When I was a little girl, I used to love looking through my Raggedy Ann baby book. My mom had recorded every last detail of my infancy and early childhood in its pages. My favorite thing about the book was a small pouch inside where she had tucked away little keepsakes like our hospital bracelets.
Both of my kids have keepsake boxes where I’ve stored all kinds of little things. By the time Annabeth was 6 weeks old, hers was already almost full!
There are a few things that won’t fit in the boxes that I’m safeguarding for them. For instance, here’s a letter from President George W. Bush that welcomed Jackson to the world shortly after his birth.
(That’s no longer our address.)
And Annabeth just received this autographed book by former First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna.
I have a close friend who worked for President Bush during his administration, which is how both of these gifts came about. (I think these are really special keepsakes that my children will one day enjoy having, but I need to emphasize that I’m not trying to make a political statement by sharing these pictures.)
A couple of Christmases ago, Mom gave me a big box of my baby clothes that she had saved for me. I’ve had so much fun going through them!
I love this itty bitty t-shirt.
Annabeth wasn’t even a twinkle in our eyes when Mom gave me all these clothes. It never occurred to me that I would play dress up with my own daughter in these clothes one day. Mark it down – April 16, 2009 was the day!
Here’s my sweetie in a tiny pink dress that my grandmother bought me almost – gulp – 30 years ago. Isn’t she sweet?
What keepsakes are you saving for your children or future children? Or what keepsakes were saved for you?
*Bethie asked me to add a quick prayer request to my post. Tomorrow morning she is heading Portland, Oregon, for this weekend’s Living Proof Live event. Houston is supposed to have thunderstorms tomorrow, so will you please pray that her flight will be on time? Thanks, Siestas!
Yes Annabeth is definitely sweet! I will definitely pray for your sweet mom and the weather!
And I have absolutely nothing from when I was a child. I don’t know why, but mom didn’t save a thing. We however have a house that is being overtaken by all the clothes, priceless “art” treasures, report cards, blankies, stuffed animals and on and on that I have saved for my girls, now 11 and 20 years old.
Melana in Wyoming
Enjoyed your post – Annabeth is so cute – she’s looking more and more like you!
I’ve saved a container full of things for each of my 3 girls. From time to time they get them out and look through them….what fun!
I’m praying for Mama Siesta!
My mother passed on 13 years ago due to all the coomplications with diabetes and heart problems. She had beautiful handwriting until her nerve endings in her fingers got so bad. So I write everything down my children do and letters to them and things they say and how they say them because I wish I had more things my mother wrote on in her handwriting. Oh another thing is i take my daughters picture every year in my wedding gown and my sons picture in one of his dad’s favorite shirts (until they grown into them)
Precious and praying. I have two legacy Bibles that I am making records of things in for my daughters. But, for them I believe the treasures will be things like my journals and Bibles (I have nearly 40) All of them marked up and versed out, noted and prayed over. They mark out the journey of my life with God (and perhaps my multiple personality disorder LOL) but truthfully – I pray that all of those things is very special to them. I have a box in the garage of their school work and I have a trunk that I am filling with their brother’s things so that they will have them when they have children. Those items tell the story of his life and they will be able to share about their brother based on what those keepsakes hold.
I love the way God gives us memories to hold onto. I also have a small box of keepsakes from my wedding to Scott. I hope they will enjoy them. For Scott’s children I found a variety of items from his relationship with their mother over the years in boxes we have had from that time of his life. I have them packed away to give his children as they go off as adults in this world.
I’m praying for your mother’s safe travel and a blessed event at LPL Portland. Blessings.
Amanda, I too have saved EVERYTHING for my children. At one point I was overboard… my husband was looking through our first child’s book and found what he thought to be a raisin. He taunted me for not taking good care of the baby book and for eating while assembling special memories…
He was SHOCKED to find that I hadn’t been careless at all… it was our firstborn’s UMBILICAL CORD!
All that to say- we’ve since thrown it away… (Along with the positive pregnancy test pee stick…)
Thanks for bringing this up… how fun it will be to read everyone’s posts!!
And- praying for your Mom!!
Ooh… and I almost forgot… just 6 monhts ago my mom sent me (I’m 33 years old) a small unlabeled box. I opened it… (unknowingly) to find 9 of my teeth. Apparently the “tooth fairy” not only kept them over the years… but RETURNED THEM!
ICK!!!
