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A Week off Social Media and Updates!

Well, I'm going to go ahead and say that, one week into no social media, I'm really glad I was able to take the plunge (I'm not connected for work reasons or anything), and that I had the gumption to do it.

Here were MY main reasons (for anyone interested):

  1. I'm totally addicted to it. The mindless scrolling had me in its clutches for too long, and moving away from friends made it worse. I couldn't limit it. Deactivating helped, but I needed more help than that.
  2. It depressed me instead of lifting me up. Especially the constant rude political and theological scuffles between people I want to respect. I didn't mind polite discourse, but it was rather uncommon for even the most constructive of threads to avoid trolls.
  3. I wanted to free up emotional energy, time, and attention to discipline myself more. I've gotten a good planner, and I'm holding myself to Bible reading, exercising, staying on top of my news podcast, certain low-key reading goals for Bastian and myself, texting and sending snail mail to people, doing creative things, etc. It's the kind of thing that will go completely out the window for a while (or a couple of years) after the baby comes, but then I will modify. It's so helpful to see what I have accomplished and reward myself with a checkmark for the mundane. I did it from when Sebastian was 3-15 months, and then I stopped. Time to pick it back up.
  4. The pressure of parenting in the age of social media--even for someone who normally marches to the beat of her own drummer--is insane. I refuse to fall prey to it this time. It's not so much the feeling like "everyone has it all together more than I do" thing. It's the fact that if you admit to needing help or some pointers, the number of conflicting responses will have you flipping longways in the ditch of your own anxiety. It's unreal.
  5. As an introvert, it was easy to hide behind the false sense of socialization social media gave me. Even texting someone a specific question privately has more depth and opportunity for real relationship than anything public on social media can offer. I need to challenge myself to reach out to people individually and not just post my kid's quotes for laughs.
  6. I'm not a fan of Mark Zuckerberg, and if you want to know why, you can read this article. In fact, I dare you to make it through without throwing something.


So, there you have it in case you were interested! I have been more productive, had more energy (hello, 2nd trimester!), and have been more "present" (ugh, but it's true...) since I gave it up. It was also incredible how many connections I renewed by asking for contact info when I got off FB!

Bastian Updates:

We're working on not talking about poop at the table. He's OBSESSED. But totally not interested in potty training. Oh well. He gets as close as possible to talking about poop as he can without actually saying the word. He says "toot!" "poooon...poooook...pooooog!" He's so rotten.

He loves wasabi and soy sauce flavored almonds. If there was ever any doubt that Daric is his father, it's gone...

We're 41 books into our library's "50 Books to Hear Before Kindergarten" list. It's been fun to read some authors and subjects we wouldn't ordinarily even notice. "Bad Kitty" is a new favorite.

He said the alphabet in its entirety at dinner the other night with no prompting. There was a loud celebration...and maybe an extra cookie. ;)

He went to "class" for the first time on Sunday at our new church. He was pretty terrified, and I think he struggled a bit, but at this point, it's good for him to have that experience. I pray he doesn't dread it and grows to love his teachers, makes friends, and benefits from structure enforced by people other than Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma.

The other day, he said, "Mama begs to differ," (and Mama did!) He also said, "Oh my goodness gracious!" when my mom told him what they were having for lunch (crackers and hummus...what he eats about half the time.) When he got put in bed for being naughty, he was awaiting Grandma at the corner of his pack-n-play ready to say, "Sorry to Grandma!!!" Oh, my heart. He's such a hot mess.

I've been saying a blessing/prayer over him since he was born and adding to it each year. He knows it now and finishes it. I tell him to be strong and sweet, compassionate and courageous, and an obedient overcomer. I pray he lives into those words.

Current music: The Sound of Music, Oliver!, and Sebastian's favorite oldies (including La Bamba and Get off of my Cloud)

Current books: Gone With the Wind (Mitchell), Counter Culture (Platt) I HIGHLY recommend both.

Current high: Healthy toddler and healthy baby (14w2d) (Can you BELIEVE it's legal and fought for to kill babies the size of mine and much older? I heard his/her heartbeat yesterday...unreal.)

Current low: The Saints lost in the playoffs and I can't find a local radio station to love in the car. Life is pretty darn good. #firstworldproblems


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