My thin perfectionistic streak comes in handy when I’m painting walls and dicing onions. But it’s a liability in almost every other situation I can think of. Case in point: keeping track of my little ones’ milestones. Like most new moms, I searched high and low for baby books for each of my boys that reflected my aesthetic. They’re brimming with hip design and charming illustrations. And they have little pockets for things like the boys’ first lock of hair and baby teeth, which are all still in use.
The problem was that I didn’t feel up to filling out the pages if my favorite fountain pen wasn’t working, or my handwriting seemed less-than-lovely. There were also plenty of memories I wanted to capture that didn’t fit neatly into any prescribed category. Little dialogues went uncaptured. My heart felt heavy with guilt.
Then, two summers ago, I found inspiration. We took visiting grandparents to a lovely lake not too far from home. By the time we arrived, the sun was shining low on the water and the air had cooled enough that only Owen, now 6, and I were willing to brave the breathtaking water. Treading water along the shore of white pines and mounds of granite, Owen looked out at the glistening lake and said, “Mama, let’s swim into that giant tub of sparklyness.” “You bet,” I answered, and off we went.
That night, I found an old glass cracker jar and pasted a piece of paper with the words “Giant Tub of Sparklyness” on the front. Inside, I placed a pile of small cardstock (about 3”x 3”) and a pen. I sat it on my desk and instructed Michael about its simple, beautiful, and completely imperfect purpose. Now, whenever something strikes me as memorable (or ordinary), I jot it down. And the stack of memories fills the tub with joy.
There are countless simple but clever ways to collect memories, conversations, and favorite things about your family life. The best part? Choose one that works for you, and posterity won’t care how you remembered that your three-year-old once drank a glassful of pickle juice. You just know.
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