Parenting

Four Years Old (Eleanor’s Yearly Photo)

I took a monthly photo of Eleanor in the same Eames rocker, in the same spot in my living room, every month for the first two years of her life. (I did the same thing for her little brother, August, but in a different room.) When I came to the end of my two-year project, I decided to keep the tradition going, but to switch to yearly photographs at that point.

At first, I kept her outfit simple so that the focus would be on her as she grew, not what she was wearing. As she gets older, she has more of an opinion about what she wears. I’m letting her personality show by photographing her in the outfit of her choice.

Eleanor is four years old now. Here is her yearly photo.

Four Years Old (Eleanor's Yearly Photo)

Eleanor Balch, Four Years Old

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  • Ashly
    May 2, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    Okay. I see a definite pattern. :D

  • Erika
    May 2, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    Aww my little friend!! I hope she had a good birthday!

  • Brianne Heape
    May 2, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    Too cute, Eleanor! :)

  • kristi@SimplePrettyThings
    May 2, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    She is just such a classic beauty! It’s cool to see how much she changed from 2-3. My little girl just turned two! I just did a recap of her party on the blog.

  • Chatty
    May 2, 2013 at 7:52 pm

    I can’t believe it’s that fast, 4years, ive been reading your blog for 4 years now! :)

  • Catherine
    May 2, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    Oh, she is adorable! Happy Birthday, Eleanor. And I have to tell you that “rainbow toes” (as we call them) are very popular with my two boys right now. :)

    • Making it Lovely
      May 6, 2013 at 11:28 pm

      We call them “rainbow toes” too! I would do them for August, but there is NO WAY he’ll stay still long enough, so it’s just Eleanor that gets them for now.

  • Vicky Bunczk
    May 2, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    I was pregnant with my son Will while you where pregnant with Eleanor. Your due date was a few weeks before mine, but in a crazy twist, Will was born 3 months early (!), and Eleanor was due on Will’s due date. Will is my miracle baby – he’s just perfect, even being born so early – and I love every year when Eleanor’s birthday comes, thinking about how that year didn’t go as any of us expected. Happy birthday Eleanor!

  • Jen @ RamblingRenovators
    May 2, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    Oh I love her cute little smile and that twinkle in her eye!

  • Nat @ Made in Home
    May 3, 2013 at 3:40 am

    This is a great idea for capturing how (fat) children grow!

  • Kathleen
    May 3, 2013 at 8:09 am

    I can’t believe she’s already 4! Happy birthday, Eleanor!

  • Joy | Frock Files
    May 3, 2013 at 9:23 am

    She looks more and more like a blonde you! Happy birthday, Eleanor!

  • jacee kemper
    May 3, 2013 at 9:52 am

    knees together would’ve made for a more modest shot, but i know how hard it is to control little girls at that age. i remember my parents being mortified when sitting at my brothers graduation commencement, i kept lifting my dress over my head. i was also 4.

    • Making it Lovely
      May 6, 2013 at 11:30 pm

      She’s happy to strip down or lift her shirt/dress over her head. Not much concept of modesty with four-year-olds.

  • jbhat
    May 3, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Cheers to all of you. Four is so much fun.

    jbhat

  • On Hold | Making it Lovely
    May 3, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    […] about my frustration here), and two weeks in I’m having a hard time keeping productivity up. Yesterday’s photo of Eleanor was an all-day process just to import images from my camera, select one, and edit it! I have new […]

  • jodi
    May 3, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    how is she FOUR already? that is just crazy to me. such a cutie pie! happy birthday, eleanor!

  • Crista
    May 3, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    It is cute you did this! I hope you have them framed!

  • Lydia
    May 3, 2013 at 11:06 pm

    Wow! Time really flies – I can’t believe she is 4 already! She looks so happy :)

  • Little Gray Pixel
    May 4, 2013 at 2:10 am

    I’m sorry, it just doesn’t seem possible that she is 4 years old already. Kids grow too fast.

  • Angie
    May 4, 2013 at 6:59 am

    Love this tradition!! My girl’s four also and she’s been completely deprived of creative documentation. Will be so special for Eleanor when she’s older!

  • Carina
    May 5, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    That’s so disciplined. I tried something similar with an oversized bear and my daughter as a baby but didn’t stick it out so mong. I might have to revisit the photos and make a ten year comparison.