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Sentimental Keepsakes for Babies First Year

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I just might be sentimental to a fault, but it’s just part of who I am. I love to document everything, keep items that are meaningful, and do so in the most organized way possible.

Compulsive organizing might be a fault of mine too. I may need to see a therapist.

Looking back over Cypress’ first year of life, I’m SO glad I took the time each week to take her picture in the same spot. It’s so incredible to flip through them and watch her change before my eyes… and remember how tiny she once was! I absolutely recommend doing this if you have a fresh squishy baby in your future. Even if it’s once a month rather than every week.

Take a picture of your baby in the same chair every month for the first year! {Reality Daydream}

I did the same thing with the twins (which was MUCH more of a commitment) and I treasure these pictures. And the girls love to flip through their albums and remark about how they compare and change over time… mostly regarding hair growth.

Take pictures each week or moth of your baby's first year, and print the pics in a photo album {Reality Daydream}

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I may have gotten my sentimentality from my mother, because she kept boxes and boxes of my (and my 6 siblings’) clothes from our childhood, bless her heart. And I LOVE that she did that. Awhile back, at my sister-in-law’s baby shower, my mom gave Carrie two tiny outfits from my brother Tim’s babyhood (Carrie’s baby daddy and husband), neatly in ziplock bags… and complete with a very vintage photo of Tim wearing that specific outfit 20-some years ago.

I separated out all the outfits that they wore for these shoots and made piles, and put the photos with their corresponding outfits.

Take pics of your baby every month of their first year, then save the corresponding outfits to pass down to them someday! {Reality Daydream}

I picked up some ziploc bags (make sure you use the slider zipper kind!), got comfortable, turned on some  music, and got busy!

I laid out each outfit and folded each one in such a way that it was the same dimensions as the baggie (and therefore would take up the least room). Like so…

Take pictures each week or month of your baby's first year, and print the pics in a photo album (Reality Daydream)

Then, this is where things get classy… squish out the air by whatever means possible. I used my legs, but if you use an actual vacuum sealer, I won’t judge you.

Cyp's keepsake outfits1-001

I was surprised by how this sophisticated method worked. Those things are FLAT! Here’s a stack of 8… crazy compact, no?!

Save outfits for your baby that correspond with memorable photos of them {Reality Daydream}

I know sometimes blog posts tend to make things seem easier than they really are, and sometimes the really ARE very easy!  But this process of folding/bagging outfits (though very simple) TOOK FOREVER if I’m being honest with myself and you… which I always am! The whole time I was doing this, I kept thinking to myself am I a little CRAZY? And then I would think this is such a GREAT IDEA! It was like I had two little guys on each shoulder saying conflicting things!

I’m ok with being a little crazy. I even wrote Cypress a little note and put it in the tote (we used this one) with all these bagged outfits. There’s no way to know if my kids will be as sentimental as me… but if they’re even a fraction, they’ll be grateful I saved these sentimental keepsakes for them.

Take pictures of your baby each week or month of their first year of life, then print the pictures and put them with the corresponding outfits to save and pass down to them one day! {Reality Daydream}

I love knowing that each of my 3 girls has their own box of baby clothes (complete with photos and memories) to reminisce over someday, and possibly pass onto their daughters! This brings me immeasurable joy!

Do you have special memorable outfits from your little tyke’s childhood that you are saving for him/her? Or do you save ALL their clothing? Do you have other ideas for sentimental keepsakes to pass down to your children? Do you think I’m a little neurotic?  Let’s be honest.

~Bethany

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Comments

  1. 23

    I just wanted to say thank you for giving me the single, best idea I’ve found for when I have a child (hopefully soon!). As my parents didn’t save anything from my childhood, I don’t think you’re being neurotic in the slightest. I’m 34, and I sorely wish I had stuff like this to look back on.

    Reply
  2. 25

    I have made several memory quilts from baby to teen clothing for moms to send off to college with teens. I have also used photos printed on fabric and clothing in memory quilts. I am always impressed with moms who manage to stick with a project for 17 or 18 years.

    Reply
  3. 26

    Love this idea. Ive been going thru my sons clothes (he is 4 now) from when he was a baby until now. I was having a hard time deciding which ones to keep amd came across your blog. In the past I always liked the idea of making quilt with hem but to me that seems like such a waste of clothes that other kids can use plus I dont know that I would ever get around to doing it. I do t think he has one outfit that he did not get his picture taken in so this idea is great. Not keepig quite as many as you lolbbut the outfits that I loved on him I will be doing this for.

    Reply
  4. 27

    My husband is very sentimental as well and he saved tons of his kids’ (my step-kids) clothes and their hospital bracelets. Even the cast from when his daughter broke her arm when she was 5! It’s so tiny! And his son’s first pair of tiny cowboy boots and little Levi jacket. It’s adorable and I can’t wait to be a grammy and pass those things back to them.

    Reply
  5. 28

    My mom saved TONS of my stuff from my childhood and when she just moved and gave it all to me, I gave it away. I am not sentimental at all, but she keeps everything. It was nice to see it, but to me it’s just taking up space.

