The fantastic Rachael McAdams of @livealittleNYC is sharing some fantastic ways to document moments in your tiny baby’s life!  Rachael is new to the SAHM community but she has been a writer for years. Rachael enjoys writing about various subjects, but especially enjoys providing advice to new moms. Rachel is also an avid runner, and enjoys photography and cooking when she’s not chasing around her twins. If you’d like to follow Rachael, you can find her on Twitter at @livealittleNYC

And now, without further ado — take it away, Rachael!

Souvenirs from Baby’s First Year: Creating a Time
Capsule

Remember being a kid and creating a time capsule in
school? You gathered little mementos from your life as it was at that moment,
and wrote a note to your future self. I remember having this project in my
fourth grade history class; I took my assignment so seriously at the time!
Recently, when my mother was cleaning out an old closet in the house that I
grew up in, she came across my old time capsule, and returned it to me. It was
an amazing feeling, being able to peek into that tiny little time in my life,
and it got me thinking, how great would it be to do a time capsule for your
child on their first birthday? Here are my five fun ideas for creating a time
capsule with souvenirs from your child’s first year.

1. Create a Custom Photo Book

Try browsing Shutterfly.
Their large and customizable selection was perfect for helping me to find a
photo book that went with my theme of photos as seen through an Instagram
filter. I really like the idea of being able to play with the colors, and text,
as well as the ability to add cool borders to give my time capsule a vintage
effect.

Photo Via Shutterfly
2. Save Mementos From Special Moments

Find cute ways to save little pieces of your baby’s
first year that won’t take up too much space. Something like this this cute keepsake bag from Etsy lets you stash
a curl from your child’s first haircut without taking up too much space in your
time capsule. Another cute idea is to save a pair of your child’s smallest
shoes. They’ll fit perfectly, and remind you all of how much they’ve grown!

Source via Etsy

3. Write a Note to your Future Child
After the first year of your journey together as a
family, you and your significant other will probably have many great memories
to recount. Tell your child the story of your first year together, and outline
hopes and dreams for the future. I used personalized stationery, also from Tiny Prints, and had it laminated.
Your note will be a cherished keepsake that your child can always keep with
them. 
4. Find a Cool Capsule

Once you’ve gathered all of the contents, it’s time
to choose your capsule!  You can either
look online for a custom time capsule, or make your own. I
chose to repurpose an old wine box I found at my local antique store.  If you go this route, you will want to look
for something weathered, but sturdy. If you are particularly handy, add your
own embellishments with a wood carving tool, and some paint!

Photo Via Etsy
5. Set a Date
With your time capsule complete, all that’s left is
to choose a significant date for you to open the time capsule as a family. A
milestone birthday, like your child’s 18th or 21st makes opening it a rite of
passage, and even more special. Make sure to tuck your time capsule away
somewhere cool, and dry so that it won’t be damaged, and to eliminate the
temptation to peak! Make sure to continue this tradition for all of your
children; it’s something they will cherish always!