PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — One hundred years ago, a Presque Isle hospital was founded to free people from sickness and to help families safely usher in and celebrate new lives.
So officials at The Aroostook Medical Center found it especially poignant that its 100th baby this year, as the hospital marks its centennial, was born on Independence Day.
Aiva Mae Richardson, TAMC’s “Centennial Baby,” was born at 10:14 a.m. on Wednesday, July 4. Her parents, Lisa Plourde and Adam Richardson, live in Caribou. Hospital staff had anticipated and planned for the 100th baby since the beginning of TAMC’s centennial year, but it was pure coincidence that it happened on the day set aside to celebrate the birth of the nation.
Aiva Mae was delivered by Mary Hamilton, TAMC certified nurse midwife, and Dr. Joyce Hebert. The baby weighed in at seven pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20¼ inches long.
The parents had no idea their baby would make local history until they arrived at the hospital.
“We didn’t know about it until we came in for the delivery,” said Plourde. “Once we arrived the staff was quite excited that it looked like the 100th baby born in TAMC’s 100th year was about to arrive.”
Richardson, a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, said he had thought the baby might be born on July 1, which was Canada Day. Plourde’s due date was July 2, but she was pulling for Independence Day.
“We were happy with either Canada Day or the Fourth of July,” said Plourde. “She’s just the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes on. She is just precious.”
This is the first child for the couple, and Richardson said he had been looking forward to the baby’s birth for some time.
“I turned 40 this year and always wanted to have a family,” he said. “I have younger siblings, so taking care of children is something I have experience with.”
In honor of the 100th baby, staff of the hospital’s OB-GYN and Midwifery Services presented the family with a gift basket including numerous items members of the team had made themselves.
“We are just so excited,” said Vickie Belanger, manager of OB-GYN and Midwifery Services. “Our staff came together to create a great gift basket. The team members gave of their time and wonderful talent to create just the perfect gift for this special baby. All of us are just beaming at the birth of our 100th baby in this significant year. The fact that she was born on the Fourth of July is just icing on the cake.”
The hospital has held several events this year to mark its birthday and more will be held throughout the remainder of 2012.
This seems to be an extra special blessing for this happy family!
Congratulations, Adam and Lisa–She is beautiful.
Congratulations!!
Reread that 100th of the 100th wowowowowo!
Congratulations to all.
January 27, 1913, my very pregnant grandmother Mary Louise Eliza Tilley Porter (Mrs. Flavius Josephus Porter), in her bed, was loaded on to a sleigh/sledge and taken to the hospital to be delivered of her daughter, my mother Florence Elizabeth Porter by caesarian section. We were told that the surgeon came up by train from somewhere south. In the days that followed other doctors came to visit the “first caesarian section” mother and child in Aroostook County and that until the hospital moved from the original building, my mother’s baby picture hung over the door to the maternity ward.
I must say that I think that probably should be worded the first caesarian section born in the hospital as I can hardly believe that there had not been another such at home somewhere.
My grandparents were from Castle Hill, but their doctor advised that they find a place to stay in town for the birth.
Florence became one of the first generation of college trained dental hygienists. She worked for the state going from school to school to educate and check teeth. As WWII broke out, she joined the civilian side of the US Army and went to Winfield, Kansas where she met my father, Kenneth Leroy Winters. After his service, he became a Hospital Administrator and in a few years joined what is now USAID to help improve and build hospitals overseas, taking Florence to Brazil, British Guiana (now Guyana), Vietnam, and Thailand. They ended up in Texas which seemed stranger than overseas. Dad died in 1980 and Mother died last month, June 15, 2012, seven months shy of her 100th birthday, leaving four grateful daughters, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
She will be coming home this month — as Aroostook, and especially Castle Hill, have always been “up home” to us.
May Aiva Mae Richardson have as blessed and as happy a life as Mom, and may she be the guest of honor for the bicentennial!