One Week Postpartum

She sleeps just like her daddy. Yesterday was one week from Annika's arrival into the world. We're still pretty tired, but getting into the swing of things. I'm a little achey, but that's to be expected.

My belly has pretty much gone back to what it was before the baby. My weight has dropped back down to about 150, what it was pre-pregnancy. I'm hoping to get it down to 140 in a few months when I start exercising and working.

I haven't decided if I'm going to switch to posting everything on my original page, or if I should keep Annika related stuff on this page. If I do that, I'll never post on the other one, because she's our whole lives now.

I think I'll just post weekly and monthly pictures of her on this one and use the other one more for updates and milestones.

Annika Ellen Paskett

At 12:41 pm on July 21, 2008,

Annika Ellen Paskett

was born weighing 7 lbs. 7 oz. at 18.5 inches long!

I'm still a little too tired to blog the whole play by play, so here are some pictures to tide you all over until I do.

38 Weeks

2 WEEKS TO GO!!

We're so close it's driving me nuts! Mei Mei is just shy of 7 pounds and is 19.6 inches long. Most likely. These are all just guesses, as the doctor hasn't actually given me an estimation of her size.

This is going to be my last week of work. I had planned to work through to the 29th, but my boss only scheduled me up to the 25th. It's only a few days of difference, so I'm not really concerned about it. I wanted a few days to rest and get the house cleaned anyway. People have started asking me: "Are you still here?" "Haven't you had that baby yet?" It's pretty irritating. Yes, I'm still here. No, I obviously haven't had my baby. What else am I going to do? Work, make some money, and walk around or sit at home, watch Oprah, and gain unnecessary weight? One of the guys told me I shouldn't be walking to work in this heat. It's only a few hundred feet away and I walk more than that outside in the garden center everyday anyway. I have started swelling a lot more than I did. My ankles disappear a few hours into my shift everyday now, rather than just on the hot days.

Kelly's family is throwing a baby shower for me today. After, we should have everything we need. All that's left is to put the car seat base in my car and to pack a bag for myself. I still haven't done it because it makes me feel like I'm jinxing myself and because she likely won't come until her due date anyway. Here's hoping she'll be early, because I'm tired of waiting!

Looks like I might get my wish! My mucous plug came out at about midnight when we got home from the shower and visiting Deyette and Duren. Scared me to pieces, I didn't know what it was at first. When I realized what it was, I thought it was a sign of imminent labor, like your water breaking. I looked it up and it just means I'm starting to dilate, so the baby is anywhere from a day to two weeks away. I'm going to call the OB office Monday morning for the sake of my own sanity anyway.

2nd Weekly OB Visit

So today was actually the first internal exam. It was massively uncomfortable. I'm not starting to efface or dilate yet, so the baby is still a week or two out, at least. My weight went back up, so I'm at 167. I imagine it'll settle right around there for the rest of the pregnancy. Unless I put on a bunch of weight after I stop working. I had planned to work for 2 more weeks, but my boss has only scheduled me through next week. It's only a difference of three days, but if I'm still feeling good, I'm going to ask if I can just come in and help water for a few hours.

37 Weeks

3 WEEKS TO GO!

Mei Mei is officially considered full term now. It's best for her to stay put for another 2 or 3 weeks to give her lungs some more time to finish up, but if I were to go into labor, it's not premature anymore. We are go for a baby!

She is 19 inches long and weighs a little over 6.5 pounds now. My back is sure feeling the extra weight. As evidenced by the picture, my belly button is feeling the pressure and my "turkey timer" has popped. Kelly says my belly is dropping more, but I really just can't tell. Feels the exact same to me.

She is turning toward lights shone on my belly now and is starting to develop the sleeping patterns she will have at birth. I've been going to bed at 9 or 10 every night in hopes that she's going to do the same. Problem is that I get up at 5 or 6 to go to work, so that's being programmed in there too. She's got a firm grip now and judging from my aching ribs she's got the Spiers' monkey toes too.

1st Weekly OB Visit

Just another quick and easy visit today. No internal exam. The baby is doing well, the fluid level is good, and everything is on track for the August 3rd due date. He says the earliest he can induce me would be on July 28th. I plan to wait until the 3rd, and have an induction scheduled for the morning of the 4th in the event that she doesn't arrive on her own. That way Ryan and Meg can see her.

My weight is evening out. I'm back to 164. I'm having lots of little contractions, so my body is getting ready. We're less than a month away from a brand new baby girl!

36 Weeks

4 Weeks to Go!!

Our baby is just over 18.6 inches long and weighs about 6 pounds. She's gaining an ounce a day now! Her little lungs are the only thing left to develop and they are almost done. I think she's ready to come out. She's been squirmy the past few days and I think is getting frustrated with how little room there is for her in my belly.

The girls at work think the baby has dropped some, I haven't really noticed. My shoes are just harder to tie because I can't bend over that far without tipping over.

I keep getting the Braxton-Hicks contractions at work when I'm walking around a lot. Mostly they just feel like little cramps that go away after a few seconds. I had a big one that hurt like heck for about 10 or 15 seconds today, but then nothing else for a few hours, so I wasn't worried.

The Ogden baby shower is this coming Saturday, Kelly and I are both really excited to see all the cute baby stuff and to be able to really start putting her room together. I'm going to get to see a lot of my family that I haven't seen in over a year and some of my friends that I haven't seen in months too. I wish Ryan and Megan could be there, but we'll get to see them a few weeks later, so that will suffice.