Babies grow so fast that it is almost impossible to keep up with all their rapid changes. Documenting your baby’s tiny hands and feet by making a keepsake with the prints will help you remember just how small she was. Your baby’s hand and footprints will likely become one of your most treasured possessions and make wonderful gifts for grandparents and others who are close to your baby.
Keepsakes
Create personalized keepsake boxes, albums or scrapbooks using your baby’s hand and footprints as a decoration. Pre-made kits are available, or you can create your own. Put a picture of your baby on the box lid next to his hand or footprint, and store some of his “firsts” in the box, such as his first pair of shoes, hospital bracelet, first lock or hair, tooth or his first favorite toy–once he’s done with it, of course. Decorate the outside cover of your baby journal, photo album or scrapbook with her hand and footprints for a deeper personal connection.
Growth Charts
Make a special growth chart using your baby’s hand and footprints. Use a long piece of paper or a blank album to record his hand and footprints every month for the first year, then every year after that. Turn it into a map of his life by including the date, his height, weight and a few of his favorite things at the moment. It will be incredible to see how much his hands and feet grow from one month, and one year, to the next.
Decor
Use your baby’s hand and footprints as nursery decor or as a sweet reminder on your desk or walls. Kits are available with various designs, or you can create your own. Make a border around the baby’s nursery with her hand and footprints. Make a mold or stamp out of the prints and stamp the walls. Or create a mold of her actual hands and feet to create a 3-D statue that can grace your mantel, bookshelf or end table. You can buy desk frames that hold a picture of your baby on one side and her hand or footprint on the other.
Gifts
Make personal gifts to give out to friends and family, especially grandparents. Send out birth announcements to friends and family who live far away with the usual information, pictures and a footprint. Put the baby’s hand and footprints on small tiles or clear glass bulbs with colorful ribbons to pass out as Christmas gifts. Paint the baby’s name and “first Christmas” or something similar around the print. Have the prints put on T-shirts, coffee mugs or plates if it seems more fitting for the person the gift is for. For example, put the baby’s hand and footprints on a mug with the words “World’s Greatest Grandma” (or something similar) if grandma drinks a mug of coffee each morning.
Considerations
Use non-toxic paint or ink to keep your baby safe. Numerous stores and websites sell paint or ink specifically for children to use. The printing kits come with non-toxic paint that’s easy to clean off the baby using wipes or baby oil. If you plan to preserve the prints on paper, use acid-free paper so it won’t deteriorate over time. For the best results, choose a time when your baby is most relaxed and at ease to make molds or take his prints.
Photo Credit
- Baby Fuss image by GRETADESIGN from Fotolia.com
