Introducing: Abigail Burton

It's very late, and Britt and I have a combined total of less than 8 hours sleep between the two of us over the last two days, but we wanted to introduce our beautiful daughter to you. Weighing in at 5 lbs 13 ounces and measuring just over 19 inches long, Abigail Burton* was born at 1:44 PM MST on Friday, June 13. She is perfect, her mother is healing but healthy, and her father is excited to celebrate his first Father's Day with such a beautiful daughter.



Thursday June 12 Brittany had stopped by Dr. Cannon's office to pick up a blood pressure monitor because there had been concern about toxemia/hypertension on her last visit. While there, the nurse suggested they test her then, rather than Britt waiting to go home with hte equipment. Her bp was something like 157 over 103 and a blood test showed a high level of protein in her blood. "Check her in," the doc said, and I got a call from Britt at about 3:30 PM instructing me to pick up her bag and meet her at the hospital.


Because Britt had been admitted to the hospital a few days short of term and without any softening of the cervixfor toxemia/hypertension, she was taking magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures. When the baby, as we were still calling her then, came out, the nursury nurse rushed her off to check vitals. I hurried after, forgetting any of the three cameras in the room, and watched as the nurses cleaned Abby, rubbed color into her skin, and pumped a little air into her lungs, even while sucking fluid out. Abigail coughed a couple times, but mostly just stared at us all with huge eyes everyone kept commenting on. One nurse called them bedroom eyes, which I think is a good thing...

Anyway, back in the room, Dr. Macey, who had stepped in as Britt's OB since Dr. Cannon was still out of town, was cleaning Britt up. We felt lucky to have Dr. Macey, and we much appreciated her tact, kindness, skill, and generally excellent bedside manner. We also found out, in post-op chit chat, that she went to med school with Britt's uncle Larry. (Actually, I think Britt may already have known this...)

Tonight I took the baby over for a bath, learned how to dress her, and when her hair was scrubbed of all the post-birth residue, realized that Abigail has beautiful golden blond hair...for now. We're not sure what color the eyes will settle at, but they are blue, also for now. We'll see if it lasts, but even if does not, she is a perfect, beautiful baby girl, with her mother's looks and her father's dimples. We feel very blessed to have her, and we appreciate all the prayers, thoughts, well wishes, and kindness from everyone who has helped us to bring her into the world.

The attached slide show is only a few photos. Once I collect them from Britt's mother, as well as pull video off the camera, we should have more attractive photos than those here.

*I suppose the name could be subject to change. My parents changed at least two of my siblings names after leaving the hospital, so there is precedent for it, at least on the Burton side. Also, Madison, Britt's sister, is campaigning hard for a slat of names that we had not previously considered... Needless to say, we've had a hard time coming to this decision, and we're sleeping on it. But for now she is Abigail, or Abby.