Stop Capturing Your Child's Every Special Moment. Just Enjoy It !

With a new baby there are so many firsts! As you see your baby’s first simile, his first steps, his first words as a parent you want to cheer and capture them right then and there. Finding a way to capture all of your baby’s milestones can be overwhelming. For a sleep deprived mom this becomes even more difficult.  With my seven month old baby I wanted to capture each and every milestone and preserve those special memories. I was so excited to capture every part of my son growing up that I took thousands of pictures in the initial months.
So one day as usual when I noticed he has started rolling over I rushed and tried to make a video of that special moment but missed it by a second.  When my husband returned from the office I apologized to him and told him that I was not able to capture it. “That’s a good thing,” he said. “It probably means you just enjoyed it.”It really hit the right chord somewhere.
As I reflect back I realized I was always on a mission to capture everything.It was not only regarding baby but generally every special event. It seems I always wanted to capture every moment and preserve it forever. But I am not the only one doing that.  If I look around myself everyone is doing it. Then what is the harm?
The problem is that I somehow stopped enjoying that special moment. My desire to capture the moment was actually ruining the moment. I was always playing with my camera, looking for the best angle, viewing the picture and often retaking the shot in an effort to get the “right” photo. To be honest I rarely had the time to look at the photos that I had taken. I think spending time with my son and engaging in his moments today is far more fulfilling than pouring through old photographs. Also sometimes the “result” is artificial.  In life we don’t get to re-do the experiences of our lives. But we try to take our pictures as if we can “get it just right.”
So one fine day I decided not to capture every special moment of my baby. Initially most of the time, as my baby did something new I had the urge to reach for my phone and seize it. I resisted, though, and after an instant of hesitation, I was able to enjoy each event for all its worth. I took it all in-right then and right there. I learnt to enjoy the experience for what it was: a perfect moment.

I know that this time of my baby is special and will go so quickly.  In the blink of an eye, my little bundle of joy will turn into a one year old boy and from there life moves more quickly. I agree it is important to document baby’s precious first year. These are the memories that both the parents and the child are going to treasure for the rest of their lives. But it’s all about striking a right balance .We don’t have to go over board to capture those memories. Sometimes we just need to enjoy those moments . I know that there are parents whose opinion can differ from mine and I wholeheartedly respect that.