Book about me

[pinkie]

I want to create a photo book (like a hard bound shutterfly type) for DS1 about his adoption story. He is almost 2 and I think it being about him will help him to be interested in it (he loves photos of himself). I'm really not creative and wondered if anyone has done something like this and if you found an example of something similar that I could use as a starting point or for wording ideas - especially geared towards a very young child.

His BM has lost touch with us and I'm hoping she contacts us for his birthday because (on top of being worried that she is ok) I really would love to include a photo of her in it.

Many thanks for any ideas

[roxy]

Are you on Pinterest? There are a ton of ideas just search memory books or life books.

[spooko]

I made one for ds. I'll post more when I'm home tonight.

[spooko]

Ok, I'll try to post a redacted version of the verbiage I used:

The title is: [DS]' Adoption Story

Once upon a time there was a girl named [BM]. Picture of her here.

She had a beautiful baby boy named [DS]. Picture of him as a baby here.

She was his birth mother because he grew in her tummy and she gave birth to him. [BM] had a very important job because she gave him life. Picture of DS as a baby here.

[DS] was a very special boy and she loved him very much. Picture of them together here.

[BM] knew what an important job it is to take care of a baby and how it is so much work. She knew she couldn't take care of him the way he needed to be taken care of, so she looked for someone who could. She made an adoption plan for [DS]. 2 pictures of DS as a baby here.

[BM] wanted to choose someone to take care of [DS] whom she knew would do a good job and love [DS] as much as she did. 3 pictures of DS as a baby here.

She also wanted to see [DS] sometimes and watch how nicely he was growing up. 3 pictures of them together here.

[BM] asked her sister, [me], and [my] husband, [DH], to take care of [DS]. 2 individual pics of us and 1 of us together here.

and [DH] already loved [DS] so much that they happily agreed to [BM]'s adoption plan. They were ready to take care of [DS] and be his mommy and daddy forever. They would always be a family and they would always take care of [DS]. 2 pictures of the 3 of us together here.

[BM] couldn't take care of [DS] anymore, but she would always love him just like [DS]'s mommy and daddy do. She would be his aunt. 2 pictures of them together here.

[DH] and brought [DS] to their house and made him a very special room with lots of toys and books and clothes. 5 candid pics of DS doing activities with us and in his room.

6 candid photos of us with DS here.

This was [DS]'s home now, too. He was very excited and loved his mommy and daddy very much. He was happy to have a forever family, and they were happy to have him. 6 candids of us with DS here.

On a very special day, [Our last name] Day, [DH] and brought [DS] to the courthouse, and they went into the courtroom. Picture of the shirt I made him for that day and a picture of my siblings sitting with him on the bench, waiting to go in.

A judge asked them if they promised to keep [DS] forever, always loving him and taking care of him no matter what. and [DH] said they definitely would. 2 pictures of the 3 of us in the courtroom.

Then, the judge asked [DS] if he wanted to say anything. [DS] said, "Boop, boop, boop!" He was so silly and everyone laughed. 3 pictures of him at the table in the courtroom.

The judge said [DH] and could adopt [DS]! they became a forever family then. [DS] got a special new name to be part of the [our last name] family: [DS' full name]. 3 pictures of our family in the courtroom.

and [DH] took [DS] back home and he was part of their family. They loved him so much and always will. They will always be a family. Another special person in [DS]'s family is his baby sister, [DD]. 6 pictures of the two of them together when she was born.

She loves [DS], too, and he is such a good brother to her. 6 more candids of them together.

[DD] grew in her mommy's tummy. Even though [DS] didn't, their mommy loves them just the same. [DS] and [DD] are special in their own ways and their mommy and daddy have so much love for both of them. 3 family pictures here.

The end.

I made this when DS was 4 and starting to learn his story. We didn't actually finalize until like 2 or 3 months before he turned 4 and I had DD the month after his birthday. So that's kind of the level I was gearing it towards. I wrote it shortly after her birth.

HTH! pinkie

[pinkie]

Thank you all for the great suggestions. spooko thank you so much for taking the time to type your book. I greatly appreciate it and it gives me some really good ideas and lingo.

[drloretta]

I have one I can share with you. PM me and I"ll send you my shutterfly link.

[spooko]

Since his BM is my sister, I obviously had more to work with and I had her input. Some of the verbiage she was really insistent on centered around her not being able to take care of him. She had me swap any "wouldn't"s to "couldn't"s and things like that.

[spooko]

And also, that is a cleaned up version of his story. The hard truth is grittier but I wanted to start it as basic and kid friendly as possible. I tried to work as much positive adoption language into the book to get him used to the terms as I could, too.

[gnomesweetgnome]

spooko, thanks for sharing! I want to make B a book at some point, too. Your book gives me a great jumping off point.

[soadchik]

We are doing a book for the whole first year of Z's life and starting it off with our adoption story. I've taken monthly pictures and write a little paragraph or two to her with her milestones, what things she likes/dislikes, etc and a few random pictures of her from that month. We are using Shutterfly.

[pinkie]

I'm so excited to start on this. He loves stuff about himself so I know he will be interested.

[wishuponastar]

Since so many of you are using Shutterfly- I thought I would share these Shutterfly codes. I am a total addict ever since I found shuttefly code group on facebook. If you are not done with your book by the time these expire- PM me because new codes come out all the time!


New Customers Only: (never placed order, or have not placed an order in the last year)
50FREE - 50 free 4x6 prints - Expires 2/18/2015
15OFF60 - $15 Off $60+ For New Customers - Expires 02/18/15
FREEPHOTOBOOK - free hardcover 8x8 photo book. - Expires 3/4/2015
FREE8X8PB - free 8x8 photobook (from Joann's) - Expires 03/08/2015.
**50 free 4x6 prints with sign up (automatically added to account, no code necessary) - Expires 1 month after signup date


All Customers:

40FORU - 40% off sitewide - Expires 2/17/2015
DC4TARGET - 10 free 5x7 cards from Diet Coke. Exp 02/22/2015
YOUCHOOSE - one free 16x20 or two 8x10 prints. - Expires 3/8/2015
CARD4U - 1 free 3/4 fold card or 5x7 tri-fold card or 6x8 flat card or 4x8 flat card or 5x7 flat card or 5x7 folded card or 5x5 flat card on signature cardstock. - Expires 3/9/2015 **can be used once per month**
FACEPLATE - 35% off faceplates for portable chargers. - Expires 7/31/2015
PERKOFFER20 - 20% off. - Expires 8/31/2015
TU2BDW98323JJ5 - 25% off regular priced purchases. - Expires 9/15/2015

Shipping*:
SHIP39 - free economy shipping on one qualifying merchandise order of $39 or more (after any other discounts and before taxes, shipping and handling) shipped within the U.S. - Expires 3/9/2015