When I was 3 months pregnant for my birthday my mom gave me a beautiful dress (similar to yours). My grandmother made it for my mom to wear in 1941. Mom wore it, I wore it and my precious daughter Sydney wore it. It was such a thrill to have a keepsake like that. Mom also gave me a beautiful blanket that my paternal grandmother made for me when I was born. Such treasures…Susan
Annabeth is so cute! My son’s name is Rocco Giovanni Boggio (a little Italian don’t you think?). Or think The Godfather and the St. Rocco’s Day festival. My husband grew up in the Catholic Church and while we are not raising our children Catholic, Rocco’s keepsake is a St. Rocco medal that was blessed by the Pope when my sister-in-law’s sister-in-law visited Italy a few years back with her nun order. Forgive me if I have not addressed that correctly. My daughter Amy is named after a woman who has been a grandmother to me my whole life although we are not blood related. Any picture I can get of them together is a treasure to me and I am sure there will be something of Nana’s that Amy will acquire someday that she will get to keep as a reminder. Nana will be 90 this summer and Amy will be 5. I praise God that both of my children get to have a relationship with Nana and I know they bring her such joy.
I am praying for you Siesta Mama!!
Becky
I save everything. My mom did the same for me. I have my baby clothes, books, dolls, Barbies etc… all from my childhood. I know I’ll save special books, clothing items, blankets and dolls for them too.
Your baby is absolutely adorable. I’ll say a prayer right now for Beth.
I saved a few clothes from my son’s baby days, and I recently bought a scrapbook for his school days. I would also like to start a journal for him about my life so that when he gets older he can read it and know all about me. I think that is pretty important because I don’t know much about my parents at all.
My mom saved a dress of mine and I had my oldest daughter’s picture taken in it and now the youngest will get her turn. I’ve saved a few cards, blankets knit for them from a great grandmother, and a few special pieces of clothing. I also keep a few pieces of art from each year. I do keep up with their baby books; I ordered the same one for all 3 so I could anticipate what I’d need to fill out or photograph!
In a box stuck away on a high shelf in a closet at the “old homeplace” we found a hand-made gown and a shirt that apparently were my hubby’s…..70+ years ago.
I have saved my two sons’ favorite blankets and their 1st pairs of shoes. My sons are now 38 and 34 years old. They know I have these items but they also know these things mean more to me than to them. Afterall, I actually remember the blankets and shoes…they don’t. And OH how I love to close my eyes and breathe deep into the blankets … imagining I can actually smell those sweet babies!!! Ahhh…memories!!! Brings tears just thinking about my babies!!!!
So sweet, little baby Annabeth! My grandmother had crocheted a baby blanket for my mom when my sister, brother and I came home from the hospital. We all carried our babies home wrapped in that same blanket when they were born.
That is a surreal moment when you dress them in your baby clothes. Babies grow up so fast!
I just love her big smile.
Father, watch over every moment of Beth’s time. Guard her and provide for her by Your generous care. I pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to just be on her, Lord. Let every thing be done in accordance with Your Plan and Your Purpose. Move mightily to block any disruptions to Your desires for Beth. In Jesus Name. Amen.
KEEPSAKES I'm saving… The cutest little disney sweatshirts we bought for the kids at Disney World with Mickey Mouse embroidered on them… also little Levi denim jackets each child has worn. Tons of scrapbooks by theme for each child… ALSO I have to say, Annabeth is just so precious; such a beautiful smile!
PORTLAND Living Proof Live… BETH and the whole conference are in my prayers!!! My sister, Traci, is a new believer and will be attending this event; her first Conference! I Praise God in advance for safe travels for Beth & the team and the many women He will speak to through Beth!
One of my favorite treasures was a baby dress, that my grandmother sewed for my mother, using fabric from her wedding dress. My mom wore it as a baby and then gave it to me when I had daughters. I’ve saved my favorite outfits that my daughters have worn and they each have an ongoing scrapbook. They love looking at their scrapbooks now! Oh, the other really special item each of my girls have, is a crib quilt made by my grandmother (their great-grandma).
Here’s a tip for saving artwork that your kids create… hang a grouping on the wall or spread it out on the floor; then take a picture of it and put the picture in a scrapbook. Takes up ALOT less space!
Praying Isaiah 55:10-12 for Beth in Oregon.
Barb
I’m hoping to share my favorite books with my kids. There were several books my mom read to me with great expression and voices that I want to read to my own kids the same way someday! As an 8 or 9 year old, I LOVED the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I don’t know how many times I read them! I would love to pass those on to my little girl someday (not sure how much a little boy might like them). The thing is, all those books are in the attic at my parents’ home somewhere. And I’m not sure where! I hope they hold up.:)
How adorable! I am also saving some dresses, but the main things are books! I have some books from my childhood and reading them to my children now are so much fun because I REMEMBER so well reading them myself when I was little! I love books, so we have a lot of great ones and I am hoping they will be a blessing to my children(now 4,6 and 8) down the road.
