During baby’s first year, there are tons of developmental milestones and other events that new parents long to remember, but so many slip through the cracks of sleep deprivation, laundry, and dirty diapers. I know that with my first two, I always had trouble getting all of their important firsts into their baby book, so this time around, I searched for something better (read: easier). One simple way for parents to quickly log important events they want to remember is with a wall calendar.

There are specific calendars designed for baby’s first year. I really love Guess How Much I Love You: A Baby’s First Year Calendar, based on the ever-popular children’s book. This calendar is undated, allowing parents to start at the beginning of the calendar, no matter the month the baby is born. Unlike several other first year calendars I have seen, this one also includes thirteen months so that milestones can easily be logged from birth through the first birthday. The gorgeous illustrations from the book are also a plus - not only do they make the calendar an attractive wall hanging, but make the calendar something children will enjoy exploring and discussing as they grow.

Another less baby-specific calendar choice on the market is the Simply Organized Planning Calendars with Pockets from Current. These traditional twelve-month calendars are designed with a large, non-smear grid for easy writing, and each month has a pocket to store keepsakes like growth slips from doctor appointments or ticket stubs from a first baseball game. I especially love the photo version of the calendar (pictured at left), which leaves room on each month to add your own picture of your adorable family.

Although your memory may quickly fail you, calendars like these can help you keep track of important dates for a lifetime! - Sara I.