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July 19, 2004
Cinema C-Section
Although I swore I wasn't going to do it I did indeed take the video camera into the delivery room when Jack was born. I think at that point I wasn't thinking clearly and was just trying to do the "right" things that I thought needed to be done.
I've let the tape sit since I shot it. Part of me was afraid of what I filmed. (It was a C-section after all.) With Fabulous Babe's family here the notion of viewing it has come up a few times. Figuring that I should make sure it is fit for family consumption I sat down to watch it last night by myself. Here are some of my thoughts:
A.) No man should ever try to film the birth of his own child. You're distracted, sometimes babbling and worse you're just trying to capture everything. Parts of this make me dizzy.
B.) I did have presence of mind not to shoot anything I shouldn't. At least now if you visit us there won't be an awkward moment of horror as parts of my wife never meant for public display appear on the television.
C.) The doctor and nursing staff were singing as I walked into the theatre. I like a surgical team so comfortable with the task at hand they feel they can sing. That sets me at ease.
D.) In an odd coincidence a song from our wedding CD was playing when Jack was born. Stranger still it was the Barenaked Ladies. This weird Canadian theme in our lives is getting out of hand.
E.) Hearing my wife crying and asking to see Jack just after he emerged is now one of my favorite memories of all time.
F.) Some kind soul picked the camera up and shot footage after I set the camera down to hold Jack up to Fabulous Babe’s head. It’s a little weird seeing myself on camera.
There’s a lot of sloppy shooting and a bit more jostling that I wanted to see. You can hear all of the “I love you!” moments however and that’s what is most important. When I’m old and blind I’ll still be able to hear my son being born, my wife crying for joy and the Barenaked Ladies singing:
“So if you call, I will answer. If you fall, I’ll pick you up.”
Which are the lyrics that got it onto our wedding CD in the first place and remain as true today for my son now as my then soon to be wife 4 years ago.
Posted by Jim at July 19, 2004 05:22 AM