Brothers Turn Two | Little Blue Truck Birthday Party

Another year, another book-themed birthday party for our boys. Last year, it was one of my favorites – this year, it was theirs! They’d been requesting to read every book from the Little Blue Truck series (we now own all of them) so much throughout the summer that we had to put them away for awhile (IYKYK). But when it was time to start planning, I knew they’d love a Little Blue Truck theme and knew it would be an easy one to DIY!

You can shop everything from this Little Blue Truck party all in one place HERE on LTK.

I found the sweetest watercolor Little Blue Truck invitation template on Etsy, along with matching milestone posters that I thought would be cute to hang and let guests read a little spotlight on each of our boys. Both templates were super easy to edit online and I had everything printed at Office Depot. Click below to shop Little Blue Truck party invitations and designs!

I’m a sucker for some punny party food labels, so for our Little Blue Truck themed party food, we served:
–Cow patties (chocolate cookies)
–Truck tires (Oreos)
–Hay bales (Rice Krispie treats)
–Chicken feed (Chex mix)
–Pitchforks & shovels (forks & spoons)
–Fresh produce (fruit tray and burger fixin’s)
and a fillin’ station (drinks).

I saw the dump truck full of chips idea on Pinterest – a little sticky tack rolled up in a ball held the bin at just the right angle and voila! And if you’re wondering why the dump truck – there’s a very grumpy dump truck that Little Blue Truck ends up befriending in the original story.

We ordered a lemon blueberry cake from a local baker (my husband’s idea – he said “lemon blue” for “Little Blue” just made sense lol) and I had her keep it simple on top so I could use a few of our farm animal toys as cake toppers. I love how it turned out!

The big hit of the party was a surprise we saved for after burgers and cake – our guest of honor! I thought it would be a long shot to find someone local with an old blue truck they’d be willing to bring over for the party, but knew if anyone had the connections to make it happen, it’d be my father-in-law. Sure enough, he knows a classic car enthusiast with the perfect “little blue truck” who was more than willing to drive it over from the next town for us for the afternoon. So kind of them.

The boys were starstruck – Shep was nervous to sit inside but Hayes was SO pumped. They got to go for a ride around the culdesac in the truck bed and “drive” in the driveway and had the biggest time. The adults enjoyed checking out the ‘58 Chevy, too!

Felt like this was a little glimpse into my future – I’ll need every bit of the 14 more years before they’re actually driving to mentally prepare!

Their personalized Little Blue Truck shirts were another Etsy find – the seller was so great to work with and I was really impressed with the quality of the design and the screen printing. I love that they’re not necessarily “birthday” shirts, and I sized up, so they’ll be able to wear them quite a bit! They also got these Little Blue Truck pajamas – such a hit.

Such a sweet day celebrating our big two-year-olds with family and friends. Time sure has flown with these boys and the days only get more fun! We love you, brothers!

My Deep Cleaning Rotation

Keeping things organized is just part of my nature. Always has been. Keeping things clean… not so much. I’ve never cared as much about cleanliness as I have about edited and simplified spaces, but as a mom with three little ones and a big dog running around creating messes all day long, clean is a higher priority now.

Of course we have our daily cleaning routines — running the dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, sweeping, wiping down surfaces. Other tasks I’ll do as needed - vacuuming, cleaning toilets, etc. But when it’s time for a deep clean – when I want things to feel CLEAN clean, I’ll set aside a bigger chunk of time. I’d rather clean a space from top to bottom all the way than doing a little bit here and there.

I was inspired by Francie Outlaw to create a set of deep cleaning lists for our home. When she first shared hers, admittedly, I didn’t get the hype. I thought “Who needs a checklist for cleaning? Just clean!” But the more she shared them, I got on board and appreciated having a checklist for each area of our home to make sure I’m really being thorough and not forgetting anything.

