Lucky 10%!

Good news is, I'm not going to starve to death. On Saturday Tim and I sat at Quest Diagnostics for 3 1/2 hours. As previously mentioned I had to get four blood draws taken at specific time intervals following the consumption of a very sugary drink. You had to sit at the lab because they don't want you walking around, but rather they are measuring how your body in it's normal state absorbs and uses sugar. It was a long Saturday, and after four pokes my arm is very bruised, but Tim was nice enough to go with me and we played cards while we waited. Well the results came in today and I do NOT have Gestational Diabetes. They said that the screener (the one I failed) is correct in 90% of the cases so I am one of the lucky ones. I am so happy, this means I can once again consume all the delicious treats and carbs I want. It's still good to watch what I eat of course, but I won't be reading labels anymore. Diabetes is confirmed if 2 or more of your 4 blood draws are in abnormal range. All four of mine were average:)

That was the first good news of the day. Tonight Tim and I went on our hospital tour. We really enjoyed it and feel like we can rest a bit easier. It's all the little things like where to park, what to bring, where to eat, etc. The labor rooms seemed comfortable enough. Every woman gets her own room and stays in the same room for her entire stay. It has it's own bathroom, TV, bed for Tim, and Baby bassinet. To my fellow ex LuHigh Cheerleaders I totally thought of cheer camp when I had the broken leg and had to sit on a stool in the shower because the shower has a built in stool. I also liked that they said the first thing they do is put an ID bracelet on the baby's ankle. This I knew, but what I didn't know is that it is security activated so if the baby gets too close to an elevator or exit door the alarm goes off. I thought that was funny, but happy to know Hannah will not be snatched up by any weirdos. We learned that she stays with us 100% of the time, unless we desire otherwise and the night before we leave we get a 'special' birthday dinner which includes champagne for Dad and apple cider for mom. All in all we were glad we went and I think it will be a good hospital. It is all starting to feel so real. Can't wait!!!

"Pour Some Sugar on Me..." or not

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of. Nice saying, but not true for my little girl. From now on she is being made from protein and vegetables only. Last weekend I did the gestational diabetes screening which looks at how your body breaks down and uses sugar. I was worried about this test because I have a history of having abnormal insulin levels. I recently got the results back and was in the abnormal range. The test I did is only a screener, so it doesn't mean 100% that I have gestational diabetes. Now I have to go back and complete the diagnostic test for official results. This consists of fasting for 12 hours and drawing blood. Then I have to drink the same sugary drink as last time which tastes somewhat like Sunkist. After that I have to sit at Quest Diagnostics for 3 hours and get three more blood draws (one every hour). I plan on going a week from today. If these results come back abnormal than I will get the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. The doctor has already put me on extra iron pills as well as he indicated that sometimes that alone can help.

Gestational diabetes basically means that you have too much blood sugar because your body isn't appropriately absorbing the sugar you eat. Possible complications to the baby can include large birth weight, delivery complications, breathing problems, low blood sugar and jaundice. Both mother and baby have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Good news is most women can keep it under control with diet and exercise. If not they may have to give themselves insulin shots. Basically I'm supposed to exercise daily, no sugar or fruit juice, minimal carbs, milk and fruit. Most meals are to be made of protein and vegetables. An example of breakfast was 20 almonds and a glass of soy milk to which Tim literally laughed out loud because that is a far cry from what I normally eat. I have been trying to be really good, but it's harder than I thought. Everything has sugar. I have learned that Raisin Bran has more sugar than Frosted Flakes and one class of Apple Juice is worse than three oreo cookies. Not that I can eat any of the items mentioned, but it has been interesting reading labels.

I know I have been really lucky because I feel good, but emotionally Tim and I are tired of this roller coaster. First we dealt with the bleeding scare. Then we were told about the aging placenta in which I was told to lay on the couch and that I was at risk of having a small baby. Now I'm dealing with gestational diabetes to which I'm being told to exercise daily and that I am at risk for having a large baby. This is crazy. Enough with my rant as ultimately I know how truly lucky I am as there are many woman who can't get pregnant who would gladly eat protein and veges all day everyday, but it sure is a wild ride. And baby girl better recognize that the Queen of McDonalds giving up all things yummy truly is unconditional love.

