New baby traditions

[Deleted]

Anyone have any family traditions for new babies?  We stole ours from one of DH's uncles.  He bought each of his girls a nice bottle of scotch on the day they were born and wrote a message on it.  He gave them the bottle on their wedding day.  We thought that was a nice idea and did the same thing for DD and will buy one for this baby too.  Hopefully we will be able to keep track of the bottles for the next 25ish years. 

[meladorie]

As an avid scotch drinker, I love this idea!

[heyitsmamac]

My grandmother gave me her wedding ring (from her first marriage) when I was born. My mom managed to hold onto it for all those years until I was older, but I've considered giving it to this LO to have. Other than that, no real traditions. The scotch sounds like a really cool tradition!

[MauiBliss]

No traditions, really. I do know my husband is getting some mash from a local distillery and will be making his own bottle of whiskey for this kiddo to have when he's older.

[pearsforpoops]

The scotch is such a cool idea! We didn't think to do anything for Haden so I guess I'd feel bad doing something like that for Hunter.

Although my mom did get a teddy bear made for Haden out of one of my dad's old flannel shirts (he died in '06). It's adorable and sweet and obvi made me cry.

So maybe we can get Hunter a bottle of scotch and be all like share with your brother. He'll let you hug his grandpa teddy.

[AleWife]

Loving the scotch idea.

[wifieo]

Oh I really love the scotch idea! I was heading out later today to get H a nice bottle of whiskey (it's our drink of choice) to surprise him with when LO is born... I'll mention the scotch thing to him!

[darbie914]

The Scotch idea is so cool! I wish I would have thought of something like that with DD so I'd feel bad for doing it for DD2 and not her.

I'm not sure if it's a tradition but we did set up an email account for DD and periodically, I'll send her emails with pictures or just a quick 'I love you'. When she's older, we'll give her the password. We'll do the same for this LO but we do have to remember to log-in to her account so it doesn't go inactive.

[flmama622]

We write cards to DD for every holiday and keep them sealed to give to her one day. We typically write what she's been doing and things going on relating to the holiday, plus of course some mushy lovey stuff.

[mandi195]

Being as sentimental as I am, I wish I had come up with something genius to do for my son. That said, if I had, my step-son wouldn't have had the same done for him (as DH and I didn't meet until SS was 4), and I'd feel bad if he felt left out.
I know that we plan on making a whiskey box for each of our kids when they get married. Basically, we'll each write a letter to our child and one to their new spouse, place the letters into a box with a bottle of whiskey, and nail it shut. We plan on writing the letters when they get engaged, giving it to them as a gift at their wedding rehearsal, and telling them to open it on their honeymoon (if possible) or sometime within the first month or so after the wedding.
We also talked about doing a "college emergency" box for each child... inside would be some of their favorite things (snacks, gift card, whatever) along with letters from us about how proud we are of them and how much we love them, etc... so when they have one of those homesick or "life is hard" moments they can have the love of their parents there with them to make them feel a little better.

[mrsk]

Feb 3, 2015 12:38:50 GMT -5 darbie914 said:

The Scotch idea is so cool! I wish I would have thought of something like that with DD so I'd feel bad for doing it for DD2 and not her.

I'm not sure if it's a tradition but we did set up an email account for DD and periodically, I'll send her emails with pictures or just a quick 'I love you'. When she's older, we'll give her the password. We'll do the same for this LO but we do have to remember to log-in to her account so it doesn't go inactive.

I've heard this idea before and I've always loved it. I don't think I'd ever remember to do it on the computer though. Plus, I love hand written letters, so I'd rather fill a shoebox of letters.

We don't have any baby traditions that I can think of. The only thing that comes to mind is the one I got from my cousin. H and I started this last summer when we found out we were expecting to take a picture at the end of the dock at sunset at our family vacation. We want to take one every year to watch our family grow. Not exactly baby tradition, but I like the idea of them being able to look back on the pictures. I also have thought about making a scrapbook for each of the kids to give them when they graduate.