    Reply
  7. 31

    I saved everything I made/sewed/knitted for my twins. I love that I have that stuff now-and had I had digital photography available back in 1985 I would have taken pix of them in the outfits, too! Love that idea.

    I also kept a journal for each kid with funny stuff they said/did ( you will NOT remember everything by the time they are. say thirteen)as well as baby books and school books.

    I also made sure I kept their all time FAVE toys-Brio trains, Lego people, an American Girl’s doll/clothes…and I collected Night Before Christmas books every year, so I have a bunch of those.

    My two are 26 now-so when I get to be a Grammie, I’ll be set!

    PS-I would NOT store your stuff in cardboard boxes. Varmints of all kinds can get into those, and even though you have zip locks, I’d get either plastic storage boxes or use space bags-well worth the $$$ to keep your precious girl memories intact.

    Reply
    • 32

      Susan! You are VERY on-the-ball! I love that you’re a fellow twin-mommy, and have a similar sentimental urge! 🙂

      And I love your idea of saving their favorite toys.

      Also… GOOD POINT about the cardboard boxes! I’m planning to get some plastic totes, but wanted to wait to see what dimensions I would need. I probably should update the post to include that little important tidbit. You make a very valid (and timely!) point about rodents… we’re having a bit of a mouse-sitch in our kitchen as we speak. YUCK!

      Reply
  10. 35

    I saved a couple of outfits for each of my kids…didn’t think of the ziploc bag and photo…what a good idea!! Makes me wonder if you should print the blog page, too. You had such cool things to say. When they’re older, they’ll get to know the young woman you are!!

    Reply
  12. 37

    I wish I had a time machine to travel back (almost) eight years ago and do this. Over the past years I’ve come across so many wonderful ideas I wish I’d had when my daughter was tiny. I hope she isn’t jealous if I do them with other children I might end up with … I just wasn’t prepared. What a great thing to pass on to your little girls!

    Reply
    • 38

      I know there’ll be things wish *I* had thought of down the road from now too! You just have to roll with it! Having pictures is the most important thing.

      And remember, WHO KNOWS if your kids will even be the sentimental ‘types’! My girls might grow up and be like… ‘Mom, why did you keep all these old ugly outfits?’ HA! And that will be ok too. I can’t expect them to be mini-me’s!

      Reply
  13. 39

    You always did like to organize things. One of your favorite jobs as a little girl was to straighten out the bathroom drawer that held combs, hair thingies, miscellaneous tubes of stuff, etc. Everything had its own special place.

    Reply
    • 40

      I just need to tell you that you raised a fabulous daughter, mother and wife! WOW. And this idea of yours now passed on as a special tradition to both families. Having lots of admiration for both of you. I only kept my boys’ christening outfits and swapped all the others at POMBA meets as there were lots of poor families with twin boys in the group. Mind you I got lots of stuff in return.

      Reply
  14. 41

    Such a sweet Idea! I have both of my girls “going home” outfits hanging on their walls in their rooms but I never thought about doing this. Even if not 50 at least a handful of the good ones and putting a picture with it is the best!

    Reply
  15. 42

    I saved all my daughters outfits.. I got rid of a few, ones that were really worn through from crawling or play play clothes but for the most part, new born socks, her sweet little sleepers, going out outfits.. I kept everything looking new so.. I can pass it down to her when she has her own..I only would that I can stuff her into them now to take pics as I didnt get pics of her in quite a bit of the outfits.

    Reply
  16. 43

    You are good. Too good. I am totally jealous. I don’t do anything close to this awesome. The best I can manage is taking my girlies for monthly pictures at a portrait studio and snap as many pics as I can on my phone and camera (when I can find it). I didn’t even finish my pregnancy and birth journal… It’s still got blank pages and is stuffed with all of our hospital bracelets and stuff. I have a small box of sentimental clothing of the babes that I have kept, the rest has either been given away to friends and family or is set to be sold at consignment (could totally use the extra cash).

    It’s not that I am super sad that I am not the crafty/organized mommy that does all these ingenius things, that’s just not me… But I am terrified that I will forget just how tiny they were, the changes in their appearance and personalities, milestone moments and even just everyday precious moments that I want to remember forever so I can tell them about it.

    My simple answer to this problem is to write something on my wall calendar (free from Avon this year :/ ) each day so I can have some sort of record of goings-on. Somday I can get these out and reminisce and perhaps give them to the girls later on. Ah well. Such is life. I do what I can. 🙂

    Reply
    • 44

      I do the same thing! Only instead of a Calendar, I just use a notepad and write the date next to the notable ‘event’.

      And DON’T feel bad about sell/donating baby clothes! There’s DEFINITELY no right or wrong way to do these things! Having the good-sense to remember to take as many photos as possible while they’re young is the most important thing BY FAR in my humble opinion!

      Oh, and the girls’ baby books are half-filled-out. Another project for another day! 🙂

      Reply
  17. 45

    WOW! THAT IS UBER ORGANIZED! I Love it though!! Micah said, that was a lot of baby clothes. I’m amazed at the quantity, 100!! Wow. Nice job! Are you going to continue to save little outfits?

    Reply

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