Scrapbooking is a great way of recording key moments in your baby’s life. Selecting those key moments is up to you, and there is no right or wrong way of doing this.

Where to start

If you have trouble getting started, try and keep in mind the scrap element of scrapbooking, so as not to restrict yourself. Nothing has to be set in stone. At the end of the day, pages can always be recreated, removed or torn out. In times of creative despair, try not to be too much of a perfectionist, and remind yourself who the book is for - for you and, one day, your child. Regardless of how much time you choose to spend creating the scrapbook, it should be fun and relaxing, not stressful. The finished product is important, but the more you can enjoy the making of it, the more satisfying and meaningful the whole process will be. And as it could take years to put together, it is worth making it a past time, and not a chore.

Set realistic targets

Set yourself some targets, it helps keep up the momentum and motivation, and it means you always have something to work towards. But, do be prepared to fall behind every now and again, and don’t punish yourself if you do. Ultimately, if you don’t allow yourself time to make the memories then you will have one very empty scrapbook.

Map out your scrapbook

Don’t put yourself under too much pressure. An occasion or event might trigger some sort of scrapbook inspiration when you are short of time, but as long as you scribble down some notes and put aside any pictures, souvenirs etc, then you can work on the finer details when you do have the time and energy to commit to it. You'll just be adding to your bank of potential scrapbook material.  It is also an opportunity to map out the scrapbook and make decisions on the order and layout. If you are creating a timeline of your baby or child growing up, and you want pages to appear chronologically, then you could mark up potential pages so you can come back to them.  Inspiration and ideas for some pages may come to you more easily than others, but don’t restrict yourself by thinking that you have to create the pages in the order that you want them to appear. If you have any sort of creative surge – just go with it!

Types of scrapbook

• Digital scrapbooking. This usually involves some sort of software, such as StoryBook Creator 3.0 or Photomix Digital, both free to download. These programs help you to organise photos according to subject, theme, event or date, ideal if you have all of your photos stored online. They also provide thousands of potential themes and digital scrapbook layouts.

• Traditional scrapbooking. There is an unlimited range of albums, scrapbooking papers, embellishments and tools. It might be best to start with a kit and then grow your collection from there. Basic kits are generally themed and include; papers, stickers and an ideas book. However, if you know what you want then go online or to a shop and put together your own kit. Be warned, there is a lot to choose from, and there will always a new must have gadget or scrapbooking tool.

Tips

• Start keeping hold of any ribbons, embellishments or paper from gift wrapping, wedding invitations etc, anything that might stand even a remote chance of being put to creative use.
• Collect any handmade cards you receive, they can provide a lot of inspiration for scrapbook pages, especially in terms of general design ideas, colour schemes and layouts.
• If you really don’t know where to start, a good introduction might be a scrapbooking class. There is no need to sign up for a course, you can just go to a one off session and get some tips and ideas.
• There are tons of books and magazines with ideas and themes, as well as the online library that is the internet. If anything, there is too much information. A good thing to do is adapt ideas or themes, simplify them or just add your own twist.

A seasonal idea

Flower pressing.  Pressed flowers are a really nice, simplistic touch. And now is the best time to pick them, while the colourful summer flowers are in bloom.  They work best when picked fresh. Alternatively, for an even deeper meaning, you could just choose whatever flower is in season at the time of your baby’s birth. There is no need to go out and buy a flower press, when heavy, hardback books work just as well.  It’s recommended that you place the flowers between two sheets of paper, before sandwiching them in between two heavy books (or amongst the the pages of a single book), and then it’s just a case of waiting a couple of weeks.

It's never too late to start

My Mum has just started compiling a scrapbook for me. In her retirement she has combined a newfound love of card making with having more time to wade through boxes of dusty photographs that she’s had hoarded away for years. So, if you do suddenly find yourself several years down the line, and running several years behind, then making a scrapbook when your baby has grown up is an alternative option.

Photo credits: Scrapbooking images, dada and t-love, used with permission from RellyAB Dorsolateral via Flickr

This Easter we really debated whether or not to sending out Easter cards. As much as I love stationery- and I really love it- I just felt completely unmotivated. 
 
