Children

First Birthday Ideas: Personalized ABC Book

by

In this post, you’re going to learn how to create a personalized ABC book for your child.

This DIY guide includes:

  • ideas for each letter of the alphabet
  • a simple process for taking, finding, and organizing children’s photos
  • an easy and manageable layout for a custom ABC book

So if you want to get the PERFECT gift for your child’s birthday, you’ll love this guide.

I made my child’s custom ABC book for their first birthday, but this project is perfect for any birthday or occasion. Toddlers are learning their letters, and older children appreciate the sentiment. A personalized ABC book is a thoughtful gift for any age.

Why I Made a Custom ABC Book

For me, that first birthday stress is what motivated me to complete this project. First birthdays are extremely special. I wanted to have a memento from my little one’s party to enjoy after the party was over. I debated over other cute ideas I found. Other options I considered were an everyone loves you book, a DIY family board book, or even a commissioned cartoon book. Finally, I decided on the ABCs because it’s a classic and easy way to share many pictures. This is how I made it work.

*FTC disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links. All opinions remain my own.

Personalized ABC Book how to guide

Timeline

First, I had this book made, printed, and shipped BEFORE the party. I know what you’re thinking. I don’t have time to pre-plan like that. But, I’m someone who is a known procrastinator. This was a huge accomplishment for me. If I can do it, you can too!

Having the book physically present at my little one’s party was important. I had all the birthday guests sign and write a little message inside the front and back cover. It is something that brings a smile to my face when I see it. I know my little one will appreciate it even more when she’s older.

Creating the book took some planning, but not as much as you would think. Seriously, you can do this.

Like many parents of a little one, I already had a LOT of pictures. I started on this project about two months before my child’s birthday. I spent about a month creating the book. After that I waited a week for the book to be printed and mailed.

This book was made through MixBook. They always have great deals. I got an 8.5 x 8.5″ Glossy Hardcover and find the size perfect for reading with my little one. I paid about $30 at the time, including shipping. It takes about 11 days (using standard shipping) to receive your book, so be sure to plan in advance! (My book arrived 7 days after ordering, but the site shipping averages are longer.) I found Mixbook’s online book creator easy to use. I was very happy with the quality of the printed book.

 

How to Brainstorm ABC Book Letter Ideas

Brainstorming ideas for each letter for your personalized ABC book is time-consuming. So, use my tips and list to make it easier.

First, I thought about words to use based on pictures I knew I already had or could easily take. This is how I came up with simple words like B for Bath or T for Toy.

Second, I brainstormed words that focused on teaching my child. Thinking about your kid’s learning makes coming up with letter ideas easier. ABC words can be:

  • Common verbs and nouns that help teach your child (eat, drink, book)
  • Names of colors
  • Types of animals
  • Family related words (sibling names, last name, pet names)
  • Favorite characters (Elmo, Daniel Tiger, Pete the Cat, Thomas the Train, you get the idea)

Using this method I jotted down a list of possible words for each letter.

 

Personalized ABC Book Letter Ideas

Here is my list of the word I used for each letter, along with extra ideas in parenthesis:

  • A is for Applesauce (airplane, avocado, aunt)
  • B is for Bellybutton (blanket, baby, bath, brother, ball, brush, bye-bye)
  • C is for Cat (crawling, car, cousins, cookie, crib)
  • D is for Daddy (dog, dinosaur, drawing, dancing)
  • E is for Eat (exploring, eyes, elephant)
  • F is for Family (frog, flower, fish)
  • G is for Guitar (grandma & grandpa, go, green, giraffe)
  • H is for Hat (home, hair, help, hello,hug)
  • I is for Ice cream (ice, icky, inside)
  • J is for Jacket (juice, jumping, jars, jam, jogging)
  • K is for Kayak (kiss, kite, kicking, knocking, knot, kitchen)
  • L is for Lip (lion, love, licking, light)
  • M is for Mommy (mat, milk, monkey, moon)
  • N is for Nap (nose, nanny, nature)
  • O is for Outside (open, over, odor, ouch, okay)
  • P is for Plane (playing, puppy, pushing, please)
  • Q is for Quiet (quilt, quick, quack)
  • R is for Reading (red, rocking, riding, robot, river, rain)
  • S is for Smile (sister, swinging, sliding, shoe, sock, spaghetti, silly)
  • T is for Toes (train, throwing, thinking, towel, toy)
  • U is for Ukulele (uncle, underwear, unzip, upset)
  • V is for Vacation (velvet, vegetable, vacuum)
  • W is for Water (waving, watching, walking, wagon, window)
  • X is for Xylophone (x-ray – hopefully you have no use this word!)
  • Y is for Yawn (yard, yelling, yummy, yucky)
  • Z is for Zoo (zebra, zero, zigzag, zipper, zombie)

 

Photo Organizing System

I created a folder on my computer and I began filling it with pictures I wanted to include in the book (regardless of what letter it’d go with, I just WANTED that picture!). Easy peasy. I collected about 15 photos to start with. You can find 15 photos, easy!

