Reason #47 – I don’t cherish memories of my son’s baby milestones
Reason #47 – I don’t cherish memories of my son’s baby milestones
Jul 22When I was born, my parents lovingly arranged an album with newspaper clippings, congratulations from family members, a lock of hair, my hospital wrist tags, even an orchid that bloomed in the morning of the day I decided to grace the world with my presence.
When my sister was born 7 years later… well, someone must have taken a picture. But nobody knows where it is.
(Naturally, my sister bears a lifelong grudge against me because she never had a baby album and I did. )
From the second I found out I was pregnant, I started storing up (s)crap for my son’s eventual album. I kept everything: ultrasound images, newspaper clippings, medical bills (What? That way he will know how much I cared!) I took hundreds of pictures of my growing belly. Even arty nakey ones that no one need ever see EVER.
When C was born, the picture count went well into the thousands. Literally, thousands. (Trust me. I write for a living, and I do not take “literally” lightly.) And the (s)crap multiplied. How could I not treasure every single image, memento and milestone of my gorgeous, perfect angel?
Then I promptly forgot about the boy whole scrapbook thing and got on with life. The ultrasound images, medical bills, newspaper clippings and greeting cards all went into big manila envelopes and found a home in my old room at my mom’s place.
Until I saw this today:
Did it inspire me to take out the huge envelopes full of clippings and mementos and wrist tags and (s)crap and finally start building an album for C?
Did it inspire me to make a scrapbook so beautiful that it will be a timeless testament of how much I love my perfect little boy?
Did it inspire me to grab scissors and glue and create an album to show C how his arrival changed our lives forever, filling them with hope, wonder and awe?
Hell no.
But I was inspired all right: I texted my sister and offered to pay her if she makes it.
I may have just killed two birds with one stone.
This is one of those things that seriously makes me wonder:
“Where do these moms find the time?”
and immediately after that:
“What are their children doing while they are doing all these marvy things?”
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ofthesea Reply:
October 18th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
I guess they do that instead of blogging? *looking a bit shamefaced*
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janet Reply:
September 16th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Ha!!! To both of you!!! I consider Facebook my baby album..that’s where all his pics ended up. From my cell phone to FB, just like that!!
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ofthesea Reply:
September 17th, 2011 at 9:48 am
Exactly!
My first Mother’s Day gift was a scrap book… That’s when I realized I was supposed to do that:p It’s covered in dust under my bed… But I DO have a record of everything he drank, ate or eliminated for the first whole year. Yay me:p
Also- An orchid that bloomed the morning you were born?! That’s beautiful, but how the hell are you supposed to top THAT?! I think the only thing to do when the bar is that high is just say fuck it and have a margarita.
And finally- Outsourcing to your sister, the bearer of an age old Marsha grudge? Ballsy! And deeply, deeply funny. (I’m the oldest of six.)
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ofthesea Reply:
August 8th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
There is no topping the orchid.. but we kept lots of clippings of Michael Jackson’s death. Surely it counts for something?
My sis will do a brilliant job, I’m sure. She may be a crummy sister sometimes, but she’s a top auntie!
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I admire your honesty!
That said, does that mean I lost interest EVEN before the 1st year? Oh my, this is gonna cost me a fortune in therapy someday…
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I have one album for each, that covers their first year. And that's about it. I lost total interest after that.
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you are funny LOL
wonderful idea by the way wish i had thought to ask my sister inlaw to do my daughters when my sil was into scrapbooking.
popping over via SITS then blogfrog
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Well, since she's ALWAYS wanted a baby album…
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Delegation and management is key. Love that you brought your sister into it…and hell, if she can make some money in the process, and then make your son lover her that much more when he's older, she's now scored big time.
Great post!!!
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What Tracie said!
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That's why I work. So I can pay people to do all the things I don't wanna do!!
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Do what I did: outsource. It's the way forward! ;)
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This was hilarious! I have two kids and two very adorable half finished baby books for both. Now each book sits in a book stuffed with a bunch of other stuff that I'll probably never get around to organizing. I figure when they get older if they want to finish the things, they can. LOL
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I did the same for our baby girl. 6 months later I have everyting scattered throughout the house, tons of empty albums from gifts and nothing done. Life happens, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
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I have to print photos out on a regular basis for C's technophobe grandmas. I'll blame them for making me look like a less-bad mother.
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Don't worry, most of our baby photos are trapped in the computer. The hubster did a photomontage to a song of his first year but we have only managed to actually print less than 10 actual photos. You actually have the stuff. Think I may have beaten you in craptacular motherhood on this.
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Glad you decided to comment! And a giggling visitor is my favourite kind of visitor, so all is well.
I haven't even CUT his first lock… oh, I can see a post coming up. Off to write, thanks for the inspiration!
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Damn, I have to get better at being a bad mom! Can't be getting passes like this all the time! ;)
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I have been reading your blog for the last half hr and giggling. I'm sorry was enjoying myself so much I forgot to comment. Will be a better visitor next time.
I have loads of digital pics of my little girl. However, I have printed just a handful for my family. So I can totally relate to this post. I didn't even save her first lock!
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So funny (as usual)! While this is a great idea, I am giving you permission to not be a bad mom over this one. I think your parents put a beautiful book together for their first child because they didn't have the internet, and, more specifically, Facebook and Twitter. They certainly weren't running a blog either! When you get around to second children, you simply don't have time.
You get a pass on this one girlfriend!
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ofthesea Reply:
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Can I be very cheeky and say the blog in a way IS the scrapbook?
No, maybe not. It was worth a try, tho! ;)
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If I have one regret about parenting, that's it. I have bins of photos and “stuff” for all four of my kids, but it's not organized, labeled or otherwise able to be displayed. (And as I'm a bit type A about organization, that's a big trauma for me.)
I figure I'm going to walk into whatever grown up first house they have and say, “happy new home. Now you can store this in your spare closet. Love you lots!”
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I am that same baby sister you had. My older sister, 2 baby books and lots of other memories, me, nothing. I may still slightly hold a grudge, even if I do love her! ;)
However, that scrapbook page is beautiful, maybe I can pay her too?? Kidding!! Found your blog from kirsty.com
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Love your comic timing!
“I have three beautiful scrapbooks” … “and one page in each” I hated you for half a second before I started laughing! If I ever need a guest poster you're a shoo in!
I'm sure my sister will make a beautiful scrapbook. She's been waiting a looong time for it!
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Well that WILL kill two birds with one stone! Well done lady. I have three beautiful scrapbooks and one page in each. I suck at scrapping.
I think you were in front of me in BlogFrog this morning, it has been such a long day I forget! But I am here now and that is what matters.
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