I have a confession: Hi my name is Kate and I’ve never kept a baby book for my kids. GASP! I’ve always felt a little guilty about it, especially since my mother was amazing about keeping a baby book for her kids. We also live in the Pinterest age of all these crafty & organized women who have their act together & are documenting everything so perfectly.
Me? Not so much. It’s not my thing. I don’t make the time for it. I did a small calendar of Lboy’s milestones when he was a baby & I’m not really sure where it is. All my stories end up on Facebook & then they disappear into digital history.
A year ago, I decided to make a change. Only, I didn’t rush out to go spend a fortune on a baby book, I opened each of my kids an email account through gmail. It’s nice & simple and you can’t beat free.
For the last year, I have emailed short stories, little notes that just say “hey,” doctor’s visits on how big they are & how much they’ve grown, pictures, videos, cute things they say or anything that pops into my head that I want to say to each of them. It has been so simple, because all I do is type something up really fast on my iPhone & then email it to them.
I have folders organized so that when they receive an email from me or any other family member, we each have a designated folder. When they turn 18, my plan is to hand the email accounts over to them & they can use it as their personal email with the added bonus of a folder of letters from their mom.
I hope, hope, hope that someday they will think it’s so cool to have those emails from me. But mostly, I hope that they know that I loved them & was so proud to be their mother as I was recording those precious memories.
Kate P.
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Oh my goodness, I love this idea! I do have baby books, and I have written letters to my kids on my blog, but sometimes I want to write about more personal stuff so this would be perfect!
Kimberly Most Recent Post…You Are My Hope
It really is a lot of fun & it’s so easy. I went through & read the emails from the last year & it was a blast!
I love this, Kate.
Thanks Jessica!
You’re not alone… I started out buying baby books, filled out all the initial details, added a little more after the kids were born, and then stopped. Worst. Mom. Ever.
But the email account is a great idea! So when they’re old enough will you give them access to it?
Jackie Most Recent Post…Monday Menu – Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
Yeah, I’ll hand it over to them & it will be theirs to use. Especially since I used their first & last name. When do kids start using email? I was 15, but that was before everyone was online, do they go younger?
I’ll still send them emails though, I just won’t be able to be in charge of how they organize the account! ha!
My daughter who is 11 has an email address through Mouse Mail. She can only send & receive email from addresses that I have approved. It’s made specifically for kids.
Jackie Most Recent Post…Monday Menu – Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
Oh very cool!!! I’ll have start finding my friends who have older kids so I can the scoop on how you all handle social media. It’s a bit overwhelming!
Kate Most Recent Post…No Baby Books Here
This is a wonderful idea! I love it.
JDaniel4′s Mom Most Recent Post…Science for Kids- Experiments with Green
Thanks!!! It’s worked great for us (so far!
L has a baby book, but I hate messing with it. I much prefer getting on Shutterfly and making her “yearbooks” of her life. My cousin has an email account like this for his daughter. They don’t live together but are very close. Among other thing he puts in the account are the sweet texts she sends him. I may have to do this for L.
Adrienne Most Recent Post…Ladybug’s Favorite Things: 6-12 Months
That’s very cool!
I would love to do the shutterfly idea, but I’m always so cheap that I never spend the money on them. That’s typically because I get carried away & create this huge book that ends up costing $200. ha!
I always save printing books until there’s a really good sale. Just about our entire family got photo books of some sort for Christmas.
Adrienne Most Recent Post…Ladybug’s Favorite Things: 6-12 Months
That is such a great idea! there is nothing better than having letters from loved ones to cherish when we’re older. I’ll have to think about doing sometime similar one day (no kids for me yet, or in the near future) thanks so much for stopping by my blog and commenting yesterday, I look forward to hearing more from you!
Sara Turner (@Turner_SR) Most Recent Post…Welcome to My Life SITStas!
You’re very welcome! It was nice to “meet you” yesterday.
What a good idea! I tried keeping baby books, but they kept getting misplaced after moving a couple of times. I do try to save little things like cards and artwork that the kids do at different ages.
Patricia Most Recent Post…Facing the Fire Baton
Yeah, I’ve lost the (mostly empty) baby book & calendar. I try to keep up with the cards & art work too. My husband definitely keeps up with all of it, he keeps all cards!
Thanks for visiting!
Kate Most Recent Post…My Grandfather, My Hero
Oh Kate, I LOVE this idea. I have always said that my blog is a love letter to our boys, but the email is so sweet and personal. I will steal this idea from you, thanks! Stephanie
I’m glad you like the idea! It’s a lot of fun & super easy in this smartphone age.
Hope you have fun at Blissdom!!
Kate Most Recent Post…My Grandfather, My Hero