2 weeks

I love love love my two little girls. They are such sweethearts and I feel so blessed to have them in our family. I can't believe my baby is already 2 weeks old-at the same time I feel like it's been a life time of being at the NICU all the time. It's been so hard for me to have someone tell me when I can hold my baby and how long I can hold her. And knowing that it's the time I can hold her and having to wait until a nurse gets a second to come get her out for me. It's frustrating. I'm glad I get to at least hold her though because I know some babies can't be touched at all for a while.

Her isolate. Stretching out. She is usually all snuggled and tucked into that little bed thing at the bottom. The orange tube in her nose is the feeding tube and then everything else on her is just measuring her heart rate and oxygen. Her cute little feet. I was looking at some newborn size shoes someone gave us when May was born and I laughed because Camille would be able to fit 4 of her size feet in one shoe.I adore this picture. I was trying to wake her up so she could try to eat. We've been doing non-nutritive breast feeding for about a week (I pump before she tries to eat so she doesn't actually get anything). But Saturday they let me try nursing her for real. She did ok the first time but was just really sleepy. Yesterday though she ate like a champ and even burped. Go Camille! The nurses say that around 36 weeks (the measure in gestational age at not her actual age) most babies kind of stop eating because they go through a huge growth spurt and just want to sleep. Hopefully she keeps up the good eating.

Zach, the proud Dad. He is so sweet with her I just love it. This is only the second time he has gotten to hold her. She looks big to me in these pictures but when you are holding her you feel like you're going to lose her or break her because she's so small.

We are doing well. Our whole family is exhausted in every form of the word but we have lots of good people taking care of us. My mom and sister-in-law have been watching May. I don't think she's minded too much she loves going to play with her cousins and to see grandma and grandpa. I am so impressed with our ward and how great they have been when most of the people don't even know us. It's been really nice. Also, I have been so thankful for all the positive little messages our friends have sent our way. I must shout out to Caytee (and Preston but I'm sure it was mostly Caytee). She made the cutest little things for Camille and she brought us a dinner, and cookies, and drove it all the way up from Provo. Thanks Caytee! One day I will be super awesome like her. This whole experience has made me want to be more Christlike and more concerned about others. Thank you to everyone who has been such a good example to me and how I should strive to be these past two weeks. I love you so much for it!

Camille

We had our baby. Camille was 8 1/2 weeks early. I started having contractions Saturday night and I was timing them but they were all short and very sporadic. I went to bed and woke up a few times because of contractions so I called the OB in the morning and she said it sounded like I was having a lot and they were close together so I should go into labor and delivery. The thought really had not crossed my mind that I was actually in labor I just thought it was false labor. I had an epidural from the start of my contractions with May so I really had no idea. Anyway, I told Zach just to go to church and teach his lesson and when he got back we could head to the hospital and I could get checked out. By the time he got home around 12 I was in so much pain and having constant contractions. So we headed to the hospital we got there at about 12:40 they took me in and checked me and I was dilated to a 10. Camille Gwen Scholes was born at 1:10pm 3lbs 4oz 15 inches long. We didn't really get to see her for a while they took her right away through a window into the NICU. P.S. about the labor- Although doing it "natural" was oh so painful I would take it over a C-section any day. I can't believe how much faster the recovery was and how great I felt after the labor was over. She is doing really well so far. She is breathing on her own except for some caffeine because she forgets to breath. She is taking her feedings through a tube but is handling them well so far. (May I just mention I feel like a cow milking myself every 2-3 hours. Zach thinks it's funny too.) She'll be in the NICU for about 8 weeks. I've gotten to hold her twice and both times have just been great. She is such a doll. I can't wait for her to come home. It's so funny how she shouldn't even be here yet and I haven't had her home at all but there is suddenly this huge piece that is missing at our house. Every nurse and doctor we've seen has told us that she is feisty and that that is a good personality to have in the NICU. I will be interested to see if she keeps that personality as she grows up.

May won't be able to see her until she comes home. We've shown her pictures but she thinks they are "baby May May". She has been such a trooper about being dropped off and left so much. I do think she realizes something is going on and I think she's acting out a little bit because of it. Hopefully once we are on a bit of a schedule she'll do a little better. And I'm sure as soon as she sees Camille she is just going to love her and be oh so excited. We've gotten some big sister books at the library and she loves to look through them and point to the older girls and call them May May and then point out the baby sister.

We have had such great support from our family and our ward. It's going to be a long 8 weeks (Actually we are almost down to 7 wahoo!) but I think we're going to be just fine just because we have such a strong support system. I feel so blessed and so greatful to Heavenly Father for giving us such amazing people to look out for us. I am also greatful to him for how well Camille is doing and I know she's being watched over and helped along her way.

May's Darling Dada

First of all, can I just say I am quite content with life. Seriously I cannot think of any other way I could possibly be more blessed...her is my beautiful little girl to prove it! When May was born she was a total Daddy's girl. She would be so good for him and still cry and cry for me. Somewhere a long the way she changed to a Mama's girl but that didn't last long because Dad is definitely the favorite.

My favorite part of the day is when the garage door opens and May jumps up from whatever she's doing and starts yelling, "Dada! Dada!" and she does her little running in place thing that she does when she gets excited. Then she stands there at the door and as soon as he walks in she runs to give him a huge hug. It's the most adorable thing ever.

Zach has always been a good Dad but I think he was a little lost in the newborn-baby stage. I tell you though he shines with May. It is just so cute to see them together. He'll chase her around for tickles, play princess with her (he will even put on the tiara-what a guy), does puzzles, and always gives her lots of snuggles.


Here is one of May's favorite games- "Hello-Goodbye" which Zach will play with her until she gets bored-which is a really long time!

We found an old cowboy hat of mine and Zach has been teaching her to say, "Reckon so." and "Get along pardner." The two walk around the house like a couple of old time Sheriff's. Cracks me up.
First driving lessons at Nicklemannia.

May letting Dada have a turn on the car-she was pushing him because he wasn't going fast enough.

Anyways, I just love these two together. I love when I'm doing something and I get to hear them giggling uncontrolably from the other room. I love seeing them snuggle up in the blanket together for a movie. I just I love how much May loves her Dad and how much he loves her. I hope they always keep a close relationship.

The pregnancy is still going..well it's just going. Only 2 1/2 more months! I finally have a big enough belly that people who don't know I'm pregnant know I'm pregnant not just fat. It's a comforting feeling. But I don't think I was this big with May until the end of month 8 so I'm not sure where else this baby is going to go. I need to get some pictures taken. I have none from the first pregnancy and I'm so sad I don't. I just need to remember to take them when I don't look like I haven't showered or slept for days.

My back pain is still at a high but it's managable. I've been having dizzy/lightheaded spells. I think baby is just sitting on something like an artery or a nerve or something and thats why I'm getting them. My doctor wants me to go see a neuroligist next week though. I don't know if I'm going to go. I don't think it's neurological and I don't want to go to this doctor who will make up a problem just so she can feel like she can do something to "solve" it. I dunno we'll see.