Update!!!

Okay, I am soooo sorry I haven't been keeping up with the blog! There is something about having a newborn at home that takes up all your time! But, I am back to work now so I actually have some free time!

Miss Brighton Jane is doing awesome! As of today she is 12 weeks and 1 day old! I can't believe how fast the time has gone! She is working really hard on holding her head up and she is starting to make noises now! She loves sitting in her bouncer and talking to the lion that hangs in front of her - it is so cute! Our baby girl is full of smiles, and is overall a very happy baby!

One thing I have learned about her is that she does not like to take naps! She must have gotten that from her Daddy b/c I love naps! :) She might nap for a total of 4 hours a day, but at least she sleeps great at night! She usually goes down about 8:00pm, I do a "dreamfeed" at 10:30pm, and she sleeps all the way until 6:30am! It has been really nice being able to get some consistent sleep at night - especially since I am back at work.

At her 2 month check up she weighed 13lbs 4oz, and was 23 1/2 in long! Such a big girl - about 95th percentile for each! The good thing is that she is growing proportional and at a consistent rate! We don't have another appointment until she is 4 months, so we have a little while to wait!

Anyway, that is the update on our beautiful baby girl!!! Enjoy the pictures below!

4 Weeks Old

Mommy told me I was too young to hunt Easter Eggs.
All better - she said I could next year when I am bigger!!

See my pretty Easter dress?!?!

Hospital Stay

Okay, so par for the course our hospital stay with Brighton wasn't usual either!! The night she was born she was put in NICU because she had fluid in her lungs. This was causing her heart rate to hit over 200 BPM, and respirations got above 80 per minute. So, she was put in NICU so she could be watched closely. They did a chest x-ray, ran blood work, and took a culture of the fluid in her lungs. The doctor was pretty sure it was residual fluid from being born by c-section, but they need to make sure it wasn't an infection. This culture took 48 hours to get back, so she was started an antibiotics and was to be kept in NICU until the results were back.

This was really hard for us because we were really only able to hold her every 3 hours during feeding times. We could go see her anytime we wanted, but the nurses wanted her to have "down time" to keep her nice and relaxed. Not to mention we had grandparents and aunts that wanted to see her and hold her too!! In NICU we were only allowed to have 4 additional people on the list, so we had to keep rotating people thru! That was a struggle for us to do, but I think everyone had "equal" time!

On Thursday (the 14th) we found out that they were taking Brighton off the IV and that she had completed her antibiotics. When were were there for the 12 noon feeding they said we were going to get to take her to our room that afternoon!!! YAY!! We were so excited! Technically the culture wouldn't be back until about 1:30am that coming morning, but they were pretty sure it would be clear since nothing was growing on it to that point. So needless to say, we were very excited! Finally our baby girl was going to be with us!

Brighton stayed in our room Thursday night - that was stressful to a new mommy! I think I slept about 30 minutes! Every little sound she made caught my attention - and so the worrying began! Then on Friday we were told that we were able to go home! She had a final check up with the NICU doctor, and everything came back just fine! So, in a matter on minutes we were packing up our stuff, taking the "hospital" pictures, and heading out the door! That happened sooo fast! But, the important thing was that we were on our way home with our baby girl!!

The doctors and nurses at the Women's Center were awesome! They were very detailed with Brighton, and we knew she was in the best hands possible. Nothing was left un-checked, and every issue was followed up on! What an amazing staff!

So now we are at home, just turned 3 weeks old, and each day is a little different! Brighton is doing great on her schedule! She eats every 3 hours about 3oz-4oz, and sleeps at night from about 1am-6am. It is hard to wake her up from her naps when she is sleeping so well, but as soon as I let her sleep she would be off for the rest of the day! The routine has worked for our family, so hopefully it will help Brighton to sleep thru the night before we know it!

Birth Story

Okay everyone, here is our birth story starting from Monday, Jan 11th!

So, for the 10 days prior to this I have been looking forward to Monday! That meant I was going to leave the antepartum wing in the hospital and head over to Labor and Delivery! I was so excited! Everytime a nurse came in my room I would ask, "is it time to go yet"? Finally about 5:30 that evening they loaded me and all my stuff up and headed over to L&D. Did I mention I had all my stuff packed since 10 that morning! Anyway, we made it over to L&D and I finally felt like I was going to have a baby the next day!! The nurse inserted a medicine called Cervidel which is supposed to soften the cervix, and make it more condusive for labor. At that was it - the medicine stayed in until 6am the next morning! Let me just say, between the thoughts of having a baby the next day and the bright lights that were outside our window, I didn't get any sleep - maybe 45 minutes tops!! Jeffrey got some sleep, so at least 1 of us was well rested!

