I came up with this board idea, because I have always liked seeing the hash marks on the walls of peoples homes, documenting the growth and milestones of their children.  I had been thinking about making a growth chart on a board we could take with us for a while.  When I finally let the idea bounce out of my head, this is what I came up with.
I began my project by using an iron to burn the groves of my design, markers, and numbers into the board.
 
Then I painted the whole board with a white stain. 
 
For the next step, I used acrylic paint to highlight my design, markers, and numbers. 
 
Lastly, I added the finishing touch by marking all the height information I already had on my kids, started with their birth.