Amanda,
It IS fun going through all those baby things! Annabeth is adorable in your dress. I have some dresses that my mom saved from my babyhood, and I also have a couple of stuffed animals,too. I saved my girls’ favorite blankies.(they now have them on their beds) I also saved the Raggedy Ann dolls that my mom made for them. Another thing they look forward to is a new Christmas ornament every year. That way when they move out on their own someday, they will have a tree of memories of past Christmases.
I will definitely be praying for your mom and the weather.Blessings to all of you in Siestaville!
Love, Joan
Your post reminded me of when I played dress up with my now 9 year old when she was only a few months old. I had a few things my mom had saved for me, including a precious pink dress that I had my picture made in. I have a double 5×7 frame that I have the picture of me and a picture of my daughter in the same dress….it is so sweet!
I love little girls!
O:)
Melissa
My mom saved some little “Feltman Brothers” dreses like that for me, then my daughter wore them too. Annabeth looks darling!
Will be praying for your mom – for travel timing and safety, and for the Lord to do a mighty work this weekend!
I kept the light blue daygown that my son went home from the hospital in 26 years ago. His son went home from the hospital TODAY wearing the same gown. Memories have come flooding back! Enjoy your babies!
I had my boys within 14 months of each other so needless to say, my youngest wore hand-me downs. By the time he went through them, there was not much left to keep for future generations. LOL! He’s 29, married, and still hard on clothes! But I did save my boys’ cub scout uniforms and a few pocket cars. I also saved their baby shoes and the blanket they both came home in from the hospital.
I see so much of you, Amanda, in Annabeth’s face. She’s just darlin’! (Put a southeast Texas accent in that last word.)
What precious pictures and keepsakes. My mom kept a baby book, similar to what your mom did for you. Mom died 14 years ago when I was 20 years old and there are so many questions I have for her that my dad can’t remember the answers to. At any rate, I host a family blog and update it almost daily with pictures and funny things the kids say. I then print off the blog posts and save them for the kids. Also, I’ve saved clothing and crafts they’ve made. Here’s the most time consuming keepsake but definitely worth the effort. At the end of every year I create a family video with pictures, audio, and video then burn it on a DVD. It makes a great Christmas gift for loved ones and also is an awesome keepsake for the kids.
She’s every bit as adorable in that dress as I’m sure you must have been! Priceless!
My children have blankets that I made for them. Jessica (the oldest) has a crocheted afghan. Jasmine (middle child) has a quilt that I sewed by hand for her. Noah (youngest) has a half completed needlepoint of Noah’s Ark. It will never be complete, I fear. Needlepoint is so NOT my thing!
for my daughter I saved a small bonnet that a friend made for her out of a beautiful lace hankerchef. when she gets married, I will snip the stiches that hold it together and she can use it as her something old.
for my son I kept his cute little overalls he loved to wear! Also, I kept his breathing mask from the hospital. that’s to remind me that he was so sick and the Lord brought him through!
I will be praying Bethie through those storms!
Kelli M
Madison MS
My daughter and I both came home from the hospital in the same dress. I am saving it for her daughter too.
I have some of my baby clothes that my mom saved for me. One dress in particular is a little gingham sundress, with pink and blue and green and yellow in it. and don’t you know, it perfectly matches my daughter’s PB quilt on her bed! so it hangs over her bed on the wall on a cute little hanger. LOVE IT.
I saved the “Baby Jesus” for my daughter that I was given as a three year old. The church we attended had a Christmas Eve service and I was captivated by the doll that played Baby Jesus. Afterwards I went right up to the front of the auditorium and asked the little 12 year old girl whose doll it was, if I could have it. And she said yes (there’s nothing quite like a precocious three year old).
Now that beloved doll sits in my precious nine year old’s bedroom. (I just went and checked the date on the back of it’s head – 1961).
Warm in Alaska.
sweet little thing. I love the pink on pink, great color.
We will be praying.
Blessings.
I just found out about the LPM blog and enjoy reading it so much! We have something in common. I have a 3 year old little boy, a 10 week old little girl named Annalyn and an 11 yr old daughter. I play dress up with my new baby in my oldest daughter’s clothes and a few of mine. One of the first verses my son learned was the same as Jackson’s – Children obey your parents for this is right – just wish he would do it! Enjoy your new baby…she’ll be 11 going on 18 before you know it!
