Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in New Orleans, LA

Even before I was pregnant, I loved reading blogs about pregnancy and parenthood. One of the sites on my list was Heather Armstrong's Dooce. This mega popular site inspired me (and other blogging moms) to write monthly letters to our offspring.

Though I started off doing it electronically, I switched to a leather journal when my first daughter was only a couple months old and haven't stopped since. Though some months it can seem like a chore to take the time to write about the new things that each girl did or a funny anecdote, it's well worth it.

The journal is an extra step beyond the baby book to track development. Though I try not to fixate on things like this, a recent trip to the pediatrician left me concerned when she asked if Daisy had any new words. At fifteen months she was trying but not much was coming through. A brief glance back to Adelaide's journal told me that Adelaide was pretty much the same at this age so I was able to shelf any worries. [Daisy has since gone through a recent mini-explosion of vocab. Very cute.]

I'm not sure what the future of these journals will be or how long I will continue them. I plan on passing them along one day, perhaps when each girl has a child themselves. I guess I'll keep writing while there's still good material which should be another twenty years or so. I may even one day include the girls in on occasional entries.

If you are looking for a special journal of your own, I would highly recommend a trip to Scriptura on Magazine Street. They have a wonderful selection and the service is fantastic.

How do you keep track of your kids' growth?