[snarkysparklefart]

Girls are pretty rare in my family- one every generation, for many many generations (8, I think) until Niece& my DDs generation. I have my great grandmothers ring. Not her wedding set, but a sizable turquoise. My grandmother held onto it for me after my Great grandmother willed it to me when she passed. For my HS graduation, my mom had it re set and added my grandmothers birthstone & her birthstone. To keep the tradition, I will add mine and DD1's to it and give it to her on a similar special occasion.

I'm honestly not sure about this DD, and I'd like to find something very special to do for my niece as well (I have put away my favorite piece of my late grandmothers jewelry for her, as she is the oldest girl in their generation). I probably need to talk to my grandfather about it.

[maddisonrose]

I love the scotch idea, and seeing all the different traditions people have with their LO's!

As this is our first and first grand baby on both sides we don't have any real traditions set up, but my FI and I have been thinking about what ones we want to do throughout the year. As of right now we just have an email account set up for our LO and I have written a few emails to them along this journey and will continue to do that and send pictures until we give them the password one day.

[skrittens]

I love the scotch idea - I am more of a wine drinker. But my H is an alcoholic (sober for almost 6 years) and has concerns our son could be too - so I may pass on that one. Maybe I will do the bottle of wine anyway and have it for his 21st - and share it with him if he chooses and doesn't have a known issue.

I was going to save the newspaper and Time magazine. Maybe I will throw in a Playboy as well.

[saltyfins]

Feb 3, 2015 11:50:24 GMT -5 @totesmcgotes said:

Anyone have any family traditions for new babies?  We stole ours from one of DH's uncles.  He bought each of his girls a nice bottle of scotch on the day they were born and wrote a message on it.  He gave them the bottle on their wedding day.  We thought that was a nice idea and did the same thing for DD and will buy one for this baby too.  Hopefully we will be able to keep track of the bottles for the next 25ish years. 

I'll think of some of our own, but I'm stealing this idea too!

[darbie914]

Oh, I forgot about the one other thing I do. Does anyone watch Modern Family? There's an episode where Hailey is going off to college and Phil gives her a book full of 'Phil'osophies that he wrote for her. I've started writing down random pieces of advice that would be applicable to both kids. One day, I might create a book out of them and give them to each girl when they go off to school.

[pearsforpoops]

Feb 3, 2015 14:07:56 GMT -5 darbie914 said:

Oh, I forgot about the one other thing I do. Does anyone watch Modern Family? There's an episode where Hailey is going off to college and Phil gives her a book full of 'Phil'osophies that he wrote for her. I've started writing down random pieces of advice that would be applicable to both kids. One day, I might create a book out of them and give them to each girl when they go off to school.

My dad wrote down pieces of advice for me over the years. I didn't know about it. My first day of college he handed me an envelope with a letter he hand wrote for me on fancy paper including his 10 favorites from everything he'd collected over the years.

I keep it in a frame in our dining room now and still stand and read it sometimes.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT.

[darbie914]

Feb 3, 2015 14:13:50 GMT -5 pearsforpoops said:

Feb 3, 2015 14:07:56 GMT -5 darbie914 said:

Oh, I forgot about the one other thing I do. Does anyone watch Modern Family? There's an episode where Hailey is going off to college and Phil gives her a book full of 'Phil'osophies that he wrote for her. I've started writing down random pieces of advice that would be applicable to both kids. One day, I might create a book out of them and give them to each girl when they go off to school.

My dad wrote down pieces of advice for me over the years. I didn't know about it. My first day of college he handed me an envelope with a letter he hand wrote for me on fancy paper including his 10 favorites from everything he'd collected over the years.

I keep it in a frame in our dining room now and still stand and read it sometimes.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT.

That's so sweet!  

And now I'm thinking about that commercial where the dad makes little origami swans out of gum wrappers and gives them to his daughter at different times of her life.  At the end of the commercial, she's packing the car to go to school, drops a shoebox, and all of the swans fall out that she's been saving her whole life.

