DIY Monthly Baby Picture Updates

If you know me, you know I love a theme.

About a year ago before Baby Girl was about to turn 1 month old, I decided that I wanted to make customized numbers to take monthly photos during her first year. I had so much fun planning this DIY project, so I wanted to share how I made this “craft!”

Buy Numbers - Wood numbers can be tricky to find in stores, so I ordered them online from JoAnne Fabrics.

Brainstorm - While I was waiting for the numbers to arrive, I brainstormed monthly themes. I started with a list of what number would be associated with what month. Baby Girl was born in July, so the 1 would be August and then 2, September, etc. Then, I thought about what would be happening that month around Lennon’s date. For instance, her monthly update would be a few days before Halloween, so October was a no-brainer! I LOVED February because the date fell near the Oscars and the number 7 made the perfect red carpet! For some months, I went with just a general seasonal number. The 4 was during fall, so I used leaves.

Complete the Project Early - Knowing that life would get a bit more hectic once I went back to work, I decided to make all numbers at once when I had a newborn that liked to nap!

Attire - After the numbers were complete, my project wasn’t done! I’d need to theme up Lennon’s outfit. I typically planned about a month in advance in case I needed to order something online - allowing enough time for the outfit to arrive.

Take Monthly Pictures - Each month I photographed Lennon on a white blanket. I found it was best to take her picture after she ate and was alert!

The finished project!

I displayed the photos at Lennon's first birthday party and then used them on a thank you note (it's a little blurry because it's a screen shot)!