When my kids were baptized, I gave a card to each of our close friends to write a note and prayer to my child about following their God. I’ll give them those cards when they leave home to marry.
I took one year for each of my children and wrote in a one-year dated bible what God did that year for that child. I have those one-year bibles for each to give them some day soon.
That pink dress is so prim and proper. And properly girly. And I love her pose in that first picture–so ladylike!
Will be praying for Beth & the lovely folks attending the Portland LPM…
Annabeth looks just darling in that dress. Her smile is just so sweet too.
Plus, I've got to tell you I'm just a bit green at your mementos from the Former President & his First Lady. :o)
Didn't get much handed down… a sweater & a few pictures… perhaps that's why I've so much saved for both of my kiddos. Clothes, silverware, pictures, locks of hair, pictures, bears, baby blankets, and so forth. :o) Oh, and did I mention pictures? HA!
Lovely blog, thanks for sharing!
Anna in MO
I am saving my 25 yr old son’s baby sized red, white and black Air Jordan hightops from 1987, and my 22 yr old daughter’s first pair of church shoes which are white leather Stride Rite sandals…both pairs are soooo cute!
Of course I have a few boxes full of other things I am saving…but these are among my favorites!
My mom saved some of my dresses, and my daughter has worn them. It has been so fun! And now she asks if we can save some of her dresses for her daughter. (I hope she has a daughter too!)
My mother has a framed picture of me at 2 months in a red dress…. she saved that dress and gave it to me when I had my baby girl. With out her knowing, I went to 4 different picture studio’s with my 2 month old baby in the same dress to try and recreate the pic! Finding the old type “blue” background was tough-but wouldn’t you know it? Walmart does have everything! 🙂
I then framed my old baby photo with the new photo of my babe and added a picture of my daughter and I together in the middle of the two. Mom got it for her birthday and it was a tear jerker for sure! I definitely won for the ‘favorite present” that year! My baby and I look identical in our photo’s – to the point we have to point out who is who to visitor’s…. I love to look at it as much as my momma does!
The box of your own baby clothes is a treasure, isn’t it? My mom did the same thing for me. At the baby shower when I was pregnant with my first, my mom gave me a trunk of clothes from when I was a baby and a little girl. (I’m also almost 30, so I imagine the clothes in my trunk are similar to the clothes in your box!) My daughter is almost 7 now. This was the first Easter since she was born that she did not wear one of my Easter dresses. As I recall the Easter I was 7 (my daughter is a year ahead of where I was in height), I dumped a bowl of cranberry sauce on my dress. The stain never did come out. Anyways, yes, those clothes are so special. As Annabeth gets older, she’ll start appreciating what a treat it is to wear Mommy’s clothes from when Mommy was little. I am following this tradition by carefully storing away favorite outfits for both my kids. They are sealed in plastic bags, in airtight plastic tubs. Each outfit has a little note with it so my kids will know the significance of each outfit.
I saved pieces of clothing for all my sons, as well as the blankets that were so lovingly knitted or crocheted for them. Also, I am making a book of photos and quotes that I wrote down on the calendar pages that chronicle our lives. My just turned 25 year old said when he was a day from turning 3: “I am going to stand right here and make sure you don’t put anything icky in the frosting!” (I’m not sure what he thought I might put in, but he still loves to work side by side with me in the kitchen when he comes home at Christmas!)
Thanks for the memory jog…
Vera
Tremont, Illinois
My mother saved about 8 of my dresses and it has been fun to get my daughters pictures made wearing them. I then framed them for my mom next to my photo. Both of my girls also were dedicated at church wearing the same dress that I wore when I was christened. I am sentimental so I am sure I will save way too much just like my mom did.
Amanda,
How adorable.
I have the cradle that was used for me and then we used it for our daughter. I also have many books from when I was younger as well as books that included the 45 record that told the story (good thing we can buy turntables). I also have my Mickey Mouse record player and telephone my parents bought me when I was five. Now that my daughter is 15 we have packed them all away along with some of her things that one day we can hopefully pull out for our grandchildren.
Thanks for sharing. Prayers have been siad Miss Beth for travels tomorrow and the entire LP staff and the event.
Hi Siestas,
I’m new, having just found the LP blog this week. I think my two favorite gifts that were passed on to me and I’m looking forward to passing on to my kids (when I have some)are the doll cradle my grandpa made for my mom and all of her children’s books. When I was nine my grandma gave me boxes and boxes of my mom’s books including some that my great-grandmother owned as a child!
