Keeping physical records of the small stuff we experienced during this roller-coaster time in our lives is a great goal that is often overlooked for all of us with younger children. We share so much of our lives and children online these days, every big happy moment, painting a picture-perfect look at our lives. 

What I think kids (and I) want to remember is everything in between. The real-life look at what our lives really were like. Who knows if servers will crash or the internet will somehow disappear or implode. Having physical evidence is important, too, and Ireland Baldwin reminds us of this on her Instagram. 

Plus taking time to pause and use a physical camera really puts you in the moment as well, instead of just grabbing your phone. Because let’s be real, we all get distracted when we pick up our phones to do anything—we get sucked in and before we know it, we’re doom-scrolling.

Ireland Baldwin has a lot to be grateful for these days, and it’s not just for a successful modeling or acting career. She’s growing a little family with her partner, and she took to Instagram to share some thoughts on how important it is to relish in the moment, take photos of the small things and keep a physical memory of the day-to-day.

With a photo of Baldwin, her partner, her new baby, Holland, and her adorable dog, she captioned, “I decided I wanted to start using a real camera to capture more every day moments of not only the dogs and baby (my usual test subjects) but of the many fleeting, cozy winter moments, the developing projects in our home, and not just the highlights, but the mundane, everyday stuff.”

She continued, “One of my favorite things to do now that I didn’t appreciate as much when I was younger, is to look back at old photos from when I was a kid. I’m less interested now in the photos that captured the bigger life moments.” 

She said she found that she loved the “in-between photos” from the roll where you could see the state of her house—which was probably immaculate given her family—her 90’s/early 2000’s toys, what she was into, what her parents wore, etc. 

“I’m going to try and make an effort to give Holland the same opportunity to be able to reminisce the way I have been lately. It’s weirdly emotional and healing to look back on,” she said.

Take a note from Baldwin’s book and slow down to capture and appreciate the little things—it’s those things that matter most.