The Long Lost Labor Footage

Nine months ago, today, I was breathing hard into my hands as Hal ran around my hospital room with the camera, making faces, talking about his teeth, laughing at the fact that I was writhing in agony.

The usual "husband as labor coach" type stuff.

Editing this video I couldn't help but think of Britney and Kevin's Chaotic (remember that trainwreck?) and how WTF I was watching it, how refined I felt my relationship with Hal was in comparison.

HA! PSYCHE!





I also couldn't help but think, "Yes. Thank you. Yes."

Today also happens to be Hal's 35th birthday, which means he is now of "advanced maternal age" aka if we ever have another baby I'm going to make him get an amnio just because.

(Hal, Thank you for continuing to make me laugh through life's many labors. I love you.)

BEC

105 comments:

Karen (miscmum) | 1:23 AM

I'm smiling, smiling. That was so precious, I loved it. Happy 9 months (and happy birthday Hal) indeed.

Kate | 1:27 AM

great video, I laughed my ass off! Happy 9 months, Fable and the two of you.

Krystal | 2:03 AM

That was freaking funny! Did Hal ever paint his teeth? That line is what did me in!
Happy Birthday Hal!
Happy 9 months Fable!

Kecia Greer | 2:58 AM

Hal is hilarious. Seriously, good catch on your part.

Rosanna =) | 3:10 AM

Great video to watch while my six-week old doesn't want to sleep after nursing!

It's 4 am.

Unknown | 3:32 AM

Hilarious! Fable is gonna love that. Happy 9 months and Happy bd Hal!

Larry & Tara | 4:27 AM

that video was amazing...i could not stop laughing at Hal. He is too funny. i think i would've killed my husband if he would've been talking like that while i was giving birth. would've used the same words you did.

Erin | 4:52 AM

Happy Bday Hal!

Cate S | 5:25 AM

Hilarious and beautiful, loved it.

Jasmine | 5:27 AM

Wow, I could not stop laughing!! And then the end shot with Fable holding your hand with her two tiny ones was almost too much. What a wonderful life. Happy Birthday, Hal, and happy nine-months to you all.

mommymae | 5:36 AM

you had me laughing & crying all in 5:37. and molly, apparently, thinks hal is hilarious.

happy birthday, hal.

happy 9 months, all 4

Anonymous | 5:45 AM

Isn't it wonderful how most of life's unplanned things turn out to feel sooooooo right.

Congratulations!!

Sybil | 5:53 AM

Ooh, I'm all gooey inside. I love your stories.

Cara | 5:54 AM

Hysterical video... happy 9 months to Fable & birthday to Hall!

Anonymous | 5:55 AM

Happy birthday, Hal. Your teeth are very nice. Now stop flossing and go make your wife a drink. She earned it.

MeganL | 6:05 AM

This made me laugh so hard! But also a little scared. I'm pregnant and wondering what my husband will do. Of course the ending made me bawl. You have such a beautiful family.

Kendra | 6:20 AM

That was a terrific video. And you two have an amazing sense of humor that you didn't actually throttle him during the teeth discussion!

When my oldest was young, this was a major milestone: when he'd lived outside my body for as long as he'd lived in it. It seemed like he now belonged more to the world and less just to me. With my second and third, it's been less profound; I guess with them, I already knew that it would just get better and better, that letting go a little bit made me able to enjoy them more. But that 9-month mark has always been an emotional one to me.

Maternal Mirth | 6:25 AM

I am going to have to go with Mr. Hal-lerious, there and commend him on the great shot and I also have to give you high-5ers for flipping the bird whilst in the throes of labor... YOU GUYS ROCK!

Brittany | 6:36 AM

This is the greatest! I cannot believe you could be so calm and collected during contractions and "veneer talk". Thanks for sharing this personal video-- loved it!

Sarah VM | 6:55 AM

I would have gotten up out of that bed contractions and all and beat his veneer ass!

It was funny though!

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph | 7:06 AM

Oh my gosh I loved every single minute of this and then you got me in the end. All choked up.

Steph

Anonymous | 7:09 AM

Hal is so cute, although I would have smacked him one (um, if able to stand, that is).

Congrats on 9 months :)

Jenn (There's Your Karma) | 7:10 AM

You guys need a show.

Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com | 7:35 AM

9 months already?! Happy 9 months to both of you!!

Petunia Face | 7:38 AM

Best. Labor. Vid. EVER.

And I'm a leeeetle bit in love with your husband now--that dude is funny.

Adorable, the whole lot of you!

cassie | 7:41 AM

This movie was too perfect! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time! Aiden (3 years) was watching with me. He has a baby in his belly and he will name it Aiden. Happy Birthday Hal!