Bright and early the next morning (1-12) the nurse came in to remove the Cervidel and start the Pitocin drip! So, we were on our way to having a baby! I didn't really feel any different for the first 30 minutes or so, so I didn't think it was working! The nurse kept coming in and increasing the dose to get me in a good contraction pattern. Finally about 7am or so, I was able to feel some contractions! They weren't painful at all, just felt like little cramps every once in a while.

At about 9am my doctor came in to break my water. OH MY GOSH!!!! That is the most painful thing I have ever gone through! He was sure the labor process would speed up after that, and in my mind I still thought we would have a baby by early afternoon. Not shortly after I reached the "good contraction pattern" - one every 2-3 minutes, but they still weren't very strong. No need for the epidural yet!

About 2pm or so my doctor came back in to see what progress I had made. Well........I was only 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Not much progress at all. Keep in mind, we have been at this since 6am! It was a little upsetting that I wasn't further along, and the Dr felt the same way. At this point I should be further along. So he gave us 3 options: 1) go ahead and have the c-section 2) keep laboring until baby comes on her own - who knows how long it would take at that rate or 3) give it a little longer and see what progress we have made. Jeffrey and I decided on option 3. At this point I was still feeling okay. Most of the labor pain was in my back, so that REALLY sucked. We set a goal of 5 cm dilated for when the Dr came back - if we were there, then I would keep laboring. If not, we were going for the c-section.

Well, about 5pm came around and the Dr was back to check my progress. I was praying that I would here the magic "5cm"!! Needless to say there was NO CHANGE!!!!!! I was still only 2 cm and 50% effaced. So, we gave the go-ahead to have the c-section. It was a very emotional decision for us to make, but it was the right one for us. Brighton's heart rate had turned from nice, easy hills to jagged, sharp peaks. I was exhausted, and worried that she was being put under too much stress. So, after a few tears and saying goodbye to our family, we headed down the hall to the operating room.

Poor Jeffrey had to stand at the end of the hall in a corner all by himself while they got me all prepped and put on the table. He said that was the worst part! All he could do was think about how his life was going to change in a few short minutes...we really were going to have a baby! I was so relived when he came in the room and sat next to my head! Then the fun began! All I could feel was a lot of tugging and pressure. The next thing I knew, they said, "Okay, you are going to feel a lot of pressure...here she is"! Then I heard the most beautiful sound in the world - her first cry! Dr. Uribe showed her to me over the sheet, then she was gone to get cleaned up. She was still in the same room so Jeffrey was able to go over there and watch everything and take pictures. The nurses actually let him measure her head and length. Finally they brought her over to me, and we had our first family photo! She was beautiful!

After she was all cleaned up, Jeffrey went with her to the nursery while they finished up with me. Then I had to go to recovery for an hour - that sucked not being able to be with her. Luckily my mom and dad were able to come in there and keep me company. Then, it was off to my room!

So that is our birth story. The birth didn't go how we had planned in our minds, but the end result was the same - a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Why would anything be different with the birth - the pregnancy and everything leading up to this day didn't go as planned either! It was like someone was telling me, "give it up, I am the one in control"!!

I will add another post about our hospital stay in the next few days or so. Right now it is time for Miss Brighton to wake up and eat! Thanks for reading!

Catching everyone up!

Okay, as most of you know Miss Brighton Jane was born 1-12-10 via c-section at 5:55pm! But, there was a lot that happened between my last post and the day she was born. I figured I would catch everyone up with what was going on!

Well, on December 14th at my Dr's appt they determined that I had pre-eclampsia. This meant that my blood pressures were running high, I had high protein levels in my urine, and my platlet count was running on the low side, but everything with the baby was fine. At that point they decided to put me on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. That day and the next day I had steroid injections to help Brighton's lungs mature, and I had to see a specialist that coming Wednesday. At that appointment we found out that we would not make it to our full due date - we would be induced at 37 weeks! The doctor said that was because at 37 weeks the baby is considered full term, and there is a greater risk to me if she stayed in there!

