Charlotte Shauna Bowman

Charlotte's Birth Story.

I know it's been ages since I've written here but I wanted to write down Charlie's birth story so I could remember it.

Her whole pregnancy was so different from Hannah's and Deveroux's. With Hannah and Dev we got pregnant so quick and easy that we for sure thought it'd bet the same way when we decided it was time for another baby. Low and behold that wasn't the case at all. It took us 9 months to get little Charlie. I know to some people that isn't long and people wait months and even years to get pregnant if at all, but to us 9 months was a long time. It was hard for me when the first few months came by and nothing happened. I'd cry and Sean would console me. We'd try again and again to no avail. Then on November 18 2015 mid day I decided to take a pregnancy test. I'd been having heart burn and was super tired and wondered if those were any signs. I took the pregnancy test and low and behold there was the faintest little line that I was pregnant. At first I didn't believe it because it was such a faint line. I told Sean to look at it and he immediately saw that line. I started crying. I was SO excited and couldn't believe it. The next morning I took another pregnancy test and sure enough there was a good solid pink line. Of course just to be sure, I took 4 more tests and they all came up positive. We were having another baby!

The morning sickness set in and I was sick as a dog during Christmas break and well into my second trimester. Finally around 22 weeks I started feeling much better. We learned we were having another girl and I was thrilled. I would've been thrilled with another boy, but I was happy that we were having another girl so we wouldn't have to buy any more clothes. Hannah was born in September and this baby was due August 4th so it was perfect since Dev was born in March and the seasons didn't match up.

Summer crept around the corner and I was miserable. It was the hottest summer I could remember. I would walk outside and immediately feel like I was suffocating and would start to sweat profusely. Mid July came around and I was so big and hot and miserable. At my 36 week appointment I was dilated to a 2 and 50% effaced. Then a week later I was dilated to a 3+ and 80% effaced so my body was progressing. My mom wouldn't be coming up due to health reasons. I was really nervous this baby would come Pioneer weekend because my mother in law was heading down to cedar city for the Shakespearian Festival. I'd also been having braxton hicks for months. Some were so strong they would take my breath away. Sean and I joked that this baby was ready so make her way here early and that she better stay put till after pioneer day. I even joked with him one night when I'd had a really hard braxton hicks contraction that she'd come on the 20th of July.

Monday the 18th I was feeling horrible. My friend Amy and I had gone on walks everyday morning since she'd had her baby in May. We'd finished our walk and told her I felt miserable and was going to take it easy for the rest of the day if at all possible. That night I started having contractions every 8 minutes on the dot. I was so uncomfortable and miserable that Sean told me to go to the hospital and get checked to see if I was in labor. So at midnight there I was at the hospital being monitored. My contractions were still consistent and every 7-8 minutes but I hadn't dilated any further so they sent me home. I tried to sleep but couldn't. Finally around 5 am I got some sleep. The next day we to the kids swimming and I was still having contractions. I was miserable to say the least. Then Tuesday night at 2am I woke Sean up and asked him to give me a blessing of peace since I couldn't get any and I was so unhappy and uncomfortable. When his blessing was finished, we went to bed and I actually slept a good 4 hours and the contractions had stopped completely. At 6 am I rolled over and felt a gush of water leak out. I hurry and jumped up thinking I'd peed my pants but it was clear. I washed my face, put some clothes on, brushed my teeth and felt another trickle of water. I told Sean I think my water broke and was headed to the hospital.

I got to the hospital at 6:30 and they checked to see if my water had broke and sure enough it had. They got my checked in and we had to wait for a labor and delivery room. Apparently there was a full moon and had a busy night/morning (there were 14 births that day). When they got me to my room which was the same room I delivered Hannah in, they set me up and checked me. I was dilated to a 6+ and fully effaced. They got my IV in after a few attempts and got the ball rolling. I was strep B+ again with this baby so they had to give me antibiotics. I asked for ampicillin since it's nicer than penicillin. After 4 hours ( I had to wait at least 4 hours to make sure the meds were in my system) they added another dose of meds and checked me. By now it was 12pm and I was dilated to a 9+. Sean ran home to check on the kids and had to hurry back so he wouldn't miss the birth.

By 1pm I was fully dilated and ready to push. Dr. Thomas was the on call Dr, since my Dr. was out fo town. He was great and I really liked him. He was sewing up a C-section and my nurse Cherie was so worried she'd have to deliver my baby. Luckily Dr. Thomas came in just in time. He dressed, I positioned myself ready to push and 6 pushes later our sweet tiny little Charlotte Shauna Bowman was born. She was born at 1:12 pm weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces and 19 and a half inches long. She was absolutely beautiful. I cried the minute I saw her. I'd waited so long for her and she was finally here. She came on July 20th too! Sean and I had a good laugh at that.

