Whether your child grows in your stomach or in your heart, it is important to document the journey of love to meeting your child. Everyone cherishes their baby book. Viv has her mother and grandmother's baby book and we can't wait to add our child's baby book to the shelf. For our daughter we have a journal, which discusses our desires and emotions during this process, our blog documenting our journey, and of course a scrapbook to place all the photos of happiness along the way. Eventually she will have a scrapbook of our travels in Ethiopia as well as a Lifebook containing all the information that we have of her life before she became our daughter. This information includes any history regarding her birth parents or birth family, as well as her time in the orphanage.
Just as everyone's journey to parenthood is different, there are different ways to journal or document this journey for your child. The most common or traditional method is the "baby book", although these traditional books are beautiful, the topics in the book sometimes don't apply to adoptive families. However, adoptive families can be very creative and find a way to not only acknowledge but celebrate the part of their child's life before he/she is united with his/her forever family. The goal of the baby book is to express the joy and excitement about bringing this child into the family. Most often adoptive families refer to this book as the child's "life book".
For adoptees the information they have about their life before they join their "forever family" is invaluable. Every little piece of information is precious, whether it's a photo or quote from the orphanage staff. Lifebooks allows parents to put all the pieces of information together in a way that helps your child make sense of, and ultimately feel good, about his/her history.
My family My Journey: A Baby Book for Adoptive Families
Lifebooks: Creating a treasure for the Adopted Child
Adoption Lifebook: A bridge to your child's beginning
My custom story: A website which truly allows you to create your own baby story
If you are worried about your creative side, there are not only books but classes to assist you in creating a lifebook. If you live in Portland, Oregon Adoption Mosaic provides ongoing classes on making lifebooks (variety of experience levels).
I didn’t give you the gift of life, life gave me the gift of you! ~Unknown Author
Providing your child with her own creatively made life book is a fabulous gift! A project that definitely appeals to your artistic and organizational strengths. This is a work of love and art that she will always treasure and hold close to her heart for all of her life. She will know without a doubt that she is loved, special and important.
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