Framing Family Milestones: First Moments Worth Framing

March 26, 2025

Life moves fast, and when you're building a family, it can feel like some of the most meaningful moments fade in the blink of an eye. Framing family milestones is a beautiful way to preserve those fleeting stages, turning everyday memories into timeless keepsakes you can cherish forever. Whether it's mom’s growing belly during pregnancy, your baby’s first smile, or the magic of your first holiday season together, these moments deserve more than a spot in your camera roll. They deserve a permanent place on your walls!

Five Family Photo Ideas for Your First Year

Each chapter of family life brings its own unique milestones worth capturing and celebrating. From pregnancy to early childhood, here are some meaningful family photo ideas to frame and treasure for years to come.

1. Maternity Photos

As you start the journey to grow your family, maternity photos are a touching way to celebrate the life you're bringing into the world. Framing a photo of your growing belly can be a beautiful reminder of the strength, love, and anticipation that comes with pregnancy. Consider framing images from a maternity shoot or even a photo from your baby shower. Both make heartfelt additions to your baby’s nursery and help set a warm, personal tone in the space.

2. Newborn Photos

Once your little one is welcomed into the world, the days feel long but the months fly by. Framing newborn photos helps capture the quiet magic of those early days: cute baby photos of their tiny fingers, first laughs, and peaceful cuddles with mom or dad. These photos preserve the tenderness of your baby’s first weeks and create lasting memories of a time that often feels like a blur in hindsight.

According to the American Psychological Association, “people who take photos of their experiences usually enjoy the events more than people who don’t.” Since many of us have the convenience of a camera at our fingertips, we encourage you to take lots of photos of your newborn. Not only will it make those first weeks a little more enjoyable — especially for moms experiencing postpartum depression — but also give you photos to look back on as the years fly by. Seeing your baby’s face change over the course of a few months can be a joy for parents to look at together. At some point, your camera roll is going to be filled with newborn photos, so you should pick your favorites and have them framed so you have physical copies of your baby’s first photos. Read on for newborn photo ideas you can try at home!

3. First Year

A popular trend over the last decade includes parents taking photos of their baby every month for the first 12 months to see how they’ve grown. Some cute ideas we’ve seen for monthly photos include:

Your baby on the same blanket in every photo with a sign for the month
Fruits spelling out the number of each month next to your baby in an outfit that matches the fruit color
A pizza box next to your baby with the number of slices correlating to the number of months
A musical instrument (especially if it’s a hobby of one parent) next to the baby to compare their growth each month

These can result in some adorably funny baby photos! We love seeing these framed in a kid’s room, especially using the luxe vertical grid.

4. First Birthday

A baby’s first birthday is more than just a party: it’s a celebration of a full year of growth, joy, love, and a successful first year of parenting! Whether you have a big celebration or not, framing a special moment from their first birthday (maybe a cake smash moment or an adorable family photo) can be a fun and sentimental way to remember how far your little one has come. It’s also a perfect milestone to include in a growing gallery wall, memory shelf, or photo album.

5. First Holidays

If your family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or something similar, the holidays are always a special time of year, and your baby’s first holiday makes it even more magical. As new parents, this is a time to brainstorm annual family traditions you want to take on each year! Some family photo ideas and annual holiday traditions can include:

Classic family portraits in matching pajamas
Photos in front of the fireplace in color-coordinated outfits
Holiday card of your family vacations from the past year

From cozy pajama mornings to new family traditions, framing a festive photo helps commemorate your very first holiday season together. Other first holidays you can frame photos of if you celebrate them include:

Holi
Easter
Halloween
Dia de los Muertos
Thanksgiving

These framed family photos often become cherished keepsakes you’ll love displaying year after year. Check out our luxe frames for framing special moments like these.

Newborn Photo Ideas

As mentioned earlier, taking photos of your newborn is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you should always take advantage of! Your first newborn photo shoot can be as creative or as simple as you’d like. The best part is, you don’t need a professional photographer if it’s not within your budget. Here are a few ideas to inspire your session:

Seasonal themes. If your baby was born near a holiday or in a specific season, incorporate seasonal props or colors for a personalized touch.
Black and white portraits. These can highlight the softness and simplicity of newborn features and make for stunning framed prints. These are easy because all you have to do is edit the photos black and white before having them framed.
Nursery details. Capture your baby in their nursery with meaningful details like their name sign, crib, or favorite stuffed animal.
Swaddled and snuggled. Take classic poses of your baby wrapped in a soft blanket, sleeping soundly. These are always timeless and easy to DIY.

Whether you're capturing the quiet beauty of a newborn or the joyful chaos of a first birthday, each moment tells a part of your family's story. Framing these milestones turns them into everyday reminders of love, growth, and togetherness so your child can enjoy the photos as they get older too! Ready to frame your family’s first milestones? Check out our selection of frames and gallery walls now.