Happy Birthday Andrew Scott Haines

10 years ago today, our 2nd born son came into the world.  We've always called Drew our surprise child since the announcement of his arrival was a little bit of a shock.  When we found out we were pregnant, we still had a 8-month old in the house and weren't planning any more for a couple of years.  Drew has been full of surprises and excitement ever since. 

The first sign that life with Drew would not be dull came on the day of his birth.  We checked into the hospital the night before to prepare for his arrival.  As they began to prep Alison to give birth the next morning, it looked like it would be several hours before he arrived.  My mother was in town taking care of Nathan.  We decided that I should go home to get a shower and help my mom get Nathan to his Mother's Day Out program since she didn't know where to go.  On the way to the church to drop off Nathan, I got a call from my wife.  She said in a crying voice "Matt, Hurry!"  I immediately sped to the hospital with my mom in the car behind me wondering why we were going to the hospital instead of the church.  I ran up to the second floor of the hospital to be greeted by nurses putting a gown, hospital mask, hood, and booties on me.  I saw them wheeling my wife into the operating room.  The nurse explained to me that the baby's heart rate had dropped and it appeared that while he was moving, he collapsed on his cord.  They were rushing my wife for an emergency C-section!  A few moments later they came and got me and told me to come see my son.  I walked by my wife who was now under sedation and the doctors working on putting her back together.  That's when I first saw the face of Andrew.

As already stated, life with Drew is never dull.  For the first couple of years, Drew had acid reflux.  He would randomly be looking at you and then he would hiccup and spit up all his formula on you.  We always knew who the nursery workers were in Drew's class at church by the white stains on their shoulders.  We call Drew our carnivore because he loves meat.  I mean loves meat.  He recently ate a 16-ounce sirloin.  I could barely finish it.  He often walks through the house gnawing on a piece of steak or bacon left over.  Drew also loves pictures.  He loves to take pictures and he loves to have his picture taken.  At our Disney trip, he wanted his picture made separate with every character.  We had about 600 pictures and about 200 of them were of him or made by him.

Drew is many times the most headstrong of our kids.  We have had some historic battles of the will with him.  For a while, Drew was obsessive that his clothes always matched.  Battles would be fought each morning about whether his pants and shirt were acceptable.  He also was obsessive about his hair at one time and wouldn't let us cut it.  Eventually it looked like a frayed, industrial-size mop.  Drew once got in a argument with another kid about a video game and the kid hit him in the mouth with a controller.  This resulted in partially knocking his tooth loose.  Eventually, he hit the same tooth on the faucet in the tub so that it stuck out his mouth in a 90-degree angle.  Another evidence of Drew's strong will is that he always has some kind of verbal outburst whenever corrected.  I have told Drew often that what gets him in trouble is usually not his action, but his reaction to us whenever we corrected him. 

At the same time, Drew often shows us some of the most tender moments of love.  He will often come and lay his head on my shoulder.  Every night we have the same routine.  I tuck him in and say a prayer.  As I am walking out Drew will say "I love you" and I will answer "I love you, too."  Then he will say "Goodnight" and I will say "Goodnight."  Every night.  He never goes to sleep without that routine.  He will call me when I am out of town at bedtime because the routine is broken.  Drew has taught Alison and me a lot about patience and love without conditions.  I feel extremely blessed to be his dad.  I am overwhelmed to know that the next 10 years will go by as quick as the last 10.  There will be many more prayers and opportunities to see what God is going to do with Drew next.  All I can say is "Buckle Up".

Happy Birthday Drew!  I love you, I believe in you, and I am proud of you.