Your baby’s first year is going to be full of firsts. First smiles, first laugh, first foods and so much more. The trouble is that oftentimes, we forget to write these memories down or record them in a way that we can revisit or share with family members and friends.
Each of baby’s milestones is more than just a cute memory; it’s a reflection of your baby’s growth and a reminder of how quickly time flies! These moments mark the beginning of your baby discovering the world, and watching them learn and grow is one of the greatest joys for parents. That’s why finding ways to celebrate and document these milestones is so important. It can even help you to remember them better. We’ve come up with a few ways to help you celebrate and document your baby’s biggest milestones in a special way. So, let’s get started.
Baby Milestone Idea #1: Keeping a Baby's First Year Book
One of the best ways to preserve and celebrate milestones is with a Baby’s First Year Journal from Duncan and Stone. There’s nothing quite like the first year with your baby—it’s a time full of love, laughter and so many milestones you’ll want to remember forever. That’s why keeping a baby journal is the perfect way to preserve all those precious memories.
A Baby’s First Year Book isn’t just a collection of photos and stats; it’s a reflection of your journey as a family. Imagine flipping through its pages years down the line, reminiscing about the day you first held your little one or marveling at how quickly they grew in those early months. It’s not only a gift for you but also something you can share with your child when they’re older—a beautiful way to show them how much they were loved from the very start.
This beautiful baby memory book is designed to make memory-keeping simple and special.
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The "Before You Were Born" section lets you capture your family tree, pregnancy details and those exciting moments leading up to baby’s arrival.
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“Welcome to the World” provides a space for birth stats, the labor and delivery story, and keepsakes like handprints and footprints.
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The “Watching You Grow” section includes space for weekly and monthly updates, so you can document all the little changes as your baby grows.
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The “Baby’s First Milestones” section helps you document things like first bath, first night home and first haircut.
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Lastly, there’s a special section just for photos!
Pro tip: Turn this book into a family tradition by filling it out together. Whether it’s jotting down milestones or selecting photos, it’s a beautiful way to bond as a family and make memory-keeping an activity everyone can enjoy.
Baby Milestone Idea #2: Extending the Tradition: Keeping a Childhood Memory Book
Your baby’s first year will probably fly by in a blur of milestones and memories, but the journey doesn’t end there. A Childhood Memory Book from Duncan and Stone is the perfect way to continue documenting your child’s growth and milestones beyond the first year. As they transition from toddler giggles to teenage dreams, this book becomes a lasting tribute to their unique story.
A childhood memory book is thoughtfully designed to make memory-keeping simple and meaningful.
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The "Before You Were Born" section captures the excitement of learning you were expecting and the anticipation of preparing for your baby’s arrival.
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“The Day I Met You” preserves the birth story, complete with stats, handprints, footprints and special photos from that unforgettable day.
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"Watching You Grow" features annual birthday pages to document milestones, favorite memories and even funny quotes that make your child who they are.
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Finally, "Looking Back: Your Childhood in Review" offers a space for school and graduation photos, growth charts and a heartfelt letter to your child—your chance to reflect on the incredible person they’ve become.
Pro tip: To keep this tradition going, set a calendar reminder each year to update the birthday pages. This is a small but meaningful way to celebrate your child’s growth while making sure their memory book is ready to give to them as the ultimate keepsake.
Baby Milestone Idea #3: Creative Ways to Celebrate and Document Milestones
Baby journals are great ways to record memories and celebrate baby’s first year. There are a few other things you can do to supplement memory keeping, including:
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Take Monthly Photos: Take a photo of your little one every month with a milestone card or themed outfit. That way, you can see how quickly they grow!
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Keep a Baby Memory Box: Get any kind of box (it doesn’t need to be fancy) and include keepsakes like baby’s hospital bracelet, first shoes or favorite toy. It’ll keep everything in one place and make it easier to reminisce in the future.
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Keep a Video Diary: Every time your baby hits a milestone or just does something really cute, record a short video clip. Then you can compile them into a yearly montage to show to family and friends.
All three of these things are great ways to supplement keeping a baby milestone journal that can really help bring memories to life.
Baby Milestone Idea #4: Sharing the Joy with Family and Friends
When it comes to a new baby, everyone wants updates. This can be particularly hard to do, though, if your family doesn’t live close by, and people are just busy. So, sometimes it can be hard to share news and celebrate milestones. One way to make this easier, though, includes hosting a big first birthday party and inviting all of your family and friends. While babies won’t remember it, it’s a great way to celebrate them and let all of their loved ones do so, too!
Throughout the year, share updates on social media or through group chats on phones. Start by finding out which family members and friends would like updates. Then create a group that suits their communication style. You can share photos, videos and even written updates about baby’s milestones and day-to-day fun.
Are some of your family members not tech-savvy? That’s okay! If you have a family member who isn’t tech-savvy, you can also keep a special baby journal or memory book about the baby and gift it to the family member for the holidays!
Treasuring These Moments
While you might feel that you’ll remember every little detail of your baby’s progress and milestones, the truth is memories fade. This is a sad reality, but the lucky thing is that you can keep a Baby’s First Year Journal, Childhood Memory Book, keepsake box, videos, etc. to keep those memories fresh. With these tools, these memories are never forgotten. So, don’t delay and start recording your memories now. It’s never too early or too late to begin.
For all of life’s memory keeping, get a journal from Duncan and Stone. We have a wide variety of journals, including Baby’s First Year Journals to Grandparent Memory Books to everything in between.
So, as time goes by, records of your memories will be safely stowed away, and you can go back and visit them any time you want.