Baby Book

Here is an idea for parents. I created a baby book which reads more like a diary with clippings inserted and drawings and photos added. For me, the generic books where there is only one line to add when baby took his first steps wasn't enough for me. I needed to write a love letter to my kid, whether he wants to read it or not.  If I was really a writer I think I would have kept two notebooks: one for my eyes only detailing my journey, the other a letter to my baby. For this baby,  I put together one of the latter.

​Leading up to my little one’s birth, I started a book. A small, unlined notebook where I could put my thoughts and wishes for this baby-to-be. I also wrote down things like the names of his midwives and time and place of birth. I added nesting to-do lists and crossed off each item as I completed the task. I added a footprint of his tiny newborn toes. I started my letters to him with, "dear baby" and ended them with, "love mama."

What I treasure about this book is the space it has created for me to write letters to my baby. I wrote sporadically throughout my pregnancy. I had visitors in the first few months write him letters as well. Now, I incorporate updates after his doctor's checkups or when he battled sleep to push out his first tooth. I hope to remember to take it out for his first birthday party so all of his aunties and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers can leave him a note. 

As he is now 10 months old, I am thankful to have had this book. For me it is an outlet for those things which I want to tell him, for the thoughts I might have about my pregnancy or his development as a child. 

I hope that when he is able to read he will think two things: that his mother is crazy, and that she loves him.