The Instagram Effect

That's right.  An entire post dedicated to Instagram.  Because this little app, that is nothing more than a tiny square on my iPhone, has become something much more significant.  It is a community and a challenge to enjoy and document every day all in one.  And it's also keeping me on my toes when it comes to this blog.  When I first started writing to you here, nobody- with the exception of  couple of close friends- knew I was doing this.  I felt it was personal, but not private.  Something that I wanted to do for you, but that I didn't want pressure to have to do.  But also something that I hoped might inspire other moms to do something similar for their little ones, should they happen upon this site.  But I get distracted easily and I manage to make excuses for myself like nobody's business.  So, I found myself slacking on posting regularly.  However, ever since I posted the link to your blog on my Instagram profile, we have had regular visitors here.  So, "Hi!" if you are reading this because of IG!  I love this because it reminds me that I really need to update once in a while.  Time is flying by and you are learning things everyday.  There's just no time to be a slacker.

Some of my favorite IG shots.

After seeing so many beautiful iPhone photos, I thought that once I upgraded my phone it would just automatically take stunning pictures.  Wrong.  I had no clue how to use it.  Or how to edit.  Or much of anything about it.  I was pretty disappointed.  When I first installed Instagram on my phone, my pictures were not reflective of who you and your sisters were.  They were dark, grainy and boring, and I lost interest very quickly.  I also refused to hashtag any photos, insisting that I wasn't on there to get a bunch of "likes,"but what resulted was that I ended up posting photos that only I saw (thank goodness, now that I look back at them).  What I was missing was the "social" aspect of this social app.  Enter Kelle Hampton's lovely blog and her decision to feature reader's IG photos on Friday's.  It was her always-breathtaking "Friday Photo Dump" that made me long for an iPhone and this little app in the first place.  Once I started to get the hang of using my phone's camera, I started using her "enjoyingthesmallthings" hashtag.  More importantly, I started browsing the hashtag and finding other moms who, like me, take tons of pictures of their kids.  It was obvious that these kindred spirits enjoyed life, loved their babies and realized how important it was to capture these memories.  

Some more favorites.

What I have found is a community of like-minded people, sharing our daily lives, whether that be a child's achievement, the color we painted a room, a cozy nap, a yummy breakfast or our latest shopping score...and everything in between.  A place where you don't really need to apologize for posting too many pictures of your baby (even though I usually do).  A place where I find inspiration to make the most of every day and find extraordinary moments in the ordinary.  A place where we support each other on a rough day and cheer one another on when it's called for.  I enjoy checking in daily to see what other families are up to and to share my latest glimpse into our life.

Latest batch of favorites.

Of course I do not need an app to remind me that we should go outside and enjoy a beautiful day.  Or to make me take notice of the absolutely perfect ratio of nose to cheek that your profile sports.  But it does challenge me to look at our daily routines differently.  I find myself seeking beauty in everything from grocery shopping to mess-making.  More frequently, I find myself stopping, to not only notice how beautifully the light is hitting your hair, but to snap a picture before the moment is gone.  Because history has taught me that I cannot rely on my memory alone.  

Another cool thing that has happened has been the opportunity to see your pictures on Enjoying the Small Things.  Every week a roundup of reader's photos are chosen from Kelle's hashtag to be featured on her blog.  You've made the cut twice.  It makes me so happy to see you there.  I respect Kelle so much as a mother and as a photographer.  If I look back someday and feel that I've captured my children's personalities with even a fraction of the magic that her photos possess, I will have accomplished something.  Assuming these links still work by the time you are able to read this, here is a link to the blog post that first featured your photo: http://www.kellehampton.com/2012/08/enjoying.html .  And here is a link to the second appearance you've made on her blog: http://www.kellehampton.com/2012/09/nineteen-grays.html  And if that's not the case, here are her collages (all other photos belong to the respective IG members and the collage is the creation and property of Kelle Hampton/enjoyingthesmallthings.com)

Your first appearance.

And your second appearance.  (Sorry for the blurriness, but I don't feel right about posting other people's pictures without their permission.)

 Obviously, it's not all about Instagram around here.  It's been quite a while since I've posted and you've had some big firsts.  Just this week you began standing for a few seconds at a time.  Of course, this led to another first: your first boo-boo.  You fell face first into the coffee table the other night, and your right cheek has a bruise the size of a quarter as proof.  I've never heard you cry so hard.  I had to trick you into putting an ice pack on it by pretending that I liked to lay my cheek on it.  You mimic every move and sound we make lately, so the ice trick was a success.  I'm selfishly grateful that the fall didn't happen closer to your first birthday, but the bruise will be around for your 11 month pictures, for sure.  Speaking of the whole "mimicking act" you've been putting on lately, you are saying quite a few words now.  You will attempt pretty much any word we repeat to you ("turtle", "Cruz"...daddy's current favorite Giant).  Your steady vocabulary are things like "Mama", "Dada", "Yeah", "Dog", "Night Night", and my favorite: "I love you".  But you also do the cutest whisper imitation every time I whisper to you.  Your head-shake for "no" is now accompanied by a wagging finger (where on earth could you have learned that), and you display this trick right before you reach for something that you know is off limits...which is frequent.  And you copy daddy's beat boxing when he's trying to entertain you (it ends up being the other way around).  Your two bottom teeth are becoming visible.  You like to test them out when you nurse.  I don't like that part so much.  You have been eating some big girl foods, too.  I try to feed you a little bit of table food at dinner time,  I shred everything to the tiniest size but your lack of teeth makes it difficult for you to actually eat most things.  It's a slow process, but I really hope you are able to down some birthday cake next month.  Next month!  Yikes!!  Where has this year gone?