Artifact Uprising: The Story of You baby book.

Celebrating the first year of your baby’s life. Moments both big and small. Because sometimes your favorite memories are ones born from the everyday moments.

Check out the bottom of this post for $20 off your first purchase!

Y’all know I’m more than just a little sentimental. I’ve always been a bit of a softie, but motherhood has turned me to mush. I openly share the daily struggles of mom life, because being a parent isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. But my goodness, when it’s good. It is SO good. Permanence is something that I, as a parent, wish there was more of. Childhood, especially infancy, is so fleeting. These moments pass in front of me quicker than I could ever vocalize.

Designed with this in mind, Artifact Uprising has created the most perfect baby book. “The Story of You” is a modern baby book, meant to document your favorite moments of your child’s first year. But it is so unique and special and unlike any other milestone or baby book I’ve ever seen.

What makes Artifact Uprising’s baby book so special?

“Inspired by the disappearing beauty of the tangible”, oh my heartstrings. This beautiful quote was the first thing to greet me as I opened my Artifact Uprising package. Right then and there, before I even got the chance to hold the book in my hands, I knew this was going to be something special.

I ordered the Smoke color, and my gosh these pictures don’t do the premium fabric and “Here Begins the Story of You” gold foiling justice. The texture is perfect, and solidifies how much care and though Artifact Uprising puts into their pieces. As I turned each page, my eyes got misty. If you follow me on Instagram you know that I love to honor the little moments. My Story of You baby book has guided areas to recall special memories from each month. I may not remember exact dates or times or specific details, but the prompts are so open ended are are more about my feelings.

I love that each month I have a space to recall what we learned about our sweet baby J, how he surprised us, and how he (and we) spent each month. In addition, each month has special prompts that really tug at the heartstrings. There is a place to share his favorite place to snuggle during his first month, his first time meeting his great grandmother, and a day during his tenth month that we’ll always remember to name a few of my favorites.

That tenth month photo will always have a permanent place in my memory.

His chunky little legs, up on tip toe, looking up at his play kitchen. It was such a quiet moment, but it really struck me. He looked so big, and had just started cruising around all the furniture. I was in a rough place emotionally, my husband was traveling a lot, and I was swamped with work. I had just unloaded the dishwasher, mumbling to myself something about how I was so ready for bedtime today. And then something inside me told me to look up. So I did.

And I saw him, standing there. His little roly-poly thighs and ankles made me smile. I felt warm, as I watched him pull up and squat down. Surveying how the doors all opened, throwing everything he could reach into the sink. As his ankles hinged, pushing him up higher, I almost wanted to cry. But instead, I grabbed my phone, snapped a picture, and then leaned over the counter and continued to watch. My elbows resting on the tiles, my chin in my hands.

These babies, man.

Life moves around so dang fast. It felt good to watch him try out all his new skills and learn what he was capable of doing. I am so so grateful for these little everyday moments. Etched into my little mama heart, these little moments will be the ones I hope to relive as I get older, and as my memories get hazy. I know life is only going to get more busy as our boys and our family grows. And I don’t want to forget anything.

That’s why creating a tactile rendering of these special experiences is so important to me. I want to have these sweet memory books to show my parents as they have a harder time remembering things. Alzheimers runs in my family, and I remember sitting with my grandmother in her nursing home, flipping through all her black and white photos and tintypes. She may not have always remembered who we were, but did she light up when looking at those pictures. She could point out who everyone was, what year it was, and a funny story to go along with each one.

Honoring J’s first year has been a cathartic process. It may seem so silly, but I am grateful for this time to reflect on all the good that’s happened. My shortcomings may seem fresh right now, but looking back at his first year in this baby book, I see so much good and happiness. And that’s the legacy I hope to leave.