NOELLE ALOUD | 7:42 AM

Hal is a funny, funny man. And you are a SAINT for putting up with that during labor. He's lucky he still has teeth, as far as I'm concerned.

Happy Birthday, Hal. Happy 9 months, GGC family!

Jelena | 7:42 AM

Hilarious! Why do they make you stay in bed? You are amazing. At least I got to walk around!

Kristy | 7:55 AM

Fantastic. He doesn't need the veneers. Just sayin'.....

Katy | 8:15 AM

Happy 9 mos Fable and Happy birthday, HAL....... I'm so glad your wife is the amazing woman that she is, for if that would have been me with you, giving birth, I WOULD HAVE KILT (intentionally misspelled for dramatic effect) YOU!

:-)

Jess | 8:24 AM

Hal is A RIOT!

Lauren | 8:35 AM

Wow - you make it look so easy! Your video made me have contractions. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous | 8:42 AM

Makes me tear up, hearing those early cries. Congrats!

Chelsea | 8:53 AM

Hal has great teeth...and he's hilarious.

Fable is gorgeous and amazing...

You guys crack me up & should have shown that sooner- what a great video. Loves it!

Good job mommy!

Barb | 8:56 AM

Seriously, I would have kicked Hal's ass. I attempted a non-medicated birth and it is NO JOKING MATTER. I was pissed when the nurses even tried to talk to my husband. He was BUSY. Helping me NOT DIE. I ended up with an epidural but I pushed for two hours. I am jealous of your five minutes of pushing!

Fable was a gorgeous little newborn and she's still beautiful!

I'm anxious to hear how transitioning into her crib went (my boy is 3 months old and still co-sleeping and I am afraid of the future transition!)

Susan | 9:22 AM

It's so awesome that the chemo didn't make him lose his sense of humor. So brave!

Sarah | 9:48 AM

Seriously this shit is FUCKING HYSTERICAL! Although I am sure you were far from amused at the time. But, like seriously though WTF? hahaha, wow dude.

pattie | 10:04 AM

So funny. At one point I think Hal had really forgotten you were in labor. He was so involived in his teeth!!

lonek8 | 10:20 AM

that was so funny - so much better than the usual type labor footage - you will actually enhoy watching that over and over again. And good for you for actually taping the whole thing. We got footage of the labor for our first baby (which was then mostly taped over by footage of meeting grandparents for the first time, whoops), but the second and third kids got completely shafted on the video front. We've done okay with phtos, but no video. So good for you, and happy 9 months to your gorgeous Fable and happy birthday to your hysterical husband.

Anonymous | 10:45 AM

That was great!!! Happy 9 months! :)

Steph(anie) | 10:49 AM

Oh my god, that was AWESOME. You two are perfect. Ha!

Anonymous | 10:55 AM

Absolutely loved the video. I will be giving birth for the first time in two weeks or less to my sweet baby boy. Good to see that it is possible to laugh through the pain at times : ) Happy Birthday Hal!

Misty

Mandi | 10:56 AM

Beautiful video! Hal is hilarious! Happy nine months! And happy birthday, Hal!

Wendy | 11:21 AM

You guys, that is the funniest, most original labor video EVER!

Shannon | 11:43 AM

That was fricken Hilarious. I am sure you wanted to kill him at the time, but that is just priceless.

Happy Birthday to Hal! Way to keep us all smiling!

TheFeministBreeder | 11:58 AM

Okay, that is NOT fair! The "amnio just because" line made me spit Mocha onto my laptop. ;)

Jill | 12:02 PM

Sweet, amazing, tres funny. I can't believe you didn't punch him in the nose during your contractions. Loved the finger.

L.A. Stylist Mom | 12:08 PM

OMG this is so hilarious and beautiful, especially since I recognize that voice and delivery room - Dr. Dwight delivered BOTH of my babies! Thanks for sharing this...

mom2nji | 12:11 PM

I love it! Hal was killing me with the teeth talk. The picture of her holding your fingers is adorable.

Erin | 12:15 PM

Cracking me up in the beginning. Tearing me up at the end. So sweet.

April | 12:19 PM

that was awesome :-)

Sandy | 12:24 PM

Here's a fun fact: pregnant while of advanced maternal age is also referred to as "Elderly Gravida." I just had my first child at 37 and was referred to as Elderly Primagravida in my chart.

LouEffie | 12:29 PM

Best labor and delivery video ever. Comedy, drama, suspense...this one has got it all. Bravo! And happy nine months. Doesn't it just go by way too fast?

