We Have Nursery Furniture!!!

Hello, again, everyone....wow, posting twice in the same weekend, so unlike me. But, I wanted to show you the furniture we got this weekend for Danley Braydn's room. With some help from my Daddy and Grandaddy, we got it all put together and in place. So here are the results.....

Have a great week!

Christmas is Over...12/27/2008

I got this for Bear for Christmas. It says, "I want to be like Bear." It will go in Braydn's room. It's framed, although you can't tell in the picture.

These are all the gifts that Braydn received this year. Here are Mommie and Daddy on Christmas Eve, 29 weeks pregnant.

As you can see, we all had a great Christmas. Hope you all did, too! We have had a total of 6 gatherings since Sunday, 12/21/08. Needless to say, we were pooped, but enjoyed every minute of it. This time next year, we will have a 9 month old to enjoy it with!!!

I don't have a picture of the necklace Bear got me, but I must mention it. It is a heart with a mother and baby inside, surrounded by diamonds. It is beautiful and I love it! Thanks, Bear!!!

Well, our lab results from Monday came back good. My sugar levels were good from the glucola test and my iron level was good, too!

I have forgotten to mention that Braydn has a new baby cousin in the family. Lynsy and Jason Newman brought home his 2nd cousin this past Monday from the hospital, Owen Bryce Newman. Owen is doing well and is glad to finally be home!!!

Thanks for taking time to check in on us! We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers! We will post again very soon!

28 1/2 week update and Dr. Appt

In this picture, Braydn has his arms and legs (ankles crossed) in front of his face....OUCH!

This is the only face shot we got of him. It isn't very clear, but you should be able to make out eyes, nose, and mouth. Big foot shot! You could clearly see all 5 toes... (and fingers on his hands).

Side view of the belly at 28 1/2 weeks.

Bear and Dany in front of our "Christmas Mantle" posing before the doctor's appt.

This morning we had our 28 1/2 week check up. This was the last monthly visit appointment. After today we will begin seeing the doctor every 2 weeks.

• First thing - we weighed....gained 5.5 lbs since last visit (total weight gain is 18.5 lbs). She said we are right on target and if our total weight gain stays between 25-30 lbs by delivery, we will be perfect!
• Second thing - blood pressure, it was 90/54, has gone down since the beginning of pregnancy, but this is where my bp normally sits. This was also a good report.
• Third thing - glucola test, to prepare for this I had a choice of whether to drink 'the famous orange drink' or eat 18 jelly beans. I chose the jelly beans! Then in one hour they draw blood to determine your sugar level, this is an indicator of gestational diabetes. If level is okay, that means my body, and Bradyn's body, are producing enough insulin to keep sugar levels under control. We will get these results tomorrow.
• Fourth thing - ultrasound, Braydn's heart rate was 151, he measured right on target for our due date of Friday, March 13th!!! He also measured 2 lbs 15 oz. He is in the 60th percentile, which Dr. Gilliam says is great...not too big and not too small! We only got one very faint face shot, you can see above. He was asleep almost the whole time (until it was over, of course) with one arm across his face and one arm behind his back (Ouch!).
• Fifth thing - bathroom break and wait on Dr. Gilliam. The bathroom break was very necessary by this point! I began to wonder if I was going to wet my pants before they would let me go! Urine checked out good, no sugar or protein.
• Sixth thing - Dr. Gilliam came in to talk with us. We got the schedule for birthing classes. We will most likely be in the class beginning Jan. 15th. She also explained the hip pain I've been having. We've also been having some Braxton Hicks contractions, which she confirmed. This is normal. The only concern is if I have six or more within one hour. They are very sparatic, 3-4/hr then no more for a few hours, then maybe one here and there. So, we are good in that department, as well!
• Lastly, Seventh thing - scheduled our next appointment which will be January 5th at 11:30am.

Dr. Gilliam is planning to be at the hospital when we deliver, she said, unless she is out of town. They only time she is scheduled to be out of town is March 15-18!!! So, I pray that he will come the week of our due date or after the 18th! She did say she will not let us go longer than one week past our due date, so the absolute latest he will arrive is March 20th!

Thanks for checking in on us. We will post tomorrow after we get our results from the glucola test.

26 1/2 week photo update, December 7, 2008

As you can see we are moving right along. :) Braydn is really active now, especially in the morning and at night. This morning he actually woke me up with his aerobics practice! For almost 45 minutes we felt him kicking and/or punching continuously, one after another!!! So, I guess we need to prepare ourselves for some all-nighters with this little guy! Things are still going well. No problems at all, just an achy back every day and night, but I guess that can be expected! Thanks for checking in. Our next visit is December 22nd. I'll try to post again before then, though.

