My kids don’t have Baby Books. (Gasp!) How could I not do this integral part of Motherhood? (I definitely should have as I have a child with Special Needs and every form I fill out wants to know when he walked, talked, or climbed.)
I had zero interest in my Baby Book information and didn’t think my kids would either. But just in case… Facebook is my kids Baby Book. I figured that I was already posting all the cute pictures and cute things they had done (or not so cute things, like the time I went into another room for just a minute and they had shaving cream all over their hair and each other…). 
Why should I make things harder for myself? There are companies out there that will take my Facebook account and print it all out in book form for me.
Facebook is also my kid’s Scrapbooks…All those art projects that no one has room for? All those school performances that we sat through that no one would choose to sit through unless they were related to the child? They are nicely preserved for any family member to see at any time on my Facebook account. Bonus! As soon as my children get Facebook accounts of their own, I can tag all the embarrassing pictures of them so their friends can see them too. This Mama has plans!
Facebook is also my Journal and Family Photo Album. All those fun family events, quotes, and stories I love or thought were hilarious are all nicely preserved there. My opinions on Politics, Education, Childrearing, and all other important subjects are there for better or worse for my posterity to view. Although it is not my Diary- That kind of venting and information is reserved for Private Messaging to my nearest and dearest friends. Thank you nearest and dearest friends!
I haven’t written and actually sent out a Christmas letter in…….? many years. Facebook is my Christmas letter. So I hope family and friends you are following me on Facebook as that is where you will find out about what we are or are not up to. And I’m not one of those people who will only post picture-perfect kids or vacations. I’m just as likely to preserve a terrible day or a terrible haircut so you can rest assured you are always getting the real us.
Why does it happen this way? I’m a Mom. I have a million things to do when I get up every day. Chronicling my life and that of my children/family happens on the fly. Whenever I feel like taking a picture (which honestly isn’t nearly enough, or crystal clear for that matter), spouting off my latest opinions, making sure I have pictures to remember that trip of a lifetime. If it doesn’t make it to Facebook… It never happened as far as history is concerned in my case. This is how I make sure that my posterity will know who I am, what I’ve done, what I’ve thought and felt. And I’m not going to feel guilty about it. Yes, my child doesn’t have a beautifully embossed baby book, and I might have to fudge some of those answers on the Child Development Questions. But what my kids do know is that I’m right here for them when they need me, I’m doing my best to keep us all alive and functioning, and I love them fiercely.
You can also view a video version of this post on YouTube.