Anonymous | 12:40 PM

Hal, Happy Birthday Dude!

You guys had me cracking up here, I remember reading that you two were working on something together, like a script right? Do it! You both are effing hilarious on film.

Dani in Indiana | 1:39 PM

Yay! Thanks for sharing. I am weeks from having my baby number two, and watching this brought tears to my eyes. The only difference? I'm asking for my epidural the minute I walk in the door.

Sarah | 1:50 PM

Awww, thanks for sharing. AH MAZ ING that you were that zen with Hal taking up all your camera time & talking about his teeth while you were trying to push a baby out of your vagina. Although you could've edited out the explicits that I would have been SHOUTING. Happy 9 months, Fable!

Ray | 2:29 PM

Great video. You guys are so KICK ASS! I know Fable will love watching this when she's older. Happy 9 months to you all! Happy Birthday Hal! =D

Kristin | 2:46 PM

I was kind of scared to watch a labor video since I'm due at the end of this month, but I'm glad I did... not scary at all, haha. Love the video, you guys are awesome! Happy Birthday to Hal and happy 9 months to Fable!

Jill Pilgrim | 4:06 PM

Hahaha- oh I love you! That was the funniest labor video in the history of women having babies.

Shana | 4:09 PM

HAAAA. And a happy happy to a great big pain in the ass! Y'all are the cutest.

Brooke - Little Miss Moi | 4:49 PM

God, that was so fucking funny! Your husband should do weddings.

barbara | 5:06 PM

happy birth day to all! xx

laura | 5:06 PM

That was hilarious. Happy 9 mos! and Happy Birthday!

Allison the Meep | 5:28 PM

Beautiful! The veneer talk was hilarious, and then I got strangely emotional at the end - and it's not like she's even my baby to be weeping over. Oh, hormones.

Anonymous | 5:51 PM

I'm sorry but I would have slapped the shit out of him!

Amanda | 6:03 PM

OK, this is such a classic. You guys are the best. Oh my God, you are meant for each other, it's so obvious.

grandfather Norm | 6:19 PM

I am happy to have been a part of the production team that brought Hal into this world. It was interesting to see him so nonchalant while Fable was arriving.
Nerves of steel - the guy has nerves of steel.

Jen | 6:55 PM

You're an absolute saint for not throwing something at him when he was doing the "OVER THE SHOULDER" shot with you in the background.

question about your hair | 7:17 PM

oh my gosh... that was so funny. i can't believe you were so calm while he was shooting the funny part. i would have been like 'get your ass over here this second and help me through the f%$#@!&* contractions'.
okay, here's an odd question and i'm hoping you'll answer. i'll keep cking the questions and answers here to see if you have had time to respond. i'm wondering about your fabuloso hair. do you color it, or just highlights? the color is so pretty. you prob don't need to color it yet like i do b/c of the grey, but wondering what you do. i go to a high end salon here where i live but can't afford it anymore. so, when i find a new stylist that is less expensive i wanted to tell them about your hair. thanks so much for your time. i love following your blog. xoxo

A | 7:37 PM

This has been pressed upon my memory, so that when I want to choke my "labor coach" in the future...I will just laugh and thank the heavens that he's not videotaping himself and talking about veneers. Seriously, I laughed so hard, I cried. I heart this, over and over.

Morgan | 7:59 PM

OMG - so so funny! I can't decide whether I should show it to my husband because of how hilarious it is, or to keep it a secret lest he attempt the same thing!

Happy 9 months sweet little Fable!

Anonymous | 8:05 PM

HILARIOUS and precious. : )

Bets
betsykingphoto.com

Unknown | 8:07 PM

Oh, I am SOOOO glad we did not have a video camera when my kids were born. Really, really glad. Because I probably would have broken it... over hubby's head.
And you? Looked like you had a stylist and makeup crew there throughout your labor. I, personally, looked like something out of a horror movie :)

Sara | 8:57 PM

the still before the video starts is pricelss. hal reminds me of a cartoon in the nicest way the clay one with the dog haha. happy 9 month!

Nicole | 9:34 PM

I thought Hal was hilarious. My hubby on the other hand was not nearly as talkative. He sat in the corner of the room watching sports petrified to watch. :P Happy Birthday Hal! Thanks for posting the video.

Anonymous | 9:59 PM

I couldn't stop laughing. Hal should have his own show. Good job toughing it out strong lady!

Kara | 8:07 AM

Ahh haha that video made my day, as I am sure it has made your nine months. =)

Babe in Babeland | 8:13 AM

That was HILARIOUS! Hal is is too funny. And I must say, you had a good sense of humor about it all, considering the circumstances...Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous | 9:04 AM

Hal is hot.

