After three children, you might be surprised to know that my favorite memento is not one of the baby books that I so diligently kept. While they are certainly good for a smile or two and irreplaceable as far as data goes, lately my daydreams have turned back to ones occupied by two – my husband and me.

I missed the chance to capture "us" in concrete form. While I was wrapped up in trying to conceive, no one told me that I might someday long for the time we shared as a couple. No one warned me to slow down and savor the very love that would eventually create our children. Maybe even more important, no one prepared me to become a total stranger to myself.

If you're planning to make this your last child-free year, consider putting together a personal memento of your life before it's invaded by the pitter patter of little feet. A concrete reminder of all the reasons you fell in love with your spouse – and yourself – will be a welcomed companion when the chaos of parenthood gets you down.

Scrapbooking has firmly implanted itself into the framework of today's crafting landscape. With entire magazines and specialty stores devoted to the subject, it's easy to get some idea of just how popular it has become. And the good news: You don't have to wait until you have children to enjoy this creative venture.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.