Mary Katherine has ARRIVED!

My dearest friend Q became a MOMMY tonight!  Her baby girl was born around 11 PM.  She weighed a little over 7 pounds.  I am so excited and happy for Q.  I can't wait to hold Mary Katherine.  Q and I have decided that Mary Katherine and my little girl will grow up as best friends.  God is good!

Passed

Merry Christmas, a little late!  Oh and Happy New Year! 

Josh and I have been home with our families in North Carolina.  It was so nice to "get away" for the week of Christmas.  Now we feel refreshed and ready to take on the world again.  Josh went back to work this morning.  I went to our doctor's office for my three hour glucose tolerance test.  I passed! 

Here are my results:

* I couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight last night.

7:50 AM - My finger was pricked.  My blood sugar level was 68.  I had to drink two 50 mg bottles of "the orange drink."  I only had ten minutes to drink both bottles.

8:00 AM - I finished the bottles on time...yuck!

9:00 AM - My finger was pricked an hour later. My blood sugar level was 156.

10:00 AM - My finger was pricked two hours later. My blood sugar level was 121.

11:00 AM - My finger was pricked three hours later.  My blood sugar level was 56.

I'm going to spend the rest of the day packing up Christmas decor and cleaning our house.  I want to start getting things ready for our baby girl.  My parents bought her some closet organizers that I can't wait to get set up.  I am going to start washing her clothes and blankets.  I want to get everything organized.  This is my only week off work before she arrives!

I've got an appointment tomorrow at 9:30 AM.  It's my 28 week appointment.  We've got appointments every two weeks now.  Exciting!!!

Gestational Diabetes

Wow!  I'm 26 weeks pregnant!  I can't believe how quickly time flies during pregnancy.  It sure didn't fly by when we were trying to get pregnant.  I wish it were the other way around.  I love being pregnant.  As I'm typing right now she is moving and kicking.  It's fun to watch.  I decided to turn some music on for her.  We're listening to a few songs from the Mamma Mia soundtrack.  I'll take a video of her moving soon and post it. 

Josh and I had an appointment yesterday.  Everything went well.  My bump is measuring perfectly -- 26 weeks.  We listened to her heartbeat for a few seconds.  I had my glucose test too.  My doctor pricked my finger an hour after I drank that orange drink.  By the way, the orange drink isn't that bad.  It tastes like orange soda.  My level was 140.  She said it was right on the border so I am going to have the 3 hour glucose tolerance test after Christmas -- December 28th.  It's at 8 AM.  I'm not supposed to eat or drink anything after midnight.  Then I think this following will happen at my appointment: draw my blood, drink the orange drink, draw my blood after an hour and draw my blood after two hours.  If my levels are high then I'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  I'll have to go on a strict diet, prick my finger four times a day and have more monitoring appointments to make sure the baby isn't getting too big.  I talked with a few girls at work today.  Most said they had it or had friends that had it.  They all said the babies that were born around 8 to 9 pounds, and were 2 to 3 weeks early.  I'm not familiar with gestational diabetes.  Any words of wisdom?

Here's a definition of Gestational Diabetes:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gestational-diabetes/DS00316

Q's Shower

I have wonderful friend that will become a mother through the miracle of adoption...in two weeks!  Her name is Q and I've blogged about her in the past.  We've both been there for each other during fertility treatments.  It's a blessing to know that we will both be mothers very soon.  Q is adopting a baby girl that is scheduled to arrive on December 29th.  This afternoon we celebrated with a baby shower for Q and her daughter, Mary Katherine.  It was so much fun!  I can't wait to see Mary Katherine in Q's arms.  Q will be an amazing mother!

Mom-to-be Angel

Josh and I have exchanged Christmas ornaments since we were in high school.  It's a tradition to open them before we decorate our tree each year.  The ornaments are usually the cute "couple" ones from Hallmark.  Although this year I didn't get his at Hallmart.  I found it at the market in Charleston this fall.  Josh gave me a Mom-to-be Angel this year.  I love it!  She has icecream in one hand and a jar of pickles in the other.

Chicco Keyfit 30

Josh and I were given an early shower gift card.  We debated on what to purchase for our little one.  We finally decided on two necessities: an infant car seat and a stroller.  I ordered both of the items on Cyber Monday and saved LOTS of money!  Babies R Us had drastically marked down all of their car seats, strollers and travel systems.  There shipping was free too.  I'm definitely checking out the Cyber Monday deals next year.

Our car seat arrived this week!  It's exciting to know we will be bringing home our baby girl in this seat.  I try to imagine her inside.  I bet she will be tiny in there.  We ordered the Chicco Keyfit 30.  According to Consumer Reports, it's supposed to be the best.  I thought about ordering the stroller that matches and having an official "travel system" but I don't love the stroller that matches.  It seems bulky!  Instead we decided to order a jogging stroller.  I know jogging strollers are bulky too but I do not need a regular stroller and a jogging stroller.  One will do!  Our car seat is supposed to fit into the jogging stroller just fine.  I'll post a picture of our jogging stroller as soon as it arrives.  It's super cute!

25 Weeks

Dyson Giveaway

      Josh and I would LOVE a new Dyson!

I've never participated in blog giveaways but I'm jumping in on this one.  Baby Rabies is giving away a brand new Dyson D25.  There are several ways you can put your name in the drawing.  Of course, blogging about the giveaway is one way.  Click HERE to learn more!

Hectic Week

It's been a hectic week at school.  My entire first grade classroom has to be packed in boxes for a moving company by next Thursday.  My school district built my school an early childhood center.  It's wonderful and I can't wait to be in my brand new classroom but the move just didn't come at a good time.  I'm supposed to be taking it easy.  My mind is exhausted from thinking about everything I need to do but I can't do.  I was literally almost panicky at work yesterday.  Thankfully Josh came by to help after school.  He tackled a lot of box building and packing.  He's going to come again next week to finish packing.  I'm required to work next Thursday night, Friday night and all day Saturday to unpack everything.  I'll be calling on Josh again.

Oh and contractions!  I had a couple last night while watching Dateline -- by the way, I just not sure if Amanda Knox committed murder in Italy, her conviction really bothers me, especially if she didn't do it, what do you think? -- I took my medicine and didn't notice anymore before falling asleep.  I may have had one this morning so I'm staying in bed, on my left side, for a bit longer.  I really want to get up, decorate our tree, clean our house, shop around town, etc. but I don't want to push it on my day off.  Josh is making us breakfast at the moment.  I'll be getting up soon!

I'll be posting pictures of our Christmas decorations.  We actually decorated for Christmas about a month ago.  We were so excited!  Christmas is our favorite holiday.  The only thing we haven't decorated is our tree.  We just picked it out on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Negative Result

I am happy to say that my test results from yesterday are NEGATIVE!  If the results are negative there is a 97% chance that I will NOT go into preterm labor for the next two weeks.  Josh and I felt a huge relief when we heard the news.  We were also reassured that everything was okay after our appointment yesterday.  My doctor checked my cervix and she did an ultrasound on my cervix.  She said it felt and looked perfect for 24 weeks.  We are so thankful.  I'm back at work but taking it super easy.  My doctor did give me a new, stronger medicine to take for contractions.  It's called Terbutaline.  She prescribed the 5 mg pill.  It lasts for four hours.  She said I can start by taking half a pill when I start to feel contractions.  Last night I had a couple contractions within 15 minutes.  I took half a pill and didn't wake up with any more contractions last night.  So far it works and I'll only be taking it as needed.