Parenting

Eleanor’s First Year (Video Montage)


Eleanor’s First Year (Montage) from Nicole Balch on Vimeo.
Music: “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by The Living Sisters.

I’ve finally finished the video I wanted to make, so that’s one more item crossed off the 30 Before Thirty list. I’ve also had prints made of my many, many photographs to be put in albums, so that takes care of another! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video. Brandon and I do, and I’m sure my mom will like it.

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  • Annie
    August 16, 2010 at 9:22 am

    This video is so sweet, and the music is the pitch perfect compliment. If she doesn’t already, I’m sure Miss Eleanor just love watching her video is the year’s to come.

  • Catherine
    August 16, 2010 at 9:24 am

    Delightful!

  • Mrs. Kinne
    August 16, 2010 at 9:26 am

    This is beautiful, and Eleanor has the most expressive little face!

  • Christa
    August 16, 2010 at 9:33 am

    Eleanor is SO adorable! Love the video.

  • lala
    August 16, 2010 at 9:35 am

    That’s such a precious memory of Eleanor’s first year. Best wishes for many more joyous years! And congratulations again on the new bean.

    Our little ones are very similar in age – Ellie was born April 21, 2009 and we’re expecting baby number two around March 4, 2011.

  • Paty Fontes
    August 16, 2010 at 9:48 am

    Lovely!!!! she is adorable!

  • Erika
    August 16, 2010 at 9:57 am

    Thanks for sharing this with us! It’s amazing to see how much she’s grown over this past year. Has it really been a year?!?!? Wow – time gets away!

  • Ellen
    August 16, 2010 at 10:00 am

    Great video…Eleanor is so very cute!

  • cynthia
    August 16, 2010 at 10:01 am

    I love the video. Isn’t it amazing to look back at how much she has grown over the year?! I do it all the time with my baby book of my son. He’s 3 now and so it goes by so fast.

  • Jane
    August 16, 2010 at 10:05 am

    How perfectly lovely.

  • Your Mother
    August 16, 2010 at 10:06 am

    Oh Nicole, how beautiful! So fun to see how much Eleanor has grown this past year and how expressive her personality has become. Just lovely.

    • Making it Lovely
      August 16, 2010 at 1:54 pm

      See, I knew my mom would like this. ;)

  • Mélo
    August 16, 2010 at 10:07 am

    You did a really nice job!!! Eleanor is beautiful!

  • Kris Mays
    August 16, 2010 at 10:16 am

    That was so sweet!

  • Melanie
    August 16, 2010 at 10:17 am

    this is soooo cute!!! I love it!! Your baby is just adorable!!

  • Jaime Runs
    August 16, 2010 at 10:23 am

    SO precious. She is going to love this when she’s old enough to appreciate it.

  • Shreya
    August 16, 2010 at 10:25 am

    What a beautiful video.
    Thank you for sharing it :)

  • katevp
    August 16, 2010 at 10:33 am

    oh man! that little gal of yours makes some of the best faces I have ever seen! she is very cute and very very expressive!!

  • erika edith
    August 16, 2010 at 10:40 am

    What a great idea – Eleanor has grown so much. Thank you for sharing.

  • Ann
    August 16, 2010 at 10:40 am

    Well, I cried, and I immediately bought the album. Mission accomplished.

  • Christine
    August 16, 2010 at 10:41 am

    So, so sweet. What a perfect little keepsake, that squishy face in the bath is still my fav pic! Congratulations on one year!!

  • Emily
    August 16, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Priceless!!

  • Cristina
    August 16, 2010 at 10:44 am

    Awww I absolutely loved this!

  • Making it Lovely | Transforming the so-so. » Blog Archive » 30 Before Thirty
    August 16, 2010 at 10:46 am

    […] Print the bajillion photos I have stored on my computer and put them in albums. (Done!) […]

  • Ally
    August 16, 2010 at 10:51 am

    Adorable. Simply adorable!

  • Ashley
    August 16, 2010 at 11:20 am

    I love it, When I have kids I want to make one or two or three. lol

  • Jules
    August 16, 2010 at 11:27 am

    That was just impossibly awesome. Sniff.

  • Katie
    August 16, 2010 at 11:42 am

    Oh my gosh..so beautiful! Thanks for sharing and brightening my Monday morning!

  • luuve
    August 16, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    wonderful..just wonderful….and the song makes me cry…

  • kat
    August 16, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    I love that one of her asleep between the sofa and the cabinet, too funny! I’m sure you’ll treasure that video forever, that was great!

    do you use a video camera for the video bits or just your regular digital camera?

  • Amanda Wray
    August 16, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    Really nice video, way better than the ones I make hahah

    my daughter is 17 months old, we seem to have to have the same taste in clothes haha saw a bunch of the same clothes my haylia has on your daughter

  • Kris
    August 16, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    This is so sweet! I love it!

