here.

Coming Home

COMING HOME.

IMG_2782
Newborn Papers

HOSPITAL PAPERS. There's a bunch of these sprinkled throughout the book.

Waiting For Baby

WAITING FOR BABY. This one will be moved forward in the album.

First Photo Print + Baby Music

DOCUMENTING THE TUNES. Details on the layout can be found here. The opposite image was the photo my Mom printed out for Simon to take to school to share the story of his new baby sister. Story blogged here.

From A Blog Post

SIX WEEKS.

The Story Of Cloth

THE STORY OF CLOTH. Content taken from this blog post.

Generations

GENERATIONS. One of my favorite kind of layouts that shows photos from now and then. A photo of me and a photo of her and then one of us. I shared the Me & Her image on my blog here.

Saving A Onsie

THE ONESIE. The binder clip is working just right at keeping it in place.

IMG_2791

SWEET BABY. Details on this layout can be found here.

And The Greatest Of These

AND THE GREATEST OF THESE. From a Studio A column in 2009.

A4

A4.

Well Baby Visits

WELL BABY VISITS.

Us

US.

Hello You

HELLO YOU. Photos of Grandparents first meeting Anna and Simon being so excited to have a sister.

Remember This

REMEMBER THIS. More details on this layout available here.

Planning. Dreaming.

PLANNING. DREAMING. Another page about getting ready for her arrival.

Ready To Go

READY TO GO.

Welcome

WELCOME.

A3

A3.

IMG_2802

WELL BABY VISIT.

3 Months

3 MONTHS.

Journaling From A Blog Post

ANNA AT 11 MONTHS. Details on this layout can be found here.

Thanking God

THANKING GOD. More details on this layout available here.

At the back of the album right now I've got some additional notes and things I'd like to include either on layouts or simply just included in the album inside a page protector.

Wow. This has been quite a little journey for me and I'm feeling really thankful for the question that spurred me to take a closer look at this album. I also really have to emphasize how thankful I feel tonight that I've captured so many stories on my blog in the moment. Those are the stories I love so much - the ones that talk about what she's doing, what I love about her at a certain stage, etc. Those are the kind of memories that are just that much more difficult to recollect as times passes.


This post is part of a 2011 Memory Keeping Q&A series. Additional posts in this series will be listed below as they are posted. Past Q&A posts are available via the Category Archives here.

Products | Photos | Inspiration | Motivation & Time | Anna's Baby Album

Related Posts

Sign in or sign up to comment.

105 thoughts

  1. Michelle says…
    06/21/2011

    Thank you (again!) for the reminder that it's really all about the stories and preserving the memories. That simple insight saves me from guilt that my daughter is growing and the book I have made for her is not "perfect" and allows me to simply celebrate the stories that are recorded.
    So thankful that you are willing to share your work and your stories with so many. You are the best!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Brooke says…
    06/22/2011

    This is the most beautiful and special baby book I have ever seen. I only wish I would have seen this a year ago :) Thanks for sharing.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. hannahk says…
    06/24/2011

    ali this is beautiful. So happy that you've shared the whole album :) Thank you

    I've a couple of pregnancy LOs and already a collection of little bits and bobs to put into an album. having fun finding stuff for the nursery and getting ready .. 2 1/2 months to go and I'm trying to make the most of it. I'm going to try making some pockets like Becki Higgins baby ones... maybe by using transfers on plastic wallets from the stationers shop, and add thickers for words...

    It was wonderful to see the background and other project pieces too. I loved the reflections notebook when you made it and has it on my big list... I've just made one for a friend who is also expecting. Am hoping she uses it now or during the first year... look forward to hearing how you end up using yours.

    thanks again Hx

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Rebecca says…
    07/06/2011

    thank you so much for your babybook video. It is very beautiful without being too structured and I love how you used different sizes of pages to suit your needs. That's what a real scrapbook is all about! I've taken lots of notes and I am now eager to get started on mine!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Memory Keeping for Baby. » One Full Turn says…
    07/13/2011

    [...] favorite scrapbookers) shared on her blog back in June about how she created her daughter’s baby book. It was pretty similar to what I was doing with mine! It also got me inspired to add a few other [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Jessica says…
    08/08/2011

    Thanks so much for sharing. I am working on my son's album now and this gave me a lot of ideas.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Scrapbooking Ideas says…
    08/11/2011

    How i wish my mom made me a scrapbook/baby album like this! It's a keeper! And I love it when the baby overall is clipped in a page! This is sooo nice! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. NatalieSpring says…
    09/07/2011

    Thanks for this post. I come back to this often for inspiration for my daughter's book.