While she has physical notecards, I realized I prefer the lists as a Note/checklist on my phone, so I can mark things off as I go, easily add a notation for when that particular deep clean was last done, and I don’t have to worry about cards getting dirty. Plus, I can edit the lists as needed, as our kids grow and things look different, and as the items in our home change. So far it’s worked great!

For my lists, I grouped certain spaces if it made sense to knock them out together. From start to finish, each area takes about 1-2 hours and I’ll complete them as needed. I’ve made it a goal to get through the entire list a few times a year: early summer, pre-holidays, and hopefully once more. Feel free to copy these lists and tweak to make your own set!

MASTER BATH

• clean sink + bar keepers friend

• clean window + lights + mirror + decor

• clean shower

• clean toilet

• disinfect tub

• disinfect counters 

• wipe down cabinets

• wipe out drawers

• baseboards

• empty trash + clean trash can

• sweep + mop

• wash bath mat

• wash linens

• refill soap

• inventory

MASTER BEDROOM + CLOSET

• wash sheets + pillowcases + duvet cover

• all dirty clothes in hampers

• dust furniture + fan + shoe shelves

• wipe down decor + TV + mirror

• clean windows

• clean under furniture

• vacuum curtains

• baseboards

• tidy dresser + nightstand drawers

• make bed

• sweep + mop

LAUNDRY ROOM + HALF BATH

• dust shelf + decor

• tidy cabinets + inventory

• wipe down washer + dryer

• clean inside washer + lint trap

• clean window

• clean toilet + stool

• clean sink + bar keepers friend

• refill soap

• wipe counters + decor + mirror

• baseboards

• empty trash

• sweep + mop

• iron clothes

KITCHEN + DINING

• clean appliances inside + out

• purge + wipe out fridge

• dust all lights

• clean + disinfect sink

• soak silverware

• wipe down coffee area + refill machine

• refill canisters

• refill soaps + clean soap dispenser

• refill centerpiece candles

• clean windows + blinds

• clean trashcans

• wipe out drawers + cabinets

• wipe down cabinets + backsplash

• tidy + disinfect countertops

• wipe down table, chairs, buffet + decor

• disinfect booster seats

• wipe pantry shelves + inventory

• wash linens

• baseboards

• sweep + mop

LIVING ROOM + Stairs

• tidy + rotate toys

• wash pillow covers + blankets

• wipe down coffee table

• dust lamp, decor, mantle, tv

• wipe down picture frames

• clean + vacuum out fireplace

• clean windows + blinds

• vacuum curtains

• vacuum couch + under cushions

• clean + sweep under couches

• sweep stairs

• sweep coat closet, tidy + wipe down shelves

• baseboards

• sweep + vacuum + mop floors

• wash Ruggable

KIDS’ ROOMS

• wash linens + make beds

• tidy bookshelves + baskets

• dust furniture + decor

• dust fans + lights

• clean under furniture

• tidy closets + dust shelves

• baseboards

• vacuum drapes

• clean windows + blinds

• vacuum floors

• empty + clean vacuum

UPSTAIRS BATH + HALL

• sweep upstairs hallway

• dust hallway frames + windowsill 

• clean sink + bar keepers friend

• disinfect bathtub + tidy toys

• disinfect non-slip mat in tub

• clean toilet

• dust lights

• wipe down counters, mirror, decor

• wipe cabinets

• wipe out drawers

• refill soap

• baseboards

• empty trash

• vacuum rug

• sweep + mop

• wash linens

• inventory

GARAGE

• tidy toys

• rotate seasonal things to/from attic

• tidy + wipe down counters + cabinets

• wipe down workout bench

• wipe freezer + fridge inside and out

• put donations in car

• break down boxes + take out trash

• inventory

• sweep floors

OUTSIDE

• leaf blow

• pick up dog poop

• wipe down chairs

• clean windows

• clean grill

• shake out and sweep around door mats

• sweep porch + patio

• sweep doorframes + cobwebs

• clean dog bowls

• disinfect patio table

• wipe down tv

• water plants

A quick note on cleaning products — at the beginning of 2024, I started fresh with all new cleaning products. We now use Branch Basics for everyday cleaning, wiping surfaces, etc., and Force of Nature as our disinfectant. Both are completely non-toxic and fragrance-free, and I’ve been so impressed with their effectiveness. The Force of Nature link above will get you 40% off and earns me extra capsules for sharing. I recommend the Year’s Supply — it’s a really great value and should last you closer to 2 years or more!

