The Life and Times of Little Miss Abby

Chapter 1: A Weekend Away

We took our first big trip this past weekend! We packed up Steve and Connie's Torrent and headed East for a weekend in Becker. Abby got to meet a lot of people... Emery and Sherry, Russel, Vicki, and Jena, Leah and Garret, Cheryl and Lynn, Ann and Jay, and Amy and Gary all stopped by. Her Aunt and Uncle and a couple of her cousins came to see her as well. She handled it all very well, but as you can see in the picture below it was a very tiring weekend! Look at her little folded hands!

On Sunday, Chad and I went to the Gopher vs Michigan State game. We left Abby with my Mom and Dad... it was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I knew I was only going to be gone a few hours, and I was leaving her with Grandma and Grandpa (not a stranger), but going somewhere without her was tougher than I ever thought it would be. I cried when I left, but the time away was good and I really needed the time with my husband.


All in all, the weekend went well and it was great to see everyone. Still, it's good to be home!

Chapter 2: Bath Time!

I love giving Abby a bath! I get to see her beautiful little body and she's just so stinkin' cute. Abby isn't too crazy about baths yet, but does a lot better now that we can give her a bath in the tub and not just a sponge bath (so cold!). I think she'll come to like them... for now it seems like she just isn't quite sure where she is. Some pictures from her latest bath...

Abby is not happy with her bath!

Finally done and drying off!

My little cutie pie, clean and dry!

Chapter 3: What did Mommy do?!

Turns out Abby and I have Thrush. I called my Midwife this morning, and she recommended two treatments... One, a prescription, needs to be administered 4 times a day for two weeks. The other, an over the counter called Gentian Violet, is a once a day for 3-4 days.. but stains everything purple. Since this is interfering with breastfeeding, I opted for the quick treatment. Paige told me it was messy, and she wasn't lying!

I was able to get the Gentian Violet into Abby's mouth without a problem... until she decided to suck her fist and wipe it all over her cheeks!

We were able to get most of it off of her face, but she will definitely have purple lips the next few days!

Who do I look like?

Now that Abby is just over a week old and has started to fill out, her features are becoming more and more distinct. It's been fun to pick out what she's inherited from me and what she gets from her dad and speculate on those features that are a complete mystery. For example... Abby's lips look a lot like mine did when I was a baby. One of Chad's ears has a flat back, and so is one of Abby's.

The mysterious parts? Anyone who knows Chad and I is aware that we both have short, stubby hands. I also have what my family calls "Flinstone feet". Abby looks like she'll have long, beautiful fingers and also long skinny feet.

Whoever she inherited each trait from, Abby is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Obviously God knew the perfect combination to make this wonderful little girl! Just look at this smile!

A few first pictures

Here's our beautiful girl... her first picture!

Proud Daddy...

Happy Momma...

Our gorgeous little girl!

Crazy couple days!

Apparently waiting patiently paid off... Abigail Jo Nuest decided to make her appearance the day after my first blog!

My water broke at work around 2:30 PM on January 3rd.. I had an appointment at 3:00, so I didn't say anything to my co-workers. Just closed down shop like I normally would have and headed off to the clinic. On my way, my contractions started. I let my nurse midwife know right away that I thought my water had broken, so she checked me, and sure enough we were on our way! I didn't even get to go home... just walked upstairs and checked right in!

I had thought at the beginning of my pregnancy that I would try to give birth without an epidural, and hopefully without any pain medication. As the day grew nearer and I started to feel the beginnings of labor pains, my mind opened up a bit. After an hour or so of tough contractions, I was all for pain relief! And just for future reference, I will ask for an epidural a lot earlier:).

Once we were in the hospital, things really didn't take long. I headed upstairs around 3:30, and Abby was born at 8:48 PM. 5 lbs, 4 ounces, and 19 inches long. Chad was wonderful, and I had my family and his there for support as well.

Abby is BEAUTIFUL... my little miracle, and she's already become our whole world.

I will post pictures as soon as I can find my camera cord in my chaotic mess of a house:).

Waiting patiently...

After counting the days down to January 5th for the last 3/4's of a year, then being told the baby would come "within the week" up to December 27th, and now it's January 2nd and still nothing's happened... I've finally conceded to taking each day one at a time in preparation for this child-o-mine to appear.

A benefit... I have enjoyed the attention Chad has shown me over the last couple weeks. The baby has been "real" to me since I felt it move, but I think the actuality of it all just set in for Chad when we were told we were so close. He's one excited dad-to-be!:)

Anyhow, I decided a while ago that I would create a blog... mostly for the family and friends that aren't able to see Chad, myself, or the soon to arrive baby as often as we all would like. I will do my best to update this blog with everything that goes on!