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!

A book every mom should read...

Maybe some of you have noticed that I have some recommended books on my blog... well, sorry Ted Tripp, but "Shepherding a Child's Heart" may have met it's match! My girlfriends back in Kansas suggested the book "Don't Make Me Count to Three!" by Ginger Plowman, after some lengthy discussions about disciplining our children. Now I really appreciated "Shepherding a Child's Heart", but Plowman's book on the same topic was just so much more enjoyable and practical! In short, this book focuses on reproof from scripture mixed appropriately with discipline (mainly spanking). Yet, what I love is how she takes it a step further and moves beyond the reproof and into positive encouraging instruction. From her book:

"It is important to rebuke our children when they do wrong, but it is equally important, if not more important, to walk them through what is right--to put off as well as to put on. Ephesians 4:22-24 says, 'You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.' ....How do we do this with our children? First, work through what a biblical response would have been. Second, have the child follow through with it. I cannot stress how vital this is in training."

She continues to explain in more detail about this important process. She even has a separate booklet that can be purchased listing 22 behaviors along with relevant scriptures to help in the reproof and training process. It's so wonderful (and equally challenging for the parent!) ! I love the focus on the heart/motives in the child and the strong emphasis on scripture. If you are looking for a biblical approach to training your little ones... this is the best I've found yet.