Not only will you be able to look back on pictures of your children together, over the years, but they will be able to look back on those fleeting moments of childhood. Those moments that are usually forgotten as they pass by so quickly. Those moments that are easily passed by because of the sheer volume of them.

Maybe you want to make a keepsake album, or maybe you scrapbook to remember various activities, or maybe you want to blog about funny stories that only having children can produce? Whatever the reason, as long as you keep snapping you will freeze these moments in a snapshot forever.

Here are some ideas for those sibling bond photography:

• There’s a serious Lego building session going on in the playroom. Get your camera and get down on the floor and start shooting. Getting on the level of your little brother builders will give you a very interesting perspective.

• The sun is shining bright and your children are in the backyard being little explorers. Follow them around and catch them digging in the dirt, blowing bubbles, or throwing sand in the sandbox.

• It’s another day at the park and your sweet kiddies are enjoying your local park. Pictures of them climbing, swinging, sliding, and running will become favorites of yours for your photo albums.

• It’s ice cream time around your kitchen table. There are chocolate covered smiles, sticky fingers, and happy smiling eyes. Shooting pictures from above, while they sit and enjoy their sweet treat, will become your favorites for sure!

• New baby brother is home from the hospital and big sister is proud and happy. A few pictures of this special moment for the family scrapbook will definitely be priceless.

• Don’t forget to get some pictures of new baby sister, before she is born, with her big brother loving on her outside of the womb. Some of the most special photographs are taken even before the birth of a new sibling.

There are so many moments in the lives of your children that are special. The best thing you can do is make sure you capture these moments, no matter how simple and everyday.

The possibilities for awesome pictures of your children together are endless. You can also do more creative things with your photos like have the image placed on a coffee mug, a poster, greeting card, have it turned into a puzzle or calendar!

When you find out you are pregnant and tell your children that they are going to have a new brother or sister, the reactions can be mixed. Based on your child’s age and activities, they might either be very excited or upset by this new addition. Some kids can’t wait till their baby brother or sister arrives, while others worry about what it will mean to them. Will they lose a part of you? Will you have less time and attention to give to them? Will you let them help with the baby?

If you work outside of the house, when you get home at the end of the day, especially during the first trimester, you probably find that you are exhausted and just want to lay down. Your children though, no matter what the age, will want to spend time with you, or need help with homework, and you won’t be able to relax and prop up your feet. After all, a mother’s job is never done.

If you are a stay-at-home-mom with little kids who are home with you all day, then life will get really hectic. During the first trimester when you are really tired and just want to sleep, you can’t necessarily lay down on demand, rather you have to prepare meals, run errands, play with the kids, and listen to their unending questions. “Mommy, is the baby coming today? Mommy, how much longer? Mommy, is the baby kicking? Mommy, can I feel?”

During the second trimester you might be feeling better, more energetic, and more up to having fun with your children. Then comes the third trimester and the innocent childlike comments that you may hear, that make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. My favorite was, “Mom, you used to be skinny and now you are fat. I like you better skinny but sometimes being fat is ok because it means you have a baby in your belly.” Uh, thanks dear…I love you too!

Involving your children in the doctor’s appointments can help make the trips with little ones easier to handle. Ask your doctor or midwife if your child can help find the heartbeat or help measure your belly. Look into sibling classes at your hospital, that you can take your children too. They will get a chance to see other baby’s, and see where you will be when you have the new addition. Take them to your ultrasounds so that they can see their new brother or sister moving around inside your belly.

If you are a stay-at-home-mom to school age children you should consider yourself lucky! You get 7-8 hours during the day to yourself. You get to relax, run errands without tag-a-longs which makes everything more exhausting, and take a nap when you feel you need it. Older kids tend to understand a little more about mommy being tired, and will at least attempt to help you out around the house…if you are lucky.