At this point, I began renaming each photo file with the word I thought I could use for it. Now, this is where creativity comes into play. If I had any letter duplicates, I brainstormed an alternate letter word for that picture. Let me explain.

personalized alphabet book example page

My “N is for Nap” page is a good example of a pic I just HAD to have in the ABC book. When I looked at this pic, I could easily have included it on lots of other pages instead. It could have been “B is for Bow (or Bed)”, “C is for Crib”, “F is for Fox”, “Q is for Quilt”, or “S is for Sleep”.

For example, you can use choo-choo for train if you already have a “T”. Or, you can use water for bath if you already have “B” and need a “W” (which I did!). You get the idea.

You can also move pre-existing pictures to use with harder to find letters. I originally was going to use “yard” for my “outside” picture, but then I couldn’t find any “O” pictures. Stay with me now. It was much easier for me to find a “yawn” picture and move my “yard” picture to “outside”. (If you followed that, you’re on point. I had to reread it twice and I knew what I meant. Ha!)

At this point, you start to see what letters you are missing. Before taking new pictures, I searched for pictures on my phone. I tried to see if I already had something to match certain letters.

 

Stage Pictures to Fill in Missing Letters

After this process, I ended up having to take more pictures. I had no letter “x”! So I bought a xylophone second-hand just for this book…haha. Later, I let my daughter taste some “ice cream” so I’d have a letter “I” page. I did this to fill the remaining letter spots.

Staging photos at this point was easy. I only had a handful of letters that needed pictures for the book. I’m glad I didn’t start with trying to stage photos for every. single. letter. of the alphabet. It would have been too much.

 

Photo Layout Idea

example of a diy custom abc book layout

In actually creating the book, I kept the layout simple. Most pages featured one photo with the letter text underneath. I have a tendency to go overboard, so this kept the project manageable.

 

Custom ABC Book Title Idea

The title of the book can be based on your child’s first name, like “B is for Brennan”. Or you can name it based on your child’s last name. You can keep it simple and name it “ABC Book for [your child’s name]”.

 

Wrapping it Up

This idea is really versatile and would be age-appropriate (Hello ABC’s!) for any child in Kindergarten or younger. So, don’t fret if the first birthday is already come and gone. Of course, any age can appreciate an alphabet photo book!

I already have some other books in the works, but I love new ideas. What are your tips for a personalized ABC photo book?

If you are looking for other crafty ideas, check out the learning tower we made our daughter.

Items to Make Your Life with a Toddler Easier

by

These products will help you make life with a toddler easier. A quick search about having a toddler will come up with comparisons of being in prison or a dysfunctional relationship. Although I prefer to focus on the best things about having a toddler, it is no surprise that parents of toddlers can use a little help.

*FTC disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links. All opinions remain my own

Here are the products you need to make toddler life a bit easier:

must buy products to make life with toddler easier

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

So 1 and 2 are potties, but they each serve different purposes. Right now we use 1 as a toilet seat on our regular toilet (it bends flat), but it is also used in travel situations as needed (like vacations, long car rides, etc.). 2 is used full time in the bathroom. We actually have the Summer Infant Lil’ Loo (which is cheaper), but for some reason seems to have been discontinued. It it hadn’t been an option, 2 would have been my choice as friends have recommended it. I’m all for less pieces (less to clean!) and a streamlined design.

Toddler-proofing can be really frustrating. Install is about as easy as it can get with 3 but I still used these in minimal places. In the kitchen I used these on our junk drawer and on the cabinets underneath the kitchen sink (which houses all our cleaning supplies. I also used these on the cabinets in both bathrooms. That’s it. I hate being locked out of my own stuff. I use a metal nail stud in both the kitchen and bathroom as the place where I keep the unlocking key (it’s magnetic!).

4 – Car seats can be pretty personal, I needed a seat that can fit rear facing in a really small car (Honda Fit!) . This was among the cheaper options that had good user and safety ratings. Pro tip: Keep an eye on pricing for different color options. I managed to get mine for about $80 cheaper by purchasing a close out color!

5 – This should actually be on my must have baby items that’ll last until toddler years post because we’ve used this since our little started on solid foods. I love that it is easy to clean. In fact, I have put this entire seat in our dishwasher!

6 – I couldn’t find simple metal silverware for children cheaper any where else than Ikea. This isn’t there children’s set (which were bigger in size, strangely enough. Their Dragon dessert/salad forks, and Dragon coffee/tea spoons have been perfect. Our two year old seemed excited to use “big kid” silverware.

7 – These knit doorcovers from Etsy are the best! If you know a knitters, they can probably make these for you. Those “other” doorknob protectors (of which I will not name) don’t even come close in awesomeness.

8 – This stool is used both to get on the big potty and to brush teeth. It is lightweight and my toddler can easily move it without scuffing the floor.

9 – We have a sliding patio door and this is perfect. Easy to install and use! It can also be used on windows or sliding bathroom shower doors.

10 – So we actually made our own learning tower and other easy Ikea hacks are out there. If you aren’t into DIY, you can always buy your own kitchen helper. Most of the time our toddler is using this to play in the sink, but it often occupies for the entire time it takes me to make dinners, so it’s worth it.

