Baby photos, toddler photos, beach photos, first day of school photos…I love taking pictures of my girls, and like many moms, I document them rather obsessively. What’s less fun is trying to organize the ludicrous quantity of photos into an album or photo book. Recently, I bit the bullet, forcing myself to spend a Saturday sorting through and creating a “Baby’s First Year” album — just in time for college! Kidding, preschool. As I made my selections, I noticed that certain photos held way more meaning than others. It wasn’t just the cute shots I was drawn to; I mean, come on, they’re all cute! It was the pictures that captured those tiny milestones; the moments you might not realize are important at the time, but turn out to be such special memories.
I won’t try to stop you from taking 8,000 pictures in year one (you’ve earned it!), but here’s my ultimate list of the essential baby photos to capture. These snaps will help preserve your memories of that whirlwind and magical first year with baby.