One of my most favorite birthday traditions is a memory or autograph book of some sort. I started this on my first born’s first birthday by having everyone in attendance autograph a few baseballs. They turned out so cute and currently reside on a shelf in his room. If you can’t think of a specific item for your party guests to sign, I suggest finding a special book each year that either symbolizes the party’s theme or perhaps just has special meaning to your little one that particular year.
You could also start with a book during their first year and have guests add to it each year of their lives. Imagine what a cool gift that would be on their 18th birthday or for high school graduation?! For this, I recommend Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. It would make a fantastic baby shower or first birthday gift! I also have a sweet printable book plate that you can place in the inside front cover to explain the book a little better. The printable is available below in three color options.
Here’s a closer look at the book plate in the gender neutral colors…
The book plate wording was written by a friend’s husband back in 2009.
Overall idea: As your child grows up, have special people in their life write throughout this book. These people may be teachers, babysitters, special friends, etc. They will write funny stories about your child, inspiring quotes, or just share a fun memory that they had together. Keep this little book a secret, and then when your child graduates from high school, give them this book as a keepsake that they can cherish forever!
What special keepsakes have you started creating for your little ones?!
[…] Wait Til your Father Gets Home shared a beautiful idea—a birthday memory book. […]