The Hunt for the Perfect Baby Book

So Baby Girl #5 five is scheduled to arrive in 56 days....  I don't know if you other mammas are like me, but I have a "To do before Baby comes" list that I keep referring to and adding to.  I was looking through old note books/journals of mine the other day and found some of these list from the other kiddos.  They are all are so similar and just make me smile :)  It never gets old... anticipating and preparing for baby!  I love it. 

One of the items that is always on the list is finding a baby book... (and for me, it's also on the list to finish the last child's baby book before the current baby arrives!  How awful is that!?  And don't tell, but I'm actually having to finish Sadie's and Virgil's before this baby arrives... you'll notice in the pictures that Virgil's isn't even started yet!)

 

I don't know how other mammas are about selecting their baby books, but I'm kinda picky.  I remember going through Barnes and Nobles book shelf, when I was expecting Alice, pulling out every baby journal or record book desperately searching for the perfect one.  I usually walked away kinda bummed and frustrated.

After something like this occurred several times, my mom offered an idea.  She had come across a vintage baby book at an antique store and offered it to me.  I was kinda skeptical at first... I didn't know if I wanted a "used" baby book.  But when I realized it was in perfect condition, no writing in it, and FULL OF GORGEOUS PICTURES from the 1960s, I was sold.

For my next little girl, Elsie, I found an Eloise Wilkin's baby book.  You know the illustrator of all those chubby legged, dimple-cheeked little babies and kids often in Golden Books?  Well, she's one of my favorite illustrators... so that was a done deal.  That and the fact that the cover was turquoise...perfect!

For my third baby girl, Sadie, I had bought two other baby books and returned them, before my mom came to the rescue once again with another vintage baby book.  It was very similar to Alice's and I loved it.

When it came to baby number 4, who was a boy, I knew exactly which baby book to get.  You see, I'd been searching the web and book stores for 6+ years now!  In my searches, I had come across a sweet little vintage inspired baby book that was precious!  ...it was filled with simple, adorable graphics and vintage styled fonts... but it was yellow, green, brown, and a bit of turquoise.  Just not girly enough for those three other dolls of mine :)  But it was perfect for my boy!!

Well, now I'm in need of one more baby book!  fun :)  So the hunt is on...  hopefully I can find one as sweet as the first four!  

So if you're a mama expecting a baby and you're kinda picky...  I've got three suggestions for you:
1. Hello Baby! A Keepsake Journal for Baby's First Year
2. The Eloise Wilkin Baby Journal by Golden Books
3. or GO VINTAGE!  ... either hit your local antique mall or go online to Ebay or Etsy.  You can find them pretty reasonably priced: $12-$20

Happy hunting and blessings to you!