Hopefully this was helpful to you, even just to articulate what exactly it takes do a true reset in each area of your home when it comes to cleaning. Whether you’re frequently hosting or in the thick of motherhood with young kids, it feels good to know that even as the daily messes pile up, your home functions at a baseline of cleanliness, with an extra fresh slate when you need it.

How I Manage + Organize My Digital and iPhone Photos

Consider this a sequel to my post on Living with Less and Prioritizing Simplicity in our Home. This time, we’re talking all things digital photos! After doing a giant organizational overhaul of our home and the things in it over the last couple of years, I still felt like I didn’t have a handle on our personal photos. I’ve always kept my clients’ photos organized, with systems in place for culling, storing, and backing up securely, but I couldn’t say the same for my personal photos. The number of Recents just sitting on my phone was in the thousands, and I know I’m not alone there.

As a photographer, of course I value professional photos. They’re artful, intentional, and they help me to remember certain seasons in a really beautiful light. I like to record things for our family with my big camera, too. But iPhone photos can be just as important - the little day to day moments, the funny videos, the vacation memories. They all hold extreme value.

Just like I prefaced the first blog, let me say again – a lot of this might sound harsh or extreme. It’s taken some perspective shifts and lightbulb moments to change some hard-wired habits and ways of thinking. Just like clothes and belongings, I get the attachment to photos and the anxiety/worry/guilt that comes with trying to pare them down. I get it. Your memories are yours alone and what’s important to you is important to you for a reason. So again, this is what’s currently working for me. If something’s helpful to you, great! If not, keep on keepin on.

The WHY Behind My Digital Photo Overhaul

It’s funny to look back and think about our own childhood photos. My mom was great at keeping photo albums and I loved flipping through them, but those albums held dozens, maybe a hundred. Certainly not thousands upon thousands of photos.

Now, we (80s and 90s babies) are parents to the most photographed generation in history. But what purpose is that actually serving? At what point does the sheer number of photos outweigh the benefit of keeping them all? Snapping photos has become almost a comfort thing for us in some ways. We think I HAVE TO CAPTURE THIS RIGHT NOW OR I’LL REGRET IT, instead of allowing ourselves to be fully present and then letting the moment pass on by. But do we lose some of the meaning, the intention, the value of a memory captured if it’s just floating around in a sea of tens of thousands of other memories captured? It sure becomes harder for memories to stand out and be appreciated…

I think some of us are scarred by the lack of tangible memories and sad that we don’t have more pictures from our own childhood. Which is understandable. But the challenge is this: you don’t have to overcompensate for that when it comes to your kids. I actually kind of appreciate the 90s way of NOT having every single little moment captured and saved. There’s gotta be a happy medium that exists between a lack of childhood memories captured on camera, and way too freaking many.

The number of photos on your phone is only going to increase. If your kids are little and it’s already at 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 - what’s it going to be at when they’re in high school? And beyond that? There is no physical way we can go back through and enjoy and relive 100,000, 500,000, a million photos some day down the road. It’s just not feasible. Even if we just wanted to look through a few at a time, or refer back to a certain memory, or photos from a certain season or event, how is that going to work if our photos aren’t organized? Are we going to just hope our iPhones still function the same and we can scroll back through 15 years’ worth of photos? That is a lot of scrolling.

