Are you up to date with your baby/family album ?
I don’t know about you but I am constantly struggling with clutter. Paper clutter – 3 kids bringing home crafts & papers, toy clutter (even though I insisted all toys in the basement) my own mail clutter & my husband’s never-ending junk (cos’ he brings them home & never looks at them). But the thing that gets me most is the photos piling up and waiting to be organized.
At Schuyler’s Ballet today, I mentioned to the other moms that I am such a “bad mom” as my pictures are not organized up to date. I am probably at 2005. Boy, am I glad that all of them are in the same boat as me ! Jennifer is the only one who has one child and she has pictures of her child in the album for up to 6 mths old. Her child is now 4 & a half. The rest of us has 3 kids, obviously much more photos to organize. I truly felt better.
When there is so more “scrapbooking” stuff in the market & everyone seem to take a vacation every 3 months – even if it is for 3 days, I always thought wow – these people are so organized. As for me, a short trip to NYC – which is an hour & a half away takes me at least one month to plan. (in between all that distractions). Then comes the pictures. Another thing to do.
From the moment I had my 2nd child, I started wondering if I should keep different albums for each kid and how should the overlap (meaning 2 or 3 kids in the same photo) show ? As I wanted them to each have a baby album that is special to them, I decided the I will make one for each of them reflecting only their first year. Then, it’s all in one big album and they can go fight for it after I passed on
Now that there is digital pictures, it is easy to “organize” if you are technology savvy. But you still have the problem of which one should I print out for the album ? Photo book – is the latest trend. I like that but still think it’s a bit costly. I have 270 plus picture from our disneyworld trip we made in Dec of 2007 and I am still undecided if I should just put them in regular albums or do a photo book.
Another mom who has 3 kids told me her mother day’s present has been a family photo book made by her husband. He will compile the pictures by month and gives it to her every Mother’s Day – that and a breakfast in bed ! Now that’s a great and useful present. Fortunately or unfortunately, my husband would rather send me to a spa for the day.
OK – admit it . I am not a super mom but at least I cook almost every meals (from scratch) and I read to my kids, put them to bed, do laundry every other day, volunteer at school & church, help with their homework, drive them to ball games & ballet. I decided I will not beat myself up just because I cannot organize the family album. Feel better already.