  • tara
    August 16, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    So sweet. She’s just adorable. Love the daddy-daughter photos. And the one where she’s in the sink. What a great tribute to a great little girl!

  • Katie F.
    August 16, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    Oh.. I got little tears. So beautiful.

  • Daria
    August 16, 2010 at 1:04 pm

    It’s so beautiful, it brought tears in my eyes. I have to the same for my daughter who is almost three. You are a beautiful family.

  • Nuit
    August 16, 2010 at 1:15 pm

    adorable!! made my day =D

  • melissa
    August 16, 2010 at 1:20 pm

    ah, you’ve officially made me cry today!

  • Beth Anne
    August 16, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    Not only did you cross it off your before 30 list, you did a stellar job on the video too! You should be proud!

  • Christina
    August 16, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    That was the cutest thing ever!

  • Lyn W.
    August 16, 2010 at 1:54 pm

    Oh wow I hope I have an photogenic baby just like Eleanor. I simply love that song!

  • Carol Turner
    August 16, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    Absolutely darling! Thank you for making me smile on this Monday!

  • Nikki
    August 16, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    Absolutely excellent. My wife and I are going to start trying in November, and so this stuff just pushes ALL our buttons… I can not WAIT to see all the elements a little person will breathe into our life.

  • Amanda
    August 16, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    This just made my day. So sweet!

  • Barbara
    August 16, 2010 at 2:24 pm

    This is just beautiful. I looked forward to the next picture each month. This just topped it all. Enjoy every moment of Eleanor’s life, because in a blink of an eye she will be married having chrildren of her own. Thank you for sharing her first year with us.

  • Gina
    August 16, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    Adorable! Where do you get Eleanor’s clothes? They are so cute! I have a four month old…and I am always on the lookout for alternative clothing resources…thanks!

    • Making it Lovely
      August 17, 2010 at 8:58 am

      Her clothes are mostly from Old Navy, baby Gap, and Target.

  • Reichel
    August 16, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    How fun that we are preggers together :) I will definitely be waiting to see how the nursery gets updated over there! xoxox, Reichel

  • jbhat
    August 16, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    I think that was just precious, and it brought a wee tear to my eye. My own little one turns one this week, and I am sure that she too cannot know just how glad I am about her.

    jbhat

  • mwags
    August 16, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Just so lovely! Thanks for sharing!

  • Maureen
    August 16, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    That’s beautiful, Nicole, and what a treasure for Eleanor to have when she is older. It brought a smile to my face. You and Brandon are VERY, VERY LUCKY! I think Eleanor is lucky, too.

  • Alison
    August 16, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    You are amazing! So is your daughter. Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us. Congrats on no. 2 on the way!

  • Jenny
    August 16, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    Awwwww! That’s so cute and sweet and just plain adorable! Eleanor is such a cutie! Thanks for sharing!

  • Grace
    August 16, 2010 at 6:59 pm

    This is a lovely video. I found myself talking to Eleanor as I watched it. I can’t help it. The little ones steal my heart.

  • Laura
    August 16, 2010 at 7:03 pm

    That shot of her crawling towards the camera may be the most precious thing I’ve ever seen. Wonderful job, and congratulations on your pregnancy!

  • Laura
    August 16, 2010 at 7:29 pm

    She is just adorable! It is amazing to see how fast little ones change. You did a wonderful job on the video.

    Do you mind sharing which site or software you used to make it?

    • Making it Lovely
      August 17, 2010 at 8:59 am

      I used iMovie on my Mac.

      • Laura
        August 17, 2010 at 7:01 pm

        Thank you!

  • stephanie
    August 16, 2010 at 7:36 pm

    I LOVE it!

  • Carla T
    August 16, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    Awww…that was so sweet. I love the video of her crawling!! What program did you use to make this?

    • Making it Lovely
      August 17, 2010 at 9:00 am

      Someone else just asked right above you too. I used iMovie (and this was the first thing I’ve made with it, so it was pretty easy).

  • FabulousTerrah
    August 16, 2010 at 7:54 pm

    *tear* Bravo! Bravo!

  • Funnelcloud Rachel
    August 16, 2010 at 8:02 pm

    I love this! I love the clip of her crawling and then peering into the camera!

    I always have grand plans to make many more videos than I do – of course, I don’t have a baby for subject matter – only dogs!

  • Courtney
    August 16, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    LOVE it. My little girl is due in just a few weeks. This made me tear up – beautiful job. What a tribute to your daughter.

  • Tori @ FIToriBLOG.com
    August 16, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    What did you use to put this altogether? iDVD on a Mac?

  • Jaimie
    August 16, 2010 at 10:27 pm

    Precious! I did one of these too and am starting another for the 2nd year (birthday is in less than 2 weeks though!) Better get a move on.

  • greengirl
    August 16, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    Well, now you’ve gone and made me cry! Only because that was so delightful and sweet and lovely – thank you for sharing the video.

