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A Birthday, PSA, and a Contest

My son turned one today and I’m having a little bit of a hard time coping with it. 

While I am so excited and happy to celebrate his first birthday with him, I admit his first birthday also makes me a little sad. You see, he’s my last baby. So while I am looking forward to and absolutely LOVE this next phase we are now moving into, I am also mourning the loss of the chapter we are closing—his infancy. He’s a toddler now.

I knew this day was coming. I tried my hardest to soak in every baby moment I possibly could with him, but it wasn’t enough. I want more. I guess that’s a little selfish of me, but can you blame me? His firsts were, and always will be, bittersweet for me… joyous because he accomplished a new feat, but sad because it’s the last time I will ever experience a first.

I am always talking about how important it is to document your everyday, your routine, your life—not just the “pretty,” but also the mundane and in-between. I have talked about how it has been said we don’t truly appreciate the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. I will always believe this wholeheartedly, but today it is resonating with me even more.

The last year is now a memory and while I like to think I have done the best I can to document it, I am still missing it. However, I am so grateful that I did document it. I have pictures to remember his birth, his first day on this earth, the messy dinner times, sweet moments between him and his sister, tender moments with dad, the milestones met and the moments in between. I can look back at these images and remember our first year together. I get a glimpse of our beautiful, imperfect, messy, crazy life… and I can relive it through my images.

A Little PSA (Public Service Announcement)

I guess the point of this post is to remind you all the importance of documenting your everyday. To help me celebrate Nate’s First birthday, I want you all to think of the one detail or action your child does now, but might not do forever, and document it. Maybe it’s their wispy, curly baby hair or chubby little baby thighs? Photograph those tiny details and remember them forever. Did they just discover themselves in the mirror and think their reflection is the coolest thing ever? Take the picture. Is it the morning cuddles when they crawl into bed with you? Do they grab your finger, their foot, or curl your hair while they nurse or drink a bottle? Take the picture.

Photograph the little details, actions, and memories that mean something to you. Take the picture, remember it forever, and write down their story—it doesn’t have to be perfect. The best photograph isn’t always the most technically sound, it’s the photograph that makes you FEEL something. The best camera is the one you have on you.

So please take pictures and photograph your memories—even if you think it’s just the mundane part of your life. You will thank yourself for it when your everyday moment, becomes a memory.

The Contest: 

In celebration of Nate’s First Birthday (and for nostalgia’s sake) I am going to give away a Storytelling Session to one of my followers. Here’s how to enter:

1. Take the picture. I want you to photograph your everyday. The one thing you know you will miss once that moment becomes a memory.

2. Post the picture to my Facebook page wall.

3. Tell me why that moment means so much to you and what you will miss about it.

That’s it! 

BONUS: Earn an extra entry by sharing this post to your FB profile, just make sure you tag my page so I know you did it!

Deadline to enter is Saturday, August 26th at midnight. Winner will be drawn Sunday, August 27th at 8pm.

 Note: Winner will be responsible for any travel fees, if applicable.

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