Baby Everleigh Has Arrived- Our Biggest Adventure Yet

This year Nate and I embarked on our biggest adventure yet. In February we found out we were expecting our first baby, due October 25, 2012. We were terrified and ecstatic! Two kids who never grew up having a little one of their own. 

 I have been so blessed to enjoy an easy pregnancy.  I never experienced any morning sickness or weird cravings, though I did discover a weird aversion to chorizo (Mexican spiced sausage). Aside from being extra tired, the only symptom I had of being pregnant was a growing belly. At 18 weeks we found out we were having a girl! Nate and I were so excited. He went online and picked out various pieces of BYU fan gear for her to wear when she arrived. I started sewing a baby quilt. At 36 weeks the baby started showing signs of being ready to arrive-she was super active, putting on weight quickly, and had already dropped! This was very exciting to me, I was ready to have this baby in my arms instead of my belly. Unfortunately this also left me very impatient, and the 3 weeks that followed seemed to drag by.

Thursday morning around 2:00am I woke up having strong contractions. By 3:00am I woke up Nate and we left for the hospital. After being admitted, our Labor and delivery nurse performed a routine Non-Stress Test, which showed the baby was doing great and the contractions were coming fast.    Around 5:30am, the baby's heart rate began dropping with the contractions and quickly recovering. Our doctor recommended manually breaking the water to speed up the labor and to make it easier on the baby. After my water broke, the doctor informed us that the amniotic fluid was tinged green (indicating she had pooped in utero), confirming she was experiencing some distress. We were warned that she may aspirate some fluid during delivery, so they were going to bring in an extra team to assist her breathing, just in case. I received the epidural, and she began to resume a normal heart rate. Thursday, October 18 at 9:47am, she was born via a vacuum assisted delivery. We named our precious baby girl Everleigh (pronounced ever-Lee) Yvonne Knighton.  She weighed 7lbs exactly and measured 18 inches long. 

Unfortunately, she was not breathing when she was born. I only saw a purplish-blue body whisk past me as they took her to a team of specialists to get her breathing. Nate and I were both frightened and upset- we had pictured this moment as the baby being placed on my stomach and Nate cutting the cord. About 5-6 minutes later, a weak squeal came from the infant prep table and the team of doctors wheeled her out of our room. Our OBGYN informed me she would be going to the NICU for a little more breathing assistance and suction.

30 Minutes old; This picture was brought to my recovery room by a NICU nurse before I got a chance to meet Everleigh for the first time

An hour later Nate and I were escorted to the NICU to meet our baby. She was so beautiful and peacefully resting, it was hard to believe there was anything wrong with her. We were not permitted to hold her, but were able to give her little kisses and hold her hands. Everleigh's primary pediatrician (she has a whole team of them) explained that she had aspirated a lot of fluid and meconium, which had impacted her breathing and left her oxygen deprived at some point in the delivery. They wanted to keep her for 48 hours, or until she could breathe on her own.  This did not seem as scary to Nate and I-we would be in the hospital for 48 hours anyway for recovery, at least we could still go home as a family. I was taken to a recovery room shortly after to get cleaned up and rested. Around noon Nate and I returned to the NICU to visit Everleigh and find out more about her condition. When we arrived, we were approached by her pediatrician again, this time to inform us that she had begun having seizures in the past hour.  While it couldn't be confirmed without further testing, he believed this was a manifestation of some brain trauma that occurred due to oxygen deprivation and that she 
would need at least a 2 week stay to determine the damage and get her body back to a functional state.  Nate and I were so, so devastated. In the past few hours she was suddenly covered in wires and tubes and placed under sedation to prevent further seizures. We couldn't approach her bassinet 
because she was still being cared for by a horde of busy specialists. Nate and I both sobbed our way back to the recovery room, and for several hours after until we ran out of tears to cry.  Nate and His father gave Everleigh a priesthood blessing, in which she was told she would be blessed to recover and would lead a happy, healthy life.  We called our bishop, who came to the hospital and also gave Everleigh a blessing that spoke of the many wonderful things she would accomplish in this life as a happy, healthy young woman. A note about priesthood blessings-as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) or the Mormon church, we believe these blessings are given with revelation from God through those who hold the Preisthood, or authority given from God. In other words, we believe these special blessings are directly from God, and if we have faith, we can know that the things that are said are true. Nate and I have found great comfort in these blessings. During 
the course of my pregnancy, I had also received many blessings promising a happy, healthy baby.  After much thought and prayer and with the promises of the blessings, we have concluded  a few things that have brought us great comfort and make leaving our baby each day bearable.

4 hours old & on the cooling pad

Poor muffin :(

I really loved that Halloween bow!