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Mallory says…
    11/06/2011

    Absolutely precious Ali! I have about 3 different albums in the works for my baby boy, and I never thought of putting different size pages in one album. Now I think I'll combine everything into one. And the pockets are a great way to keep all the little things from the hospital without adhering them. Thanks for the great ideas!

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Ashley says…
    01/03/2012

    So very precious! <3

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. jamie hansen says…
    01/17/2012

    Ali,
    I loved your album for Anna. Very sweet. I love the movement through it (smaller pages, with larger, the divide pages and so on...)

    Question: So do you keep a traditional baby album as well or is this it? I was just thinking about how the tradition ones have things like family trees, list of gifts from shower, charting of teeth... Do you bother to record this?

    I ask because my son is 8 and i lost some of those details due to a tragedy. I feel guilty, but want to give him a nice baby album. We also adopted a baby girl and I find that the LO of a traditional album does not fit our story, even the adoption baby albums don't. I love that there is hope, after seeing Anna's album that our adoptive baby can have something as nice as that.

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Michelle says…
    02/29/2012

    Hey Ali,

    Just wanted to let you know that you totally inspired my own creation for my daughter. I was totally not happy with how a traditional 'baby book' was going, and after finding this post I knew exactly what I needed to do. I'm super excited about my first scrapbooking project and know it will be so much more special because of everything that has and will go into it. Thanks for posting this and for all the great creative inspiration you post here!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Priya says…
    02/28/2013

    Hi Ali ,

    This is a lovely baby album .....I like each and every layout in this album and have watched the Video so many time :) . I am expecting my 2nd baby and i am creating a album for my 4 yr old ( quite behind on that :) . good thing is i have atleast recorded most of the memories in my laptop. ). In the video you talk about adding new stuff to the album and putting them back in new album . Just wanted to know if there are anymore new ideas that you could share . I would also like to use the Project life album and kit for the baby book , do you have any ideas on how to incorporate that into a baby album.
    Thanks Priya !

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Manie Bellantuono says…
    04/04/2013

    Your baby’s life is filled with amazing firsts: first smile, first word, first step. Make your baby’s first book and music equally special with selections from Baby’s First Book Club. This unique club provides parents with age-appropriate books in a variety of baby-safe book formats. Your first shipment includes a soft cloth book that comes with an adorable—and detachable—plush monkey; two large lift-the-flap books; a chunky board book; and an audio CD perfect for listening to with little ones. This total package will engage your baby’s senses at a low introductory price that even includes shipping—and best of all, there’s no commitment!:

    Our own internet page
    <'http://www.prettygoddess.com/

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Sarah says…
    04/14/2013

    Wow! I am here from pinterest and I'm so inspired! When I have babies, I want to make their baby books just like this! thanks for breaking it down! It's beautiful!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Baby Buys &#8211; Keepsake Ideas | Little Turquoise Book says…
    08/09/2013

    [...] inspiration, I think Anna’s Baby Book is absolutely amazing!! I have included a couple of photos here to give you an idea, but highly [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. How to remember how tiny your kids were &raquo; Life in Color Photography says…
    09/09/2013

    […] (I think I originally saw an idea like this checking out Ali’s book for Anna) […]

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. julia says…
    10/07/2013

    very nice ! so sweet...

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. コンバース 検査合格 says…
    10/30/2013

    Hi, I log on to your blog regularly. Your story-telling style is witty, keep it up!

    Also visit my site ... コンバース 検査合格

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. butter molds says…
    02/28/2014

    When you lose granules your roof can no longer deflect the sun's UV rays and your energy efficiency will suffer as well.
    Not entirely destroying the organism. It is best to be
    sure. Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Alternaria, the Stachybotrys chartarum
    mold is not allowed to thrive.

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. mikky05v says…
    04/11/2015

    I noticed your pages are all different sizes yet the sleeves always fit perfectly. Do you make your own?

    Reply 0 Replies

Sign in or sign up to comment.