Living in a digital age has a lot of benefits. For example, I love being able to post pictures to my Facebook page or my personal blog so that my sister can log in and keep tabs on the most recent photographic evidence of her niece’s genius. I can hunt and peck with one hand while nursing the baby, which ensures that I’m able to keep up with my college friends via email, at least. And the ability to hit “erase” on the digital camera has come in handy on more than one bad hair day.
Still, there are some downsides to being so reliant on technology. One of those is the fact that not everyone else in the world is tech savvy. While it’s super handy to be able to email BabyHacks’ picture to her grandmother, there’s no way on earth I can send a digital file to my grandmother. She wants to see her great-granddaughter, and the only way that can happen is if I actually get print photos made.
OK, I know that you can print pictures out on your home printer these days, and that there are special papers for it and everything. Unfortunately, I’ve never had any luck getting these to look like anything other than printouts from a home printer. For the good stuff that my grandma expects, I’m afraid I have to actually go to the “trouble” of emailing the files to Costco or Walgreens and having them printed out there.
What I’ve discovered, however, is that since I’m already getting prints made for a ridiculously low price, it’s not really any harder to get a couple of extras made. Once I have a few pictures of BabyHacks in the newest, cutest outfit or pose, I can just write her name and the date on the back and tuck the extras into the diaper bag. Then when I’m out and about I can easily hand them out to the friends I don’t necessarily keep up with through the aforementioned digital means.
Not only does it cost something like 19 cents, but it also gives them a tangible photo to put on the fridge or tuck into their wallet or to add to their scrapbooks. Plus, it makes them feel special.
Mama Hack: n. A tip or technique that reduces the chaos in a mama’s life and makes it easier to manage or more convenient. Because no one looks back and says, “I just didn’t think to take any pictures of my first baby.”)
