| While you are waiting to adopt a child it seems the | | | | the towering pile of laundry will give you interesting |
| day will never arrive when the phone will ring with | | | | journaling topics. Down the road you will be so glad |
| news of "You're having a baby!" Starting your | | | | you journaled about and photographed the |
| adoption scrapbook album while still in the waiting | | | | uneventful things as well as the vacations. Your child |
| phase can help can be a comfort. It will remind you | | | | will have a terrific time reading about it too. |
| that the day really will arrive when you will be a | | | | [5] Be creative, but don't get obsessive about it. |
| parent. Plus, it's a great way to learn how to journal | | | | Don't go join "cropping parties" unless you want a |
| what is important to you. Once the child arrives, you | | | | new social group. Buy a nice paper cutter, stick with |
| may be more likely to take the time to journal about | | | | straight edges on your photos (no circles will save |
| events and emotions. | | | | hours), matte photos using solid-color card stock and |
| [1] Don't get overwhelmed with the idea of an | | | | buy the patterned paper in bulk (craft stores have |
| adoption album. One of the best places to begin is | | | | "slabs."). |
| with a long list of topics about your adoption | | | | [6] Write it down now. It's a good idea to get the |
| experience. These kinds of lists can be found on a | | | | adoption scrapbook album done sooner rather than |
| variety of web sites, including my own, which has | | | | later so your toddler can look at it, at least start |
| over 150 topics. | | | | keeping notes as you go so you will have lots of |
| [2] Consider if you'd like to do an album on your own, | | | | journaling ideas to choose from. Purchase a small |
| purchase a pre-made adoption book from your | | | | notepad to carry around in the diaper bag so you |
| favorite bookstore, or even hire a freelance | | | | have it handy when you want to write down |
| scrapbooker. They will do a pre-designed book for | | | | something that happened or just record your |
| you. One of the best options is the Adoption | | | | thoughts. |
| Scrapbook Album. It's twenty pages of transparency | | | | My son turns five-years-old in a couple of week. The |
| overlays, and you get to choose five that specifically | | | | first year of his life I grew so weary of strangers |
| fits your child's experience. They make scrapbooking | | | | telling me, "It goes so fast." But now I am one of |
| stylish and fast. | | | | those people smiling at little babies and gushing to |
| [3] Go buy your stickers and other embellishments. | | | | new moms, "Cherish this time. It goes too fast." |
| Though few mention adoption, you can find a lot of | | | | Adoption is such an extraordinary experience. It is so |
| stickers that mention family, baby milestones, love, | | | | easy to think that you will remember every emotion |
| and life events. These can be helpful to fill in spaces | | | | you ever have when you look into your sweet |
| and add some style. | | | | baby's eyes. But come on... our brains can only hold |
| [4] Get out your digital camera and snap photos | | | | so much. Our children do grow up so quickly, so |
| around the house that first year of your child's life | | | | record those cherished memories now before you |
| (and later too!) Photographs of that day-to-day stuff | | | | forget. |
| like spilled Cheerios all over the living room floor and | | | | |