What Didn’t Make The List: We contemplated adding our baby gates. We have this gate at the top of the stairs and this one at the bottom. But honestly, we’ve stubbed our toe with the bottom gate too many times. I wish we had purchased two of the top stair gate.

We all have our own sanity saving tips, so what is making your life with a toddler easier. Seriously, we need to know. Share now!

 

 

 

 

Kid Consignment Sale Haul (aka fun toys and games for your toddler)

by

Kid consignment sales are a favorite of mine. Being a first time mom, I didn’t even know these existed until a friend, also a mom, keyed me into their awesomeness. Now I go to at least one for spring/summer and another for fall/winter.

So, why are they so great? Let me give you an example. Here are all the items I purchased recently at one consignment sale:

*FTC disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links. All opinions remain my own.

Raccoon Rumpus Game by Educational Insights

There was instant love for this game by my little. It has been played with several times each day since we bought it.

Where’s That Chipmunk Game by Haywire Group

We haven’t played this yet because the instructions were missing. It proved to be a bit more challenging to find the rules since the company has changed ownership, but I was able to enter a broken link that seemed to have the rules (which it did) into the Way Back Machine and open an old version of the page (Hooray!).

Goodnight Moon Matching Game by Briarpatch

This game has lots of different ways to play and is appropriate for my toddler but will also grow with her as well!

Micro Mini Original Kick Scooter by Micro Kickboard

I almost bought one of these during Christmas and I’m glad I waited!

Lauri Deluxe Tall-Stackers – Pegs & Pegboard Set by PlayMonster

I actually did buy a pegboard set at Christmas but gave it to a nephew as a gift. This has also been played with a couple of times every day since purchased.

Going to the Doctor (Usborne First Experiences) Book by Anne Civardi

Creepy Crawlies Hardcover Book by Igloo

The magnifying glass in this book occupied my little during most of the time I was shopping at the sale and that alone made it worth its price!

Okay, self admittedly I usually buy a LOT more at consignment stores, but I was on mission and had a short time frame at this one. It was closing in less than an hour AND I was specifically looking to add to our game collection.

Okay, now for why there is such hype for consignment stores. If I bought these six items new I would have spent well over $185. INSTEAD I only spent $34! On average, I paid about 20% of the regular price for items I purchased. This is pretty on par with most things I buy at sales like this, but on some occasions I have paid for up to 50% of the regular price for items I really wanted.

Now, another good (yet time consuming) part of consignment sales is YOU can sell your stuff in them too. It’s pretty easy to make us much as you spend in a consignment sale, so it is kind of like swapping out your old unneeded kid stuff for new to you needed/wanted kid stuff.

If you don’t know where consignment sales might be in your area, check out Consignment Mommies!

For anyone that sells/shops consignment sales, any tips?

Baby Must Haves that Made the First Year Easier

by

I recently shared some baby items that we still use with our toddler, but there were also some items during that first year that I am so glad we had.

This baby stuff would be great to add to your baby registry or to buy for someone who is expecting.

*FTC disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links. All opinions remain my own.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Baby Items to Help You Survive the First Year:

1 – We tried a lot of tubs. We had one of those PUJ tubs (which lasted only the first two months) and even one of those blow up duck tubs (cute for pics, not so practical for baths). This sponge was the best. I’d simply fill our tub with a couple inches of water, give our little one a bath, and then roll the water out of this sponge and wedge it behind our towel bar until the next bath.

2 – Okay, if you plan on pumping at all, this is truly the end all be all. It has great suction, is battery powered (so you can WALK around while pumping), and is a closed loop system (much more sanitary and you can even resell it if you want too). I’ve literally made dinner while using this pump.

3 – I was wary of glass bottles at first, but I ended up loving these. I admit I did drop these a couple of times and they did NOT break! They cleaned really easily in the dishwasher and heated up quickly in the bottle warmer.

4 – I clipped this sound machine on the rock n play (7), crib, and even my little ones stroller while out and about. I used it A LOT and although the charger port broke, I reached out to the company and they sent me a new one for free!

5 – Initially I scoffed at bottle warmers – who needs those? Well, because I mainly pumped, I had a lot of milk in the fridge (and freezer) that was COLD. I ended up buying this during the wee hours one night and never looked back.

6 – There are lots of swaddles and I recommend swaddles in general. This one in particular is super easy and has a two way zipper for easy middle of the night diaper changes.

7 – The benefit of a rock n play is it can easily go anywhere. Ours came with to dinners at friends, holiday family parties, and even on vacation. When our little one napped, it was often in here.

8 – THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE ITEM ON THIS LIST! Seriously, I saved the best for last. Hands down, if you are anxious at all about sleeping while your child sleeps, buy this. We got a refurbished model to save money and it worked flawlessly.

Of course baby items like this are going to be a matter of personal preference – both yours and your babies – so remember a lot of this is trial and error.

Got any other tips for the parents of newborns? What made your life with a newborn easier?