I look at this as doing my future self and my children a favor. Not burdening them with more than they could ever possibly go through. Keeping only the best of the best. Keeping things manageable, for their sake. There’s a fine line between a lot to appreciate, and just plain overwhelming. Just like I’m not going to burden my kids with storage units worth of physical items to sort through one day, I’m not going to burden them with hundreds of thousands of photos, either.

the hardest part: culling

I’ve tried to make a habit of deleting iPhone photos as I go, culling through them daily or just right after I take a bunch. I also LOVE the strategy of using the search feature in the Photos app to search for the current date (ex. July 25) – it will show you every photo and video you’ve ever taken on July 25th of any year. Look through them, smile at some memories you forgot you captured, quickly decide which few are worth keeping, repeat. Doing a nightly cull is a good starting point for going back through and narrowing down/deleting photos from throughout the years, until you’re more caught up.

What does this look like? Blurry, awkward faces, closed eyes – gone. I don’t need 12 pictures if they all have a very similar pose or facial expression. If there are multiple people in a photo from a given event, one or two of that grouping is plenty. If I’m keeping a photo, there needs to be something distinctive about it. A good example every mom can relate to – taking the monthly pictures of your infant. Did you not take 27 pictures of them with the “4 months” sign? And 85 pictures with the “11 months” sign because they were rolling over or crawling off in half of them? I’d go back through those types of “bursts” of photos and narrow it down to literally just one or two (the horror, I know – but you can do this!). If it’s scenery, same thing. I don’t need 3 pictures of the same sunset or skyline, beautiful as it may be.

Distinctive is the keyword. Distinct poses, scenes, angles, facial expressions, actions being captured. 90s mindset. I try to think about it from a photographer’s perspective – the client only knows and cares about the photos you deliver, not the ones you delete. Your kids one day will not know or care about the okay photos you deleted – they’ll be able to better appreciate the good ones you kept.

It might take months on the front end to get things culled and at a more manageable number, but imagine the weight that’ll lift! Make a goal to have your number cut by a certain percentage by a certain date – a third by Christmas? Half by this time next year? And you’ll get to relive some memories as you go. Culling is the most time-intensive part. Beyond that, getting photos and videos off your phone and into folders every couple of months. once you’re caught up, takes minimal effort and time. 

off the phone, onto the external hard drive

A big influence for me in all of this is Nancy Ray – I listen to her podcast pretty often and have always heard her talk about her Legacy Photo System. She’s a former wedding photographer as well and has created an entire course about managing and organizing your family’s photos – your legacy! In her words, “Your phone is a phone. Not a storage device.” Yes, it has photo storage. Yes, iPhoto and iCloud are on it and that’s all fine. But phones get lost. They break. Do you really want to trust these memories to iCloud alone? Bottom line: when photos and videos are only on your phone, they’re not permanent.

To get them off my phone and stored safely, I use two hard drives: my main external hard drive, and a backup hard drive. I store very little on my actual computer because I don’t want it to get bogged down and run slower, so all of my client photos (and now personal photos too) are on an external hard drive. My backup hard drive’s only function is to create an exact copy of my external hard drive.

So to get photos and videos off my phone, I use Image Capture (comes standard on Macs, just search for it in the search bar). I plug my phone into my computer, open the program and it shows every photo and video on my phone (it’ll actually show an additional file copy if you’ve ever made edits to something). From there, I drag and drop into folders on my external. Each folder name starts with the year, then the month, then the event name. If there are multiple images from a particular event, that gets its own folder. Random one-off photos and videos can go in a seasonal folder, like 2023 Spring, 2023 Summer, etc. Here are some examples:

For something that spans multiple months (like Pregnancy – I wanted to keep all my ultrasound + bump pictures in one folder) I name the folder with whatever month it started.

After culling a tonnnnn of my kids’ baby pictures, I found it was easiest to group what was left, just day-to-day moments that don’t really fall under an event, into six-month increments: 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-24 months. Beyond that, I do (Name) 2 Years Old, (Name) 3 Years Old, etc., for the miscellaneous photos and videos. For random family photos, scenery, a picture from a random date night, things like that, I do seasonal folders for each year - Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.