Nursery Pictures, 12/3/08

Here are a couple of photos of the newly painted nursery, finished it Saturday. It's a shade of light green. I couldn't get a great angle, so I hope you can tell enough from the pictures. I was proud to finally get it finished and for once the color matched what I had imagined!

Photo Update, 12/02/08

These are not the best pictures.....I set the automatic timer to take these. The top picture was taken this morning at almost 26 weeks. The bottom 2 pictures were taken on 11/22/08 at 24 weeks. As you can see, we are definitely making some progress. My belly seems to have exploded in the last month! :) I painted the nursery this past weekend. I'll post some pictures of it soon.

24 Week Checkup, November 24, 2008

To start things off, we have decided on his name......Danley Braydn Whitlock! We will call him Braydn. Actually, we already refer to him as Braydn, and call him by name. It's really fun! We had our 24 week check up with Dr. Gilliam today. My blood pressure was good, 120/70. We have gained one pound since last visit (raising the total to 13 lbs). We heard his heart beat on the doppler again, and she commented on how active he is (they say that every time, he must really be a busy little bee in there). We are scheduled to go back on December 22nd for our glucoli (sugar test), lab work, and another ultrasound. This will be a great Christmas present for daddy and I, we can't wait to see our little Braydn again! By the way, I must mention, that Braydn had a 1st cousin born on Friday, November 21st, Virginia Ruth Little. She weighed 6 lb 3 oz, 18 1/2" long. Mom and baby are both doing great. They went home yesterday. Thanks for checking in. I'll post some pictures soon of our outward belly progress! It has changed since last time, I can promise you all that! We hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are very thankful for our great family and friends and especially for our sweet little Braydn!

We will be 24 weeks on Thursday, 11/20/08

24 WEEK UPDATE (from www. pregnancy.org) Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs. His body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn. Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste. Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of his hands has improved as he sucks his thumb. Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily. This week your baby is officially considered viable. Baby weighs 1.3 pound (600gm) and is 11.8 inches (30cm) long -- almost the length of a ruler!

23 week update, www.pregnancy.org

Taken from www.pregnancy.org Week Twenty-Three Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat. Bones located in the middle ear harden. Your baby is able to hear. The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation. The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. He has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars. If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day. . The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

20 week Ultrasound and Check-up, 10/27/08

Today was our 20 week visit to the doctor. We had our ultrasound, which confirmed we still have a baby boy! His heartbeat was 143 then 146, very consistent. He was very active throughout the entire ultrasound. Some movements I can feel, others I cannot. He has grown quite a bit in the last month. Dr. Gilliam said his anatomy looks great! We saw the 4 chambers of the heart, stomach, kidneys, bladder, 5 fingers, 5 toes, 2 arms, 2 legs, little boy parts, spine, brain, pretty much everything. He is turned lenghwise across my belly right now, instead of up and down. I suspected this because I keep feeling him on one side of my belly. I have gained 7 pounds since our last visit (total of 12 lbs). Dr. Gilliam was pleased, she said I should gain a full 30 pounds by the end, and we are halfway there! Hard to believe.

We are so proud and excited! Thanks for checking in.

Week 20 Update

HERE WE ARE, CREEPING UP ON 20 WEEKS! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! THIS INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM PREGNANCY.ORG. THIS IS WHAT OUR LITTLE GUY IS UP TO THIS WEEK. WE GO FOR OUR 20 WEEK ULTRASOUND ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27TH. Week Twenty We're half way there! The rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival. The baby's heart grows stronger. Find a quiet place, lay flat on your back. Locate your own heartbeat by finding your pulse. Next lay your hand on your belly. You may be able to distinguish the two heartbeats! His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle develop occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon! Immunities are being transferred from you to your baby now. These immune cells will protect him from viruses you've already had for up to six months after birth! The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections. Your baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Amazingly, he can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds, that baby becomes accustomed to during his development stages often are calming after birth. Baby is about 6.46 inches (16.4cm) and weighs around 10.58 ounces (300g).

Week 18 Update

Week Eighteen (Information from pregnancy.org) This is what our litte guy is up to this week! Vernix (a white cheese-like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo (soft, lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs); both serving to protect your baby's skin during the months in water. Your placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby. Don't forget those prenatal vitamins! Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. He'll be putting these lungs to good use in just a few months! His vocal chords are formed. He goes through the motions of crying but without air she doesn't make a sound. Features of your baby's heart, including ventricles and chambers, should be visible during an ultrasound. Your baby measures about 5.59 inches (14.2cm) this week and weighs about 6.7 ounces (190gm).

