Wednesday, January 16, 2019

We Meet Annalise

Meet Annalise Rae Lynn - the newest member of the Alaskan Gherkins*. She was born at 10:48 p.m.  Annalise weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz and was 20.5 inches long.  Annalise is named for her great-great grandmother and her two grandmothers.
Rae is my middle name. I'm thrilled to have a
namesake in the bunch. LOL 

The Story: 

I was, literally, picking up my bag to head for Bible study (Tuesday), when my phone rang.

"My water just broke," Bre said.

I know one usually has 12 hours before birth when this happens, but I strongly suspected this would not be Bre's case.  She wasn't feeling contractions, but they wanted her at the hospital ASAP.  Michael and Stacia headed to BreZaak's to wait for Izaak to get home and to watch Bella and Gideon.

After study, I headed to BreZaak's for the evening and Michael went home. The kids had a fairly restless evening. They are too young at 2 and 1 to understand all the hubbub - but mom was excited, Dad was excited, and they were GONE. Auntie and Gemma were spending the night. Cuddling with them was priceless.

Stacia summed the evening up well, "I've slept better on AIRPLANES." ::Snort::  She texted Nolan bright and early and asked him to bring us some breakfast. He made a run to McDonalds and gladly joined us.  What a rock star of a brother. Bella was happy to see, "Oh No!" (Uncle Nolan)
Bella and Oh No. 

Meanwhile, at the hospital, they began meds for Strep, checked Bre and waited. Izaak reported and Bre confirmed,  once she felt contractions it was 45 minutes until Annalise was in their arms. When your labors progress like THIS, it doesn't make any sense at all, in an Alaskan winter, to hang out at home until one feels contractions.

Izaak came home to shower and see the kids this morning. Stacia and I ran home. We needed to help Michael return the car we've been borrowing, and then we all stopped by to see Bre and Annalise. A note here - we LOVE the local birthing unit. It's beautiful. The staff is friendly and the traffic is slow inside the unit. It's much more restful than any hospital I've been in. We are thankful BreZaak were able to deliver out here and didn't have to make the winter run to Anchorage.

She's gorgeous! She was soon to learn the immutable truth all other Gherkins have learned....when you see a great light, Gemma is around.
Our first look 
 Yes, I did ace everyone out! I called first dibs. 


Michael was close behind....

Resting peacefully in Papa's arms
 Auntie brought the two blankets she made to the hospital. 
Auntie Stacia and Annalise


Annalise decides to check out Auntie

Uncle Alex with Annalise


Everyone needs an "Oh No" in their life. 
Uncle Nolan and Annalise


Stacia and I went back to BreZaak's. Izaak had to run by work and take care of a bit of paperwork and then back to the hospital. The birthing center treats new parents to a steak and shrimp dinner. He reports it is fantastic.

Around 8 p.m., Stacia and I came home and went straight to bed!

*Gherkins - (In case you're new to our idiosyncrasies) Gherkin is used on this blog to describe any descendant from Michael and De'Etta. Michael's forebears were pickle makers in the old country. While Annalise is not one of OUR children, she IS one of our descendants. Thus, you can be a D or an S and still be a Gherkin.