*Toddler Status*

Dear Nathan,

Where did my baby go? You and Zach are suddenly looking so much like toddlers! It makes me a little bit sad, knowing you're our last babies. I have tried to savor each milestone with both of you but life is so busy lately, I feel that lately it has sped by without me being able to appreciate a lot of the little things.

• You are walking! Like a pro, at that. You took your first step (actually several steps in a row) on May 17th and have been going non-stop since then, gaining confidence along the way. 
• You still enjoy walking behind your push toy, even though you can walk on your own. 
• You and Zach love playing in the toilet when someone leaves the bathroom door open and the lid up, much to my dismay. I make sure to wash your hands really well when that happens.
• You and Zach LOVE balls. You love to push them and chase them. 
• You love watermelon. 
• You have six teeth now. Teething has been rough.
• You usually sleep through the night! (Zach usually wakes up once and usually doesn't wake you up when he does, which I am grateful for.)
• You have lots of smiles to share.
• You love to babble - "dadadada..mama...nana..."
• You still wear your helmet but it shouldn't be much longer. 
• You like to let us know how you feel, which can be good. 
• We are noticing a little bit of red / auburn / copper in your hair and Zach's as well. My great grandmother (Genevieve Campbell) was a red head so maybe you got her genes.
• You are loved and adored. 

You and Zach love the splash pad. 

June 2018 - 10 months old. Taken in Uncle Levi's backyard when we met cousin Grayson for the first time. 

Fun at our neighborhood pool. 

Fun family day at Copper Sky, our local recreation center. We love swimming there.

June 2018 - 10 months old. Taken in Uncle Levi's backyard when we met cousin Grayson for the first time.

And just like that, you're a toddler! Such a cute boy. 

I couldn't love you more. Love, Mom

Pneumonia isn't fun

Dear sweet boy,

You have been sick for a week. Zach was sick for a week as well, and his sickness overlapped yours. He got better and just has a little lingering cough. Your siblings have all been sick but seem okay. But your sickness just kept going. You had a fever for five days (spiking up to 102), cough-induced vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose, lethargy, loss of appetite, and you just looked miserable. I took you to the doctor yesterday and on the way I noticed your breathing was shallow and rapid as well. At the doctor's office, your oxygen levels were borderline low. You had a chest x-ray done and we were told it was pneumonia and to take you to the ER right away. The doctor was even debating having us go by ambulance but said I could drive. Our Bishop's wife came over with the other kids until dad could get home from work and you and I headed for the ER.

You hated getting the IV (mostly because they tried both wrists and couldn't get it in so they had to put it in your ankle). You were so exhausted and miserable. We got admitted to the hospital pretty quickly and they started antibiotics and fluids for you. You got up once in the night for about 45 minutes but overall you slept well. Today you are feeling so much better! The difference is amazing. We're waiting to see if you can eat a little more on your own before they discharge us.

The IV. Not fun. 

Feeling a little better.

We're outta here! Time to go home! 

Nine Months Old!

Dear Nathan,

You are nine months old now! I have wanted to write before now but my plate has been completely packed with five kids. My heart is full and I am so happy to have each of you but it definitely is difficult to spend 1:1 time with each of you. But last night your sleep schedule was off due to you napping late, so you were up late with Dad and me. He was working on the couch and I was holding you, playing with you and making you laugh. We both got a kick out of your giggles, which are just adorable. You are at such a fun age. I have never seen a more curious, determined baby. You want to be a part of everything. You are very social, fun, interested, always on the move, and always making me smile. You let me rock you to sleep last night (you usually don't but you have an ear infection and you wanted to be held). It was so sweet and tender for me to have that time with you. Knowing you and Zach are our last babies, I'm savoring everything I can and appreciating the little things. You are both such blessings and the perfect completion to our family. We all love you so much.



Love, Mom

Your birth

Dear Nathan,

You are here and you finally have a name! You and your brother were born one week ago from today, Monday, July 31, 2017. I was being induced and we were supposed to check into the hospital at 6:00am. We got up a little later than planned, so we ended up checking in closer to 6:40am (after a quick breakfast of a bagel at home and a yogurt parfait from McDonald's (my least favorite fast food place ever) on the way). Being induced is a "hurry up and wait" game. I was also induced with Eleanor so I knew what to expect. In both cases, it took the entire day, mostly because I'm positive for Group B Strep, so I had to have two round of Penicillin, wait four hours, then have another round, before starting Pitocin to induce labor. (This is why I don't mind being induced - I can get the Penicillin in without them having to stop labor to do this step.) Here is a rough timeline of the day:

6:45 am Checked into the hospital and got settled into our room. We had an awesome nurse, Cheryl, and a nurse in training who was shadowing her.

8:00 am Got an IV and started Penicillin (So painful! The Penicillin makes my arm feel like it's on fire and aching the entire time it's being administered, which is hours.)

11:00 am Started Pitocin. I started feeling contractions but not too painful.

12:35 pm I got the epidural. The contractions weren't too painful yet but I knew I was going to get an epidural anyway and the anesthesiologist had an opening at this time, so I got it before the contractions got too painful. The epidural was more uncomfortable than I remembered it being in the past and this one was super strong. I couldn't feel my legs at all, which I didn't like.

1:00 pm Dr. Allen came to check on me on her lunch break. I was at 5 cm, so progressing slowly. (When the nurse checked me, she said she could feel your brother's head.) I was so tired, I literally could not keep my eyes open. It felt like the epidural made me sleepy. Maybe it was just how warm and numb my legs felt. My blood pressure was low so they gave me an oxygen mask for the rest of the day until delivery.

5:15 pm I got my last dose of Penicillin. It wasn't as painful this time. I believe it was around this time (maybe a little later) that Dr. Allen broke Nathan's water.

