Video Resolution
Hygiene Chronicles | May 17Have you ever had a day that was just terrible? Happens to us every now and then. You know what perks us right up? Watching movies of our son. There is nothing better than popping in a tape and laughing at events remembering times past.
We have a particular favorite spot in the tape where our son is taking a bath. He’s about one and just graduated out the Safety 1st tub ring (btw, does EVERYONE have this thing or what?). In this video, he’s learning all about buoyancy and getting lost in the multitude of bubbles. I swear, this kid can play in the tub for hours, so it’s a great time to set the video camera up and just let him do his thing.
A few weeks ago, Hygiene Dad #2 says, “Let’s watch the next tape when he older.”
My heart froze. I looked over and said, “Geez, I think it’s still in the video camera. In fact, I’m not sure what the last event was.”
We hooked the camera up to the TV and watched the last footage; July 2004; his 2nd birthday. And I realized I hadn’t taken a movie of him in almost two years. CRAP. All that time passed and we missed it.
Let’s not even think about when I convinced Dad #2 on why I needed this video camera that cost nearly a mortgage payment. “Do we really need something this fancy?” he said. “We want the best for our son, don’t we?” I’d reply. (That translates: Do you know how cool I’ll look at the kid’s soccer games with this mini-cam?)
But then, I’d gotten so accustomed to the digital camera, that it was just easier that shooting video. Thus the video camera suffered two years of neglect and we now suffer a lifetime of not watching him move from toddlerhood to the little-man stage.
How many times do we think it would be so funny to get something on tape while s/he still does that action? Silly little things like when he first learns to run holding his arms behind him, when he plays at sink filling measuring cups with water, or when he lifts up his shirt to show off his man dots.
Life goes pretty quick. He’ll soon be in kindergarten, then his teenage years, and eventually off to college. I’m not sure I want to forget all these memories that make him who he is…that makes me his dad. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to preserve something for a lifetime.
Maybe it’s time to figure out where I stashed the video camera.
I realized this same thing not too long ago, but my digital camera has a movie function that we use quite a bit so I guess I don’t feel as guilty!
(BTW, not that you’re still using it, but the CPSC wants those bath seats highly revamped, if not eliminated altogether. Just FYI for those still using them.)
Funny. I mentioned your story to a friend of mine today and she said that the same thing happened to her recently. She also said that studies have shown that video cameras are the least-used piece of equipment in every household.
I’d say that’s true in our house too but I don’t even know where our camera is.
My parents bought us a video camera in the hopes that we’d tape our girl and send them the tapes. (HA!) Every time I get out the camera, she stops doing whatever adorable thing she’d been engaged in and stares at me. Even with a tripod she notices when I turn the thing on. I’m trying to work out how to stealthily tape her, so that we can document those adorable things she does.