So from that point on I was on bedrest (meaning I could get up to go to the bathroom and fix something to eat, but that was all) and had Dr's appointments twice a week for a scan of the baby and bloodwork. It sounds crazy, but I looked forward to the appts even if that meant I had to have more blood work done!

Well, on Dec 30th I had to do another 24 hour urine test to check the levels of my protein. No surprise they came back high! Then on Dec 31st we got the call from the doctor that I needed to be admitted to the hospital for the remainder of my bedrest -that was a huge shock to hear! So on New Year's Eve Jeff and I checked into the hospital and I began a 12 day stay in the antepartum wing of the hospital! They still did BPPs (biophysical profiles) of Brighton twice a week and blood work on my twice a week as well. They just wanted me close incase something happened suddenly. Oh, and they also did an NST (non-stress test) on Brighton twice a day. They hooked her up to the fetal monitor and we got to hear her heart beat for at least 30 minutes each time! She was perfect in all her scans!!!

So now all we had to do was wait. Jan 12th seemed like forever away when we checked into the hospital, but the day was there before we knew it! Okay, that is the back story on why I was put on bed rest and why Brighton was delivered 3 weeks early! This is all I have time to write for now - the little one is starting to stir and that means feeding time! I will try to update with her birth story sometime in the next few days!

Miss Brighton's Room!!!

Okay, well her room isn't totally done, but it is pretty close! Jeff has been busy with the painting, hanging the chair rail and shadow boxes, doing the touch-ups, and pretty much anything else I add to his "honey do" list! I covered the cornace box and wall stars with the cowhide fabric from the bedding, and of course Jeff hung all of those for me too!!

Then on New Year's Eve my wonderful in-laws (and sister in-law) drove in from Colorado to deliver the much anticipated baby furniture! My father in law built the changing table/dresser and the armoir from scratch, and without seeing it in person yet I can say it is amazing! Here are some pictures of the furniture and the room in general! I cannot say thank you enough to my in-laws for their true labor of love! The furniture is something Brighton will grow with and cherish forever!!

Now I cannot wait to get home and actually feel like a "mommy" with putting her stuff away and getting it all set up for her! Actually setting up the nursery is something I have been looking forward to since we found out we were having a baby girl! And now, it won't be long until she is with us! So excited!

So many updates!

Well, as of today I am 34 weeks pregnant and should have about 6 weeks to go - but, I really only have about 3 weeks! At my 32 week appointment the doctor discovered that my blood pressure was higher than it should be. So, I was told I had "severe pregnancy induced hypertension". The sent me for blood work, had to do a 24 hour urine test, and then upgraded my condition to "pre-eclampsia". What this means is that I have high blood pressure, a decreased platelet count, and a high level of protein in my urine. So, I have been on bed rest for the past week, and will remain that way until our little girl is delivered.

She is still doing great and is growing right on schedule, well, a little ahead! Every Monday we have a BPP (biophysical profile) to check her lung function, fluid level, movements, and placenta function. Last week and today she scored an 8 of 8! Last week I had steroid injections to help her lungs mature a little faster, so everything is looking good!

The preinatologist we meet with every week told us that I will be induced at 37 weeks if my condition doesn't worsen. So, we are looking at about Jan 12th for her due date! I pray that everything continues as it is now, and she can cook for another 3 weeks! At the appt today she was estimated at 5lbs 14oz, so at least we know she will be a healthy size!

Anyway, that is the update. I look forward to every Monday and Wednesday when I am allowed to leave the house for doctor's appts! Sad, I know!!!

32 week update - the good and the bad

Well, I went to the Dr this morning because I wasn't feeling well. I have been coughing a lot and just wanted to make sure everything was okay. The Dr said I just have a viral infection and that there is nothing to worry about. My lungs were clear so there is no fear of bronchitis or anything - yay for the good news! So, I can take Tylenol PM at night to help me sleep. Other than that, it just has to work it's way out of my system. Another piece of good news was that my blood sugars look great and there is still no mention of needing insulin!! I got to hear Brighton's heart beat, and it was nice and strong at 154 BMP! She has been very active the past 2 weeks! Last night Jeff was actually able to feel her have the hicups!