Around 6:45 pm, your dad was hungry so he went to the cafeteria for some dinner. I told him to keep his phone close because it could be any time. Just after he left, I started feeling pressure. The nurse checked me (a new nurse by this point, Bri, who was also awesome) and I was at 8 cm. It was go time! I called your dad and he came back and put scrubs, a hat and mask on for the Operating Room (I was delivering in there in case they had to go to an emergency c-section quickly). The nurses wheeled my bed into the OR, where Dr. Allen and an anesthesiologist were waiting, with some other assistants. They wheeled my bed next to the OR bed but I couldn't roll over myself because of the strong epidural, so they put a matt with wheels under my back to transfer me over. Then it was time to push! You were born at 7:14 pm. I had a quick break while Dr. Allen broke Zachary's water and then I immediately started pushing again to deliver you. Maybe because I was already tired from delivering you, but it was more difficult to get Zachary out. Dr. Allen said his heart rate was dropping and she would need to vacuum him out to keep him safe. She gave me one more chance to push before vacuuming and that did it. Zachary was born at 7:26 pm, twelve minutes after your brother. He was a little purple when you came out but quickly recovered.

Pictures of Natan _____________

I love this picture of your dad holding both of you.

I didn't get to hold you or Zachary until you were both cleaned up. I was so happy to finally have you both in my arms. It was so surreal to finally meet you both after such a long time. I got tears in my eyes and couldn't stop smiling.

After labor, I was so incredibly hungry (I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 6 am that morning). The nurses brought me a cheese and fruit plate and a veggie / pita / hummus plate. Our friend, Molly Farabee, brought us Cafe Rio as well (bless her heart!!). I was so tired but just wanted to hold you both and spend time with you.

Grandma Utah, Oliver, Joshua and Eleanor wanted to come meet you both that night, but it was past bedtime by the time you were born so they had to wait until the next morning. Grandma and Grandpa Schultz came by for a brief visit that night though.

Oliver + Zachary

Joshua meeting you. 

Zachary

Josh was so interested in both of you. He spent a long time analyzing your fingers and toes.

33 Weeks

Stretch marks: I feel like I get a new one every day. 

Sleep: Sleep is uncomfortable these days. It is painful to turn over in bed as well as sit up from laying down. I wake up 1-2 times to pee and often get woken by Josh another time in the night. 

Best moment this week: Feeling constant movements from you and your brother. 

Movement: Still so much movement, especially after I eat something sweet! You guys are active boys. 

Food cravings: Still sweets but sometimes something salty. 

Gender: Two sweet boys.

Baby Stats: The two of you are estimated to weigh 4 lbs 5 oz and 4 lbs 7 oz. I'm not sure how accurate that is but it certainly feels about right. 

Symptoms: The most recent symptoms are a painful pelvic bone (it actually hurts to walk a lot of the time), sometimes my hips hurt (and sometimes go numb while I'm sleeping at night), my back and neck are really tense and tight after waking up in the morning, my tailbone still hurts, I get out of breath and so tired very easily (even just standing in the kitchen or walking upstairs) and I'm overall very uncomfortable. 

Labor signs: No but I do have Braxton Hicks contractions on occasion. 

Belly button - in or out? Out. Very much out. 

What I miss: Energy, feeling more comfortable and working out (I just can't do it at this point). 

What I am looking forward to: Meeting you and your brother.

Some of my friends gave me a baby shower last week. It was amazing!

*Pictures

Recent belly shots: 

Taken at the pool. Looking down at my big belly. 

32 Weeks

29.5 Weeks

Stretch marks: So many. 

Sleep: I still wake up to pee once a night and feel pretty uncomfortable through the night. I don't sleep great. It doesn't help that I am a very light sleeper (since becoming a mom) and your brothers get up around 6 am. 

Best moment this week: Feeling constant movements from you and your brother. 

Movement: Still so much movement! You guys are active boys. 

Food cravings: Still sweets. I honestly think I could eat ice cream every single day (but don't). 

Gender: Two sweet boys.

Baby Stats: You each weigh 2 lbs. 11 oz! 

Symptoms: Many of the same symptoms...sore back, swollen feet and fingers, pain in my tailbone, difficulty sleeping, restless legs, but now I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions, mostly in the evenings. They are not comfortable. 

Labor signs: Nope (thankfully). 

Belly button - in or out? Out. Very much out. 

What I miss: Energy, better sleep, my pre-pregnancy clothes, my pre-pregnancy body.  

What I am looking forward to: Meeting you and your brother.

Cute little legs crossed.  

Recent belly shots (29 weeks)

My belly comes in handy as a table these days.

Update

Stretch marks: Lots. 

Sleep: I wake up to pee once a night. Last night I didn't sleep well at all because I was so uncomfortable. I tossed and turned (which is not easy to do at this stage in my pregnancy). 

Best moment this week: Feeling you both move at the same time. 

Movement: So much movement! You guys are active boys. 

Food cravings: Still sweets. Sometimes french fries or other salty things. But mostly sweets. 

Gender: Two sweet boys.

Baby Stats: According to BabyCenter.com, you're supposed to be around 1.5 lbs and are the size of a rutabage. 

Symptoms: Many of the same symptoms...sore back, swollen feet and fingers, pain in my tailbone, difficulty sleeping, but now I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions, mostly in the evenings. They are not comfortable. 

Labor signs: Nope (thankfully). 

Belly button - in or out? Out. Very much out. 

What I miss: Energy, better sleep, my pre-pregnancy clothes. 

What I am looking forward to: Meeting you and your brother.

Recent belly shot @24 weeks:

My belly is HUGE and I still have three months to go!