A KeepSake Scrapbook

Oh scrapbooking.  I've always loved making scrap books.  I like to document trips, pets, people, life.  I wanted so much to make an epic ode to Claire that one day she could look through and see how much she was loved.  I know the trend now is to do this all digital and make sleek coffee table books, but to me it just doesn't seem personal.  Some day, Claire will appreciate looking at the small details--my handwriting, her medical bracelet from the hospital, the napkins from her baby shower... those are the memories I want her to experience.  Not some sleek disconnected book of pictures.

I currently have two books running for her.  One is a standard "memory" book that has more writing than pictures.  The other is a 12"x12" Creative Memories full fledged scrapbook:

The books in question.  I need to replace that picture in her Winnie the Pooh memory book with an actual picture of her.  The things we never get around too, eh?

Here are our memories written out so far:

For some reason, I really don't want you to read what I've written here.  My mom kept a similar book.  It kind of makes me teary now to read such loving comments.

And these are some snapshots from  her scrapbook (which I HAVE started, I just haven't gotten past the part where she was born...)
The first page is made up of our name tags from our birthing class and a studio picture of her (in one of my hats, of course).  I do a bit of stamping (as you can see) but I prefer handwriting everything.  You can't notice all the details, of course, but the shiny things on the label are actually decorations from the shower.  I use them throughout.  So crafty!

I prefer Creative Memories scrap books--the pages lay flat and they have page protectors that are easy on and off.  So I can keep adding random things.

The baby shower--sure this book is ABOUT Claire, but one of my regrets is that I don't have pictures of my mom pregnant with me.  Well, I'm sure there are some floating around, but I'd never know.  So I made sure she got to see some of the lovely details--the cute invitations, her giant cake, her giant mommy!

I've always liked using things like napkins and cards for scrapbooks.  I think it makes them more real.  And gives them the true flavor of a "scrap" book.

Claire's birth page.  On here I have both of our hospital bands, pictures of me "sort of" in labor, and of course, all those first pictures from her arrival. 

I just recently reunited with my band from when I was a baby.  This might not seem important to some, but it made me sad in a happy way. 

And some more hospital pictures and some of Claire's swag waiting at home.  I put some of the crafty items I made in there (since I still treasure the blanket my mom made for me when I was born).  I also cut out pictures of her diapers and used those to decorate the page.  I just thought they were too cute, but I didn't want to waste the space... so I cut them out and used them to fill in blank space. 
 
 So that's pretty much as far as I've gotten (hence the whole, almost three months behind thing).  I have some pictures ready to slap down, but I've always got the issue of... I need to print more pictures!  I have a printer that does pictures, but unfortunately, I never buy picture printer paper, and I really don't like the quality of those pictures anyway.  Well, I have a new printer, I should try, but alas. 
Again I reiterate.  Sure, it'd be so much easier (and far less costly) to simply use an internet based site and make a book.  I've even done this for my dear mother's brag book (and the gift looked AWESOME).  But there's something about the love that goes into this, and the time spent.  Some day, God forbid, I will no longer be with 50+ year old Claire, but she'll be able to look back through this book and remember how much her mother loved her.  And that's what scrapbooking is about to me:  Leaving these memories in hopes that some day she'll need them, when I can't be there to share them with her.