  • michelle
    August 16, 2010 at 11:13 pm

    great great job!!!! Eleanor will love this sooooo much when she is older, she will know how much love she had in her 1st year even if she can’t remember it.

  • jessica
    August 17, 2010 at 12:33 am

    LOVE this.
    and the crawling video is the BEST one I’ve ever seen!

  • Elizabeth
    August 17, 2010 at 2:24 am

    Oh golly… I did fine until the segment of video where she’s crawling towards the camera, then I totally got all teary. I’ve got a serious case of cute baby envy!

    This is going to be such a treat for her when she’s older :)

  • Jenifer
    August 17, 2010 at 2:45 am

    Thank You for sharing this wonderful video! You have captured Eleanor’s expressions and moods perfectly.She is one of the sweetest babies I have ever seen.

  • Stephanie
    August 17, 2010 at 4:46 am

    So beautiful. I cried like a baby. You captured her first year so well. I can’t believe how quickly time passes.

  • Julie
    August 17, 2010 at 6:39 am

    Love this so much….what a great job you did. Thanks for sharing with us!

  • Heather
    August 17, 2010 at 8:38 am

    PRECIOUS!

  • Karen
    August 17, 2010 at 8:55 am

    This is so heart-touching…I could watch it over and over!!! A beautiful keepsake from a beautiful Mom! Thank you for all the sharing of *you*!

  • Tracy
    August 17, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Awww. She’s adorable! You can really see how she’s grown and changed over the year.

    The comments above say you’re expecting again? Congrats!

  • Silvia
    August 17, 2010 at 3:10 pm

    What’s the name of the song? I LOVE it!

  • Victoria H.
    August 17, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    How beautiful Eleanor is!! What kind of camera do you use?

    • Making it Lovely
      August 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm

      I have a Flip for video footage, and I use a Canon EOS Digital Rebel (DSLR) and a Canon G10 for photos.

  • Tara Jane
    August 17, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    WHAT A SWEET PEA. I LOVE THE CRAWLING VIDEO. CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW LITTLE ONE.

  • Fiona
    August 17, 2010 at 9:30 pm

    Just adorable! The soundtrack was perfect too :) I’m off to check that one out right now.

  • Kenziepoo
    August 18, 2010 at 4:07 am

    She is so adorable!! Love this video… Great job

  • Amee
    August 18, 2010 at 7:40 am

    As we say in our house, this is like 7 different kinds of awesomeness. It made my day, and I love the song.

  • Monique
    August 18, 2010 at 10:11 am

    This is so wonderful! I’m sure it took you some much time to pick out each picture and put it all together! You are so inspiring!

  • amy j.
    August 18, 2010 at 10:33 am

    First time commenting…

    LOVE the video. I’ve done those before for my girls…always a pretty emotional thing for a mama.

    I love how you capture her on a daily basis…she will look back on those photos and this video one day and know without a doubt how much you guys adored her, which is the best gift any one person can ever get!

    And I will definitely have to borrow that song for a client gallery for sure!! : )

  • Barb F (Australia)
    August 18, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    That was super, super cute. You have a beautiful family Nicole.

  • julie harman
    August 18, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Beautiful.

  • wanderluster
    August 19, 2010 at 7:46 am

    So heartwarming Nicole. Its fun not only to see Eleanor grow up but also see glimpses of your daily life. I get a sense of your cozy home, those days where you’re working and Eleanor is crawling around the office, those little things she does that make you and Brandon laugh. That’ll be a nice memory for her when she’s older.

    I love the music you chose! Have you ever posted a playlist? You have great taste and style so I’m sure I’d like what you listen to as well.

  • Samantha
    August 19, 2010 at 10:42 am

    I LOVE it! She is the cutest. Congratulations!! Thank you for sharing!

  • Bridget
    August 19, 2010 at 11:37 am

    You did the greatest job with this! I love the live video intermingled with the snapshots and that little Eleanor is such a love! Congrats :)

  • Jen
    August 19, 2010 at 4:03 pm

    So Lovely!!!
    Also…Katamari prince! Love that!

  • April Johnson
    August 20, 2010 at 9:18 am

    So beautiful! I love the “I’d rather be drinking blood” shirt for Halloween. Cracked me up.

  • Heidi
    August 23, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    Sweetness!!!

  • bridget b.
    August 24, 2010 at 3:48 pm

    that was beautiful.

  • claire
    September 8, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    Oh so sweet!

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    September 23, 2010 at 12:13 pm

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  • Nuha
    October 21, 2010 at 10:35 am

    This was incredibly sweet…I love the way you added a small video clip in the middle. Simply beautiful, wish you many more years to come Eleanor!

  • Gill
    January 14, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Adorable from start to finish. And so many pretty outfits :)

  • Jordana
    September 1, 2011 at 1:04 pm

    hi, this website is absolutely good!!!! I am sure that Im coming back to see postings!

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