Getting out and about

Tracy's grandfather very generously offered to buy us a pram before Annabel was born, and what a blessing the 4x4 has been! We've pulled it through knee-deep snow, over icy paths, on the trains and busses, and around town. In all situations it seems to manage well, and Annabel sleeps like an angel all cuddled up inside. The lower 2 pics are in the park close to our flat, in which we go walking quite a bit. The last few days, however, there's been A LOT of snow, and the paths haven't been cleared so well. That makes for a very energetic walk for whoever is pushing.

Above is a Christmas market - the outing for that day. The Christmas atmosphere all over the city is quite warm, with loads of lights, and you don't have to go far to find a cup of warm Glogi (spiced fruit juice with raisins and almonds).

Also above, is Annabel parked on the side of a relatively big slope, waiting for mom and dad to have a slide on a Christmas sled :) Below is the evidence... what fun!

And then there were 3...

Annabel is such a treasure!
Some highlights from the first 10 days:
Her first bath at home started wonderfully - she seems to like the water. The basin is a little small though, so not much splashing around yet. After washing her hair and starting with the rest, the bubbles started ... soon there were yellow floaty bits everywhere - all that cleaning gone backwards! She then just got a rinse under the tap. Her next bath was a little less eventful:)

When we left the hospital she'd lost 7.6% of her birth weight, which it still ok and expected. However the midwife suggested we try feeding her every 2-3hrs for a few days, instead of every 4hrs. We did this, her waking through the night, and waited the week for the clinic sister's visit so that she could be weighed again. She said they should pick up about 100g a week, but our little darling has really over-achieved by picking up 400g in 6 days! We can see a little fat roll under her chin developing and her cheeks are much fuller as well. We're feeding her less now!
We managed a little family outing today with the pram - Half an hour walk to the shop and back. We were actually in search for a photo shop to get residence permit for her pics, with no success. I also think we over-did the dressing too, as the 5 layers of junpsuits, sleeping bag and padded carrycot inside the pram toasty kept her in the -2 degrees and chilly wind. She seemed quite happy though, and is still sleeping on the walk, although mostly unwrapped now :) It was really good for mom to get out a bit too as I've been rather flat-bound for the last while.

There've been a rough few days of nigglyness and unhappiness, but she sleeps well at night, so at least we feel we start each day a little fresher. She also has no problems feeding, and mom seems to be a rather good milk provider :)
Dad has spent most of the last week in official offices trying to get all her paperwork sorted out. She's a no-body on paper at this stage, not getting automatic Finnish citizenship, and it taking some time to get registered as a South African.

The birth

Tracy started having medium contractions on Saturday night. This shelved my plans to play on Sunday morning at church, and we waited at home most of the day. During the night it felt like the birth was going to happen any moment, but when morning came, of course, it was not to be yet.

We eventually went to the hospital just after 7 in the evening. Tracy was having really strong contractions at

about 4 minutes apart, but her cervix was slow to open, and the delivery only really started 5.30 on Monday. The pushing stage lasted only about 20 minutes, and did not need any help from the nurses. In fact, through it all Tracy was amazing. She was very calm and relaxed, even in the intense pain of delivery, and the midwife (who was really nice) commented on how well Tracy listened to her, even right at the end.

There were no complications, and Annabel received an Apgar score of 9 - already an overachiever like her mom! Tracy received some second degree tears, and had to be taken to theatre to be sown up, and is currently still a bit sore. She was fine in the hospital, but I think she was running on adrenalin, and coming home has ended all that. No one to ask help now, no one to do the dishes and clean and cook (except me, of course!). The hospital took such good care of us. We were in a room dedicated to us, and ate all our meals over the 3 days there, and had the constant attention of a midwife/nurse specialising in babycare. They helped so much with getting the breastfeeding going and general advice on nappies, washing, sleeping, etc. etc.

Annabel is feeding like her dad - lots, fast and easily. She had a little difficulty to start with, but no problems now. She is also sleeping really well. We have to wake her up for her (now 3 hourly) feeding times, and she has not yet woken us up. She is really calm, and has had a couple of crying sessions because she has been frustrated and over tired, but these have not really lasted longer than 5 minutes.

I am completely overwhelmed by the emotions she awakes in me, I am so proud and humbled, and completely blown away by her.

This last picture is how to dress someone to go out into the Finnish winter. I think her legs end somewhere near the crotch of this suit, but it should last until the end of this winter at least.

Annabel Elize

Annabel Elize was born at 8:30 yesterday

morning. She weighed 3.39 kg and is doing very well. Tracy was very tired, but has rested and is much better. More detailed descriptions to follow, I need to get back to the

hospital.