Hannah and Dev came to see her and fell in love with her the minute they saw her. We are all just smitten by this perfect little bundle of joy. I could not be happier and more blessed to have this little girl here on earth with us and to be a mother to Hannah, Dev, and Charlotte.

Charlotte's name was a last minute name change as well. We were going to name her Jenni after Sean's great grandma but it just didn't feel right. Shauna (Sean's mom) mentioned the name Charlotte and Sean and I liked it. We wanted her name to have meaning and then I realized that Charlotte is the female name for Charles. Charles is my Grandpa Call's name. I've never met him. He passed away long before I was born but I loved hearing stories about him when I was little. I even have a picture of him on my mantle. I've always felt so close to him even though we've never met. So we named Charlotte after her great grandpa Call. He went by Charlie and so will she. Her middle name is after her grandpa Bowman (Sean's Mom). We wanted her to have a good strong name and name she could live up to. I believe she will. We just love her so so much.

Deveroux turns 1!!

I cannot believe how fast this year has hone. My little Deveroux is 1 today! We celebrated with a cookies and milk birthday party with family. He then had is own little cake. We sang to him and then he dug in! He really didn't, sorta just poked at the cake and then looked at me as if to say "I'm not amused mom". He has some pretty good facial expressions let me tell ya!

This little boy. I love him. He's sweet, shy, loud, goofy, mama's boy, loves to be outside, loves loud noises and banging toys together, doesn't like big crowds or people he doesn't know, loves his daddy and his sister, will eat almost anything you give him EXCEPT for baby food. It has to be whatever we're eating :) he's had quite the year and it's only been a year! He's changed so much! I love you little Deveroux, I hope I have a dozen more babies as beautiful and amazing as you!

Deveroux took a Spill

My sweet little boy took quite the spill at 7 months.

It'd been a long morning with both children refusing to take naps and I was at my wits end so I called my mother in law to see if she could come sit with Deveroux while I tried to get Hannah down for her nap. She willingly came over and took Deveroux outside to look at cars drive by while I rocked Hannah to sleep. After about a half hour she finally went down so I went outside to retrieve the little boy and relieve my mother in law from watching him. As I walked outside I saw her face flushed and in a panic. My Deveroux was screaming and crying at the top of his lungs (something very uncommon for him). I asked her if he was ok and she proceeded to tell me with a shaky voice that she was holding him front facing so he could watch the cars go by. When she turned around to come back inside her foot caught on an uneven part in our driveway pavement and she fell. She tried to protect him but the way she was holding him was inevitable. The little boy fell onto his left side of his head onto the pavement resulting in the screaming and crying. My mother in law hurt her knee as well.

Deveroux's left side of his head was swelling quickly and I feared for the worst. I quickly grabbed him, put him in the car and drove to the ER. As soon as we got there the Doctors x-rayed him and sure enough the poor little boy had suffered a skull fracture and minor bleeding between the brain and skull. My heart sank. I was terrified what this might mean. I had a flood of emotions go through me. I was mad, upset, sad, hurt, and terrified. My little boy was broken and in pain. The doctors assured me that his skull did exactly what it was supposed to do and that there wouldn't be any permanent damage and that his skull would heal perfectly from anywhere to 4-6 weeks. 4to 6 weeks?! my poor baby would be in pain for 4 to 6?! As if that wasn't enough, the doctor who was taking care of Deverox told me that he would need to be transferred to primary children's hospital for an over night stay if not longer to monitor him to make sure he'd be all right. So, off we went in an ambulance up to Primary Children's to get checked in and squared away.

When we got there the doctors took my sweet little boy and checked him out. They needed to get a line in incase he was dehydrated or started seizing or anything for that matter. Deveroux is not a little baby. He was 23 lbs and quite the little chub. They stuck him with a needle 10 times, 10 times! I wish Iw as exaggerating but I'm not. The poor little boy had endured so much. They finally got a line in and once they did they let me hold him. He melted into my arms and fell right asleep. They wheeled up to his room where he'd be monitored and where we'd stay over night.

I tell ya, this little boy is a trooper. Not once did he throw up, seize or cause a fuss other than from pain. He did really well that night still waking up a lot from pain (which is only natural) but he was just happy and sweet and such a good baby. The next day the doctors checked him out and said he was good to go. We got to go home! We finally got home around 3pm.

