One of the most practical things about a baby journal is that it gives parents a single place to capture their baby’s everyday moments as well as major baby milestones. For parents, keeping track of when their baby reached a milestone is an important tradition. For new parents, finding the time and energy to document their baby’s firsts can be a bit challenging so here are a few of the important baby milestones to record. You also also find the new trend of online baby journals, helpful for how to record baby milestones easily.
5 Important Baby Milestones to Record During Baby’s First Year
During the first 5 years, your baby is growing and developing so rapidly. You will have so many memories to capture as you interact with your baby. So what are some of the most important baby milestones parents will want to capture the first year in a baby journal?
Baby’s First Smile
Around 8 weeks, your baby will begin to express social smiles. Unlike previous smiles of weeks ago likely caused from gas, social smiles indicate that your baby is responding to you and his emotions are developing on track. Once he hits this age, smile at your baby and be camera ready, waiting for him to smile back at you.
Your Baby’s First Laugh
Around four months of age, you’ll hear the most delightful sound: your baby’s first giggles, another baby milestone. Get your video camera ready because you’ll surely want to get this sweet sound on tape. And if you miss it the first time don’t worry. You’ll quickly learn what makes your baby laugh so you can capture it for his baby book.
Your Baby’s First Wave
When your baby reaches about nine months of age, don’t be surprised if you wave to him and he waves back. It’s around this time that babies begin making the connection between the gesture and the meaning. Once he does wave, surprise grandma and grandpa by capturing your baby giving them a wave goodbye.
Your Baby’s First Steps
Anywhere between 10 and 18 months of age, your baby may take his first steps. At first your baby may cruise around holding onto furniture, but before you know it he’ll be taking his first steps solo as he makes his way over to you.
Your Baby’s First Words
By the time your baby reaches a year, she’ll probably have a vocabulary of about three to five words. While she may begin babbling around six to eight months of age, words like “mama” “no” and “bye-bye” will come a bit later.
How To Record Baby Milestones
You may want to try digital baby journals. With cameras that literally fit in your pocket and phones doubling as cameras, capturing your baby’s firsts is easier than ever. And unlike with traditional albums where you have to order prints and crop them to fit handcrafted pages, with digital albums you virtually drag and drop images where you want them to go, making important baby milestones to record a cinch.
Or you may prefer to go old school with paper baby journals. There is something super cool about holding photos in your hands after all. These paper baby books are also nice because you can flip through them and share them with family when they come over to visit.
When including pictures or videos of baby milestones in your baby’s book, don’t forget to journal too. Be sure to document the date, the location and include a short story that summaries the photo or video. This way when you share your baby’s journal with friends and family, they’ll be able to see and read about your baby’s experiences and share in the joy that comes along with watching your baby grow.
Baby Firsts List
- First Smile
- First Laugh
- First Wave
- First Lifting Head
- First Following Movements With Eyes
- First Grabbing of Your Finger
- First Roll Over
- First Sitting Up
- First Plays With Own Toes
- First Picks Up Object
- First Crawling
- First Steps
- First Recognizes Self In Mirror
- First Babbles
- First Word
Baby’s first year is such a special time for parents. Try to enjoy it and get as much rest as you can and remember that this phase is brief so you will make it through!
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