Why I (Don't) Blog

A friend recently wrote me: if you treat the blog as a chore, you'll never update it.

In truth, blogging has never been a chore for me. Here's why I do it:

* Above all, as a space to reflect on my experiences as a parent generally, a stay-at-home dad specifically
* A creative outlet
* A way to update distant family and friends about a very special little boy
* A vanity project (it's a blog, right?)

I think my drop-off in posting has a lot of reasons. Now that I'm working 4 days/week, there is less time for reflection. It's back to the grind, so to speak, and moreso than I wish. My work demands a lot of my creativity (that's good, I think). The day I spend at home with the Monkey is usually somewhat more regimented than it used to be, with chores and errands. There is less time for a creative outing, like the Zoo, the Arboretum, a museum on the Mall, or others. It's hard enough to carve out space for me and the Monkey Mama, and I make that a priority over blogging. And sleep, precious sleep, is still too elusive.

Another reason is the Monkey. He is hard to keep up with, literally and figuratively. Literally, because he is walking. Figuratively, because he is developing so much and in so many ways. He is on the cusp of speech. His sense of humor is manifesting itself. His ability to imitate behaviors is growing (and cute). He is so evidently enjoying himself in the world we share together that it is harder for me to obtain critical distance, to separate myself from him for reflection. And as the externalization of his development continues to accelerate, I don't know how my words could keep up.