I’m what some may call a “mamarazzi” aka my camera is always out and snapping away. Sure, it’s kind of become a joke now and people make comments about it all the time. But there’s actually a reason behind it.
When Z went back to Afghanistan, N was 6 days old. I felt horrible that he had to miss the first days of his son’s life. So I did “A Picture a Day while Daddy’s Away” and uploaded a new picture everyday for him to see. Ever since then, it’s kind of become second nature to document the little things and everyday life. With him being gone a lot, I’m just used to sending him pictures so he doesn’t miss out on anything.
He may be home now but I still like to document our days. However, I still make sure to enjoy the time with my kiddos and not have my phone or camera out the whole time. (Which I won’t lie, is hard when I work on my phone…)
I recently had a reader ask me how I balance documenting all of the things I do but then still enjoy the moments with my kiddos.
The truth is, I usually get all of the pictures out of the way in the beginning. I will take a ton of pictures and then put my camera away. I may take it out a little later and snap some more but for the most part, I really try and just take a buttload of pictures upfront so I can enjoy the experience.
Whether it’s crafting at home or an outing somewhere, I want my kids to look back and have pictures. Not only of big life events but the regular days at home too. Playing babies, building trains, etc. These are the moments I want them to remember. Yes, the outings to the Zoo or monuments are a lot of fun but some of my favorite times are just the random afternoons at home.
And last but not least, my husband helps a lot with the documenting. Just like I normally do when I’m on my own, we will take the first few minutes (wherever it is) taking pictures and then we put the camera away and enjoy our time together. He doesn’t mind playing paparazzi once in awhile because usually I’m the one snapping away
One day, pictures and memories will be the only things left. Find time for both and you’ll give your kids the greatest gift you can ever give them.