-We were blessed to have our baby in one of the top hospitals in the nation. If she would have been 
born anywhere else, she may have died in the delivery room. We are so blessed to have been surrounded by competent and inspired doctors who saved her life and know how to treat her medical complications. We are blessed that this hospital has a NICU and is connected to one of the best children's hospitals in the nation: Primary Children's Hospital. She did not have to be transferred or whisked far away to receive the very best care. We are also very blessed to only live 5 minutes away from this hospital, so we can spend as much time with her as possible.

-Everything happens for a reason.  In John 9:1-3, Jesus heals a blind man. His disciples ask who has 
sinned, the blind man or his parents, to deserve his affliction. Jesus replies that no one had sinned to bring this affliction upon him, but that sometimes Heavenly Father uses these trials to show forth great miracles.  It has been so tempting to ask why this would happen to our family, or why we are being punished.  But sweet Everleigh has already shown us the power of faith and we have witnessed miracles in just the short time she has been on earth. We love her so much and are so grateful to have her as a member of our family. And you know what? She is absolutely perfect. A piece heaven, an Angel sent to dwell among us. She fills us with so much hope and joy every time we are with her. We wouldn't change a thing, except perhaps to bring her home. 

We have been overwhelmed with prayers, well wishes, and offers to fast, sometimes from complete 
strangers. We have found sweet cards taped to our door and meals brought to us each night since I was released from the hospital. Many of the tears we have shed have been those of gratitude for the love and prayers of others. Those prayers and hours spent fasting or in service have worked miracles in her life already. Please continue in those prayers and acts of service-they have been our strength and her medicine. Thank you for the many inspiring stories of other NICU babies who have gone on to lead happy lives. They give us courage. We love you all and will keep you posted on her progress. Thanks for reading.

Adventures always have ups and downs, but the journey is the reward, right?  :)

A Year in Review.....2012

Wow! Almost a year has passed since I updated our blog. And what a difference one year can make! Here are the big adventures the past year has held for the Knighton family:

-Nate was accepted to the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program at the University of Utah.  We moved up to Salt Lake City in August to pursue this dream. He absolutely loves it! He comes home everyday super excited about what he is learning and craving more. Nate has talked about going back to school since we first began dating, and it has been so neat to see him reach that goal. Student life has come with its blessings and challenges.  While we don't have much money, we live in an area where there is so much to do and enjoy. We have enjoyed the accessability of good hospitals, stores, and beautiful scenery. We do, however, miss our dear friends and family in Ridgecrest, as well as the small town feel. We will back in Ridgecrest Summer 2013 to complete an internship with the Naval Base, and be back in Salt Lake in August.

-Nate's dear Grandmother, Yvonne Marion Baliff Knighton, passed away in May. She was an amazing woman who Nate dearly loved. We were blessed to be able to attend her funeral service and celebrate her life with family.  She has 8 beautiful children and more grandchildren and great grandchildren than I can recall. Grandma Knighton loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and made sure her family knew it and loved it as well. She also enjoyed a fierce game of Skip-Bo! No one could win against her (though her strategies were rumored to be.....ruthless). We miss her dearly and think of her often.

Grandma Knighton doing her favorite thing, playing SkipBo with the family

She was ruthless when it came to SkipBo....

-My childhood pet, Benjamin Franklin Bullock-Collingwood-Knighton, a Black Lab/German Shepherd mix dog, passed away at the age of 10. He had battled severe arthritis, periodontis, and a rare metabolic virus that seemed to age him by several years in a matter of months. He died peacefully just this past week. He was truly the best dog in the world, and is sorely missed.

Benjamin Franklin Bullock-Collingwood-Knighton, the best dog in the world

 -We found out we were expecting our first baby, due to arrive just after our 2nd Anniversary. Pregnancy and all it entails has brought innumerable adventures, laughter, and challenges that  we have cherished. There is so much to say about our sweet little girl that a few sentences could hardly express. Her story will follow in future posts, so keep reading up and we will keep you posted.

Maternity Photos! We were so excited for her to come!

We loved you the moment we knew you were coming <3

Strangely prophetic and yet, perfect :)

Nate and I can never pass up the opportunity for an awkward family photo

Well, there is the shorthand version of our recent adventures! I could fill many pages of blog posts with the details, but its best to just start at the present when the details of our adventures are fresh. Thank you so much for keeping up with the Knightons! I'd write more, but adventures await and we just put on our rain boots........   :)

Halloween 2011!

More miracles to count and more stories to tell! First, an inspirational story.

