TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham provides some clever tips for building a package of memories for a child.
- The container for this project should be something that is going to last for a very long time, so you might want to consider a wooden box or a heavy duty cardboard box.
- If you want to have lots of pictures in your time capsule, use an acid-free photo box.
- Line the inside of the box with self-adhesive paper for decoration.
- Following is a list of things you'll want to put inside the box:
- pictures from the day of birth
- baby's first pacifier
- lock of hair from first haircut
- copies of three magazines or newspapers from the day they were born
- baby booties
- copy of birth announcement
- any video that has been shot of in that first year
- recording of the baby’s heartbeat or ultrasound
- Once you have the package complete, wrap it in a protective plastic and store it somewhere that your child won't find it. This way it will be a total surprise years later when you give it to them to open.
- Keep a baby book to record cute sayings, jot down daily events, etc. It's a fun thing when they get older to see what they were like.
- Keep a first-year calendar for your child. Whenever he/she talks, takes his/her first steps etc., you can quickly jot it down in the calendar. That way it's easier to remember what day of their first year that specific events happened and you don't have to search for the baby book right away. In addition, you are more likely to make a quick note of the event. The events can be transferred later to the baby book when you have more time.