I will keep you posted on the outcome of the official test. There is a chance it could come back okay so I will keep my fingers crossed and hope this long winded blog post was pointless. And while we wait, don't fret, Hannah has proven she is strong and this is really not that uncommon of a thing to deal with.

Home Stretch

Hard to believe I know, but I have reached the third trimester. In 3 short months you will see Hannah’s sweet little face on the blog instead of my protruding stomach. Speaking of which, the 6 month bump watch pic is posted below. The stomach has really come out of nowhere, along with the stretch marks unfortunately. I have gained a total of 9 lbs. and seem to be consistently gaining one pound per week. I’m still feeling really good, more uncomfortable at night, but that is no big deal I guess. She is moving more and more each day and her kicks are getting stronger. Can't believe how fast the time goes.

All We're Missing is Baby

They call it 'nesting.' It's the time every mother and father spends creating the perfect little home for baby to come home to. For the last two days I have been been cleaning, building, hanging, moving, decorating, etc. It amazes me how many baby things require assembly and if you know Tim well, you know assembly is not his area of expertise. I was so proud of him for helping with the furniture and hanging her name above her bed. It's a bit crooked, but hung with love and that's all that matters to a little one. So after working pretty much non stop for two days I started to wonder just how long does nesting take. The nerdy side of me looked up the Wikipedia answer and learned that some birds build nests in 2-4 weeks while others complete their nests in 2-3 days. The later must be those Type A birds like myself who don't like piles of things in their living room. I would love to paint her walls, but other than that I am so happy with the way it came out. We are ready with our diaper station, feeding station, bathing station, clothes organized by size and type, toys with batteries installed ready to light up and play music for her arrival and of course a comfy bed made and stuffed friends waiting. I love to go in her room and think of how she will be here soon enjoying the many things people have blessed her with. While there are still a few more items that need to be purchased, for the most part all we're missing is baby. Lots of pictures, enjoy...

And we're off...


Taking a break


The final product...Welcome to the room of:

Doctors VIsit

After rushing out of work early, Tim and I drove our now 45 minute drive to the doctor today for our appointment only to hear that he was an hour behind schedule due to delivering twins. While slightly inconvenienced, when it's my turn I'm sure I won't be too worried about the patients in the waiting room. Finally he arrived and we had a good appointment. Everything is perfect! This is our last four week stretch between appointments. Starting in November I will get an ultrasound every other week to check on the 'aging' placenta and in December I will go every week. This weekend I have my diabetes test. This consists of drinking a very sugary drink and then having my blood drawn to see how my body reacts to sugar. Hopefully it comes out good because I will be really sad if I have to give up sugar. I also learned at my appointment that there is a heredity component to labor which means I may be early. Then again, Tim and I have learned there is no planning with Hannah, she is in God's hands and will most likely do the opposite of what we think. Hannah is now 2 pounds and is more than a foot long. She seems to like when her daddy plays her music on his phone as she starts to move around. Her hearing and taste buds are at this point strong. Eyes can now open, but eyesight is weak. As for me, I am looking forward to putting away her many generous gifts this weekend and preparing her special room.

Showered with Love

This past weekend Tim and I drove the long drive to Southern California to celebrate baby Hannah. Turnaround trips are always difficult because there is simply so little time and we don't get to see everyone we would like, but this trip was well worth it. My wonderful friends Amee, Ashlee, and Madeline and my beautiful sister in law Laura put together the most perfect baby shower. It was fun and classy with tons of great food, the cutest decorations, and lots of pink! I can't express enough how blessed I am to have so many loved ones supporting me and anxiously awaiting Hannah's arrival. I can only hope that as Hannah grows she is surrounded by as many strong and inspiring women as I have in my life. Thank you to all who helped celebrate. I feel completely spoiled. If any of you have pictures please please please email me because her baby book has been officially started and as you see below I have very few.