For several years, my Mom has managed a congenital heart condition with a special pacemaker. It is very small and placed below the skin and muscle instead of being placed directly in the chest cavity. Its actually a very neat little device, and does not require nearly as invasive procedures to place and maintain it. A couple weeks ago, my Mom fell while working around the house and dislodged her pacemaker. The doctor attempted to tape her shoulder in hopes that the pacemaker would slide back into place on its own, but the tape only succeeded in tearing up her skin. She was referred to a cardiac surgeon so that the unit could be replaced and then reinserted into its proper place. The surgery would be risky and would require her staying on bed rest for roughly 6 weeks. After many prayers and a special temple trip, Mom went to her surgery consultation. The doctor evaluated the damage, and with a few firm "massaging pushes" (she would argue otherwise), the pacemaker slid right back into place! She said the pain was gone instantly, and the doctor felt no surgery or further action was needed. What an amazing blessing! With thanksgiving coming, its definitely something I will be putting on my tree of gratitude.

Now to Halloween! During our anniversary weekend at home, Nate and I watched one of our favorite movies: Tron Legacy. Inspiration struck-let's have a Tron themed Halloween party! We got busy and began designing and constructing our own Tron Halloween costumes. Nate researched and purchased the actual light panels used to make the costumes in the movie. I took it upon myself to design the patterns for both costumes and to then cut out and sew them. It turned out to be somewhat of a disaster! Thankfully, Grandma Uustalu is a very talented and patient seamstress. She made me promise I would never design my own pattern again. Don't worry Grandma, I promise! I will sew again, but never again make my own patterns. What a mess! With two straight weeks of sewing and alterations she turned the project into an amazing replica of the outfit worn by Kevin Flynn when he returns to the "The Grid" to save Sam. My costume was easier to sew, but much harder to construct the lights. We decided to go with reflective tape since it is much cheaper and much easier to cut and shape. In the end, both were a success!

Quorra

Quorra Costume

Disc Wars

Kevin Flynn Costume

Kevin Flynn, Creator of the Grid

The Master

To go with our costumes, we decided to go all out for the Halloween Tron party. We borrowed several black lights from some friends and asked my brother Jon, who goes by the name DJ Flux, to DJ the party. He also brought several lights and helped turn the place into the "End of the Line" Program Club. My friend Andrea and I carved disc and light cycle Jack-o-lanterns. We even created some blue Tron punch by illuminating a bowl of blue Kool-Aid with black lights. It was tasty, but the light from the punch attracted some gypsy moths. Its Halloween, and everybody likes extra protien right? One of the guests thought the moth was a joke, until it started moving. Oops! Needless to say, the punch bowl was changed a couple times that evening. We also featured a couple classic Halloween games: bobbing for apples and eating donuts hung from the ceiling. All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend Halloween and we had a blast doing it. But apparently, we did too good of a job-we have been asked to plan the ward Christmas party. Oh fun........ :)

End of the line Party!

Peeps!

We are kind of awful dancers, but its too much fun to resist!

Flynn & Quorra, mission accomplished

A final story to make you chuckle! I recently was called back to primary and am teaching the 5 year-olds. The lesson plans asked us to introduce keeping our minds and bodies clean. The manual called for an object lesson that related to clean bodies and minds to pure salt, and watching bad movies or saying bad words like mixing pepper into a handful of pure salt. Being the sweet 5 year-olds that they are, the kids could not understand why anyone would not want salt and pepper on their food. So, we then related clean minds and bodies to a yummy bowl of ice cream, and bad movies and habits like finding a cockroach in the ice cream. That seemed to sink in a lot better. But when we talked about how to avoid forming bad habits, like swearing or watching TV shows that are not nice, they were still struggling a little bit to grasp the idea, so we related it to a bird that flies into a tree. Just because the bird flies into a tree, doesn't mean we have to let it build a nest, right? Makes sense to me! One of the kids looked at me with a sad face and said, "I saw a bird nest in my tree yesterday! I will tell my Dad about it!" Other kids started saying that they had recently seen birds in their trees too. Oh dear. Its ok to like birds everyone! I tried to reassure them. In the end, I explained what we had been learning to their parents in hope that things could be clarified at home. I wanted to laugh and cry-poor kids! Thank goodness the lesson this Sunday went much better. "Count your blessings name them one by One!"

We are excited for the upcoming holiday season, and hope to keep you updated on the adventures of the Knighton household. Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving everyone! :D

1st Anniversary-October 9th, 2011

It's been almost a month and a half since I updated our blog, and what a month and a half it has been. We have hardly had time to breathe, but now that things around the Knighton household have slowed down, we can share a couple stories from the past few weeks.