Jessi | 11:30 AM

oh jeez...reason #5497 why men shouldn't be allowed to play with video cameras.. my husband would do much the same kind of things..

Katie Hyde | 11:57 AM

O.M.G. I started watching this at work w/ my headphones on, and LOST IT. You & your husband are hillarious together. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for making the people around my cubicle look at me like I'm an idiot.

Love your blog!

Cheers from Maryland,
Katie Hyde

Christine | 12:02 PM

it's not working!

http://stfunonbreeders.blogspot.com/

Unknown | 1:47 PM

Happy 9 months Fable! You have the most goofy daddy ever.

Thank you for sharing the video, it made my day.

lorieloo | 3:30 PM

I have never laughed so hard at a strangers video. Apparently so since I don't think I've ever commented before and I've read you for like 2+ years. So so so hilarious.

Jessica | 4:34 PM

that was GREAT!!!! i am madly in love with Hal and still stand by what i said about his teeth being so white! and i really am going to start the Hal fanclub one day. just look at how many members he'd already have!! now what to call ourselves....

http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/HA/HAL.html

holy hell, that's a lot of hal!!

Rebecca | 9:27 PM

Oh my goodness, that is hilarious!!! That's a great song by the way, what is it? That reminds me, I also wanted to ask you about your gramophone. I saw you have one in your post about switching rooms, and wanted to ask you if it plays regular records and how you came across it.

Anonymous | 10:09 PM

What's up with people saying they're in love with your husband? Creepy.

Anyway, My husband thought he was funny too. But we have no video to prove that he was not as funny as he remembers.

Your home-movie should be a real movie. It's like you had a script.

The newborn shots just got me. My third is now 7 months, and after feeding him 8oz of solid food(!!!) I thought, what happened to my little bundle of new-ness??? They grow up super fast!

amyinbc | 10:15 PM

That was priceless. But you know I think even though your hubby is charming and all I would have HIT HIM for being so charming while you duked it out with the birth Gods!!

Charming and happy have no place in the labor bed!!

But seriously, what a hoot and so glad you shared :)

amyinbc | 10:23 PM

BTW my husband hovered and hid during the rough times. Without a nurse to kick him in the butt I am sure he would have been pacing he halls, cigar in hand ;)

Stormy | 11:27 PM

Love.

Brooke - Little Miss Moi | 5:06 AM

Dear rebecca. I just had to show this to my husband. He was useless during labour. He sat down with my mum, and they read books and drank tea (seriously, the midwife got them a cuppa and bikkies. I would have though that four years of university would have trained her out of that, but she was happy to do it). I was tres hands off. I'm thinking he's already planing to have a video camera on hand during the next one.

*Tanyetta* | 5:45 AM

hilarious!

**should i get veneers**

he is so funny!

Anne | 12:17 PM

hahaha wow that was a cool video... veneer talk and all haha! She is beautiful!

Nadia | 1:38 PM

Fantastic! Funny and memorable! Love it :).

ZDub | 11:38 AM

This is the funniest thing I have ever seen. (I would have knocked my husband out though.)

I heart Hal!

And good job with your vagina and stuff, Fable is amazing. Archer too.

Studio222 Photography | 12:36 PM

I just loved that! I literally laughed out loud. And I love that you called him a dick. I call Nate a douche all the time, and probably will during labor. LOL!

Rachael | 1:30 PM

You guys are awesome.

Anonymous | 9:28 AM

The only time I've seen lower teeth so worn down is in habitual crack smokers.

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 5:45 PM

Duh / You should see mine. We LOVE crack in our household. Seriously.

Meg | 8:06 AM

Aaaaaand I'm crying. Even amidst all the hilarity. What an amazing video.

I love the part where you flip him off and call him a dick. Because that's totally what my labor was like.

Maria @BOREDmommy | 11:34 PM

This was the funniest videos I have seen in a long time. I can relate because while I suffered quietly without any drugs (I scream internally), my husband was chowing down on Souvlaki. Your husband and the teeth talk was priceless!!

Mother Ship + inFINcible | 9:21 AM

Ohhhhkay officially teary.

Jessica | 6:45 PM

sorry if people think it's creepy that i am in love with hal. it must be said that i have a tendency to exaggerate for comedic effect. i'm not really in love with him. for that i'd have to spend more time watching him through your bedroom window. like i'm doing right now. double duh.

spicylikeginger | 11:10 PM

And the Oscar for best humor during labor goes to..... Hal and Rebecca!!!

Luisa | 9:59 AM

This is the funniest video ever. Ha! Thanks for the giggle. So excited for you guys and your twins!