16wk 4d Ultrasound/Dany's Birthday/September 29, 2008

What a great birthday present!!! What more could we have asked for?!

We had our 16 week check up today and everything is going great! I have gained 5 pounds, normal blood pressure, and no problems, baby's heartbeat was 143. We had a great visit. BUT, to top things off, we asked Dr. Gilliam for a special favor.......since today is my birthday, Bear and I thought it would be GREAT to get to see our special little person. Dr. Gilliam and the technician were able to work us in and not only did we get to see our little person, we got to see the little parts, too!!! AND we are pretty certain that we are having a BOY! We are both thrilled (as we would have been with a girl, too) and feel like we are floating in the clouds right now. I have also felt him moving quite a bit today, which feels so cool. We are so blessed and we thank the Good Lord for all the many gifts we have received.

We will go back for our 20 week visit on October 27th, when we will get to see him again! Thanks for checking on us.

Movement????

Just a short little announcement....I believe I felt light flutters this morning!!! I've been feeling lots of weird sensations, but this one was different and I'm pretty sure of what it was. I was lying down just after I woke up this morning and I kept feeling the same thing over and over. I haven't had that feeling before, SO of course I believe I felt the baby move for the 1st time!!! Just wanted to share that with you guys.

Heart Center Results, 9/12/08

Great news from the Heart Center today. All of the testing checked out normal!!! YEAY!!! They said it looks like I'm just experiencing some extra heart beats. They want me to come back in about 3 months, once we are a little further along, so this should be sometime in December. This is great news and I am so thankful! Thanks for checking in and have a great day!

We are about to enter 14 weeks and here is what is happening this week

(This is not a picture of our baby, this info was taken from pregnancy.org) Week Fourteen Thyroid gland has matured and your baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life. In boys, the prostate gland develops In girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen to the pelvis Your little one may have learned to suck his thumb by this point! Your child's bones are getting harder and stronger by the day! Your baby's skin is very transparent still Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water! Your baby is 3.42 inches (8.7cm) long and weighs about 1.52 ounces (43 grams) - approximately the weight of a letter!

Visit to the Heart Center, 9/4/08

Today's appt went well. I had an EKG that looked fine. They did some lab work to look at my thyroid and cholesterol. He also sent me home wearing a Holter Monitor. This will monitor my heart over the next 48 hours. Monday afternoon, I will return to his office and they will perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). This will show any valve problems, such as mitral valve prolapse. He expects everything will come back normal, but wants to confirm that theory with all the testing. I will update you all as soon as I know something. Thanks for checking on us!!!

12 wks and 5 days Prenatal Visit, Sept 2, 2008

The 3 of us, Bear, Dany, and Babe, went to visit with the doctor again today. Overall we had a great appt. The baby is doing great. We heard it's little heartbeat again, this time on the doppler. We didn't get a rate, because we only listened for 30 seconds or so. But the little booger was moving around so much, the doctor was chasing it for a heartbeat! We heard lots of movement and lots of healthy beats. It was great! Also, we have gained a whopping 1/2 pound!! Our blood pressure and pulse were normal. Mommy is having some heart palpitations, nothing to be very concerned about. But the doctor did schedule an appt for us at the Heart Center on Thursday, September 4th. There they will just confirm that it is all pregnancy related and normal. It isn't something that happens continuously, but when it does occur it is very tiresome and irritating. This started on Friday, and has continued through today. So, we will update you on this Thursday. Tune in for more excitement!!! Thanks for checking in on us all. Have a great day!

2nd Ultrasound at 10 weeks, August 14, 2008

Our little one's 10 week photo actually resembles a baby. We saw lots of movement of the arms and legs. We heard a healthy 167 bpm heartbeat. It measured exactly 1 1/2 inches long and exactly 10 weeks gestational age. We also found the placenta attached just at the edge of my cervix. This has caused some spotting but is normal for this type situation. Up until this point we've had no weight gain/loss. Everything looked great at this visit and we'll be checking on the babe again September 2nd.

1st Ultrasound at 6 weeks, July 21, 2008

Our little one's 6 week and 4 day photo resembles a small diamond ring! But the entire body was fluttering with every heartbeat!!! The heartbeat was 121 bpm. Everything looked great!