We have just celebrated our first anniversary! What an amazing year it has been. We are much stronger, much closer, and our happiness is always increasing. When we first got married, I did not think life could get any better-until now. I am grateful for each day with my sweet husband, Nate! He insists he is just a guy-I insist he is an incredibly devoted, kind, and irresistibly goofy husband, who I thank Heavenly Father for everyday. Here are some fun memories from one year ago...

Together forever

Handsome guy!

I'm not very photogenic, but I do like this one

We were about done taking pictures, and my face hurt from smiling for so long

Shred some cheese on that! We were so happy! And still are <3

A Glimpse of forever

Heading to a dressy restaurant on our honeymoon in Antigua!

Well, we had grand plans for our first anniversary! We had planned a fun three-day camping trip to Whitney Portals. We had planned to do a little hiking, visit the lake, and pop some of that popcorn that comes in a pre-covered skillet. That stuff is so tasty! Unfortunately, Nate and I took turns with a nasty stomach flu for roughly two weeks. After two bags of cough drops, 1 gallon of Gatorade, and one overnight hospital stay, we decided to cancel our trip and enjoy a weekend at home. We did, however, go out to dinner at Mon Reve, a delicious authentic French restaurant and watched several movies. Sometimes, that is just how life goes! Nothing like a humbling experience to make you count your blessings :)

On a lighter note, we also officially completed and sent in Nate's grad school applications. Hooray! Hooray! The grad school apps are much more thorough than I remember undergraduate applications being. They require several letters of recommendation, a letter of intent, and a writing sample, not including the rest of the application. Its a lot writing and a lot of patience. Its been roughly 3 months of hard work, but it is totally worth it. We are very grateful to those who helped us complete the applications, including Nate's parents. They cheerfully spent late nights and early morning editing writing samples and lending advice. No one is more grateful the applications are done than Nate! All of our research points to a simple fact: the earliest applications are the most memorable, and thus much more likely to be accepted. We also just wanted to be able to enjoy the Holidays with as little stress as possible. I know Nate missed having some quality time with his XBOX 360, and he sure earned it :) With apps done, the waiting game begins. I know I am already anxious to hear back, and we just sent everything in!

Oh life, thanks for the Adventures! And thanks for reading :)

September 22, 2011 San Diego Trip!

Hello Everyone! The weeks have passed so quickly, I have a lot to catch up on! According to calendar dates, the Fall season has begun! It certainly is not reflected in the weather. Ridgecrest continues to experience alternating patterns of heat and humidity! Hopefully October will bring cooler weather. Nate and I have put out an array of decorative pumpkins in our house to celebrate the season. In October, our Halloween decorations can come out of hiding! I am pretty excited for the holiday season; the last three months of the year are my favorite time of the year.

Nate had the amazing privilege of spending 8 days in San Diego for work. He was placed in a hotel on the beach (close by the base he was assigned to work at) and was able to explore the sights and tastes of the San Diego beach. I would have joined him if I had been able to get away from my own job, but I am still in the training period-I can’t ask for time off unless it is for medical reasons. During that time, he was able to visit the San Diego Temple and the San Diego Zoo. He brought me back a pair of stuffed Giraffes :) 

San Diego Temple

Boarding the Vinson

Watching the jets take off from the deck of the carrier

Watching the jets land on the carrier

Getting ready to be catapulted off

Admiring the shiny toys

The neatest experience of Nate’s trip was a 2 day stay on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), an aircraft carrier that made port in the San Diego Harbor. Nate and a few of his coworkers were chosen by a random lottery for this experience-what an amazing blessing! Nate told me this had always been a dream of his, and now it was coming true!! We are both so grateful this experience. He was treated as a distinguished guest-they were all given officer quarters to sleep in, treated to gourmet meals on plates that were cast in the 1800’s, and given a full tour of the ship. He was also given a crew member hat, which he is very proud of. Nate was then sent off the ship in a jet that was launched by a steam catapult on the ship’s deck. “Better than any roller coaster!” He told me when he came home. Like a kid in a candy shop :) We know it is an experience that may not come again, but will last a lifetime.

We do hope, however, there will not so much traveling in the coming months-he has been gone for one month out of the past two months. Hopefully with the holidays approaching, things will settle down a bit. Well, that is all of our adventures to report for now, thanks for reading!