Phone Settings

I realized as I started using Image Capture that having Live Photo turned on was creating more work in the long run for me, so I turned it off – controversial, I know. Yes, it’s fun to watch Lives back, but when you import a Live Photo with Image Capture it automatically creates a photo AND video version of the file and that’s just not worth the extra culling effort or file space for me. I tend to use Portrait Mode most of the time anyway.

Also, after realizing my iPhone photos were importing as HEIC files vs. JPEG, I did some research on what’s best. HEIC files retain the same quality at about half the file size of JPEG, and both types can be edited in Lightroom. However, after starting the album creation process and running into compatibility issues with the printing companies and album software, converting HEICs to JPEGs became too much of a hassle, so JPEG it is for me.

Backing up my photos securely

Getting a quality external hard drive is important, but even the sturdiest external drive isn’t made to last forever. From personal experience and hearing from other photographers, it seems like 5-ish years is a normal life expectancy for these things. Which means having your photos backed up in multiple places is IMPORTANT.

My backup hard drive runs with Time Machine to create a copy of what’s on my external, and I keep it in our fire-proof safe when it’s not plugged in. On my phone, I have the Amazon Photos app, which constantly backs up new photos (not videos, but if you have Prime, it’s free to back up unlimited photos, so it’s silly not to take advantage.)

Beyond that, I knew it was worth paying for some sort of reliable cloud storage to protect these memories – as dramatic as it sounds, it’s our family’s legacy at stake. I’ve never liked iCloud, so paying for more storage there wasn’t an option for me. Dropbox is a good alternative and is what Nancy Ray uses - its base plan is $119 a year for 2TB, but I didn’t need quite that much space. I have about 6,000 total photos and videos right now (1200 of those are our wedding photos) for a total of 55GB. Google One (what they now call all your storage across Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, etc.) has a 200GB option for $29 a year, which is perfect for me. Honestly, I think Google Photos sucks as much as iCloud and I deleted the app from my phone a while ago. BUT, I love the rest of the Google Suite’s integration enough to make up for it, and I like how Google Drive allows you to copy entire folders over from your computer and it keeps the same hierarchy. So Google Drive is where my photos are currently residing on the cloud!

But what about…

Accessibility? Does it bother you not being able to look at old photos on your phone?

Nope! Not an issue, because I still can! I’ll keep the current calendar year’s worth of photos and videos in my Recents folder on my phone, and if I want to look back at something else, I can easily find it on my Google Drive app. It’s all still there, organized into folders just like on my hard drive, it’s just not taking up storage space on my phone itself.

What about things like screenshots, quotes, recipes, etc.?

I did create a folder for those things within each year, however – screenshots are usually something I need to do something about. So as I’m culling, if it’s important enough to hang onto, I’ll either write it down on paper, copy it into my Notes app, email it to myself and file it within Gmail, or move that to-do item elsewhere.

How do you reconcile all this as a photographer? Don’t photographers advocate for MORE photos?

Obviously I’m a proponent of investing in professional photos for your family on a regular basis. There’s so much value in hiring someone to capture your entire family in an artful, timeless way. That said – it will always and forever be quality over quantity for me. It’s okay to only keep your very favorites from professional photo sessions. We cull your photos before we edit and deliver them to you - you’re allowed to cull even more! It’s our job to give you a gallery of what we feel is artful and beautiful. We’re providing you with options, and our goal for you is to really, truly enjoy your favorites. Maybe it’s the whole gallery! Maybe it’s half of them. Just like you do with your iPhone photos, decide which ones are most meaningful for you and your family’s legacy. Go for the ones that immediately make you feel something. Print them, frame them, put them in an album or family yearbook. It’s okay if you don’t hang onto the rest. 

My Goals from Here on Out

I’m planning to sit down and transfer photos from my phone to my computer once a month or as needed. Now that I’m caught up and culling daily, it’s really not too daunting of a task anymore to stay current.

