Q of the Week : How do you record your kids' lives?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 04:12PM 
Fynn’s party over the weekend, where I’m betting he’ll remember the dueling Hex-bug gifts and the balloons longer than anything else. Perched on top of the highest possible point on a friend’s roof last night, carefully not stepping into the skylight and watching a myriad of fireworks, Fynn asked me if I’d brought the camera. I’d left it at home, and told him he’d have to take mental pictures instead, hinting that those were the best kind. Sometimes I just don’t want the bother of the camera, and as ours isn’t working well I deliberately left it behind. One less thing to worry about, especially when climbing ladders to rooftops that were not really meant to be climbed on by anyone, let alone excited 5-year-olds.
I’m not very consistent about preserving memories of my kids, or perhaps I should say for my kids. I have baby books for them, which are mostly things shoved inside a photo album that only has a few pages filled in. School pictures, locks of hair, plane ticket stubs, and a couple scribbled half-lists of things like first words and rolled-over dates. Mostly the “firsts” are the subject of debate whenever it comes up, as I was too busy taking care of the kids to really write stuff down, and quite frankly it wasn’t a high enough priority for me to make the time to do it.
I did/do take lots of pictures. All digital mind you, the last time I printed out an album’s worth was just after Douglas turned one. I do have them backed up, but still intend to print out a decent selection from trips and milestones, and get them in their albums. Someday. Some day that hasn’t arrived in the last 8 years apparently, so I’m not sure when it will turn up.
I take a lot of mental pics too, where I freeze a moment in my head so I can savor it later. Dangling my feet over the edge of the roof last night, with my arm around Fynn, I made a note in my head to remember what that felt and smelled and looked like. A cool breeze, his warm slouch against my side, the gritty shingles scratching at my leg, swinging bare legs and a brightly lit cityscape all around us. Can’t guarantee I’ll remember it 5 years from now, but it’s pretty likely. (And in case you’re wondering at my utter lack of caution, it was the overhang to the terrace below, not the one that dropped 5 stories to the ground :).
I also keep a box of handmade cards, event stubs, programs, and all that jazz that I know they’ll want to pore over some day, triggering a host of memories. This blog serves as a kind of a record too, as does my flickr account. So I’m not very consistent in my records, but there are enough scattered about that I don’t think I’ll be in trouble when my boys are older and start to show some curiosity about their history.
So how do you keep track of memorabilia for your kids? Stuffed shoebox, organized scrapbook, blog, photo archives, detailed diary, mental snapshot drawer … what’s your memory-keeper of choice? Is it a source of frustration or joy? For those of you in the organized side of things, any super easy tricks or products that can help those of us who are a bit challenged in this arena? Ideas welcome!
Reader Comments (3)
I was told you should have a file for each child. I have an over stuffed folder for each of them, filled mostly with report cards, a few drawings and various awards. Since begining a blog of my own this year, that also helps, but mostly I am blessed to have my sister Michaelyn who is a professional photographer and documents everything for me.
sounds like the file + the sis are a great combo! - SaneMom
Flickr is the most organized I get for the family, kids and pets in my life. When I figured out how to make sets it changed the way I handled my obsessive recording of life around me. Speaking of which, here's how I recorded your kid's most recent milestone: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31403417@N00/sets/72157626985668059/ Thanks for including me and my friend and my camera and my sangria.
You're most welcome, thanks for coming and for the great pix! love them all, some great captures. and yes, flickr sets are a big help when it comes to finding things again ... much more so than my overburdened picasa files. oh, and the sangria was good to the last drop! -SaneMom
shutterfly shutterfly shutterfly. I take pictures of everything - it's a bit of both hobby and obsession. I'm not sure I could tell you what each first word was, but you can bet I have a pic of first steps, first bike rides, etc. I also love making photobooks, so if there is a really big event I'll make it's own little book, which is super easy and cheap mostly, then each year I make the big annual album with something like 100 pages. I make a big format for us, and then smaller versions for grandparents. It's become a family favorite and the girls love going back through the books to see themselves. I also do a photo calendar each year, perfect for Christmas... It's really become something I love doing. As I build each year's book, I get to pore over all the pics, get lost in memories again, and come up with something beautiful thatI can share and be proud of. It also helps ease my mind because it serves as a back-up should my computer fail, and you can print out books anytime in case one of the little ones gets a bit too enthusiastic or spills something on one, so they can enjoy without mom hovering (too much)... :)