-Nate & Steph

August 24, 2011

Wow! The past two weeks have gone by quickly, and school is already back in session. I always associate the start of school with the fall, so perhaps that is why I already feel like fall is gradually making its way to Ridgecrest. The summer definitely passed too quickly!
Nate was sent on travel for a week to do some specialized product testing in Colorado. That week felt so long! We have not been apart for that long before, so it was bit challenging for me. Luckily I was also kept busy with job training of my own. Leapin' Lizards, the program I work for, is an after school program that targets low income schools and children with less access to academic tutoring and extra curricular activities. We provide services such as free snacks, homework help, supervised physical activity, and additional academic oriented activities. Its actually pretty fun! This is the most difficult and most rewarding job I have had. The kids are so much fun! I worked for Social Services for a time when I was in college, which was also very difficult but not as rewarding. I suppose everyone has their agency, but sometimes those choices have heart breaking consequences. Not fun to watch.

Having fun with Coworkers before class starts

Nate eventually returned from Colorado, and we had the opportunity to celebrate my sister's 15th birthday. It was a blast! We had a small barbeque and water fight at the park. On our way home from the park, Nate asked if we could drive by my old high school-he wanted me to show him around. As we were entering the school, I recognized an art project that had been mounted on the side of the art building-my old senior project! We had been assigned to create a 12 piece tile project with a message for the community. I had decided to create a project that celebrated science. The pieces were to be donated to the community for beautification and enrichment. I had doubts they would make it out of the classroom, but I was wrong! Pretty neat, huh? Nate and I could not pass by without a picture.

4 years later and the tile project was still around!

The coming weeks are going to be pretty exciting! This weekend we are going to the Los Angeles Temple, and next weekend we are taking a trip to Six Flags. I can't wait for the adventures coming our way! Thanks for reading :)
-Nate & Steph

August 9, 2011

Any Portal fans out there?
"Here we are again, it's always such a pleasure.....Oh how we laughed and laughed, except I wasn't laughing..."

"I'm doing science and I'm still Alive! I feel fantastic and I'm still Alive!"

I think poor Nate must have felt that way coming out of the GRE. Yay for Portal to narrate the unpleasant parts of our lives!
This past weekend has been extremely interesting. Thursday morning we received a phone call informing my family that Grandpa Uustalu had a silent heart attack and was in the hospital. Thankfully, Nate's boss graciously granted him the time off to come to the hospital and give Grandpa a blessing. Johnny Duncan, a friend of ours, was able to accompany Nate for the blessing. Grandpa was released later that evening with a heart monitor. After a visit on Monday morning with his cardiologist, we were thrilled to learn that Grandpa Uustalu will only need medication to manage a heart condition called Atrial Fibrillation. He will have to take it easy, but he's going to be around for a while longer! While this was a difficult experience, our family was united in prayer and fasting for Grandpa's health. We have been so blessed to feel the love of Heavenly Father and witness his tender mercies.
On a lighter note, the family reunion was a blast! We drove up to Lake Isabella Friday morning with everything we needed for the weekend. We also decided to bring my Mom's dog, Ben, who has never been camping. He swam and swam until he was too tired care for the water anymore. Its was so cute, and funny! He's such a good dog! Nate also made the most of the trip-he and I rode the SeaDoos for a while, until we were both burned to a crisp. I decided to sit out for a while and let my brother and his friend Ryan take Nate out on the SeaDoo for a while. They had a ton of fun as well. Nate dumped them off the SeaDoo several times doing water donuts, but don't feel bad for them. They threw him off intentionally as well and had the time of their lives doing it.
We drove to Camarillo that night to get a good night's sleep before the exam. Nate and I spent the next morning just wandering the city and sight seeing before the test. The GRE lasted for Four and a half hours-wow! During that time, I took the opportunity to see Harry Potter. But poor Nate worked so hard-he was so tired when he came out of the exam! But he came away with scores he wanted, so were both ecstatic. On the way out of the parking lot, we found our first treat for the evening: an Aston Martin parked close to our car, Wedgie! Nate was overjoyed. It actually really helped him unwind from the test. We could not help but take a picture with it. That evening we discovered another special treat: a Cafe Rio in Camarillo! We both thought that Cafe Rio was exclusively a Utah treat. Then we walked on the beach and enjoyed the sunset. It was a great way to end a busy day.
Needless to say, this past weekend was full of praying, fasting, tears, and laughter. It was a nice vacation away from the stress of everyday life. Even Grandma and Grandpa made the trip Sunday morning to Lake Isabella to catch the last day of festivities. It was nice to be all together again. Our next vacation won't be until Christmas, so we soaked up every moment! But fall is coming, and an end to the heat is in sight.....hurrah!
Our next battle will be college applications. Nate has selected Stanford University, University of Southern California (USC), University of Washington, and University of Utah as his potential schools for application. The hardest part is over, and we can only go up from here. As leaving for Grad school grows closer, we grow even more excited and nervous for the adventures that lie ahead. Wish us luck! Thanks for the love and support!
-Steph & Nate