Introducing Tori Lynn Burks

On behalf of proud parents Devin and Christy, I am happy to introduce their new daughter Tori Lynn Burks who was born at 8:57am on Tuesday, June 29. She is 20" long and weighed 7 lbs 10 oz! Both Christy and Tori are doing great and the whole family wants to say "Thank You" for everyone's Congratulations and well wishes that were passed along yesterday. I apologize for not posting photos sooner - I intended on doing it right away yesterday but the hospital didn't provide wi-fi access so I had to get home to get the job done. Better late than never! So without further ado....

Miss Tori Lynn Burks

What a cutie!

Momma and Tori cuddling :)

Proud Daddy Devin holding his new daughter!

Grandma Debbie getting a turn

Grandpa Mike can't be more happy!

Grandma Stacy, uhhh I mean Meemaw, taking her turn

Great Grandma finally gets to hold her!

Snuggling with Great Grandma Burks

Great Grandma Budke trying to keep her awake for a little while!

I will do my best to post some more pictures tonight - I know there were more family members who were able to stop by for a few minutes and I don't want to leave anyone out. Plus I'm sure there will be a whole new group of pictures from today, too, so keep checking back for more updates. Thanks again to everyone for being there to share such an exciting time!

Bummer Dude...

Well, Baby Burks is continuing to not cooperate and will not be here for another week or two. From the sound of things its going to be closer to two weeks. I am due two weeks from today on July 2nd so that works, but it is hard to not get bummed when I had been told the 15th, then the 25th, and now they are saying even longer! Apparently the doctors don't know how impatient I am! I am ready to meet our little girl! I am happy though that the doctors have her health and mine in their minds though. Originally, OSF didn't want me going past 39 weeks, but my doctors that are going to be delivering want me to dilate or at least show some signs of labor starting before they induce me. If I have no signs of labor starting and they induce me, Dr. Brinkman said it will be a long, hard, painful labor, which I of course and not into.

I had a sono this past Monday and we were told she weighs 7lbs 1oz give or take a half pound either way. I'm still thinking she's going to be bigger, but I guess we shall see. I have two appointments this coming week, both for non-stress tests. They will check me on Thursday to see if I'm dilating or anything, but my hopes aren't too high!

So, everyone just needs to have some patience (us included) because apparently this little girl will arrive whenever she damn well pleases!

Thanks for checking in! Time to do some rearranging in the nursery! Gotta love nesting!

The countdown begins...

Wooo! I am actually posting in a timely manner and when I said I would. I think I should get some type of reward for that!

I had my appointment with Dr. Reinerston on Wednesday. I had a sono and then met with him. This was my third sono in Pekin, all with the same tech, and this time she recognized Devin. Apparently she used to live across the street from him way back when they lived on Georgiann. Small world. Anyways, we don't think she is the brightest crayon in the box, although I am sure it is the sono machine that is screwing up! She had told us two weeks ago that I was measuring almost two weeks ahead and that the baby weighed 5lbs 11 oz. Then we went to OSF one week ago and got told two weeks ahead and 6lbs 7oz. At my most recent one, back in Pekin she said 5lbs 11oz and right on time. We don't get it, but there is nothing we can do! We go for another sono on Monday and if she says 5lbs 11oz I'm going to be asking Dr. Reinerston lots of questions! We think that it is probably just the difference in machines. Devin says the Pekin sonos are like watching a fuzzy TV from the 80's and the OSF ones are like watching TV today in HD. I've got to agree. At this time I am done, with appointments at OSF, so we will just have to deal with fuzzy 80's TV.

The doctor didn't have the full report from my most recent OSF appointment, he only had the nurses notes. We discussed doing an amnio and it sounded like he would do it, which is different from what OSF said, but he decided that it was probably too risky. So, for now we are just playing the waiting game and I'm being closely monitored. Every Monday I will have a sono which at this stage is a biophysical profile where they look for certain things and on Thursdays I will have non-stress tests. As much as going so often sucks, I feel better that they have a close eye on me!

We did get one really good piece of news at this appointment; our little girl has HAIR!!!!

Her head is on the right, and all of those little spicky things between the back of her head and her back are strands of hair! WOOOOO! I love babies with hair.

We got two other pictures, but they aren't really worth posting. I can't even tell what they are of!

We have been working hard to prepare for her arrival! I realized the other day that I haven't hardly uploaded any pictures of the nursery, so after I worked in there today I decided to take some pictures.

We still have to decorate this wall. We have wooden letters to go above the crib after they are spraypainted and we announce her name and we may move some decorations from one of the other walls to behind the chair.

