I take dozens of photos of Baby Bird daily. Dozens. Daily. Most are of her angelic face. I want to capture every moment I can because, before I know it, my baby won’t be a baby.

But don’t expect to see those pictures online. 

It might seem naive, but Mr. T and I would like Baby Bird to have the protection we had growing up, when special photos were shared from person-to-person, not person-to-500-plus online friends. 

We want our families to see how she’s growing, but not the Facebook “friend” we think is married to my second cousin’s daughter. Or the “friend” from elementary school whose name Mr. T can’t remember.

Once a photo is on the Web, there’s no real way to control who can access it or how it might be used. That worries us.

So we’ve decided to hold something back for the sake of Baby Bird’s privacy, and that something happens to be her face.

It’s a difficult road for me to walk. I’ve started a website that’s primarily focused on the child I’m refusing to show. I’m trying to respect her privacy, but I’m sharing anecdotes about her childhood. I’m trying to connect with moms and dads around the world, but I’m knowingly holding back.

Like I said, it’s a rough road.

I hope that, years from now, Baby Bird appreciates that we tried to guard her anonymity. I hope parents who post pics won’t feel they’re being judged. They’re doing what’s best for their families — and what they do is their business.

I also hope that this decision — one we believe is in our child’s best interest — won’t put off readers.

So, for the time being, you’ll only get a birds-eye view of my daughter.

But since you’ll have such a great vantage point, please, please, PLEASE comment with any tips or suggestions for managing her crown of curls.

I’m a curly girl and I’m doing what I can, but I was not prepared for all this.