Up until three years ago, I had never taken a selfie. I wasn’t against other people taking them, but I hate photos of myself and therefore had no desire to ever take a selfie. Then I became pregnant with my first child, about the time I read a blog post about how moms are seldom in photos with their families. They are always the photographers (like myself) but the author was actively trying to get more photos of herself with her kids and getting out from behind the camera. This article, combined with work, coaching and business trips gave me the boost I needed to take selfies of my growing baby bump. No, it wasn’t comfortable, and I didn’t really care for it. But if I wanted those bump photos it was something I needed to start embracing.
A few months later, I was almost a selfie pro! Sending bump photos to my sister in Europe and my parents almost weekly. No one laughed out loud (that I know of) and, best of all, it didn’t kill me! So I kept snapping those selfies, and before I knew it, that little boy had arrived! Being home with him for 13 weeks on maternity leave and then quitting to stay home full time, I was once again facing a future of selfies. How else would I capture baby snuggles, silly giggles and fun adventures with my little guy? Well, I guess they aren’t selfies with two people in the photo, but I’m not cool enough to know what that’s called. All I know, is I have photos of myself with both my boys to remember these little boy phases by, and I couldn’t be happier! Sometimes I even make the husband get in on it! Even better, I actually ask him to take a photo for me if he is around, which I rarely ever did pre-kid.
Sometimes we even do selfies in public! Although Mr Jake is too busy watching trains to play along with mommy. This was at the Krohn Conservatory train exhibit in December 2015.
I hope other moms have the confidence to do this, so they can look back in the photo albums and see themselves grow, change and enjoy life as our kids are growing up.
