How to remember?

[Claribel]

My daughter is now nearly 2 and obviously we have taken loads of photos which I am trying to be organised about printing and putting in albums, but I wondered how people remember the other stuff? I'm not really a fan of baby books that force you to put in certain memories, but I guess I am regretting not having kept a bit more of a list of funny mispronounciations, and words that are such catch phrases for a time, and that you think you will never ever forget, but that suddenly stop being used and end up slipping away, unrecorded. I guess I could annotate an album but I suspect that would just end up looking a bit naf ... if only my memory was a bit more reliable!

[The Nappy Lady]

We kept a book for each child. Just bought a nice blank note book & then wrote in it during pregnancy, stuck scan pictures & bump pictures in along with a copy of birth notes. After they were born family, friends & midwives wrote little messages in & we try to record little funny moments, phrases etc - not all of them but those we can.

We also try to remember to write in them each birthday. The 7 year olds is rarely written in now but still doing a lot for our nearly 3 year old.

I love going back & reminding myself of stuff I've long forgotten from my first pregnancy & early motherhood. I read a passage to my 7 year old the other day & we were both laughing our heads off & then quite emotional over some bits.

I'd say start one now, it's never too late.

[Sally81]

I've stolen the idea from the TV advert where the guy is emailing his daughter stuff for them to read together one day. I can't remember what the ad is even for (Windows ?) but the tag line is 'Ive been emailing you all of your life'.

So, I've set up an email and I try to email him pics and funny anecdotes etc, a paragraph here and there about his day or if he's done something new. I only do it every few days or so, or when I remember, but with the phones we all have now it's quite quick and easy.

I do have a baby book too and I try to fill it in just when I remember. The trick for me is keeping it in sight - I keep it on a central table in my lounge that I look at hundreds of times a day -so I get a lot of memory jogs to do it!

xx

[mrs f]

How about making a photo book where you can write in it too. I've used bob books a couple of times & they are lovely books, great quality.

[new mother]

If doing it electronically be sure to have it backed up!

This is one of our biggest regrets - so busy and overwhelmed that few memories of the most wonderful time of our lives....

[ClaireinSE22]

I've got a little blank note book and have scribbled some stuff in there....I'm not sure what I'll ever do with it in terms of making it more presentable but my first thought was just to have something for myself as my memory is so terrible and these early years do feel so precious. Sort of wish I'd done the email thing but wonder if I'd ever have found the time...