Devin's co-worker, Tara, made the Teal blanket for us! I have already used it for a few naps :)

I never shop at Target for some reason, but I saw that the basket that the Rankin girls got me for the shower that was lime green came from Target, so I went there hunting for accessories! I found these baskets and LOVE them!

A few weekends ago we made a quick trip to Chicago and while we were gone, Mike, Stacy, and Brittany came over and did some decorating and cleaning. I think Mike was the one that was in charge of spray painting these flowers! They look great! Devin wants to get more and put them behind the chair on the teal wall, but I think it would be overkill, so I may just move these over to that wall and make something for above the changing table.

Dresser. Britt made the photo board!

Close up of the board.

Another Target find! Devin loves Argyle so I just HAD to get it!

I decided that the bottom of her closet was just wasted space, so I found these cubby's and baskets at Target. Of course I had to have them because they match perfectly! Now, we have somewhere for toys and books! Thank you to Stacy for helping me put them together!

I don't know how shes ever going to wear all these clothes!

I think shes pretty set for a while!

This is our last free weekend until she arrives! Time flies! Next weekend we have Matt's wedding which Devin is in and then the following weekend Eric and Rachel will be HERE! So, excited to see them! I wish our little girl would be able to meet them while they are here. Maybe I will just go into labor instead of being induced. That would be awesome!

Thanks for checking in! I will try to continue updating occasionally!

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe that it is already June! We get to meet our little girl sometime this month! I apologize for not keeping this updated as much as I should.

Okay so to catch up I have had quite a few doctors appointments since my last post. Going to the doctor twice a week has gotten old really fast! I have passed all of my non-stress tests with flying colors, although they are taking a while because the baby is so active and doesn't want to stay near the heartbeat monitor.

I had a sono at my doctors office on May 17th when I was 33 weeks 3 days along and she weighed 5lbs 11oz. My fluids that day were 12.8 which was great to hear! Then, I had a couple non-stress tests that I passed without a problem, however, I was measuring bigger than I should be.

On May 27th I had an appointment up at OSF. I was 34 weeks 6 days along and the baby weighed 6lbs 7oz. I didn't think this was too bad, until my mom informed me that I weighed 6lbs 8oz when born. Kinda freaky that there is something that big living inside of me. My fluids were still okay at 10 something and I was measuring two weeks ahead. My doctor had told me to ask my OSF doctor for a delivery plan, as he just follows their reccomendations. She said that I will be induced it is just a matter of when. Our options are just go to 39 weeks and hope she fits or have an amnio sometime before then and see if her lungs are developed and then deliver. We still haven't decided what we are going to do and tomorrow I have an appointment with my doctor that will be delivering so we will talk our options over with him. The size of the baby and the fluid levels are the main concern. Normal babies put on a half pound a week at this point, but since I have gestational diabetes they are predicting more like 3/4 to a pound a week for our little one.

We had an awesome sono tech and she even took some 3d/4d pictures for us. I was bummed because I didn't really get to see that part. My diabetes lady walked in when she was doing it and was asking me questions, so I felt like I had to look at her to answer her and she was on the opposite side of the room from the monitor. Devin really thought the 3d/4d stuff was cool! She would just take a picture and then rotate it so the head was in front and cut out pieces around it until the face showed up! Here are a few of the pictures.

Not the best picture...her hand was in front of her face.

She looks a little mad here, but I would be too being pushed all around when I was trying to sleep!

Chubby cheeks!

This baby is really inside me...so freaky!

Shying away from the camera a bit.

I think this is the best picture we have! Technology is so cool!

I never thought I would enjoy the 3d/4d but it was neat! I am glad that we got the opportunity to experience it. It gives us a sneak peak as to what our little one will look like! I'm not sure that I would pay for one, but thank to you our sono tech for playing around a little with us!

The diabetes nurse, Leslie said that I am one of their star patients and that I am doing great with the eating plan. It is always nice to hear that, but man am I ready for it to be over! I need some chocolate and pink lemonade, not neccessarily at the same time though.

This was my last appointment at OSF unless some other problem arises where my doctor wants me to go back. Their sono machines are more high tech than Pekin's so if they need to look at anything closely I will go back. Feels great to cut back on my doctors appointments a bit. I still have to call once a week with my sugar levels though.

I will try to be better about updating this. Tomorrow my appointment isn't until 4 and should last an hour or two (the office is open til 8) and then Devin has a game so I probably won't get around to updating tomorrow. Hopefully, Thursday or Friday though. I plan to also post some pictures of the nursery! I know people are anxious to see it!

Thanks for checking in!