the sling diaries, vol. iv: everything shines | culture

for the next six months, along with seventeen other lovely mamas and papas,
i'm honored to be documenting my baby wearing journey with sakura bloom
for their beautiful series, the sling diaries, vol. iv: everything shines.
i'm wearing the simple linen sling in raven. 

when i became pregnant with you, marlo, i worried about so many things. some were silly little concerns, which looking back really didn't matter. like, what brand of diaper would i use? or, what would i do if.... {insert one million different worst case scenarios.} and, my personal favorite, what do i actually do with the baby when i get home from the hospital? one of the less irrational questions that repeatedly plagued me was the fear of not being able to contribute to you in some way. please, don't get this confused with what i could give you; giving you things and contributing to who you are as a human being are two different things entirely. i constantly asked myself what i could offer you as your mom. 

since becoming your mother, i've realized that my goal has always been to raise a decent human, one who rates empathy, consideration, and compassion high on their to-do list. my hope has always been to contribute to you what my parents and family contributed to me: to be kind, to stand firm when necessary, to be open-minded and non-judgemental, to be proud of your story, and to always trust and listen to yourself before you rely on and follow others. 

with that said, a large part of the reason i was supportive of us uprooting and moving to new york when you were so, so very young rested solely on the hope that it would be the perfect place to help aid me in contributing those traits to you. 

and it absolutely has been. 

this place in which we are so lucky to live has so much to offer you. in this amazing city, there is no set norm, only cultural abundance, each neighborhood it's own little hub of tradition, culture, and community. what has stuck out to me as incredibly beautiful about this city is that it owns the unique ability to infiltrate the souls of its' people. it's the one thing that draws commonality among them: people don't just live in new york, rather, they are new yorkers. 

with you strapped to my hip and close to my heart, a place where you have always found comfort and solace, we are on our way to becoming new yorkers. we have explored this city together. we have enjoyed so many new experiences, tried new foods, ventured down new paths and navigated around new street corners. i feel privileged to have watched your eyes grow so large at the sight of something new or foreign, your little finger reaching out to touch, to feel whatever it is that has piqued your interest. 

and it is solely because of the cultural mecca in which we live that you are becoming a person who not only possess the traits i worried so much about instilling in you, but you're also teaching me about loving people for who they are and also who they are not, that differences may also be the glue that binds us. you're making me prouder every day to be your mama. you're making me more confident every day that i'm doing something very right... 

that we are doing something right.  

also, huge thanks to our sweet friend, joy, who took these photos for us when our man was out of town.
move your butt up to brooklyn, already!