Write it out!

      Just about half an hour ago M and I were putting our son to bed after his bath. M turns to me and asks, "do you remember why we started doing 'concerts' after his bath?." I answered "well he used to cry, it was a way to distract him." M then answers "but do you remember why he used to cry?." I answered "he hates it when he have to dress him." M then says, "he hated when we put a hat on him the most." I had completely forgotten that. Things you think you will forever remember may not be remembered. Some moments and many things especially that occur often are remembered and the general things but specific incidents and events become completely forgotten. For example, I ask my mom when I cut my first tooth or began crawling, the answer I normally get is, "oh around the average (normal) time when all kids do." Or even my first word "Mama or Papa". Hmmphh well that's fine and dandy but I would love to compare my sons achievements to mine and my husbands when we were that age but alas that information is lost in the black hole of time.
     One of the best pieces of advice I found online was to keep a journal. I started one the day (well a few days after but topics from) I became pregnant. I keep this journal to this day and am not planning to stop anytime soon. When/If I am lucky to have more children, I will make journals for them as well.
     The journal does not HAVE to be fancy looking but a nice one is great if you will give this to your child someday. Also a word of advice: choose in what perspective you want to write (1st person, etc.). My journal I never decided which perspective I want to write in so some are addressed to my then unborn child while some are from my perspective while some are from 3rd person, which looks quite eclectic. What should you record? Anything and everything you find interesting. I record(ed): his heart rate at appointments, my measurements during pregnancy (weight gained etc.), his birth story,   milestones, and  funny things that happened. Write these events down each night or few or as soon as a memory is fresh so that dates or what happened does not get mixed up.
   I treasure the journal I keep. I have been able to fill out the baby book calendar with information from it. I have been able to look back and remember my birth more vividly  I also read it to remember when certain milestones or events occurred  Also I use it to compare the height/ weight measurements from one well baby appointment to the next. If you start this you wont regret it one day, even if you don't write in it all the time!!!