Abigail Anne Hickey

For those of you who haven't heard...John and I had our baby. Its been over a month now, so if you hadn't heard than we obviously do not know each other. In which case, I am a little creeped out that you are reading this :)

Abigail Anne Hickey was born November 2nd at 3:19pm. She was 6lbs8oz. Until today I have been writing 6lbs 8 ounces because I didn't know how to abbreviate the word ounce. I was 9 days overdue and scheduled to be induced. However, early that morning I began having contractions. At 7:00am my water broke. We went to the hospital at 9am but because they still had it in their head I was being induced they seemed to take their time. Actually the one nurse thought I had just peed my pants :P I ended up sitting in observation as the contractions got worse and worse - by the time they realized I was in active labor I didn't have time to get an epidural. In the end, I am glad I did it au naturale (even though I know a lot of people do it without one, I still feel like a deserve a metal or something!) just so can say I did - and to act as motivation to insist on one the next time. The one thing I really regret is that since contractions started at about 3am the night before, I didn't really get any sleep that night so when it came time to push I was so exhausted I didn't think I was physically going to be able to do it.

Since the becoming a mom it feels like I've been living in a daze for the last month. Its been awesome though and everyday I fall more in love with little Abby.

My favorite things about Abigail:
1) Dressing her in pink.
2) She is very alert and smiley
3) When I stick my tongue out at her she tries to copy
4) When she pooped all over John
5) She pooped green the day the Riders won (which I realize isn't supposed to happen - but she's only done it once and it was right after they won, so I take it as a sign of pride)
6) She's social situations security
7) We can park in the close "parent-with-child" parking spaces
8) She is learning to coo
9) She has a lengthy stretching routine when she wakes up
10)She wasn't weird looking when she was born - she was/is absolutely perfect

The biggest challenges about motherhood
1) Abby doesn't sleep a lot for a newborn. At least a few nights a week she sleeps for 2 hours or less. She isn't extremely fussy when she's awake all night - just wide awake.
2) She often screams her head off when she is put in her car seat which makes going out a challenge. My guilty pleasure is when I finally rescue her, she is very cuddly.
3) Its too cold to take her out for walks, etc. We get cabin fever being cooped up all day - but because of #2 and the weather, and flus, its hard to go out.
4) Feeding her in public is still awkward - especially because that seems to be the time that strangers want to come up and meet her and ask me all about her.
5) Its hard to find things to make for breakfast/lunch that I can make either really quickly, or while holding a baby.
6) I am a sucky swaddler
7) When people hold her and she fusses I am always torn as to whether to jump up and take her. I don't want to be overbearing but I also don't want someone to be stuck with a crying baby if they are uncomfortable
8) The soother problem. Some people love em, some hate em. Sometimes I think she just wants to be soothed but I feel guilty giving her one now.

In other news...

I am still having rib pain - not nearly as bad as when I was preggo, but still there. After Christmas, I will hopefully get it taken care of (oh ending a sentence with a preposition - so painful).

I had various postpartum problems -not too severe I don't think. Anyway, hopefully they will be all taken care of within the next few weeks.

As much as I don't want her to grow up too fast (and I already feel like time is flying) - I am excited for all the firsts that are coming, especially in this first year.

We call her Abby or Abigail. If you want to make John mad, call her Gail...hehe I kind of like Gail though and I sometimes call her Baby Gail (which was a combo between Abigail and Baby Girl).