In the spirit of bringing optimism and spreading positivity on a day when so many Americans are upset, I am sharing five uplifting mantras:
Our baby’s Internet presence
It’s still kind of bizarre to me that we live in a social-media age. I can only imagine what it will be like in years from now. That being said, I do post to social media regularly (though I still sometimes wish I could delete all accounts, I’d have too much FOMO). When it comes to our baby, however, I do think more deeply about it and I’m much more aware and intentional about what I post.
Deciding whether to share our child(ren) on the Internet is a rather unique dilemma our generation, and those to come, have to deal with. It’s of little surprise that many parents choose to do so since so much is shared on the World Wide Web. In fact, 92 percent of children have an online presence by age 2.
Deciding whether to share our child(ren) on the Internet is a rather unique dilemma our generation, and those to come, have to deal with. It’s of little surprise that many parents choose to do so since so much is shared on the World Wide Web. In fact, 92 percent of children have an online presence by age 2.
My husband and I have chosen to limit our baby’s internet presence. That means while you’ll find photos of him on the Internet, you won’t find many (see just one or two) of him alone publicly. And while you’ll see a posted photo on my Facebook every now and again if you’re my Facebook friend, a few days after it’s posted the album is made private.
Will our “plan” change as he gets older? Possibly. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, though. For now this what we have and have decided not to share.
Will our “plan” change as he gets older? Possibly. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, though. For now this what we have and have decided not to share.
What my husband and I have shared:
• Our baby’s name (post-birth)
• Photos of our baby and us on Instagram; otherwise his face is hidden
• Monthly progress photos (without specific milestones)
What we haven’t shared:
• Birth story
• Body (weight and length) stats
• My letter to him when I went back to work after maternity leave
• Our baby’s birth weight/length
• Bath time photos
• Naked photos
• Milestone monthly photos
There are lots of personal reasons parents have when making this decision. Key word: personal. This decision is a very personal one and what my husband and I have decided might not work for you or be what you want to do. That’s fine. It’s our decision and no one else’s, just as your decision is yours and no one else’s.
We believe most of what we don’t share should be kept private because though he is just a baby, he deserves his privacy, too. Plus, there are too many creeps out there.
The good in the world
With all the bad news and not-so-good people in the news lately, I’ve sometimes found myself being effected by the negativity and my feeling of nervousness for what may come. The thing is, I know there’s still so much good in the world. Good people. Good deeds. Good things.
For me, the good is my baby and being his mom. My husband and being his best friend. My family, friends, co-workers and their support. Being featured on Mother.ly today! The friendliness of the strangers on the NYC subway who strike up a conversation and wish each other a good day. The generous employees at Subway who chat with me and give me a free cookie with each order because I’ve been going there consistently for one and a half years. The kind woman who helped me carry the baby’s (heavy) stroller up the subway stairs. Being healthy, educated and aware of my privileges. My list could go on and on. Focusing on these things, rather than the not-so-good, is what has always helped keep my spirits high.
It’s important in times of adversity to hold onto the knowledge that good still exists. That there is still much to be grateful for and to look forward to. Have hope and faith that good will prevail. That valleys are temporary, and peaks will follow. Negativity divides. Positivity unites. Hate fails. Love triumphs–and heals.
So this week as millions of Americans are feeling scared and sad about the upcoming inauguration, while millions of others are happy and excited– to all I say: show some compassion. Show up for one another. Be an ally. Educate yourself. Open your eyes and your ears. Empathize. Give hope. Have some heart.
Be the good. And not just today, or tomorrow, or Friday… everyday.
Marriage as parents
In our 6 years (tomorrow) together,
we’ve moved between cities/states/countries 6 times;
we have a 6.5 month baby;
we’ve been apart quite a bit, the longest separation being 6.5 months;
and we’ve been married 26 months.
Despite all of our time together pre-baby (5.5 years), it’s sometimes hard to remember those days and that we should still prioritize our marriage–and dating. But we’re trying. Having a baby is a big change. While we knew it would affect our marriage, I don’t think we were prepared for how much it actually would. Because how can you really prepare for any big life changes, anyway? You can’t.
You can be proactive and reactive, though. That’s just what we’ve tried our best to do. Before Sebastian was born, we went on dates, we traveled, we had cozy move nights-in, and we appreciated our alone time. After his birth, the first few weeks were a whirlwind of different parenting techniques, concerns, and emotions. It has not been until very recently that we have felt more confident in our marriage than before.
These days, we communicate with, help and trust one another more. We are the most open and honest we’ve ever been, and we are the strongest team mates we’ve ever been. That’s because we’ve chosen to nurture our marriage despite the new challenges that parenthood has presented us. (FYI the blessings way outnumber the challenges!) We’ve by no means mastered it but we’ve been through enough challenges for me to be confident that our marriage will continue thriving.
Honeymooning in Brazil
When I went through my entire blog for my “Through the Years” post, I realized that while I have discussed our “Annimoon,” I have never discussed our honeymoon (in detail). This surprised me quite a bit because it was hands-down one of my favorite vacations, ever.
If you’ve followed along for a bit, you know our honeymoon search was extensive. When we finally chose to go to Brazil, we were ecstatic. Upon arriving at the airport (the evening after our wedding), our excitement level amped up when we were asked if we wanted to be bumped up to a (1) nonstop flight (2) leaving sooner! Yes and yes, please and thank you!
Our destinations in Brazil included Rio de Janeiro and Buzios. Our boutique hotel in Buzios was an amazing find, just as the city was, as well. It’s not too well known here in the U.S. but it is in South America and we were among many other international travelers while there. Think Nice, France meets Ibiza, from what I know of those places.
If you have any questions about our trip there (hotels, food, transportation, safety concerns, clubs, etc.), feel free to ask me! I’ll let photos do the rest of the talking.
RIO:
BUZIOS:
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