Journals as keepsake

I started a journal, a notebook really, when I conceived my eldest 9 years ago. 

I had trouble falling pregnant and as soon as I found out that I had a bun in the oven, I noted down every emotion that I felt and the developmental status of the growing bump. When the second pregnancy happened, I was not quite as prolific and had less time than with the first. However, I kept at the journal entries mainly to note down the babies' milestones. I am so very glad that I did and I want to share my journal experience with you.

Actually, let me back track a little...  I noticed that my mum always told the same baby stories about her kids. Once a long time ago, I figured that in all the years that we lived at home, we must have been more interesting! I asked her something one day - like when I completed my first drawing - and she couldn't answer because she could not remember. I think that our memory bank is probably too crammed full of stuff that we tend to archive away what is seemingly unimportant and trivial at the time. 

It's simple to keep a journal. Your notes don't have to be long journal entries. If you have read Bridget Jones' Diary, you will see that short entries that are written precisely and to the point are easy to keep.  If you do scrapbooking, then that is the perfect combination of photos and text. However, if you are like me, ie not very creative and very time poor, then a journal is an effective memory trigger for the future.

I remember so many things about my son Sam, but I had forgotten that he communicated with me with sign language (untaught) from about 7 months. He would shove his whole fist into his mouth when he wanted a feed. I had completely forgotten that and was reminded when I pulled out the journal at spring cleaning time last week. In the journal I said, "Sam is a genius! He shoved his fist into his mouth to tell me to feed him! And he is only 7 months old!"  As that had happened 8 years ago and had meant so much at the time, the journal worked for me as well as the kids. When I run out of stories to tell them, I tell them about their adventures as babies. They love to hear about themselves!

I continue to write little notes about the kids. I don't do this as often, but I try to do this once in a couple of months. For example, I reminded myself that my daughter did her first piano performance at 4.5 years of age, and her ballet performance at 5 years. I also remind myself of the piece of music that she played or danced to.  I noted that Sam won the swimming carnival in year two, and lost his teeth in November of the same year (the tooth fairy paid him $2 the first time and had forgotten to visit the 2nd time). In 8 years time, I am sure that I will be happy that I had made those entries.

I always write with the kids in mind. I remember that they will read those entries one day and they will know how much they were loved.