Now for the not-so-good news. The Dr said I had 2+ protein in my urine (whatever that means) and my blood pressure was high. This is the first time the entire pregnancy that I have had high blood pressure! It was 122/96. They said the combination of the high protein and the elevated blood pressure makes me a candidate for "pregnancy induced hypertension". Yippi! Now instead of going in every 2 weeks, I have to be seen every week to monitor the blood pressure. I am at a high risk of developing pre-eclampsia which can lead to an early delivery. But, they are going to watch me closely so everything will be okay! I had blood work done, and have to do a 24hr urine collection - the fun times just keep coming! Oh, and I take my blood pressure twice a day at work and record the numbers. If I get about 140/90 then I call right away. So far I haven't been in that range!

Anyway, that is the latest! I finally got the nursery primed, so we just need to paint and get all the trim work done. We still have lots to do! But, school gets out on the 18th, so hopefully we will have a little more time then! I'll try to post a new picture soon!!

Thanksgiving and our trip to Colorado

This Thanksgiving Jeff and I flew up to Colorado to visit family and friends for the holiday! At the time I was 30 weeks, so flying was still okay by my Dr! The flight was good - a little uncomfortable towards the end, but nothing too bad. I didn't have any swelling or anything!
Anyway, when we got up there on Sunday my wonderful mother-in-law and sister-in-law threw me a baby shower! It was so much fun! Thank you to all the wonderful ladies that attended - you really made me feel special! Everything was perfect and I couldn't be happier! Not to mention I was truely blessed with everyone's generosity! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The rest of our trip was relaxing just spending time with family. Jeff and his dad worked on the baby's furniture in the evenings - I am sooo excited about seeing the final product! Now I just have to be patient until they get to come down after Christmas! We had a great trip and weren't ready to come home. But the positive side is we get to see mom, dad, and Steph again in a few weeks! Yay!

29 weeks - 11 to go!!

Wow - that is hard to believe! We had a pretty good weekend this weekend. I was able to pick up the baby bedding on Thursday and it is sooooo cute!! So yesterday I finally picked out what color I want to do her room (thanks Mandy for the help)! And Jeff and I put together her crib! Yay! We have something in the room now! Hopefully this week I will get some painting done before we leave for Colorado! Here is the weekly update - even though our little one is bigger than it says! :)

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

28 week appointment!

This morning we had our 28 week appointment and everything went great! Jeff and I were able to see our little girl again! And yes, she is still a girl, and yes, there is still just 1 of her! Well, it looks like we are going to have a big girl! When they measured her femur, she was in the 96th percentile!! Looks like she has her daddy's legs! And, she is estimated to weigh 3 lbs 1 oz right now. Her overall size put her in the 73rd percentile, and she was measuring about 1 1/2 weeks early! When we read her sonogram report they actually put 1/22/10 on there! Now, that doesn't mean she will be born that early, but that she is growing at a good rate! The doctor expects we will have a 8+ pound baby!

My appointment went well too. I got the Rhogam shot since I am 28 weeks along and have A- blood. My blood pressure, belly size, and blood sugars all looked good! And, I only have to check my blood sugars 2 times a day now! Yay!! So far this pregnancy I have gained about 11 pounds, with 7 of them coming in the last 8 weeks - my doctor was happy with that too.

Anyway, here is the picture of Brighton today. She was head down and laying on her right side, so it was hard to get a clear shot of her face. But, if you look hard enough you can see her chubby little cheeks, her ear, hands in front of her face, and maybe a little hair! Oh, I can't wait to see her in person!!!

A very productive weekend!

This weekend Jeff and I got a lot of stuff done! Let me just say, I have a wonderful and amazing husband, and I feel truely blessed to have him in my life! He worked his tail off this weekend around the house! All of our stuff is moved out of storage, and there are 2 little boxes waiting to be un-packed...then we are done!!!! Jeff organized the garage and put stuff up in the attic so I can actually park my car in the garage - I am very excited about that! Saturday we went car shopping for me. I really like my Murano, but feel like I need something bigger to start hauling baby stuff! So, we went to Carmax and I found a Tahoe (online) that I really like. All the finances are approved, so we just have to wait for it to come in from San Antonio. Hopefully sometime this week I will have a new vehicle!

Yesterday Jeff worked like a mad-man outside in the yard. We have about 1/2 acre, and the previous owners had some pretty interesting plants everywhere! So Jeff pulled out pretty much every plant in the front yard (trust me, none you would want to keep) and finally mowed down all the weeds...the front of the house looks so much better!!! Now we just have the other yard to do!