Being pregnant with children already is a totally new experience that is rewarding and stressful at the same time. No matter what trimester you are in or what stage of pregnancy, being pregnant after having a child will be totally different than the first time you were pregnant.

Conflict is part of life. If you are human—if you are breathing—you will experience conflict even with those you love most. This is normal. Conflict can actually be healthy when our family members have the skills to move through conflict. When we don’t have conflict resolution skills—that’s when we experience problems.

If you find yourself revisiting the same heated issues—“Why can’t you pick up after yourself?”, “Why can’t you help out more with the kids?”, or “Why can’t you two just get along for once?”—you may be living in a cantankerous home environment that has your whole family in the “deep end” of life. Don’t despair: there is a solution.

Easy-to-Use Activities for Conflict Resolution Skills Development
My book, When You’re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids With You contains dozens of easy-to-use tips for developing conflict resolution skills in your children. Here are three of the most useful conflict resolution tools:

1. Establish Family Rules For Conflict – Sit down as a family and create a special conflict resolution rules document that each of you can refer to during fights and arguments. Include things like: we are specific when we talk about our problems, we forgive one another, we are honest, we listen to others point of view, we look for solutions so we can all feel good, we don’t yell or put another person down, etc. Create this document when things are going well in your household and commit to referring to it whenever a fight heats up and to remind others to do the same. The more everyone is involved with creating the family rules for conflict, the more members of the family will use it. 
2. Use a “Mom’s Timeout” – Timeouts are often used as punishment when a child misbehaves (for example, putting them in a corner or on a stair for a certain amount of time). This technique meets with varied success. In my book, I spend four pages discussing a “Mom’s Timeout.” How this activity works is that mom (or dad) takes the timeout instead of the child—disengaging from the conflict in order to return with a clear head. A calm demeanor is one of the key requirements to resolving conflict quickly. This strategy works all the time when used correctly. Why? Because, although a mom can’t ultimately control what her child does, she can control herself. 
3. Perform “Daring Do Overs” – We all make mistakes and say things that we wish we could take back. Instead of feeling guilty, use a “Daring Do Over.” This activity is like the rewind button for your mistake. It’s your “take two” opportunity in which you can do it all over again—only this time, better. This strategy not only decreases conflict, but also helps all members of the family to practice behaving well so there is a much better chance that we all do it better next time.

Many of us cringe at the thought of conflict; however, it is an unavoidable part of life. Although we can’t completely conflict proof ourselves, we can learn key conflict resolution skills that work well for us so we can move through conflict easily. If we also take the time to equip our children with the skills to solve conflicts that arise we set them up with life skills that serve them for the rest of their lives. With new skills your family members will not just survive conflict: they will actually thrive as a result. Great harmony like a melody from a string quartet is created by the tension of the strings. Learn to resolve conflict and you can experience household harmony.

About the Author
Kelly Nault, MA author of When You’re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids With You inspires moms to put themselves first—for the sake of their children. She shares time-tested tools that motivate children to want to be well behaved, responsible and happy! Sign up for her free online nine week parenting course here.

While there are no hard and fast rules to which events must absolutely be covered and since it is very impractical to have a camera within reach at all times there are a few moments that you will want to take great care in trying to catalog. Some of these special events for which you will want to be sure to snap plenty of baby pictures include some of the following.

1. First steps. While the probability of you actually getting the very first steps your baby takes on film your baby will have a few days of wobbly steps and a great sense of pride and accomplishment for you to capture this moment on film (or data cards as the case may be). This is an important moment for your baby and will be a bittersweet time for you as your child takes the first of many steps towards independence.
2. That first tooth. While we love our baby’s smiles there is something special about that one smile where one tooth is proudly displayed for the world to see. Your baby has labored hard and spent many nights in misery for this small trophy. You should record this moment and take comfort in the knowledge that your little one may have a day or two of peace and relative painlessness before the next tooth begins to work its way to the surface.
3. Raising her head. This is one of the first major accomplishments your baby will experience. When she begins to raise her head on her own she will begin for the first time to really see and desire to explore the world around her. A world beyond her mommy and daddy.
4. Siblings holding baby. There are few photos that are more precious than those of older siblings holding their baby brother or sister for the very first time. These are the photos you will want to grace the cover of your baby photo album and send out in your birth announcements for many reasons. First, it eases big brother/sister anxiety and lets them know that they are still important. Second, it gives the baby a reference to those times that he or she will not remember in the future. Finally, this is a huge bonding experience and a tender moment for siblings, who wouldn’t want to record this special moment?