A couple of years ago, before I even started this whole process, I started adding photos to Family Yearbook folders on my desktop. Like, the best of the best. Probably around 150-200 photos per year. I also created a Shared Album on my phone so my husband and I can both add our favorite iPhone photos that we want included in these yearbooks. At the end of this year, I finally got caught up creating those annual yearbooks for our family using mPix hardcover books. After trying out a few different options, I loved mPix’s customization features the best, but there are tons of great album companies depending on your preferences. Even an old school photo album with 4x6s of your iPhone photos is a great option! No matter what you choose, having your photos printed for your family to look back on and hold in their hands – there’s nothing better.

Something Andrew requested was a yearly family video, too. I finally caught up on 5 years’ worth of annual videos with iMovie and it was actually way easier than I expected! I just drag and drop my favorite video files and it can compile everything, in chronological order, into one continuous file. Nothing fancy, just all our favorite clips from the year combined into one long one, but so fun to look back on!

I also got archival storage boxes for our loose printed photos that aren’t in frames – one for our life pre-kids (dating/engagement/wedding/newlywed years) and one for our family memories.

Final thoughts

Just like with our home and downsizing our belongings, the mental load of managing all of it gets HEAVY. Getting to this point in downsizing our photos feels like a giant weight has been lifted. I feel like I can be much more present, enjoying the moments with my kids rather than having my phone in their face all the time. For the really important things (big life events, milestones, vacations, gatherings) I bring my big camera and leave my phone put away as much as possible, but when I do go to pull up the camera on my phone, I try to ask myself now “Am I taking this to share? Or am I taking it for us, to save?” It’s ok to take things for the purpose of sharing sometimes – we live in a connected world – but if it’s just for me and my family, I’m sure going to be more intentional about taking fewer but better photos. Quality over quantity.

Less, but better. That’s what I’m going for in all aspects of life in this season and it. is. freeing.

---

Thank you Maddie Ray for some of my very favorite family photos.

Why I Started Doing Silhouettes

I’ve added something new to my business in 2023… silhouettes!

It all started in January one day when something urged me to open and read a newsletter email I usually just skim over. In this email from Katie Lamb, an educational resource for photographers I’ve been subscribed to for a while, was a lesson on how to create silhouettes in Photoshop. I was intrigued by the photos she shared of the finished product of her own children’s silhouettes and thought it would be something fun to work on in the evenings, so I went through the lesson, made my toddlers stand in front of a blank wall to take pictures of their little profiles, and got to work. And I fell in love.

So much so that I messaged Katie and told her thank you for sticking such a GEM in her email newsletter and making such an impact. Working on these silhouettes of my own kids gave me the creative push I didn’t even know I needed to take some risks and try some new things with my business this year – and, bonus, I still get giddy every time I look at them. These will be treasured for decades to come and I knew I couldn’t keep these to myself!

Something about your babies’ precious profiles frozen in time — bittersweet because it’s undeniably them, yet they won’t ever be this little again. Their nose, lips, cowlicks and curls — their disposition and demeanor — the essence of who they are, right here at this moment in time. A silhouette presses pause and helps you take it all in. I’m so thrilled to offer these to anyone, anywhere, who wants a keepsake to remember their babies in this way!

So naturally, I texted my close friends and asked if I could work out the kinks of my silhouette process with their little ones as my testers. These all started with iPhone pictures. I took a few weeks to really get my process down but I’ve made it super easy for you to order from anywhere! I’ll also be offering these as session add-ons, but they do not have to be done in person.

Why the concrete background instead of plain black? I chose this look for my signature silhouette style for a few reasons:

• it’s still timeless and eye-catching without the harshness of black

• it looks incredible on the textured fine art torchon paper these are printed on

• mostly I just think it looks freaking cool.

These concrete background silhouettes are so special to me and it makes me ecstatic to be able to share them with you and your families, too. Head over to my Silhouettes page to learn more or to get the process started!

Our Favorite Baby and Toddler Board Books

For as minimal-ish as I am about things in our home, kids’ books are one thing I think you can never have too many of - I’m always fine with adding more! That said, I’m not afraid to pass along books we end up not reaching for as often. We have our tried and true favorites that we reach for again and again and that’s what mostly stays in our baskets and on our shelves.

