How birth order affects baby books

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later… Last week when we were all “snowed in” and at home for extended periods of time looking for new sources of entertainment, the Preschooler discovered a collection of photo albums. And, that was the trigger for her question:

Momma, {The 1st Grader} has a lot of books that tell all about when she was a baby. Where’s my baby book?

{insert extended silence here…}

Sometimes the ramifications of one’s birth order are very hard to explain.

Here’s the situation. The 1st Grader has a baby book with a ridiculous amount of detail and information about all the events leading up to her birth {every shower, every gift, ultrasound, visitor, etc.}. There are pictures of her nursery, her first doctor’s visit, her first stroll outside, her first taste of real food, and so on. There’s an entire page dedicated to her first haircut. Every milestone of her first year is well documented. In addition to her official “baby book,” there are also several small photo albums that chronicle her first days, weeks, and months at home. Basically, she had a parental paparazzi for eighteen months.

Looking back through the albums, we have many pictures like the one below. This was her first stroll. Only she’s not even visible in the picture. You’ll just have to believe me when I say there was a baby in that stroller. And, at the time, I thought this was a great documentation of the event.

In 2008, God blessed us with The Preschooler. And, by no means did we take her or her infancy and all the milestones that accompany it for granted. It’s just that very little of it was formally recorded on paper. And, that’s because there was very little time for activities like sleeping or eating, let alone scrapbooking.

And, so, I had to make a choice. I could work on her baby book OR I could keep everyone alive. I think I wisely chose the latter.

There was also the fact that the Preschooler was not what I would describe as easily amused.

It took some time for her to acclimate to the 1st Grader’s energy level. So, I spent a good bit of time that first year or so trying to win smiles and maintain peace.

To be honest, she does have a baby book. And, I cannot wait to fill it with some of our favorite pictures.

It’s just that it’s a work-in-progress.

Even the Toddler has a baby book. It may be yet untouched and in its original packaging, but she has the beginnings of a coordinating book. And, I’ve stuffed all manner of important papers and notes inside the front cover of the box so that when time allows, progress can be made. See below. There’s a book behind all those papers.

And, I really have high hopes that some day it will happen. All three books will get done. I’ve just had to delay these projects until I feel like we’ve arrived at a season in which I wouldn’t be risking someone’s health or safety to work on it. And, we’re just not there yet… because scenes like this one are not uncommon.

I don’t even remember what her goal in reaching the sink here might have been. I just know it probably wasn’t the best time for me to be cropping a picture {or taking a picture, for that matter}.

Basically, you just can’t trust people who wear sunglasses inside to stay out of trouble.