You will find plenty more opportunities to take excellent baby pictures throughout the life of your precious little one. Don’t sweat the details so much that you forget to record a photo of baby with daddy (or several) and mommy in the process. The memories behind the photos will prove far more precious in time than the photos themselves so be sure to capture some special moments to recollect later.

by: Abigail Beal

Are you going to a baby shower? Gifts for babies are always so cute – here are some ideas to create gift wrapping that is just as adorable as the gift you are giving.

If you know the baby is expected to be a boy or a girl, sometimes it is fun to wrap a gift in “baby boy blue” or “baby girl pink” – but remember we have many other colors in the rainbow to choose from! Here are some other options to get your creative juices flowing.

Going to a shower and the mother is not sure if the baby is going to be a boy or a girl? Wrap the baby gift in white paper and tie the gift with two ribbons instead of one – use one pink and one blue. Tie the blue and pink ribbons together and tape to the back of the package. Then have the ribbon form a bow on the front of the package from the two colors of ribbon.

Want to add a cute topping to any baby shower package? Add a rattle, teething ring, baby mittens, hairbow, small picture frame, Christmas ornament or a small stuffed animal. All of these items can be fastened with the ribbon you tie the gift with – and these items can also be used by the baby.

Love teddy bears? Do a teddy bear gift wrap! Use gift wrap paper that has teddy bears on it, or a soft cocoa colored gift wrap paper. But a small teddy bear on the top of your package and tie with a brown or a white bow. You can often find teddy bear rattles or teething rings that have teddy bears on them.

Quack quack quack! Wrap with a duck theme! Use yellow paper or paper with ducks on it and tie with a large orange ribbon. Top your gift with a traditional yellow rubber duck.

For a pretty look for a spring baby shower consider a very floral look. Wrap a gift with floral or plain but colored paper. Use a green or purple ribbon and tie it in a bow. Top the package with some fresh spring flowers. Cut the stems of the flowers very short. Add the flowers the morning of the baby shower for best presentation.

Does the baby have an older sibling? Consider giving a small gift to this sibling. A new baby is often a hectic time and seeing their new brother or sister get so many gifts can sometimes be overwhelming, and leave many children feeling a little forgotten. Consider getting an older sibling a storybook or a stuffed animal as a special big brother/big sister gift.

About The Author
Abigail Beal © 2004 Abigail Beal a.k.a. “the Gift-wrap Goddess” teaches gift wrap in suburban New York. She is the author of 2 ezines: GiftWrapGoddessWraps and CreativeCraftsTeachers. To subscribe: groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeCraftsTeachers/, groups.yahoocom/group/GiftWrapGoddessWraps/ contact: creativecraftsteachers@yahoo.com, giftwrapgoddess@yahoo.com

You just found out the exciting news. The positive sign on the pregnancy test is proof of the new addition to your family. Since this isn’t your first pregnancy, you can focus more on your expanding family.

How will your family adjust to the news? How will you tell them? Will they be happy or upset? These may be just some of the questions on your mind. With the proper preparation, your family will start to have fun with the idea of a new baby. 

When is a good time to tell your children? This depends on their ages. Children, age ten or older, are usually excited about bringing a new baby into the family. They understand the pregnancy will take nine months for the baby to develop and grow.

