Video: Alexander’s First Year
A video I made for distant friends and family, showing a bunch of photos and footage of Shakes in his first year on this wonderful world we call Terra.
It’s my first ever attempt to edit a video together (which is polite-talk for “Amateur as fuck”) and it took me about 4 hours to do. As Alex’s photos are still spread across 800 computers belonging to several people, there are a lot of family members and events that didn’t make it into this, but I did my best with the photos I had in easy reach.
I tried to thread a narrative through it, with photos on the verses and video on the choruses, telling a little tale and speeding up as it goes along.
Excuse the black bars early on from my phone being vertical. I was young and reckless. Looks best in 1080p and full-screen, natch.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden 
Oh man the n00b-mug-shot was by far the best. “Just like his father!” as Snape once said.
I approve of the Matilda music. Babies are inspiring little blighters. My sister is due for her first any day now, I really cannot wait to meet my first niece/nephew. My humble thanks to Katie, who gave me some advice on what my sister would need for the first few months at the BL-Weekender.
I wasn’t going to watch this, after all, I follow your blog because you’re a great writer and a funny man, but obv I don’t know you, you made the vid for friends and family, of which I neither, and anyway, what do I care about babies anyway.
But I did watch it, and now want to be a Dad. Fuck you for that Aaron. Fuck you very much.
That was the best! Thank you so much! *Hugs from the far-off Ohio, USA for you, Katie and Alexander!*
“disabled”
Adorable!
Smallest Space Marine, ready for action!
I feel really creepy watching this for the 3rd time… But when its the internet its not really stalking is it?
Such an awesome baby – true cossack =)
I would have liked to watch the vid but I can’t. Something about living in the wrong country. Boooo.
Apparently it’s blocked in Germany because of the song. Madness, I tells ya.
Indeed! Heh. It’s the curse of Germany. I get that a lot. Maybe a few Night Lords can pay a visit to the people responsible.
That was awesome man! I wish you and the family the best!
Keep up the awesome writing to man š
That was a lovely video. I’ve only now gotten around to watching it. Happy birthday to Alex.
Abigail’s first birthday (not including the day she was born) is about a week away. I’m very much inspired to surreptitiously make a video of my own. See if I can spring it on Marly and the rest of the fam, and provoke some tears.
Man, your kid ambulates better than mine. Abigoule is only just mastering crawling, and pulling herself up into a standing position.
Speaking is her thing.
Spuh.
I think all the guides give really generous markers for the stuff like walking, talking, etc. because it all averages out. I mean, Alexander’s considered very quick to develop by our health visitors (standing at 8-9 months; walking at 11 months, walking unaided and properly at 13; first word “Cat” at a year; has 20 or so words by 15 months) but apparently I was the same, and I’m pathetically normal in every way.
Also, a lot of kids (apparently; so sayeth the guides) crawl a lot later now, and walk a bit earlier, because they end up hating Tummy Time from sleeping on their backs to avoid SIDs. The video’s a little disingenuous in that regard, because he only crawled for about a week.
I can’t wait for Abigail’s vid, man. You’re surely one of the best dads ever.
Ah, Abigoule has days when she definitely prefers her mum – anytime we’re away from home, weirdly. But I think I do okay, in the dad stakes.
The vid is pretty much ready. I’ll email it your way when it’s done, around Bigoule’s birthday.
Thanks for posting that, you have a beautiful family. I usually throw out the cliched–but true–advice about the time going too quickly, and making sure you are slowing down and enjoying those early years, but you guys obviously are, so I’ll shut up now.
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