Oh, another thing we did on Saturday was pick up our crib! Actually having it at the house (still in the box) has made me anxious about the baby's room! Hopefully this weekend we can start painting the trim and doors so that next weekend we can work on the walls! Anyway, that is the update from the Bernard house! Have a great week everyone!

27 weeks down...13 to go!

My goodness time has started to fly by! Today I am 27 weeks along, and I can't believe that in under 3 months our little girl will be here! She is moving a lot more lately, and Jeff is able to feel her will a little more ease. She does have her quiet times, and that makes me a little nervous! As I sit here to type this, my little girl has her first hiccups (right on schedule)!!!! It feels like a little tapping on the inside about 1 sec apart from each other - hope that means she is growing! I am feeling good still, and blood sugar is right on track! I am starting to get a little uncomfortable at night, but I know that is just the beginning!

Anyway, here is the 27 week update:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Only 1 more week until we get to see her again! Yay!!!

Surprise Baby Shower!!!!

So, have I ever mentioned that I have the best group of volleyball players ever?!?! In case some of you don't know, I am an athletic trainer at a high school. Well, last week I get a phone call from the head volleyball coach saying that one of her players was hurt during work-out during class and I needed to come over there and get her on the Gator - so I hop on the Gator and head to the gym. When I get there all the girls are in the locker room because the coach was "upset" with them for messing around and getting someone hurt. Mind you, the volleyball nets were set up and there were balls left out on the floor (very good staging on their part)!!

Well, I go into the locker room to check on the girl that was hurt and low and behold - they surprised me with a baby shower!!! Both the varsity and JV teams were in there, and there was streamers and balloons everywhere! They are so sweet! Evidently they had been planning this for like 2 weeks and it was called operation B-squared (Baby Brighton or Brighton Bernard)! I totally felt special and appreciated, which doesn't happen often in my profession. My first baby shower was awesome!! Here are some pics from that day - too bad I didn't have a heads up so I could fix my hair or put on make-up!

The volleyball girls and Coach Green!

The volleyball girls (with Coach Green not in the picture)

Opening gifts - wow, baby blankets are sooooo soft!

Our "Happy Giraffe" bouncer!!!

Such cute onesies!!

Really, her little feet are going to be this small?!?!?

Actually seeing her name in print for the first time - it looks pretty good! :)

Cards from some of the girls

The yummy cake that one of my players made! It was 3 level - strawberry on top, chocolate in the middle, and vanilla on the bottom! She even decorated it herself! See the B 2 on top?? So cute!

Nursery Bedding!

So, we are having our bedding custom made by a place called "Cowgirls and Lace" here in Dripping Springs. It won't be ready until the start of December, but I figured I could post the fabric samples and try to explain what it will look like! She is going to be a cowgirl princess with her room being pink and brown!

This is the front of the bumper:Each side looks like it is in 3 pieces. In the middle will be the brown cow-hide and on each side will be the pink checkered print. Seperating the pieces will be the ribbon you see, and the trim along the entire thing is the pink/brown rope at the top.

The inside of the bumper will look like this:

The reverse side of the pink checkered fabric will be the brown minky dot, and the reverse side of the brown cow-hide will be the pink fuzzy fabric. The same ribbon will seperate the panels and the trim around the top is the same.

The dust ruffle will look like this:

It will be the pink checkered fabric with the polka-dot trim about 3 inches from the bottom. The skirt will be tailored with the "v-folds" in the front and on the sides.

And finally, the ties on the bumper will look like this:

The ribbon is 2-sided so you will be able to see both the pink and brown!

We have also ordered a brown rocker/recliner that should be in around the same time! Hopefully we will start working on the nursery soon with painting and everything. But for now, our attention is focused on un-packing the rest of the house! Hope you enjoy!!!!

