Babys First Year Blog
Recording The Small Moments [Video]
![smallmonets 300x225 Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://cdn.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/files/2011/08/smallmonets.jpg "smallmonets")
A small moment.
Baby’s first year is filled with highs and lows.
Long, sleepless nights that lead to endless days during which you’re so tired it hurts. Watching your baby recognize you and smile for the first time. Diaper blowouts. Greeting a laughing baby in the morning.
Maybe because we’re so exhausted we have a tendency to only document or videotape the momentous occasions; baby’s first bath, first food, crawling, grandpa holding baby… But we forget to document the stuff we’ll want to remember.
Years from now, when our babies are grown and have left home, when their sweet, little voices are just echos in our minds, we’ll long for the small moments, to remember what it was really like when the family was just hanging around together, being silly.
Next time you find yourself in the middle of a joyful small moment, pick up your camera and press record. Don’t make it obvious or everyone changes. They mug for the camera, they start to “perform”. Just quietly observe and record your family in their “natural habitat”. You may find those small moments stand head and shoulders above the big moments.
For example: I recently found the video below in my computer. It’s my family hanging out in my office which doubles as the kids’ playroom. The video cracks me up on so many levels. Henry is just hanging out watching the world unfold. Violet is her usual busy bee self, touching this, jiggling that, talking to herself. And then there is Serge. It’s hard to tell who’s having the most fun. He does that a lot. Starts playing with Violet and becomes so enamored with whatever toy (Legos, Tinker Toys, crayons) she’s playing with that he forgets he’s dad for a minute and regresses to his childhood.
Just like this:
This. This is how I want to remember my family.
![Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://blogs.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/wp-content/plugins/pixelstats/trackingpixel.php?post_id=15739&ts=1337838912 "Recording The Small Moments [Video]"){kind=tracking}
![2 100x100 Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://cdn.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/files/2011/07/2-100x100.jpg "Recording The Small Moments [Video]")
![monitor 100x100 Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://cdn.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/files/2011/09/monitor-100x100.jpg "Recording The Small Moments [Video]")
![1638 320x240 20110829 d 100x100 Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://cdn.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/files/2011/08/1638__320x240_20110829_d-100x100.jpg "Recording The Small Moments [Video]")
![Screen shot 2011 11 05 at 9.27.03 PM 100x100 Recording The Small Moments [Video]](http://cdn.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/files/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-05-at-9.27.03-PM-100x100.png "Recording The Small Moments [Video]")
Go Back To Babys First Year Blog
10 Comments
Jessica commented on Aug 18 11 at 2:58 pmThis morning, I was laughing quietly at my older son who was playing with his toys in the other room. The little “plays” he acts out with his cars are hilarious! (Once in a while, Mater gets called a dumbass, we’re working on that). I decided to quietly set up the camera and record. While I didn’t get exactly what I wanted, I got a pretty awesome/funny video he’ll get a kick out of when he’s older!
Jacinda commented on Aug 18 11 at 6:17 pmLove that.
Jimmy commented on Aug 19 11 at 9:10 amYou’re videos are what have inspired me to get a new video camera. It’s not so much for the big events – birthdays, holidays, etc – it’s for capturing the day-to-day life. The “small moments” that make up the big picture are what I find fascinating. Thanks.
May commented on Aug 19 11 at 9:13 am“That’s mine. I’m using that.” Pure awesome. I love watching how excited men get over toys. My son is not even a year old and my husband takes him down the toy aisle every time we go shopping. The man seriously cannot wait until he can play Legos with the child. So cute.
Debbie commented on Aug 19 11 at 9:54 amToo funny hearing Serge say “that’s mine” and getting Violet to give him the toy.
joni commented on Aug 19 11 at 11:40 amWe just moved our youngest daughter out of the house to attend school. I knew from the time our kids were born that this day would come, but did not look forward to it. And it came too fast! Cherish the giggles, little voices, even the big voices, the messes, and the love. I love that our kids have grown into wonderful adults, and we look forward to their futures. But, I am still trying to figure out where the time went!
Elizabeth B commented on Aug 19 11 at 12:23 pmI wish I’d had access to the kind of technology we have today when my kids were little (in the 80/early 90s). We didn’t even own a video camera then and had to rent one of those huge ones for special occasions. So I only have a few videos and some audio tapes from when they were babies, and that’s it, and now my kids are 26 and 23 and live eight hours away. It really does go by way too fast. I have two incredibly adorable grandsons who are 4 and 2, and I miss them all so much it hurts. I’m glad you are enjoying this time with your kids!
Kristen commented on Aug 20 11 at 9:35 pmYou’re watching Toy Story right? I recognized the song. It’s from the scene where Buzz is in denial that he isn’t a toy and he tries to fly. lol
Tammy commented on Aug 21 11 at 1:43 pmMy future! That is so much like my hubby. My daughter is only 7 months but he already buys toys for HER….yeah right. He plays with them too. Haha
SNSinNC commented on Aug 22 11 at 2:44 pmMy dad does this all the time (now – we didn’t have a video camera growing up). He sets up the camera and tapes our son at meals. We have one at 11 months, one at 16 or so months, and one at 20 months. It’s so amazing to just have an hour of him babbling and eating and playing with people, but it’s something I’d never think to do.
Add your take:
Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.
Comments are delayed up to 15 minutes
Lauren Jimeson 
Lauren Hartmann 
Emily Elling 
Meredith Carroll 
Emily Malone 
Molly Thornberg 
Selena Burgess 
Casey Mullins 
Madeline Petersen 
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.
10