Some Things I Have Done for My Kids

When I was growing my grandfather had bought me ornaments every year at christmas time. Growing up that was very special to me and something I always couldn't wait for. So when I had my son (the oldest) my mom, knowing how important it was to me, started to do it for him and then along came my daughter and now every year for christmas my mom is on the lookout for something that represents the kids that year. If they liked a certain cartoon or a certain sport sometime through out the year that is what there ornament will be. She always writes the date on it as well. Another thing I have done is take a few pictures that they have colored or glued together from daycare and I stuff them away. Once I finish painting there room I am going to frame them and hang them up. I am also going to frame and hang up my sons Raiders football jerseys. This way even though there too small he will still have them.

I made a toy box for my daughter and I will give it to her at her bridal shower many years now as her hope chest. Right now its full of stuffed animals and toys and then I hope to give it to her full of memories and things to start her new live with.

What neat ideas! I'll share a few things I'm doing:

At my baby shower, everyone made a birthday card for my son. Each person got a number and that number was the birthday they made the card for. For example, someone got the number 16, so they made a card for his 16th birthday (and probably made learning to drive the theme of the card). The older people got the highest numbers. So for his 20th birthday, my son will get a birthday card from his great grandmother (who might not be around at that point anymore). Everyone just wrote something about themselves and their wishes for him for that year. It was fun and easy. We just got some markers and stickers to decorate the cards with.

So far I've taken a picture of my son on his birthday every month and on the day he was born. It's really fun to see how much he grows in a month! Once I've done this for a year or so, I'll put them all in their own album.

Any other ideas out there? I'm always on the look out for neat projects!

Hi S. these are great ideas. Thanks for sharing them. I will share one of my favorites every year on each of my kids birthdays i write them a letter about what they mean to me, what special things they did that year and stick it in their baby book in an envelope with the year on it.

that is a cool idea. I got the both the glass snowman last Christmas and will probably take on your idea. I've also made a Christmas ornament with my older daughter for three years in a row now and put the date on those.

-I've also kept taking digital pictures of them both and have files for each month of their first year and then a file for each consecutive year. Also, I have a file called "sisters" in which I've put the pictures I've taken of both my daughters playing, reading, eating or any stuff they've done together. Of this one, I'm planning on making two albums one for each of my daughters.

- You know all of those art projects? the paintings specially, I've chosen some and put in a folder. Eventually I'll put in an album too :)

- Each has a file also with their first scribbles with crayons, first letters (from my older daughter so far) and stuff like that :)

I can't wait to read other ideas!

Very nice ideas. I have always bought or made at least one ornament for each of my boys each Christmas. We eventually had to start setting up a separate tree, in fact! (I love and collect Christmas ornaments, and so my "main" tree is all glass ornaments.) My oldest will be 19 in a few weeks, and he is moving away to work at a camp in June, and then in August will move to an apartment near his college. This year he will have his own Christmas tree, too. Another really cool thing that I am planning is giving away all of my old stuff and getting new things for us. I hadn't really counted on that when they were babies, but after 22 years of marriage and three kids, there's some serious wear and tear on our furniture, towels, utensils, you name it! Oldest will inherit my old set of pots that I got as a bridal shower gift, because I've been acquiring really good cookware over the years, and I can now pass along my starter stuff. I'm hoping he'll take my old family room furniture, too! As they leave, they can take their beds, their books, and maybe my old refrigerator! :) My husband and I are starting to fantasize about having nice, un-child-effected household goods to enjoy in a quiet house. (And of course, we're looking forward to having the kids come home for visits!)