24 Weeks! V-Day!!

So this morning we had our 24 week appointment! No ultrasound this time, so I was kind of bummed about that, but everything went well! My belly is growing right on schedule, and I actually gained weight this last month! Just 3 lbs, but I have a feeling there will be plenty more to come! I also turned in my glucose numbers, and they were very happy with them! Looks like insulin is going to be a long ways off!! Yay!!! I was able to hear Brighton's heart rate on the doppler, and she was about 148-152 bmp - perfect! I wish I could have seen her pretty little face!
We have our 28 week appointment scheduled for Nov. 10th, and we will get to see her again then! They are going to do another growth scan so we can see how big she is measuring and all that good stuff! Also at the next appointment I will have to get the Rhogam shot since I am A- blood type. Then from 28 weeks on we will have appointments every 2 weeks! Agh! It is going to be here before you know it!
Today is also a big day because we have reached our "V-Day"! If your baby happens to be born at 24 weeks or later, it has greater than 50% chance of survival...hence, viability day! Granted we want that little girl to cook as long as possible, but passing all the small milestones are exciting! I feel great, she is moving like crazy, and Jeffrey is able to feel her as well - so weird! Anyway, below is the pregnancy update for 24 weeks!!
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

21 Weeks!!!! Over 1/2 way done!!!!

It is hard to believe that we are on the down-hill side of the pregnancy! I have a feeling the due date will get here before I know it! Anyway, I have been feeling great! Brighton is moving around quite a bit (such a weird feeling), so it is nice to know she is doing okay! Jeffrey thought he felt her the other night, but it still might be too early for that.

This weekend we did a lot of baby stuff too! I went to the fabric store and picked out all the bedding stuff for Miss Brighton, but I am waiting to place the order until Oct. 2nd (the sale starts then)! It is going to be so cute! I will be sure to post pictures once we start working on her room! Then Jeffrey and I went and registered for some baby stuff at Babies 'R Us. That was an overwhelming experience! I left the store with a headache! :) But, it was fun and we are happy with our choices!

Here is the weekly update on the baby, although we think she is a little bigger than this already!!

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

20 Week Appt Went Great!

Well, yesterday we had our 20 week "big" appointment, and everything looks great! It is confirmed that we are having a GIRL!!!! She looked good and healthy, with all organs working and in their proper place! We actually were able to see her swallowing too! Right now she weighs about 12oz, and is in the 63% for femur length and head size! Hopefully she is going to get some of her daddy's height!

She was in the breech position, which is totally normal at this stage, and her bottom was pushed as far down as she could possibly go! It was amazing to see how flexible and active she is! I have been able to feel her moving for about 2 weeks now, but the feelings are definetly getting stronger! It is only a matter of time before Jeff can feel her too!

I am doing well also. Blood sugars are under control with the diet, so no mention of insulin yet! And, I am still down 1 lb from my pre-pregnancy weight! The doctor said that is totally normal for gestational diabetes mothers, and that I might gain very little weight overall.

So, that is the update. Our little girl, Brighton Jane, is doing great!!!

17 week update!

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

I have been such a slacker!!!

Okay, I am sooo sorry that I haven't updated the blog in a while. Towards the end of my 1st trimester I usually picked napping over being on the computer, and now things have been really busy with sports and school starting! So, I will try to go through everything pretty fast!
We had our 16 week appointment on August 17th and everything looked really good! The best news, is that is looks like we are having a GIRL!!!!! She was very active (I had to drink a glucose drink before the exam) so it was hard for the nurse to get a clear shot. But, we had 2 good views and we are about 80% sure she is a girl! We will confirm the gender at the 20 week appointment on September 14th! The nurse made the comment that she had really long legs, which my goodness, look at her daddy! Time to start saving for those club volleyball teams! We might have the next volleyball star on our hands!
So, back to the glucose drink. My doctor wanted to check for gestational diabetes pretty early due to my family history. Monday I did the 1 hour glucose test to see if additional testing was needed. Needless to say, I failed the 1 hour test and had to do the 3 hour test the following day. Tuesday morning I got to drink that yummy drink again (kind of tasted like orange fanta) and have my blood sugar checked every hour. Well, I failed that test too! :( Here were my levels in case you are interested: Fasting was 87 and it should be less than 95, 1 hour was 202 and it should be less than 180, 2 hour was 172 and it should be less than 155, and finally 3 hour was 72 and it should be less than 140. I thought 2 out of 4 wasn't bad...guess I was wrong! I have to meet with a diabetic counselor tomorrow (8/25) to see what changes to my diet I need to make, etc. Hopefully it won't come to the insulin injections, but I will do whatever is best for the baby!
Well, that is about it. I will post the 17 week update just in case anyone is interested! Have a great week!!

Video won't work...

Well, I tried yesterday and today to upload the video from our 12 week appt. I could not get it to work! :( So, I will have Jeff try and see if he can get it to work. I'll let you know!! Have a great day everyone!