Children between the ages of five and nine will have a harder time comprehending that the pregnancy will take nine months. They will recognize that your body is changing and usually have many questions.

Children under the age of five usually aren’t capable of understanding that it takes nine months for the baby to arrive. You may want to wait until the second trimester to tell your children, especially very young children. This makes the waiting time a little shorter for them and gives you time to prepare for any questions they may come up with.

Regardless of the ages of your children, always be sensitive to their questions. Spend time together as a family to talk about their new sibling. Explain how you will be going through changes (both physically and emotionally) so they are not scared or worried if you experience morning sickness or other pregnancy symptoms.

Talking about feelings is very important. Ask your children how they feel about having a new sibling. Discuss with them that it’s all right if they feel scared or jealous. Try to find out why they feel this way and ease their concerns. Maybe they’re scared the baby will get all their toys. When you explain that the baby will have his or her own toys, your child’s fear should subside. It may also help to take your child shopping to help pick out new toys for the baby.

Go through pictures with your children when they were newborns. Explain the time and attention a baby requires. If your children show interest in helping you when the baby arrives, let them. It depends on their age to what they’re capable of doing but even a preschooler can get things for you such as diapers or help find a lost pacifier.

Getting the children involved with the pregnancy will help them to accept the arrival of the baby. Let them help pick out clothes, bedding and toys for the baby. Ask their opinions about themes, designs and colors for the nursery.

As your due date arrives, prepare the children for your hospital stay. Explain to them why you need to go to the hospital for the delivery. Tell them that you will be home in a couple of days and until then they can visit. When you pack your hospital overnight bag, pack their bags as well if they are staying at a relatives or a close friend’s house. Allow each child to select a small inexpensive gift for the baby such as socks or bibs. Give them paper to wrap the gift themselves to bring to the baby when they visit you in the hospital. You may also want to buy inexpensive gifts for each of the children from the new baby.

With a little preparation, your children will accept the new addition to your family with open arms.

About the Author
Your Independent Baby and Toddler guide.

You Will Love Them The Same
You have so much love in you for your first baby. You probably never imagined that you could love another person as much as you love your baby. You may be asking yourself now, how in the world could you love this new baby as much as your first child. Well not only is it possible, but it is very probably. The love a parent feels for their child can not be described adequately to someone who is not a parent themselves. This love is able to multiply, grow, and mirror itself in all your children. You may find it hard to believe before your baby is born, but you will find that you feel the same amount of love for your new baby as you did for your first.

Spreading out Moms Attention
It is a fact — newborns need A LOT of attention. Not only that, but they can be pretty boring, at least to an older siblings eyes. A toddler may see the new baby as a “thing that just eats, sleeps and cries”, but somehow manages to monopolize all of their mommy’s time, so that mommy can’t play anymore. In many cases this is true. With a newborn when mom isn’t feeding or changing the baby she is probably cleaning up after the baby, making the next meal, or cleaning the house. When that is done the new baby is probably crying again, ready to eat. The baby is too small to play with his older sibling, and at this point really needs nor wants anything but his mother.

It is important to try to take time to sit and color or play like you did before with your other children. Also try to include them in your effort to take care of their new brother or sister. Ask them to bring you a diaper and wipes, or to pick out an outfit for the baby to wear from the closet. Let them sit next to you while you are feeding the baby and touch the baby’s feet, or hold his hands. If you include your first child it can cut down on the level of resentment that he may feel towards the new baby.

It Will Get Easier
The first six months of your new baby’s life is probably the hardest, not only for you but for your older children as well. Until your new baby can sit, play and interact more with his siblings, he isn’t going to be seen as fun or exciting. However, as soon as your older children are able to play and interact with their baby brother or sister, it can help set and strengthen a bond between them that can not be broken. It won’t be long before your new baby is running around and chasing after his older brothers or sisters.