I'm legit getting teary-eyed right now.

[pearsforpoops]

Feb 3, 2015 14:20:41 GMT -5 darbie914 said:

Feb 3, 2015 14:13:50 GMT -5 pearsforpoops said:

My dad wrote down pieces of advice for me over the years. I didn't know about it. My first day of college he handed me an envelope with a letter he hand wrote for me on fancy paper including his 10 favorites from everything he'd collected over the years.

I keep it in a frame in our dining room now and still stand and read it sometimes.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT.

That's so sweet!  

And now I'm thinking about that commercial where the dad makes little origami swans out of gum wrappers and gives them to his daughter at different times of her life.  At the end of the commercial, she's packing the car to go to school, drops a shoebox, and all of the swans fall out that she's been saving her whole life.

I'm legit getting teary-eyed right now.

That commercial is guaranteed water-works for me. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

[saltyfins]

Feb 3, 2015 14:07:56 GMT -5 darbie914 said:

Oh, I forgot about the one other thing I do. Does anyone watch Modern Family? There's an episode where Hailey is going off to college and Phil gives her a book full of 'Phil'osophies that he wrote for her. I've started writing down random pieces of advice that would be applicable to both kids. One day, I might create a book out of them and give them to each girl when they go off to school.

I love this too!

[coleybug13]

These are some seriously awesome ideas! I wish I was this creative! For DS I made a build a bear for him so I was wanting to make one for this LO too but holy smokes I wish I thought of some of these other ideas for DS! I would feel bad doing something bigger for this LO and not have done the Same for DS.

[babys2015]

I had set up an email account a few years back, detailing our IF adventures, and started sending little notes,some lyrics, and family type news every so often when I found I was pregnant (both times) Went to log in the other day and they were all gone..the account must have gone inactive. I was/am super bummed..

I really like the letters or notes of advice..and DH's name is Phil!

[wifieo]

I just picked up a $200 bottle of scotch (or something) for H for him to drink or share when LO is born. The box smells of many leather bound books. I've been writing to my LO since we found out I was pregnant. I'll give it to her one day.

[kcbizme]

We keep every card that's been given to my SD, and I'm going to bind them and make them into a book to give her on her 18th birthday. I will do the same for this LO as well.

[coozieinmypurse]

Aw, love these ideas. We probably won't do much more than a baby book and box of baby memorabilia. For my nephew, I gave him an LSU onesie when he was born and he wore it for his first bassinet portraits. It's kind of a "I've been an LSU fan since the day I was born" photo. I can see doing something similar for LO, except I don't have any LSU gear that small for him yet.

[darbie914]

I was just Googling ideas for traditions and I came across this article. I love how it focuses on quality of traditions rather than quantity and how traditions can be little things you do everyday or a yearly thing.

www.artofmanliness.com/2013/10/16/60-family-tradition-ideas/

[kcbizme]

I also saw one on Pinterest that was a jar of everything that was found in their pockets when doing the laundry over the years.

[pennypretty]

I think around 20 weeks I started keeping a journal with intentions of giving it to LO when he/she is older. I don't write in it every night or even every week but I wonder sometimes what my mother was like before children and I wanted an honest/brutal/snarky account of who I was and what I acted like/thought of before children. I'm hoping it will be hilarious when my kid(s) get to eventually read it...or you know, at the very least, explain why I've gone insane.

[Deleted]

Feb 3, 2015 14:54:41 GMT -5 kcbizme said:

We keep every card that's been given to my SD, and I'm going to bind them and make them into a book to give her on her 18th birthday. I will do the same for this LO as well.

I've been saving all of DD's cards as well but didn't really know what I was going to do with them.  A book is a really nice idea!

[cygnet15]

My mom made up a little birth song for each of us, using tunes to familiar kids' songs (eg, mine was Teddy Bear Picnic). It told a little about my birth, how I looked, what my sister said when she got to see me for the first time, etc. I loved hearing it as a child and I love that I still know it. Seems like work but I'll be doing the same for my little girl.