A Baby's Storybook Guide

A Baby's Storybook Guide
TIPS
Think in two page spreads when you Storyboard and what layouts and pictures you will use on each page.
Layouts – (Cre8ing Design) Use a basic 8 shapes and 3 colors.  Browns, creams etc do not count as colors. Carry some or all of these shapes through your entire album. All do not have to be photos, mix with papers too.

Front Cover: Title of your Storybook
Back Cover: Maybe a picture, small poem, words of advice to your unborn child…
Title Page: Title, Author, picture in center, or maybe a poem.

Page 1-2 Spread:  Baby is coming – When did the parents find out they were expecting?  Whom did they tell first?  How did the family react? 
Page 3-4 Spread:  The Family – What does the family like to do? What are the goals of the family, who are the siblings and their thoughts on the baby arriving? Maybe get each of them to write to the baby and include their journaling here. 
Page 5-6 Spread: Pregnancy – Pictures of Ultrasound, while you were pregnant, how did you both felt about being pregnant? Use your feelings to guide you.  Maybe you have a nice poem or search the web for one about pregnancy. How the family felt in anticipation of the babies arrival. 
Page 7-8 Spread:  Excitement of Expecting – Did the mother have any interesting food cravings?  How did others react to those cravings?  What were the reactions to the Ultrasound.  Did you remodel or re-decorate a room for the baby? 
Page 9-10 Friends and Family – Who helped prepare for the baby’s arrival?  Did you have a baby shower?  What gifts did the family receive?  Funny or serious advise from friends and family for the baby? 
Page 11-12 Baby arrives – What was happening when mom went into labor?  How did people react?  What happened during delivery, who was there?  Were there any stories about the doctor or nurses?
Page 13-14 Vital Statistics – Weight and height.  Comments people made about the baby.  Whom did the baby look like and why? 
Page 15-16 Coming home – What did the baby wear home from the hospital?  How did the siblings react?  What were your feelings about bringing the baby home?  Were you anxious, happy to get home, scared of being on your own as new parents? 
Page 17-18 Precious Moments – First month of life – Express here how the first month went.  How siblings were, maybe a feeding schedule and who got up to feed the baby.  The first Doctor’s visit.  Remember your visitors and their reactions or comments.  What was the baby’s reaction to people, songs, activities?
Page 19-20 Memory page – use this maybe to write your thoughts as parents.  Maybe a poem, quote, or song.   Dig deep and maybe even write to your baby your hopes, dreams, wishes.
Page 21 Last page – Maybe a picture, full bleed and semi transparent of your child with a smaller picture over it full Opacity.  A little tag with the date makes a nice ending. 

These are just ideas for you to use to get started.  You can mix them up… add extra pages between if you have more than can fill the pages listed above.  You could even extend this to include the first year.  I use my 'Stories in Hand' journal to track things like this.  Use a notebook just to jot things down on what you would like to put in your Storybook.  Then when you sit down to do it, you have little “Sparks” for ideas.  Helps us remember the little moments… and isn’t that what makes a storybook special?