The Photo Fantasy

Facebook and blogs, in my opinion, are full of photographic fantasies.  There you have wedding, family, high school, university,  pregnancy, and vacation photos.  They all look so polished, happy and dreamy.  Sometimes I look at these albums and wonder why my life is not as perfect, exciting and rich as they.  Photos of laughing children, and parents throwing their kids in the air, "We are so carefree and happy (insert child's giggle) and look at us on our Italian vacation with are perfect 5 and 3 year old ordering from the menu in fluent Italian.  We are culturing our children well aren't we?" and that's the thing, perhaps all this is about getting approval and showing how cool and perfect we are.  Are our lives being "lived" online?  Are we more about creating an avatar of our life rather than living it?

I fell guilty of this recently when I posted some new mommy and baby photos of myself and my sweet girl on Facebook.  Here I am looking blissfully elated about motherhood and eating up every cutesy moment with my precious bundle of joy.  But wait.  No one told me about the hard times, well at least they sure didn't post a Facebook album about it.  All I have ever seen are the moments of poetic, beauty captured by a hired photographer.  Here is one of my fantasy photos (captured by my dear friend and great photographer Robynn )...."Look at me I just gave birth 5 days ago and I am glowing and happy, with my baby that never cries.  I promise there is nothing swollen or throbbing on my body, and look how fresh I appear with my ever so natural makeup in the natural light of my romantic bedroom....and of course...whispering sweet nothings into the tiny ear of my darling baby girl"

Yes I posted a fantasy album.  I thought since I did that it would be only fair to post the reality as well.  Unedited and raw, here I am first thing in the morning tired, weary and worn out from multiple feedings and poopy diaper changes all through the night.

The end.