Adding Number Three, Four or More!
In some areas having your third baby is easier than having your second. By the time you have number three, number one and two are already playing with each other, neither of them demanding too much of your attention. Number one is definitely old enough to help out, and number two might be as well. If your older children are old enough, they might even be able to help set the table, gather laundry and do the dishes. You will also have more little faces to play with, talk to and teach your newborn as he grows.

Making the transition is easier than some would think. After all what choice do you really have? Remember to remain patient with all your kids, and know that your older ones may get a little testy. Show them all as much love as you possibly can, and know that in time, ever obstacle that comes your way, will pass.

Prepare Your Child for the Changes Ahead
Explain in realistic terms what changes will occur when the baby arrives. Tell your child that new babies cry a lot — when they are tired, hungry, hot or cold, have a wet diaper, need to be cuddled, or sometimes just because they are babies.

Setting up realistic expectations will help them through this challenging, exhilarating time. And, always refer to the baby as “ours” to let your older child have ownership in the arrival of your new member.

Let Your Child Discuss Things Bothering Him
Being heard is probably the most crucial thing you can do to help your child with the transition. And, understand that jealousy is universal. All children experience it in some manner. It is not a predictor of how well your children will relate to each other in later years. But, we do know that if children are not allowed, and even encouraged, to express negative feelings, these feelings will come out in non-productive ways.

Help your child talk through any negative feelings about the baby. This may be difficult for you to hear, but it is much better than the alternative. Anger, jealousy and confusion when kept inside can turn into violence. Children will find a way to express these feelings, through either physical or emotional outlets, if safe spaces for communicating these ideas are not created.

Reassure Your Child You Love Them
It is so important to keep reminding your older children how special they are to you, how much you love them, and how there is no one that could ever take their place in your heart and in your life. Lots of extra hugs and cuddles are a definite must!

Avoid Comparisons
We want to allow our children to be and become their own special selves. Highlight your children’s unique gifts and mirror those back to them so they can see and be proud of their own talents and qualities.

Comparisons are just one of the ways we can cause jealousy and anger. Be aware of your actions and words; children are very sensitive during times of change.

Set Aside Alone Time with Your Older Child
Have your partner, a friend or a sitter watch the baby and take your child out for special times (to the park, to get ice cream or for a walk — just the two of you). Also, use the baby’s naptime to read, sing, dance, play, and talk to your older child.

Time alone will be crucial to your child’s self-esteem and to let them know how important they are to you.

Ask Your Older Child for Help
Explain that babies need lots of extra attention because they can’t do anything for themselves. They will need help eating, getting dressed, bathing – and all of these are things that the big brother/sister can help with. Giving them responsibility with the new baby makes them feel special and a part of the new energy around the baby.

Don’t make the mistake of building an artificial wall between the baby and the older sibling in an effort to protect the new baby. Instead, broaden your already existing family circle to allow for your new member. Don’t shut out the older siblings, but allow them to nurture, cuddle, rock, feed and even help with changing diapers for the baby.

Allow your older child to keep special toys and clothes. Seeing all your toys disappear into the baby’s room can cause anger and jealousy. Know that your older child may have outgrown certain toys but still be attached to others (stuffed animals in particular).

Just Because He Is OLDER Doesn’t Mean He is “Older”
Overnight, your child’s role has changed in the family. Don’t expect him to grow up overnight just because he is the big brother. Many children revert to younger behaviors when the baby arrives and want you to call them baby, too. Knowing that this is perfectly normal (and only temporary) will help you deal with their changes.

Don’t Fuss
There will be enough relatives lavishing attention on the baby and plenty of time for that when your older child is not present. You should talk to your child about all the attention that the baby will get. Let your older child know that you understand how he feels with all the attention going to someone else.

Reinforce the Positives
Try to point out your children’s accomplishments and lavish praise on them. Reinforcing all the good things they do is extremely important at a time that will be full of “don’ts.” It is only natural that there will be many negative rules that will be established (Don’t scream around the baby, don’t pull the baby’s arms, etc.), but remember to focus on the positives.

