The World Stopped Turning

Tuesday morning was quite surreal.  I wake up, get dressed and am ready to head out the door.  Meanwhile, my husband is taking his sweet time...a nice long hot shower and a shave and then walks out of our bedroom decked out in dress pants, shirt and a tie!  REALLY?  

I am about to have a baby.  And Paul has decided that this is the moment to focus on improving his personal grooming habits.  I couldn't convince him that a suit and tie were simply not practical for the OR.  He insisted.  Then he continues on his rambling preparations to pack a handful of cigars and a flask of whiskey.

I almost have a complete come apart right then and there.  While he is making his last minute preparations for the birth of our son, I am packing up the car...in a lightning storm!  It begins to pour just as we get the last item in the car.  And we are off.

As we both settle in to the 4 minute drive to the hospital, we apologize for our mutual short responses, take a deep breath and admit we are scared to death. 

Paul drops me off at the entrance, parks the car and we make it up to the labor and delivery floor.  Our friends Steven and Jane meet us there to pray with us before we are taken back.  I am so thankful for their love and prayers.  The calming presence of Jesus washed over me as I realized we were about to welcome Matthew, our gift from God, into the world.

We are called back and taken to a private room where I have to sign paperwork, get hooked up to monitors, start the IV, etc.  All quite routine.  Matthew in the meantime, knew something was up and my belly was just dancing around with his kicks and maneuvers.

We requested our friend Lindsay be our nurse and she comes bounding in like a ray of sunshine.  If you know someone who is a nurse in labor and delivery, request them.  Having a friendly face and someone I knew walking us through the steps was quite comforting.  

Finally, the time had come to go back to the OR.  It was a little after 7am.

Everything from here on out happened really fast.  There were nurses everywhere. I was administered a spinal.  It didn't hurt at all and took effect immediately.  Dr. Raiford arrived.  I was laid back with my arms outstretched.  A curtain was raised and everyone got to work.  They called Paul in to the OR and by the time he arrived, I am pretty sure Dr. Raiford was well on her way to wrestling Matthew out of my belly.  I could feel a lot of pressure and jerking, but nothing terrible.

Then I heard him cry.  January 17th, 2012, 7:15 am.  The world stopped turning.  It was the most amazing sound I have ever heard.  My son.  Robert Matthew Lindgren.

After that, I am not at all sure what exactly happened...I hear Paul talking to Matthew like he has been part of the family forever.  Paul says things like: "He's all cheesy!  Just like his dad!".  "He has Josie Lindgren's nose"  "He looks just like Lee Lindgren" 

Paul's account of it is hysterical.  "I was anxious up until the point they called me through the doors into the OR. Stepping into the OR was like walking onto a live gameshow set. It was seemingly so chaotic and quick that I didn't have time to get nervous. No lie, it looked like they were fighting a prize-winning smallmouth bass before nearly tossing him from behind the curtain to the scales. I was not in the OR for more than 3 minutes... tops."

Then they brought him to me to see for the first time.

After that, Paul went with him to give him his first bath and I while I was being sewn up and whisked off to recovery.

Little man has some lungs!

All cleaned up and ready to meet Momma

Finally the time came to wheel me to our room to finally hold Matthew.  I was a little concerned about this actually, because I couldn't stop shaking.  It took a while for them to bring him in, so I took the opportunity to send out a text blast to let people know of Matthew's safe arrival into the world.

Finally, they brought Matthew in to our room.

If you look at the time stamp on this picture, it is 8:17am. It felt like much much later.

The day flew by in a blur...we had lots of visitors.  Here are a few pics from the day.

Proud grandmas, Lola and LB!

Aunt Joey

Dad loved his snuggle time after everyone had left for the evening...

Nursery is almost done...

Here's the mural!  My sweet friend Heather gave Matthew a beautiful blue bird mobile to hang above the crib and the changing table has been ordered.  It may be a few weeks before these things come in...and Matthew may be here by then!  So, while it's not complete, it has definitely come along nicely this week!

Another Big Baby, Another C-Section???

This past week we had our 36 week ultrasound to measure Matthew's size / weight.  I have been measuring big (belly wise) for a while, by about 2-3 weeks bigger than my due date would suggest so my dr ordered an ultrasound to verify if it is Matthew that is on the big side, or if it is just a result of me being bigger when all of this started.

I just figured it was me, as I haven't really gained that much weight and I did start this journey 50-60 lbs overweight.

Well, guess what folks???  We have a BIG baby!  At 36 weeks he is weighing in at 8 lbs!  Yikes!

