If you thought baby could scream before, wait until they start teething. Some mothers use traditional teething rings with the liquid inside but I was always afraid that my son’s budding teeth would puncture the plastic. Frozen waffles work just as well and if baby bites down, there’s no harm done.

Baby can also spike a fever when teething. Children’s liquid pain reliever will bring it down fast and help with the teething pain. Baby will become fussier and crankier than usual at bedtime. The upside of the whole ordeal will be the sight of that pearly white tooth in baby’s mouth. Every cute little smile from that moment on will be dotted with a shiny tooth.

Baby Photo Ideas:

When you first feel an extra bump along baby’s gum line, start with the pictures. Entice baby to smile so that you can get a shot of baby’s entire gummy mouth.

Each week, take a new picture. This will be a slow process but you’ll have the benefit of catching every sparkly tooth coming in during baby’s first year of life.

Also, take pictures of baby chewing on a toothbrush.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

Find stickers of giant teeth with smiling faces. Punch a half circle in the top of each tooth sticker. Affix them to the page around the edges of the page with the top of each tooth angled towards the center of the page.

Take a piece of string and paste it around the outside of the page to represent dental floss. Make sure that the string lies across each hole to resemble a necklace of teeth.

Use your silly quote stickers on the teeth to have the teeth congratulate baby on finally growing a tooth. Place baby’s pictures in the center of the floss necklace.

You’ll be able to find some adorable toothbrush stickers to put on this page, as well.

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Baby can crawl over to tables and chairs and pull themselves to a standing position. When you walk into the nursery in the morning, baby is standing up and shaking the rails. Baby is ready to try walking. Begin with a good pair of shoes.

The day my niece took her first steps she was at my house. I stood her up next to my knee. My sister sat across from me at the other end of the couch. When she called to my niece with her arms outstretched, I aimed my niece in her direction and waited to see what would happen next. She wobbled and swooned a bit, but kept on her feet.

Our mouths hung open as we waited to see if this would be the day that she would take her first steps. One – two – three – and she dropped to the floor. My sister picked her up and we all cheered. My niece laughed, too. Another milestone had been reached.

Baby Photo Ideas:

When you are preparing baby to walk keep your camera close at hand. Take pictures of baby pulling up to a standing position and walking hand-in-hand with you and daddy.

To make sure you capture those first precious steps on camera, have someone else ready to take the picture as daddy aims baby in your direction. Before you applaud her steps, send her back the other way towards her daddy’s waiting arms for another memorable picture. Also, take pictures of mom and dad hugging and celebrating baby’s accomplishment. Now, is also the time to get a great “foot” picture of the baby, too.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

Find some foam building blocks and use them to construct a ladder design on the scrapbook page. On top of each block, paste a picture of baby’s walking progress. The top blocks should hold the pictures of baby walking to you and then to daddy.

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We could get into a debate over when baby’s first smile occurs. If you’ve ever watched a sleeping infant closely, they move their jaw muscles often while they sleep. They look like smiles but maybe it’s just an unconscious reaction to their dreams. No, baby’s first smile will be the one that is created on their tiny face by mommy and daddy.

Baby’s first smile is like a mutual understanding between child and parent. They are fascinated by whatever movement you’re making and a smile is their way of showing that they approve. I’m not talking about a smirk, but a big gummy grin that melts your heart and brings a tear to your eye. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

Baby Photo Ideas:

Pictures may be tricky with the first smile but you can do it. Anytime you are trying to make baby smile, have daddy right next to you with camera at the ready. If you notice the beginnings of a smile forming, stroke baby’s face right below the lower lip. This tickling will prolong the smile so you can take some pictures. Change places and let daddy have his “first smile” from baby. Capturing a smile takes patience but its well worth the wait.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

Find some smiley face stickers or smiling cartoon characters. Everything you add to this page should have a smile on its face. Pick the best smiling shots of baby with each parent. Two a piece should be enough.

Since a smile brightens any room, crop the pictures in a circle with yellow construction paper borders. Add triangular sun rays around each picture. Use the stickers to resemble a crowd of onlookers witnessing baby’s first smile. A perfect theme for this page would be “You are My Sunshine”. Print the words of the song onto the page along with the smiley-baby photos.

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Ideally every mom and dad would like a private sitter to watch their baby while they go to work. But, sometimes a daycare is needed. It’s difficult to imagine a stranger caring for your baby as well as you do. You need to prepare yourself as much as your baby for their first day away from you.

Children are adaptive. They can sense your moods and respond in kind. If you are excited and happy about the childcare experience, baby will be too. Try your hardest not to look sad when you kiss your baby good-bye. Baby may get scared and begin to cry. My husband and I were fortunate enough to find a friend we trusted to care for our babies. Even that didn’t keep me from worrying about them. Guess what? My children faired better than I did.

Baby Photo Ideas:

Photograph everything about baby’s morning on the first day of their childcare experience: bath, dressing, and breakfast time. Take a picture of baby with their school things (diaper bag, bottle bag, toys). Snap a shot of baby in the car seat all ready for their big day.

Photograph the daycare center and your baby’s caregiver. Show baby the classroom where they will be staying. Ask the caregiver to snap a few shots of you and baby in the classroom. Take pictures of the caregiver with baby, too.

Finish up baby’s first day at the daycare with a picture of baby and you reunited at the end of the day.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

Choose scrapbook paper with a school theme. Most daycare centers have a curriculum even for the youngest children. Baby will not just eat and sleep, but play and learn. If you received a report of the day, be sure to include that in the scrapbook, too.

Draw a picture of a large school house in the center of the page. Paste baby’s school pictures onto the school house.

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You and baby have made it together one full year. It’s hard to believe that your baby is walking, eating table food, and beginning to speak. Baby has developed a unique personality during this year and is not afraid to express it.

Now it’s time to celebrate the last twelve months. From one mother to another, don’t make too much fuss this time around. To baby, their birthday is just another day. Decorate with that thought in mind. The first birthday is more a celebration of baby than a celebration for baby. Throw on your party hats and blow out those candles!

Baby Photo Ideas:

You must have a picture of baby wearing a party hat. It doesn’t matter if baby snatches it off later. Snap a picture of baby with each party guest. Randomly take photos of baby interacting with all the new people in the house.

When cake time arrives, let daddy sit at the table with baby. Take a picture of the beautiful birthday cake before and after you light the candle. Take a wide shot of all the party guests singing “Happy Birthday” to baby. As daddy shows baby how to blow out the candle, keep the cameras clicking.

Baby can help you with the present pictures by ripping the wrapping paper off.

Baby Scrapbooking Ideas:

Scrapbook paper with a background of balloons will do. Use a glue stick to make streaks on the sides of the page. Shake birthday confetti on the page and pour off the excess. Crop the party pictures into big squares.

Cut photos in the shape of balloons, cakes, or the number one.

Create small bows from baby’s wrapping paper and put one on top of each picture to turn them into presents. The title of this page would be “Baby’s First Birthday”.

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