New Year’s Day 2004 marked a new beginning for both myself and my family. We added a brand new little member, Maggie. Margaret Kay Doran was a huge surprise for everyone. Her older sister is nine and her older brother is twelve. Big age difference!

Yes, Maggie was quite a surprise. After years of failed attempts to add a third child to our family we had resigned ourselves that our nine year old would be the last baby. One super romantic anniversary weekend at the coast changed all of that.

For me it means starting over again. Our family was a well-oiled machine. We worked like a team, knew our roles and happily relied (with rare disappointment) on each other to handle the task at hand with very little supervision.

Maggie is almost 5 months old and I’ve spent the last eight months frustrated at not being able to keep up with everyone physically. I’ve felt guilt over having someone pick up my slack. I’ve also watched proudly as my children and husband stepped in, without being asked, to assist wherever necessary.

When I’m out and about people often ask if this is my first child and usually compliment me on how relaxed I appear with her. Then they find out that I have two others and realize that I’m somewhat of an “old hand” at this. The next observation is usually the children’s ages. I find that anytime someone realizes the age difference between my children I usually get the same remarks,

“Wow, bet that was a shock!”

“Well, at least you have TONS of help!”

The remarks may vary but they are usually in one of those two categories.

The older kids are a huge help, no doubt about it. But, when they aren’t… mom and dad both are exhausted from the constant reorganizing and planning it takes to get three and half kids out of the house whenever there are errands or simple shuttling to and from school.

Just this morning I found myself soaked in spit-up standing in the kitchen, baby on one hip coffee cup in the other hand, arguing with my daughter over what pants she would wear today (the pair she had chosen were too wrinkled) and convincing my son that although he felt nauseous he could probably try to make it to school. Ten minutes later we were finally loaded into the car, already late, the baby gurgling and cooing in her carrier oblivious to any other drama in the vehicle. My son looked doubtful as I assured him he’d be fine and if he wasn’t I’d happily (yeah, right) come get him. It was about that time my daughter’s nose started to bleed and I found myself grasping for the Kleenex while wondering why traffic had come to a screeching halt. As if things couldn’t get any worse, what looked like a mile long train was creeping along the track in front of us.

The good news is that everyone made it school safely. The baby drifted off to sleep and I was able to make it to the mall to “power” walk for an hour with my mom.

I’ve learned over the last five months that nine years means feeling like you are starting all over again. I now understand why my mom is so patient and relaxed with my brother who is fifteen years younger than me and 12 years younger than my sister. It’s partially the fact that she’s and “old hand” at it, partially because when you get to start over you get the gift of really enjoying each new baby stage without the apprehension. Mostly it’s because through all the trials and tribulations of the first 9+ years and the work it takes to bring the new addition on to the scene, you are just too whipped to fight it anymore. That’s also when you realize that your “worry” and “apprehension” with the original new task of being a parent was really just that, a fight. At some point we all make things harder on ourselves than they need to be.

I never want to get into the debate on who has it worse, moms who work outside the home or the moms who work INSIDE the home. Both take a lot of effort and for a mom neither is easy. I’ve done both, personally, I’ve found working inside the home to be more rewarding.

No doubt, some mothers have had it worse, some better. That being said, I’m beginning to have a whole new understanding of the following quote:

“By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The funny thing is – it doesn’t matter whether you work outside the home or not, as long as you are a mom you are always on duty. Well, I suppose the only exception are the Hollywood types who can afford to have a nanny. But, look at how much they are missing!

About the Author
Amy Doran is an Ezine Publisher, and Full time Mom! She started Home-Based-Parents and the APPP Ezine in early 2000. Subscribe to the APPP Ezine at: www.home-based-parents.com © 2000-2004 Amy N. Doran All Rights Reserved This article may be published in web based or email form as long as this credit box Is attached. It may not be altered or edited in any way.