Needless to say, we were quite shocked.  Lindgren babies tend to be long and wiry with little squish.  Baird babies on the other hand, well, are just downright squishy!  So, I guess Paul get's his wish...Matthew should be one squishy baby.

Noah Lee Lindgren, hours old

Abigail Natalie Baird, newborn photo

I wish I had a better picture of Noah as a newborn...he is just hours old in this picture...and as you can see, weighing in a little over 6 lbs he is long and wirey.  Abby on the other hand weighed in at a little over 9 lbs and has LOTS of squish!

After talking to my mom and my sister-in-law, we have decided to schedule a C-section for January 17th (he'll be 39 weeks).  Of course, he could decide to make his debut sooner.  Which would be quite fine with me.  I seem to have hit a wall in the past few days.  

In the meantime, I took the week off to get some things finished in the nursery...pics to follow!

Baird Family Christmas

Paul, Mom, Dad and I traveled to Fort Mill, South Carolina, to spend Christmas with Whit, Erin and Abby.  We had a fabulous time!  It was great to get to spend time with Abby on her turf!  We hope that Christmas in Fort Mill becomes a family tradition!

Christmas Eve

Abby getting ready for Baby Matthew!

 

Mom and Abs having a little chit chat!

Going to see Santa!

Waiting for Santa to pass by!

What a cutie!

Paul and Whit putting the slide together!

Christmas Morning

Santa made quite the visit!

Abby's new slide!

and the stockings were hung...

Opening presents with Daddy!

Abby LOVED the slide!  

Abby loves Elmo!

Time for a workout!  Paul and Pops
opening their month pass to the Y!

Dad with his little buddy.

Family Portrait

 

The boys relaxing on Christmas afternoon.

Lots going on

There has been a lot going on this Christmas season...it all started with a trip to North Louisiana to visit my sweet Granny B and will end this weekend with a trip to Charlotte to spend Christmas with Whit, Erin and Abby.

In between we have celebrated the Lindgren Thanksgiving (always a big to do)...a couple of baby showers...a trip to New Orleans...a massive work deadline...childbirth and breastfeeding classes...Christy's birthday...

I am so ready for a nice relaxing weekend of just hanging out at Whit and Erin's.  Good food and good company and a few new traditions for the families.

Matthew is doing well. I finally gained some weight, but everything is going just fine.  Last week, my feet decided that they would start swelling.  It was miserable.  To try and combat the swelling, I have stayed far far away from salt, fast food, processed food and I am trying to drink as much water as possible.  By the beginning of this week they seem to be back to a reasonable size (still a couple shoe sizes larger than pre-pregnancy, but better than not being able to put shoes on at all!)

We have an ultrasound next Wednesday to find out how big he is and if he is head down and all of that.  We'll finally talk "Birth Preferences" with our OB.  I can't say I have my heart set on his birth being one way or another...I just want him to be healthy, however it needs to happen.

On a somber note, my dear Granny B passed away two weeks ago.  She is missed dearly but I am so joyful knowing that she is finally with Jesus, knowing that her body has been restored, that she knows Matthew, and that she has been reunited with her dear husband.  She has been waiting for many many long years for this.  (please forgive me if any of my theology on this is off...just my thoughts on where she is now...someday I'll know how accurate I am about this...)  Now that she is gone, I feel so much closer to her than I have in years.  As her memory and health failed, her ability to travel and communicate suffered, leaving me very lonely for her companionship.  We were always so close.  When I was a little girl she and BB (my grandfather, Bob Baird) would take care of me on the weekends that mom and dad had to work.  Once we moved to Alabama, I would spend several weeks every summer at her house and she would come and stay with us for extended periods of time at Christmas and when mom did her Martha Pullen schools.  I usually slept with her until I was in high school (and she started snoring).  Christmas mornings were always so sweet.  We would lie awake early early waiting to hear mom and dad stir...only then could we get dressed and go downstairs to see what Santa had brought.  I am at peace knowing she is watching over us in Heaven.

We found out that Matthew's new cousin is a girl!  We can't wait to meet John and Melinda's baby girl sometime in April!

Baby Shower on Sunday, December 4th

Hilary was home for an early Christmas with her family!
Baby Girl Lilja is due in February!

The shower was absolutely fantastic!  Thank you to everyone who
helped make it happen and shared the day with us!

A few pictures from the Duhon Family Christmas on Sunday, December 18th.

 

Uncle Mel always has a money jar...whoever guesses the closest to
the actual amount in the jar gets to keep it!

Dirty Santa gifts waiting for their time...

Nothing better than a big pot of yummy gumbo!

Everyone rooting for the Saints!

Sisters!

The Pinata is an annual favorite for all!

