Your baby changes the fastest in their first year, than any other time in their lives! It’s exciting watching them grow and develop.  It also goes by really fast.  Documenting their growth and development through monthly baby photos is a great way to capture all these changes! This is a fun way to document their changes and family members LOVE getting these each month.  It also gives you a moment to pause and enjoy the new milestone. At the end of my son Miles’ first year- I put his together in a photo book. 

 

There is a lot of inspiration on Pinterest for taking monthly baby pictures.  I definitely looked at them before I started taking my first son’s pictures.  In honor of my second son’s 7 month anniversary, I thought I’d share what I have learned from taking monthly photos with two different babies!

Figure out how you will display the month/age

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I used a chalkboard for both boys that I got on Amazon.  And I used chalk markers instead of chalk so it would stand out more.  You can decide if you want them to always be written the same way or switch it up.  I liked changing the colors, the font and tried to match the season with the board.

You could also use numbered toy blocks, stickers on a onesie, actual onesies, or add a text overlay on the picture in a photo editing software. If you write it on the picture, you could add other facts and what your baby likes during that time.  This would be a cute way to compile a baby book. At the end of the year, print all of the pictures in a bound book.

Find a SAFE location

I loved Miles gray glider and it was a perfect spot to take his pictures.  For the first 6 months that is! The chair moves though. Duh right!?  It wasn’t a problem at first. You know, since they just kind of stay right where you put them those first months.  The last few months were a whole different type of experience!  There were times where I would hold the chair with my hand or an object and take the picture with my other hand.  Trust me, don’t do this to yourself.

It had a great neutral background and it was in a good location.  If you have another chair (that doesn’t rock or glide 🙂 ), it would be a great option. Other places are on a blanket or quilt. Or just pick a spot in your house that is pretty open, where you could take them all year.

Have something to show their growth

It’s great to have the same object with them each month to show how much they are growing.  Miles just had the chair and the chalkboard for his pictures.  Since I knew that the chair wasn’t an option for my second son Ellis, I decided to use a huge bear we had bought.  You could also use a small stuffed animal next to them.

The only thing about our bear is that sometimes he is really distracting! When we posted Ellis’ first month photo, many people commented on how the bear looks angry, upset, mad or just plain mean.  I never really thought this about him before!  Make sure your stuffed animals are in a good mood before giving them the honor of being in the monthly pictures.  Lol.

If you can, have someone help you!

With Miles, I was working full time the whole year.  My husband also worked nights for half that year so many times I would have to take the pictures by myself.

Getting a baby to not topple over, or get them to smile, or not eat the board or jump off the chair while also taking the pictures can be tough!  It was easier when I had help. 

It’s okay if they are not perfect

My mom and sister in law were both pretty mortified after they saw Miles’ 7 month picture.  I get it. They are both very creative and always pay attention to details.

This is what happened.  I had a reeaally long day at work. I came home and my husband was working.  It was the day after Miles was officially 7 months so I knew the monthly photos needed to be done.  I grabbed the chalkboard that still had the 6 months written on it.  Every other time I had tried to write the board in a different color, or draw something with the theme of the season.  When I went to erase the chalk marker- I stopped. You know what?  I’m exhausted!  I don’t want to write another board right now.  I crossed out at the 6 and wrote in the 7 and I personally thought it was hysterical.  Yes, I was probably delirious. And I know what you’re thinking! I swear chalk marker takes longer to write and dry than just chalk.  🙂

His swimsuit and sunglasses were right there on the changing table (we had just bought them)  so I grabbed it and put it on him and that is what he wore.

Be Willing to Have Interruptions &/Or Try Again 

Like anything else you do with babies, stuff is gonna happen.  There were times where I didn’t get it the first time, so I tried again later that day or the next day.  If you know a time of day when your baby is happiest and can be with them at that time of day consistently- schedule to take the pictures then.  

Interruptions happen so I just incorporated them in for extra shots! Sometimes you’ll have a dog…

then for baby number 2, a toddler…

who interrupt the shoot.  Just flow with it. Maybe you want your dog to have a matching sweater and bring her in for the photos too!

Plan Ahead

Okay, if you want them to be Pinterest worthy- you may want to plan ahead.  Have your props ready, write it down in the calendar, make sure the lighting is perfect, and mark the perfect angle so you get the same vantage point each month.  

As you can see in my 7 month pictures of Miles, I didn’t always plan.  There were many times when I just winged it when the day arrived.  Just do what works best for you! 

Happy 7 months Ellis!