The Hardy Party: March 2009

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Walk Around the Block

We are so thankful to be enjoying the beautiful Spring weather! Today, all 5 of us went for a walk! One of my co-workers happened to drive by to document our first family walk.

P.S. Don't you just love the obnoxiously huge blue bow on our front door? I do! :-)

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Bathing Hayes for the first time was hysterical! Justin and I were laughing hysterically, and Hayes was crying hysterically! Since we couldn't get him wet, we used baby soap and wet wash cloths. We decided to bathe him on the changing table in his nursery, but in hindsight, we should have just put him on the sponge in the baby tub in his bathroom.

Quick! Take the picture! (Insert baby screams)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Welcome to the World, Baby Hardy! - Part 1

It was early morning of March 12, 2009. I hadn't slept all night awaiting the scheduled visit to the hospital for an induction. I had gained a total of about 23 pounds, and felt really good, but was so ready to meet our little boy! Our 38 and 39 week doctor appointments had passed, and then my 40 week. Was this little boy EVER going to come!

40 weeks and 3 days pregnant on March 12, 2009. 4:15 in the morning. Ready to meet Baby Hardy!

Our appointment was at 5:00am, and by 5:30, Dr. Christine (the doc on call) had broken my water. I was already dilated 4 centimeters, but completely pain free. I didn't feel the contractions until just before 7:00, and they came on STRONG. By 7:15, I asked Amy, our delivery nurse if she would think I was a wuss if I asked for the epidural already. And at 7:30, in walked both the anesthesiologist AND Dr. Przybysz! Within moments, the labor pains were gone, and in went the catheter. Thank you, God, for allowing humans the ability to come up with drug that works so well!

From this point on, the only reason I knew I was contracting was because of the monitor beside me. After a few periodic progress checks, at 10:30am, the nurse informed me that I was fully dilated, and she called in Dr. P. PUSHING TIME! I vowed to make each push count... and I pushed HARD.

After just 18 minutes of pushing, some encouragement from Justin, and a little help from Dr. P and Amy the delivery nurse, out popped our squirmy, slimy baby boy!

The proud daddy was oh-so-involved in the entire process. He even helped Dr. Przybysz "catch" the baby! We were all amazed at God's miracle of birth.

I remember awkwardly holding him while Justin cut the ambilical cord. He seemed so tiny, but NOT cuddly. He was stiff, and I couldn't hold him well because of the blood pressure cuff on my arm and all the IVs in my wrist. I must admit that I was a little relieved when they swept him away to the warming table to regulate his body temp and to clean him off a bit.
One thing I loved about Dr. Przybysz is that she seemed genuinely happy about the birth of OUR son... it didn't seem like just another day at the office for her. Here she is with our little bundle just before they swaddled him up for mommy. It was in the moments that followed that I fell in love. He was perfect. Before we called our family, we sat down with the baby on one leg and our list of names on the other. We agreed on the name Hayes because we both liked it, and the middle name Scott because it's a family name on both sides. Justin's brother's name is Scott and both my father's and brother's middle name is Scott.