Argh!!! I could kick myself for not being better at documenting my children's growth and milestones. I had every intention of being one of those moms who took regular photos of her child, especially during the first year, in order to document their growth, but I have failed miserably. This is an area where I want you to do as I say and not as I have done, OK? I have some great ideas for tracking your baby's growth.
More from MamásLatinas: Simple ways to teach our kids to take care of the planet
I don't want you to regret all the photos you didn't take or all the milestones you didn't commemorate. It's not even all that hard, time-consuming, or costly to do now that we live in a digital age. You don't have to invest in high-end equipment. You can use a cellphone and end up with great images, so no excuses, especially after you look through these great ideas to track your baby's growth and get inspired. Your future self will thank you.
Get fruity!
Slice up some seasonal fruit and use it to make a number indicating how many months old your little one is when you snap the picture. You can mix and match fruits as you like. It's a fresh take on the monthly baby picture concept.
Include some details on what baby is mastering.
If you use a chalkboard for your photos, you could include some of the things that baby is currently mastering, such as "fake coughing." Or include more traditional firsts like holding their head up and rolling over.
Take weekly photos.
Committing to taking a weekly photo of your baby isn't all that hard. You might want to set a reminder on your phone so that you take the photo at the same time every week and it becomes a habit. Maybe a photo after bath time so that baby is nice and relaxed.
Use baby blocks as props.
Taking a photo of baby with blocks spelling out the baby's age is a cute and colorful way to go. Plus, your kiddo can play with the blocks in between photo shoots because baby blocks are meant to be used by baby, unlike other photo props that are just for show.
Make art out of your baby's footprints!
Photos aren't the only way to track your baby's growth. You can also use their growing little tootsies. What if you were to buy a canvas and use it to record your baby's footprints every month for the first year of their life? It would end up becoming such a cute piece of art to keep on your wall.
Use a stuffie for comparison.
Grab one of your little one's cutest plush toys and lay or sit your baby next to it for each month's photo. Of course, it's sweet, but it also serves as a great way to see how your baby is growing in relation to the size of the stuffed toy.
Spring for fun monthly stickers.
At this point, anyone with an internet connection has probably seen a photo of a baby with a month sticker adhered to their onesie. These stickers are awesome and come in so many different varieties. Search around on sites like Etsy for other unique adhesives to document your baby's growth.
Use a calendar.
There are so many ways you can use a calendar for monthly baby photos. Use a giant desk calendar or even a mini pocket version. If you're really crafty, you can draw a calendar or just the date on a chalkboard and pose baby next to it.
Use balloons to mark the passage of time.
Use balloons to mark the months. You would start by taking a picture of your 1-month-old baby with one balloon, and every passing month you would add another balloon to your photo shoot so the number of months baby has been alive corresponds to the number of balloons in the photo.
Use a basket.
Baskets are great props for baby photos. You don't have to go out and buy one, either; you are totally welcome to use a laundry basket you already have. As the months pass by, it's fun to see how much bigger your baby is when you put them in the basket. Pretty soon they'll be sitting up in the basket instead of lying down.
Use a chalkboard.
How easy is it to use a chalkboard to write your baby's age on and then take a photo? I love this idea! Hang on to that chalkboard, too, because later you can use it to take first-day-of-school photos with your child holding the chalkboard with their grade level written on it.
Use a tape measure.
What better way to measure your child's growth than to actually measure your child's growth and photograph it? You don't have to use a fancy tape measure or anything. You can use the one in your sewing kit or go to a neighborhood dollar store and buy one.
