the sling diaries: favorite moments

I can't believe that six months of Sling Diaries are coming to a close, each participant now having spent half a year using photos and words to expound on the themes of Love, Style, Exploration, Communication, History, and Fun on their respective blogs.  This project has been such a delight to follow along with -- seeing babies grow up before our eyes is always compelling, isn't it?  I have been so very moved and excited by these beautiful depictions of babywearing that I feel a highlights post is in order.  So without further ado, here are just a few of my favorite moments from The Sling Diaries...

Since March we've seen little Ramona go from baby to big girl, with the series culminating in gorgeous documentation of her first birthday party.  Each of Emily's diary entries was written in the form of a letter to her daughter, and were filled with a warmth, humanity, grace, humor and style that brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.  These two are so lucky to have each other, and I know that Ramona will deeply treasure these words and images when she is older.

Ashley excels at writing posts that make me want to travel, see, and do.  Her Diary posts were as much a celebration of her beloved New York City as they were a sweet glimpse into her life as a mother, and I enjoyed following along with her and Hudson on every joie de vivre-filled stroll.  The photo above appeared in this post, and I love it so.  Doesn't she look like she's about to burst from happiness?

This photo of Jamie and Henry, from their Style post, perfectly captures the kind of kick-ass tenderness that was the hallmark of each entry of their Sling Diary.  This duo is just so dang effortless and cool, I can't stand it!

These two!  I just can't get enough of Jo's down-to-earth, no-nonsense, hilarious take on life and motherhood, so it was a pleasure to virtually tag along with her and her family as they moved from NYC to the midwest during the course of the Sling Diaries.  As for this photo (from her Exploration entry), all I can say is that two-handed-sandwich-eating is one of the great, unsung benefits of babywearing, and I can think of no better people to demonstrate that fact than Jo and Ella.  Bravo, ladies!

Jodi and her family reside in one of the most beautiful and picturesque places on Planet Earth, a fact which was demonstrated time and again in one breathtaking diary entry after another, and yet I think this might be my very favorite photo of them of all.  A moment of everyday family life: Communication captured in such an arresting and charming way.  Ah, siblings!

Karolina is a professional chef, so her visual journal really hit its stride with this entry, wherein she shared vibrant photos of herself and baby Phoenix in their kitchen, whipping up a delicious batch of Garlic Scape Pesto from the contents of their CSA box.  Note to self: I would like to go eat at their house.

Sweet indeed.  Mary Catherine and her adorable kiddos traipsed through their Sling Diary entries, galavanting from Aquariums to weddings, from Museums to Disney World, and from playgrounds to beaches.  The only thing that outshone the fun they were having were their beaming faces.

As a lifelong bibliophile, I have to say that Molly and Nicolas' adorable jaunt to the library during their History post made its way straight into my heart.  I love how babywearing makes it so easy for parents and children to share each other's interests and worlds, and something elemental about that dynamic really came through in this entry.  It fit right in with Molly's series of fun, stylish, and relatable entries.

Oh, Olya!  She of the epically panoramic diary entries.  I couldn't get enough of the mountains, plains, and canyons she and her family hiked through during The Sling Diaries, but it was this sweet moment of mother-daugher connection from Olya's Love post that has stayed with me the most.  I also adore that we got to see the beauty and ease of carrying an older child in a sling thanks to four-year-old Anya, who was eager to snuggle up close to her mama for a ride.

Bekah is basically a bohemian goddess.  I loved following along with her and her kiddos through berry patches, enchanted woods, farmer's markets, thrift stores, while on vacation, and in the cozy light of their new home.  Need I expound on the fabness of the above photo?  I mean, seriously, how endearing can you be?  From her post on the theme of Exploration.

Carolee and Emerson really came to play for their Style-themed diary entry.  There were wardrobe changes.  Contrasting looks for half a dozen style scenarios.  The whole thing was, as Nina Garcia of Project Runway/Marie Claire fame would say, very editorial.  It was also incredibly tender and real.  I'll take a heart-melting photo spread like this any day over the flat, airbrushed ostentation of one found in your typical fashion magazine.

I have never met Jen and Dashiell, but I can tell from following along with their Sling Diary that they are both total charmers.  This fun exchange they shared in their Communication post made my day, and reminded me of the many times in my life that babywearing has facilitated a moment of levity or goofiness and enabled me to be a better, more easygoing parent.  I love that when being worn in a sling, babies learn how to be grown up at the exact same time that us parents have the privilege of feeling like a kid again.

Rachael and her family brought so much to The Sling Diaries: Twins.  Beautiful vistas and boat rides.  Breastfeeding.  Lots of daddy babywearing.  Even sibling babywearing!  Best of all was the down-to-earth relatable quality of this family and the love for each other that was captured in every post.  Unforgettable and inspiring. I couldn't get enough of the diary entry that detailed their visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Thank you for following along with all of these amazing blogs over the course of the last six months.  The Sling Diaries wouldn't be possible without such an enthusiastic and supportive audience sharing the babywearing love every week.  Now for one last bit of awesome before The Sling Diaries, Volume I, comes to a close:

Starting tomorrow, Sakura Bloom is hosting a special reader appreciation event to be held on the official Facebook page of The Sling Diaries. The event will unfold over the course of three days (September 11, 12, and 13) and will consist of multiple real-time giveaways with readers commenting to answer Sling Diary trivia questions to win exciting prizes.  Of course, the more people we have joining us for the trivia the more fun it will be, so hop right over there and "like" the page to stay in the loop...and tell your friends!

After the final reader contest, on Thursday, September 13, Sakura Bloom will announce the winning Diary on The Sling Diaries Facebook page!  Stay tuned, and have fun.