It seems like everyone in my family was born between Christmas and Easter, so it’s been a steady steam of birthday cards and wishes since the start of the New Year. Add to that the fact that there is a complete baby boom in our social circle- friends, family, colleagues, neighbours- and I think you can start to appreciate why I didn’t feel like going through the hassel of sending personalised Easter cards.

But…inevitably I just couldn’t resist. Although this isn’t technically Baby Boy’s first Easter (he arrived just in time last year) it still feels like a special Easter. And, being so far from so many of our favourite people, it seemed like a great time to send a little note. If we can’t celebrate Easter with everyone, at least we can let them know we’re thinking of them.
 
And, as always, it was meant to be. So many people have already thanked us for thinking of them and brightening their day. It was really a small effort to touch so many people. The happy images of a beautiful, smiling baby boy, framed by a sweet duck parade are the perfect way to welcome spring!

This Easter we really debated about sending out an Easter card. It’s not technically Baby Boy’s first Easter (he was born 4 days before last year), so it didn’t seem necessary. Also, Spring in somehow such a busy time of year- or at least it feels busier because of the longer day light hours.

Then I received a phone call that they found a tumour in my grandmother’s stomach and she would have to have it removed. Being far away, is never easy but those kind of calls make it impossibly hard. And, guiltily, it made me think, “When was the last time I actually contacted Nana?”

So, needless to say, we decided to send a personalised photo Easter card this year. And it is so cute! (If I do say so myself) Because, there are lots of people you love in your life and it’s not always easy to stay in touch with them on a regular basis. Taking these special occasions to send a personalised message with some photos of Baby Boy is a great way to remind them that you care and that they are never far from your mind.

I feel bad that something so serious had to happen to remind me of the importance of staying in touch, but it won’t be a lesson I soon forget.

I am so excited about the launch of our FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved paper for our cards. It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while and actually took more work than I anticipated to impliment. The FSC is justifiably strict with the use of their logo and we obviously wanted to get it just right.
 
I have always been very proud and very excited about the experience we give our customers, and indeed the joy we get to share with them. By moving to FSC approved paper it gives me an even greater sense of purpose and pride in our beautiful cards. How fitting to celebrate the birth of your child with a product that helps to protect their future.
 
As parents we have a lot of responsibility to ensure our children have a wonderful future ahead of them. And collectively, all the small things will make a difference. Using a cloth carrier bag, taking the bus and filling your green box each week. We are just glad we add our bit to your list of doing something for the future.

I don’t know how planning Baby Boy’s first birthday has turned into a replay of organising my wedding. Okay, maybe not that bad but I am somehow stressing about giving him the perfect day when I know, logically, he won’t even remember it. I’ve changed dates three times and still haven’t finalised the venue (although I’m hoping my booking is still valid).

He really has a little personality now. When he is happy he is so excitable and funny. He has a big goofy smile and you can tell he is really enjoying himself. And, when he is not so happy, he also knows how to express that. So, even though I keep telling myself the party is more for my husband and I than the kids, my sincere focus is on making sure we see his big smile that day.

But it’s all the little things that I’m focused on- the font on his party invitations, which photo to use, making sure there is a matching thank you card. I doubt if he’ll ever be terribly interested in these details but there’s something in my mind that makes them important. We love him so much and even something as simple as a personalised party invitation feels like it has to be perfect.

I think it’s actually been coming for the last month but it’s suddenly hit me that Baby Boy is becoming independent. He’s recently discovered that he can stand up on his own (with the help of the side of his crib). Watching him clutch the side of his bed, so happy and excited about his new skill fills me with a distinct mix of pride and longing. Proud that he is developing but slightly sad with the realisation I am no longer needed the way I once was.
 
And it has somehow made me wonder, does my mother-in-law feel this way when she looks at my husband? Of course adulthood is a long journey from infancy, but I wonder if that feeling ever really leaves the mother, especially for those who have breast feed their child. While you are going through the sleepless nights and endless feeds it can be quite exhausting but now I realise what a gift it actually was and quickly it passed by.

I think it somehow must be especially true for sons, where that physical connection diminishes with time. The odd peck on the cheek is a far cry from the hours you spent holding him in your arms....I have to admit. I’m back to work part time and it just seems to make this precious time go by even faster.  And I guess I just hope, in some small way, he’ll always be my baby.

