Keepsake Baby Handprint

Do you have your baby's handprint in plaster to cherish forever? Neither do I. The entire frustrating and failed process of trying to get Coco's handprint in plaster after the jump.

I ordered this sweet handprint kit to take your child's handprint at one two and three years old when Coco was just a few weeks old. Such a new mom, enthusiastic thing to do! ;)

Then, a few days ago, I remembered that we still hadn't done her handprint so I got out the kit to get started.

I followed the instructions and was horrified when the plaster completely hardened before I even had a chance to take her handprint. Then I freaked out and tried to salvage the plaster, add water and make it still work. And it almost did.

Despite Coco's complete and total horror at having her hand pressed in plaster, I got a little handprint.  Isn't it cute? But within five minutes, it was gone because the plaster was still too liquidy and it didn't hold. :( So I tried again a few minutes later and really pressed her hand in there. She was not happy about it, but I declared triumphantly, "That is a handprint!" 

Plaster was everywhere and the kitchen looked like a cement truck had just passed through, but I didn't care. I had conquered the plaster!

But sadly, as I snapped photos (do I really need to document the documentation? Apparently so) it started to get softer and sink back into the plaster, too. I considered waiting a little longer until it set to the right consistency, but Coco was already so traumatized, when I tried to take her little hand, she screamed in protest and shook her head no. So that was that. Good thing the kit has three plaster kits, one for each year. I figure I have two more shots at the handprint for year number one and then I can order replacement kits for the other two when I'm in the States this summer. The replacement kits are free, by the way. You only have to pay for the shipping, so obviously I'm not the only one, but still, I was so disappointed!

Have you done a plaster handprint? What's the secret?