🙂 Joy
My mom saved baby dresses of mine. I saved the hospital bracelets, first locks of hair from their first haircut, baby books, stuffed animals. You know…I still have a stuffed pink (pale….pink now)bear that I had as a baby. Your Annabeth looks like a little doll! What a sweet smile! Now do tell, who’s personality do you see coming out more? (Smile) I don’t know your
husband, but I’ve met you and you are one of the most gentle,patient, might I add, long-suffering people I have met. Angela (puzzlepiece sista) and I are going down to Portland to hear your mom speak with my now 17 year old daughter and her friend! Time flies fast from that darling in the pink dress to who you are now! Hold on tight! Wish you and Annabeth were coming out too!
Love you all!
Lisa in Kirkland,WA
Loved all those sweet little clothes!! What a precious moment to see her in one of your little dresses! It looks so much like the Feltman Bros. dresses that my mother bought for my Lauren (now 27). Brings back many special memories. Her grandmother MeMe( my mom who went to heaven early when Lauren was just 7)kept her dressed “in pink” at Annabeth’s age! Of course I have also saved her baby clothes in the same kind of clear box. I am ready to hand these over to her very soon.
Tell your sweet Mom that I will be praying for safe travel to Oregon!
Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!
Suzanne in Decatur
My mother didn’t save anything from my childhood but my mother-in-law saved LOTS of things from my husband’s childhood. In fact, at Easter I just displayed a little ceramic bunny that my husband made in 2nd grade! So I wanted to make sure my children had things from their childhood like my husband.
My children are all grown and married with children of their own. Two of my granddaughters have worn many dresses that I smocked 30 years ago for my daughter. My granddaughters even came home from the hospital in the same dress that my daughter came home in that MY grandmother had made for my daughter. Also, one of my granddaughters even sleeps in my daughter’s (her mommy)iron bed that we bought her at an antique store when she got to big for her crib. My son and daughter-in-law have decorated their son’s bedroom with baseball gloves, bats, and old trophys that were my son’s when he was young.
I love it when special momentos get passed down to the next generation. That is part of a great legacy but also gives their chidren a amall glimpse of their parents as children.
I think it is so special that your mom saved all your baby dresses! You are blessed!
Mammy
Most of my “rememberance” stuff was given to me when I graduated from high school. It was destroyed in a house fire. There were a few things that I guess my sister got like our old Barbies-boy does that bring back memories. She has been sending me little things like pics from when we went to Disneyland and other events. They are far and few between. I have a white dress and an a picture of me in it when I was 6 months old.
For my oldest daughter, she gets my 21 years worth of journnals. They are full of how the Lord has answered prayer. It is filled with times of frustration and times of complete and utter Awe at how the Lord works in my life. I began them in 1987-the year she was born.
For My youngest daughter I have a box filled with her drawings from when she was little and of course, her school work.
It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s something. I have a few outfits that I kept for both of them. I tried not to use the stuff I kept for my oldest one on my youngest one. I also, got my oldest a “real” ring when she turned 13. My youngest will get the same. Anywhoo…that’s the stuff I have for my kids.
Kels
Amanda. My mom wasn’t the best at keeping keepsakes but she did keep 1 small knitted baby outfit (I was prem and 3lb) which I love as I was so small! Also we have a few pictures. I have tried to be slightly better. I have kept the newspaper from the day my 2 girls were born and a CD of the number one single. I have their hospital bracelets and a few clothes. I have the first card my daughter wrote her name in and the first kindergarten handmade easter card (where we are now). I also have her first (and only- blue ISN’T her colour!)soccer top for our local team. oh and I have their first shoes (are childrens shoes as expensive in the US??? Shoes here for infants are $40!) Every year I have turned the best photos into a photo book that hopefully my girls will enjoy going through too. Not sure they will appreciate it but I’ve sure enjoyed collecting it!
How sweet! I also have a box for all 4 of my little ones!
such cute keepsakes! I don’t have any to report but I will say that even though I know you weren’t trying to make a statement I LOVE the Bush paraphernalia 🙂
That dress is adorable. I have a box of stuffed animals and dolls that I’ve kept all these years. My Dad was a preacher when I was growing up and every so often he would go away to conferences, etc. Whenever he would make one of those trips, he would almost always bring back some sort of stuffed animal or doll for me and my sister. I’ve saved quite a few of those. My older daughter was allowed to play with them for awhile and now hopefully they’ll get passed to our little Miss Sugarplum (our 1 yr. old).
BTW, I said a prayer for Beth for this weekend. May God be glorified this weekend at Living Proof Live in Portland, Oregon!
Take care,
Karen