I think it’s fair to say we’ve had a pretty rough winter so far. Okay, not when I compare our temperatures and snowfall to Alaska, or even Edinburg for that matter, but I think the “Big Freeze” description of our winter is pretty accurate. But, the last couple of days seem to be a bit more typical Britain in January and I’m holding on to the hope that warm days are ahead.

I actually don’t mind the fresh (i.e. cold) air and I love the snow. Our local park has looked magical these past few weeks. But, I do mind the hassle of trying to dress Baby Boy for the weather condition. It’s a tricky balancing act of trying to enjoy the outdoors while ensuring he doesn’t get a cold from being out there. More often than not when we get home he’s a ball of sweat because he was actually too warm.

So, while I sincerely believe the last few weeks have been a special treat in their own way, I am quietly looking forward to the return of Spring. Maybe I watched Bambie too many times as a kid, but the spring is the perfect time for babies. Everything is coming back to life and breads a natural enthusiasm, even in the deepest parts of a city.

Although I am still basking in the enjoyment of sleeping in my own bed, all night (after 7 months of breastfeeding on demand), I am surprised to be finding myself ever so slightly envious of friends with new borns or new baby bumps. I joke about how tired and fat and grumpy and generally uncomfortable during my pregnancy I can’t deny it was also one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. I might have the worst memory in the UK but I will always remember those first movements- of knowing that that was my baby, growing inside of me. The joy and excitement and love that moment gave me are something I will treasure forever.

So, I guess it’s natural when I see those little fingers and toes to have a longing to go back in time- if only for a moment. I received a photo birth announcement from one of my dearest friends this week and my eyes actually watered.  Her personalised baby card came right from the heart and touched mine very deeply. Seeing her newly born daughter, snuggling against the warmth of her chest, knowing how cold and snowy the rest of the country was, was breath taking.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing I love better than the sound of my son’s laughter, knowing that he is truly happy and not just making a random noise. But, I do miss those quite moments we use to share, when he was so new and so needy. When he would snuggle close to me and know that he was safe and loved and could fall to sleep in the gentle rocking of my arms. When he was still learning to feed and would trust his instincts to find the right way. I guess we’re both still trusting our instincts.

I don’t think I’m alone in having Christmas as my favourite time of year. As you get older your desire to believe in the magic of the season only gets stronger. You want to believe that people are good and that, somehow, anything is possible. This feeling has only gotten stronger since the arrival of Baby Boy and I’m more excited than ever to celebrate the Christmas season.

Christmas is definitely a season for children and babies. Although there is the obvious commercial side, with every child busily making sure they haven’t forgotten anything on Santa’s list, there is also a fundamental innocence that children bring to Christmas. Their little smiles and laughs never have any hidden meaning, they are never fake and they always bring a certain amount of love with them.

So this year I feel extra lucky that I can send our Christmas cards with Baby Boy’s magic smile. If that doesn’t melt your heart and put you in the Christmas spirit I don’t know what will. I haven’t decided if I’m going to go all out and have him dressed as a miniature Santa or snowman but I figure if you can’t be a bit cheesy this time of year, then when can you? And I know how excited our family and friends will be to have that personal touch that really brings our Christmas wishes to them.

"We're pregnant!" "You're going to be grandparents!" "There's a bun in the oven!"  However you do it, one of the most wonderful parts of your early pregnancy is sharing the news with family and friends. Announcing the upcoming birth of your little one is such an exciting experience. I found that reactions ranged from shock to absolute joy, with both of our parents speechless for the first 30 seconds.

As a woman, I loved the added treat of being the first to know. When you’re trying to get pregnant you can never know how long you’re going to have to wait, so when I started to feel a bit different I didn’t want to let myself get too excited before I knew for sure a baby was on the way. But then the day came when the test read positive and the world literal stood still for a minute.

The anticipation of giving birth, of becoming parents, of being a mom for the rest of my life was more than a little overwhelming, so it’s great you’ve got 9 months to get use to it. Making our birth announcements, following up with thank you cards and savouring every moment of parenthood starts with know there is a little seed inside of you. And I think sharing that news is a gift in itself.