Another thing I'm planning to start for the grandbabies. Buy a 'hope' type chest, decorate it in some way. Put memoriable things in it. And also start to buy things that are important when they are on their own, and give this chest and contents to them when they graduate from high school...any ideas what else to put in it?

I guess anything that you know will (a) make them smile and (b) they'll find a use for (besides a check!)

Of course, things change so much through the years that what we consider to be the 'in' thing at the moment our grandkids would hoot with laughter at the stuff we kept specially for them!

I daresay an album of photos of them during all the wonderful visits they spent with grandma and grandpop would give much joy.

One suggestion: a personalized book of grandma's recipes which the grandchild loved. That way they get to learn grandma's inside secrets on how she made the best meatloaf in the world :)

Aww, thats a wonderful idea. My mom sold her hope chest when I was a kid instead of keeping it for me. It was already an antique when she sold it in the 80's and a beautiful Amish cedar chest. She kept the stuff in it though.

Hers had baby blankets, some toys, and linens with hand sewn lace edging or embroidery. Also the christening gown and booties and the family bible. My cloth diapers and pins got put in at some point for my own kids.

You could put many many things inside it for them as surprised when they are older. I think its a great idea, and seldom do things like this go on anymore. What else have you thought of?

I just remembered something! I've kept all the little things my kids made when they were little - cards, odd-shaped plasticine models :rolleyes: etc and I'll pop those into their Hope Chest just for fun!

Maybe I could fill a little box with all their things I kept from when they were babies so that when they are have their own children they can look back on the things I kept and realize that if mom can do it so can they! :D I'm thinking of the card I have which details the weight my son put on from when he was born at 5lbs (premature) but soon gained - though I was convinced he'd be puny forever! The painstaking hours I spent trying to get him to take an ounce of milk like he was gonna fade away! :p