This is by far one of the scariest things I've ever been through and I wouldn't wish it upon anymore let alone a baby. Luckily just after 10 days of his spill he had a check up with his pediatrician and said he looked fantastic and with the minimal swelling and bruising he wouldn't be surprised if his head was almost completely healed. HALLELUJAH! What great news!!! I still wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

Since the incident my sweet little Deveroux has become quite the mamas boy. He wouldn't go to anyone except my up until now. He's now 11 months and is broadening his horizons and going to his daddy, grandma, and aunts. he's such a sweet sweet boy and I am SO glad that there was no permanent damage. I am also grateful that my mother in law (those of you who know my MIL will agree that she's the sweetest lady in the world and I hit the jackpot with her) is ok and doing a lot better.

It's been quite the year for our little bubba!

While we're on the Topic...

Since I just blogged about Hannah, I'm going to post some of my all time favorite pictures of her. 

taking after her mama :) Hannah loves her some basketball!

look at that face lol

spaghetti face!

she's getting so big. Almost too big for her crib.

Hannah at 18 months

Our sweet little Hannah is not so little anymore! She turned 18 months when Dev was born (the day after he was born to be exact). She had her 18 month check up and did awesome. She was 36 inches tall and 28 lbs. Luckily she didn't have to get any shots and doesn't need any shots till she goes to Kindergarten woo hoo!!! She continues to amaze us with her spunky rambunctious attitude and her little "hannahisms" as we call them. She's quite hilarious and keeps us on our toes! She loves to be loud and if we ask her to be quiet it's sort of a joke, she just gets louder and louder. She says a ton of words now and is quick on her feet (literally). Her auburn hair is sadly turning browner as she gets older. She's ot our little baby anymore but more of a little girl, it's great but sad all at once.

Hannah loves to be outside exploring, catching bugs, eating bugs, collecting rocks, playing in mud, eating mud, loves playing in water and puddles, loves her pink tutu, her monkey we gave her as a baby, loves Curious George, Daniel the Tiger, Despicable Me, Frozen, and Hercules. She loves to color, draw on anything and everything (including herself), loves to be in nursery, and above all... she absolutely loves and adores her daddy which melts my heart. She's so loud and lively we think it's great. We always know where she is and she loves saying hi to anyone as long as Sean or I as by her. Overall we wouldn't change her for the world. She makes us laugh, cry, exercise patience, makes our love grow stronger and bigger everyday, and above all I can't believe she's ours. I like to watch her when she's in my arms sleeping and study her. She is my biggest creation, my wonder, my whole being. I adore her and will forever love her! I still sit in awe as I watch her play, she amazes me and am so grateful God gave her to me. I am SO in love with this little lady.

Helping out in grandmas Bowman's garden

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Loving the train at Blickenstaff's

"you're not doing it right dad"

I will forever adore this picture. Grandma Bowman showing Hannah the pond.

 

Have you seen a sweeter face?!

4 months!!!

Holy cow my little boy is 4 months old!! He's growing so dang fast! He's now in size 9 month clothing and is quickly growing out of that size! At his 4 month check up he weighed 19.3 lbs, 26 in. long, and 17.5 head. He's now in the 96% percentile. He also got his shots and did better but still had that blood curdling high pitched cry that breaks my heart. He came home and slept for a good 4 hours and was up and at it again.

Dev has become quite the wiggle worm. He loves to arch his back and roll from side to side. He still hasn't flipped over yet which I'm not too worried about. He still has orange hair and bright blue eyes. he's quite the lady's man and is loving tummy time now. He loves his blanket. When he's having a hard time I drape his blankie on him and he calms right down. He's such a sweetheart. Hannah can now say his name! She says "dewo dewo dewo" all around the house now. It's really really cute. We love our little man!

Dev is 3 months!!

Time sure flies when you're having fun! Dev is now 3 months old! He loves to smile, laugh, kick, LOVEs bathtime, loves daddy's voice, and is overall the sweetest most chill baby ever. He sleeps really well, eats really well, and spits up really well too! he loves to over eat and ends up throwing up from over eating, it's just so much fun! he hasn't rolled over yet. His Dr. said he'd be shocked if Dev ever rolled over because of how chubby he his. He still hates tummy time and loves to be held. When he sleeps he sometimes screams in his sleep. I don't know if he's too young to have nightmares or night terrors but it's really sad. I try to wake him up and sometimes it's worse. We let him wake himself up and then console him after. It's sad to watch. His hair is still orange and his eyes are blue as can be. He looks a lot like grandpa Bowman and Call. He's such a good mix! he has HUGE hands and feet too! Hopefully he'll like sports ;)