Happy Birthday to...ME!!

(Guest post by my Mom, taken from her blog this morning.)

And in this corner, weighing in at 10 lb. 4 oz.

On the 27th of April, I went into early labor. I was due the 17th of May. The contractions were serious ones and moved right along to 5 min. apart, so we left for the hospital. I had been x-rayed (this was 1974 ... no ultra-sound yet) and we knew we had one big baby, and the Dr. said "Come on in. I will meet you there." But after getting to Oakwood hospital, and all checked in, and laboring for a few more hours, things slowed down and eventually stopped ! And they sent us home. What a feeling of failure ! That was a Friday morning. Stake Conference was that week-end. Dad was supposed to conduct and speak at the Saturday evening session, but felt a little worried about leaving me, as the Conference was being held at the Pioneer High School in AA. (Hey, I told you this was 1974, we were still the combined Stake and had no Stake Center), so he called Pres. Walker to be excused. Pres. Walker announced to those at the meeting that Pres. Day was excused as Sister Day was in labor, and then re-announced it on Sunday, so about 4 pm people were calling our house, and the Bellistons to see what was up. Nothing was up or down !

When the 11:00 news came on, right after John Kelly said :"Hello Detroit", BOOM ! Here came the contractions, and they were serious. Nana was already there. She had come when I fell down the basement stairs, so off we went ... about 11:45, no kidding ! They whooshed me in, checked me over, threw me on the gurney, and I was in delivery by 12:45 ! No time for a spinal, no time for nothing ! Dr. Hardy came flying in, still pulling on his mask, and said after checking me, "No time for anything but a whiff of gas, Linda", and they slapped on the mask, and I was out !
When I came to, the nurse said : "Well Sweetie, you've got a nice big girl !" And I threw up. Gas does that, you know ! Dr. Hardy called from the foot of the delivery table : "Good Job ! Linda ! This baby girl weighs 10lbs and 4oz , and she's 23 inches long." And I threw up. Gas does that, you know ! When they finally brought her to me, she was so beautiful ! Because she was so big she was all filled out even to her sturdy little legs. No scrawny parts. And because she was so quick she was perfectly round-headed. She was such a quiet thing ... then !

We named her Suzanne. We had a lovely teen-aged girl in the Ward named that, and then we chose Marie to sooth the Grandmothers Mary both Mary Esther and Mary Eleanor. We did not intend to call her "Suzy", but by three weeks, she was, and ever has been. Shauna called her "Little Sister Suzy". Isn't that an irony ?

Good baby. Good girl. Lovely adult daughter. A treasure always ! Happy Birthday Maria Lion !