December 6th, Walker's due date

One day when I was in the NICU the nurse manager for L&D came in to talk to me. She said they were doing a big PR branding thing for our hospital, and they wanted me to give a testimonial. I told her I would be thrilled to and she told me to expect a phone call. In the phone call they explained a little bit more and said there would be a radio ad and newspaper ads that I would be in, a little embarrassing, but no big deal, right?

The marketing company came to my house to meet with me, and before I knew it, they were talking about where they would be filming, and asked if I could go up to the hospital to film as well. Turns out there is a commercial involved as well. They have 1 person from 3 different sections of the hospital for the commercial, and I just happen to be the one representing the women's center. Oh my.

They scheduled the filming for December 6th, Walker's due date. I got to bring him back to the hospital on his due date to visit L&D and the NICU. I even gowned up like I was a patient again. Here was what I wrote from that day.

I had so much fun on Walker's due date! I showed up at the hospital and signed away my life (giving them permission to do whatever they want with the video and pictures). It was so fun to walk in and tell the NICU staff (they are the ones who let you into l&d at our hospital) that I was in labor. They all squealed and came to ooh and ahh over Walker.

When I walked back to L&D I found a studio all set up in the room. Lights all over, a bunch of their crew. I gowned up, but was able to keep my clothes on underneath (phew). They got us arranged in the bed, and then we had to undress the sweet, sleeping Walker. He didn't like that. He wanted to eat then. But we gave him a bottle and took shots in between settling him down with a binky. It was really cheesy and awkward. They did all kinds of strange angles and shots, and while they took videos they also took photos. The advertising director of the hospital explained that they were making brochures with my pictures as well as newpaper ads and bus wraps. My heart stopped beating for a second when she said that. Bus wraps? I have never aspired to seeing my face on a bus! She said that as IHC (Intermountain Health care) owned the pictures they can use them to advertise for any hospital. And that a gal from our hospital has had her picture on a billboard in Salt Lake City for the last year. (PLEASE, no billboards!) Anyway, I guess I don't know where I'll see these pictures pop up. Why do I have to be 17 pounds overweight in these pictures????

Then we got to go back to the NICU. It was so good to be back there. My favorite nurse Susanne was there and she did so well! We went back into a room and hooked him back up to all his monitors. And the NICU scenes were just exactly like the real thing. She walked in, used Avagard on her hands, and smiled as she asked me how we were doing. Then she came down close to me to love on Walker for a minute and chat. It was just like my NICU life. I loved it. We stuck around for awhile afterwards and chatted with the nurses. It was hard for me to want to leave that place again, especially knowing that I won't get to go back in there again ever with Walker. But...... seeing as I skipped a feeding I was blowing up like a balloon, and needed to go home and nurse my baby. So we finally left.

Anyway, I know that's a really long story, but it was a great day. Who gets to go have a major photo and video shoot on their babies due date at the place they were born? I'm pretty sure it will never happen to me again. So I tried to soak it all in.

The next day they came to film at my house. It was pretty crazy. But I managed to farm out my kids and get it done.

The commercial turned out great. They must be professionals to take my goofy stuff and make it look good. It is the 2nd of 3- 30 second commericals on here, so you can skip about 30 seconds into it to see mine.

LRH_3 Spots from FireFly Film & Video on Vimeo.