Lets play catch up: Oh Crap, here comes Abigail

October 13th. That's the day for Baby Gilde. Vacation and sick time is planned out. Birth plan is being formulated.  Joes pre-baby spirit quest is just around the corner.

Welp, maybe not.

What was supposed to be a regular check up ended with Mary in the hospital. Preeclampsia. Mary is sick and getting sicker. The only cure is giving birth. This is....terrifying.

We're not ready. The house isn't ready. The bags are not packed. The spirit quest has not been taken.

And the baby doesnt have a name.

We had talked about talking about picking out a name. We had several names we both kind of sort of liked. In the end, we wrote out names on the white board in the hospital room. It felt like I was reporting precinct vote totals. Or playing hangman. Or writing Gilde Rules on the blackboard.

Abigail Eloise Gilde. We both like it.

Three days in the hospital and Mary gives birth to Abby. She wanted drugs, the anaesthesiologist didn't show in time. If she ever runs into him in public, she'll run into him with her car.

Abby is here!

Cord cutting. Think I botched it and she'll have an outie. Sorry Abs!

She's 8 weeks early, weighs 4.3 pounds and healthy. She'll end up spending 5 weeks in the hospital. Looking back its a blur of progress, setbacks, crappy hospital beds and even crappier food.

Abigail at one day old, being helped by robots

Abby gets ready to go home.
Apologies for my baby voice, its truly terrible. I pledge to work on it.







Our nurses and doctors were fantastic. Our friends and family are amazing.

Home!

We are so happy to have her home.