For Christmas this year, as a way to help curb the influx of STUFF that inevitably accompanies the holiday, I’m sticking to the “Want Wear Need Read” idea for gifts within our immediate family. Something you want, something you’ll wear, something you need, and something to read. So I’m on the hunt for a few new books to add to our collection - board books, preferably, for obvious reasons (#toddlers) - and thought I’d share which ones we’ve loved in case you’re looking, too.

To keep this shorter, I left out the classics that most of us have on our bookshelves already - the ones we all know and love. The books below are some I’d never heard of before we entered the baby years. These win our vote for best board books for babies and toddlers. Are there any we missed? Let me know in the comments!

Animal Board Books for Babies

Some of our very favorite bedtime stories right here. The three on the top shelf are just beautiful - the words, the illustrations, everything. The ones on the bottom shelf are sweet and silly and always get some giggles. We love the lessons in Llama Llama, too!

Our Favorite Baby and Toddler Book Series

Our babies go wild for the “You’re My Little” books - I think we have 4 or 5 more of them not pictured and we’ve read them constantly since Steele was tiny. They’re precious! Short and sweet. We’ve loved collecting them as new ones and holiday editions come out.

The Little Blue Truck books are so well done. The way the words flow, the illustrations, the life lessons toddlers can understand, the humor – they’re wonderful!

Construction and Farm Board Books

It wouldn’t be a baby boy bookshelf without some construction books, and these three are my top faves. All of them are rhyming and are so fun to read - Busy Builders introducing days of the week is a bonus! For our top farm books, Goodnight Tractor is imaginative and adorable, and we love lifting the flaps to say goodnight to alllllll the farm animals in Night Night Farm.

Christmas Books for Babies and Toddlers

Of all the Christmas books we have for the kids, I’d say these three have been read the most. The top two are pretty simple, nothing deep, but super cute. God Gave Us Christmas explains the meaning of the holiday so well in a captivating way for toddlers. We have several in the God Gave Us series - one about Easter, one about new siblings (God Gave Us Two) – they’re longer reads but so beautifully done.

Baby Books About Family

Thank You God for Mommy and Daddy are fun reads but I also appreciate how they have subtle nods to the ways God designed moms and dads differently - nurturing, caretaking, protecting, providing, etc. The ABCs of Kindness is one of Steele’s favorites and a great way to introduce concepts like inclusion and forgiveness. And A Twin Is to Hug is a MUST for any twin moms out there. The sweetest book about the uniqueness and the bond twins share and it makes me smile every time!

Christian Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

I absolutely LOVE the Little Hearts book series. They’re so fun to read together but also a great way to introduce overarching Bible themes along with colors, numbers, letters and animals. Can’t recommend these enough!

Sweeter Than the Sweetest Honey helps toddlers understand what the Bible is and why we read it – the truths in this one are spot on and presented so well. The first time I read When I Pray for You to Steele, I had giant tears flowing down my cheeks by the end of it, and it still gets me choked up every time. SO, so good.

Best Books to Give as a Baby Shower Gift

If I were headed to a baby shower soon, I would order a copy of both of these to give to a new mama. Of all the ones on our shelves, these stand out to me as ones worthy of gifting. They’re not super well known, so you don’t run the risk of duplicates, and my gosh, they are just the most beautifully written books that parents, babies and toddlers alike will all enjoy.

When I helped host a friend’s shower this spring, we had a copy of I Promise You out on a table with a sharpie for people to leave notes in and sign – it has quite a bit of white space on each page so it’s perfect for that! Having a book for attendees to sign at baby showers and first birthday parties is one of my favorite hosting tips. My baby shower hostesses did it for me and still to this day I love reading it to the kids and seeing what each person wrote. Such a special way to do a guest book that doubles as a keepsake.

Hope this list helps you find some new reads the whole family will love!