Let's discover the true meaning of Christmas

Paul and I drove to Louisiana this weekend to visit with my father's mother, Granny B.  On Saturday, we had a nice visit...it had been too long since I had seen her last.

Granny B and I on my wedding day.  Isn't she pretty!

You see, Granny B and I have always been close.  Very close.  When I was little, I would spend weeks with her in Louisiana and she would come to Alabama and spend weeks with us as well.  I have so many great memories:  snuggling with her on Christmas morning waiting for mom and dad to wake up.  "helping" her in the garden and getting bit by the ferocious north Louisiana mosquitoes.  encouraging one another in our faith in Jesus.  being so aggravated by her stubbornness, yet knowing that she's where I get if from!  And many many more.  She is an integral part of who I am today and I am so thankful for her love and guidance.

The flip side is that Haynesville is a 10 hour drive from Huntsville.  Hating the interstate and loving country back roads, Paul and I wandered our way to Little Rock and stayed there for two nights, driving down to Haynesville on Saturday.  As you can imagine, we had a lot of quiet time to ourselves on the drive over and back!

One of our conversations centered around Christmas and what we would like Christmas to be like for our family.  You see, each year I get more and more disturbed by the commercial and material emphasis that corporate America has attached to Christmas. And its stressful...this pressure to give the perfect gift to EACH AND EVERY family member.  I mean, really???  And each year it seems my reaction gets stronger...this year I am ready to boycott all gift giving entirely and ask that my family do the same.  There are so many compelling reasons for this:  Money is tight.  Do we really need the latest doodad?  There are those less fortunate out there that could really use the money from that latest doodad to fund a real need.  Purchasing the latest doodad is the easy way out.  With little thought and minimal effort, I have a gift to give and can check you off my list.  However, my thoughts and my time are more precious than anything else I have and by giving you my thoughts and my time, regardless of the end result, you will experience my true love for you.

Paul and I have talked about this before Matthew was even a thought and we always seem to come to the same conclusion.  Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Saviour.  Christmas is about creating family traditions. Spending time with those we love most.  Giving to those less fortunate.  Going to mass on Christmas eve.  Lighting the advent wreath each night.  Decorating the tree with ornaments made by family through the years.  Trekking through the neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights!  Letting your loved ones KNOW they are loved through your actions.  Going to a local Christmas concert.  Making ornaments.  Leaving the Christmas tree up through Epiphany, when the three kings visited baby Jesus. Taking a family vacation. Making peppermint bark to share.  Volunteering at a local charity. Baking croissants on Christmas morning.

Some of these things we already do and some we'll add as the years go on...but the main thing is this...love.  And let it spread beyond December 25 throughout the whole year.  Money and material possessions can bring some fleeting happiness but Love! Love is eternal. Love conquers all.

Child's Play

I have to be honest, by the time Paul and I got married, I had moved beyond a desire for children.  When I moved back to the states I discovered a career that totally consumed me.  Paul and I were having a great time and I couldn't imagine introducing something into the mix that was going to get in the way of my new found fun.  You see, I didn't have much fun in my 20s.  The things people do in college and right after college, I didn't get to do until my 30s.  This was all my choice, but still, I didn't have your typical college / 20s experience.  So I found myself turning 30, with new found freedom, a great paycheck and having a lot of fun, honestly, adding kids to the mix just didn't sound too appealing.

It wasn't until my friend Katie and I were talking one day and she described having kids in a way that piqued my interest...she told me that having a child was like getting to work on the most amazing creative project that was always changing...and this project was going to last forever.  Well, now that sounds a little more interesting than what I had been imagining.

Shortly thereafter, an amazing thing happened...I got a life.  Outside of my job.  I am not quite sure how it happened, but it seemed to happen the year that I decided to do an olympic distance triathlon.  I had this project...swim bike run (a lot) while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  It took quite a bit of work, all this training and fundraising.  And at the same time I discovered that I love to grow things.  All of a sudden, my job didn't come home with me anymore.  It didn't keep me up at night.  I didn't obsess about every little detail.  Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE what I do and I work hard. There has simply been a shift and a new interest in other things.  Balance, I'd like to think.  This is about when we started thinking that it was time to grow our family.

Today, here I am, 30 weeks pregnant, expecting baby Matthew in January.  And for me, this adventures seems to go back to Katie and her comparison of raising children to a great life long creative project.  How exciting! Along those lines I have found a few great blogs out there that are great inspiration but this one is my favorite.

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/

It's all about creating meaningful play places for children.  This absolutely captivates me.  It was actually the topic of my senior year design thesis. And now,  I can't wait to give Matthew his own little corner of the world to learn and create his own places and experiences!