Mom's memories of her first March baby

Submitted via email. It was so long I decided it shouldn't be combined with the other March birthday people. haha
 
He's Nathan in diapers...since Nathan was only 15 months old when Sarah was born, lots of my memories are of them.  He would run in circles around her when she was on the floor.  He was a great entertainer with his binky and long orange string.  When it cracked, he gave it a long toss.  He was done with that. 
He's Nathan in training pants...Nathan had the greatest laugh.  He would be downstairs on the mattress giggling like crazy while Raymond bounced him. 
He's Nathan in tough skins...when we bought a trampoline, Nathan would just jog around the outside edges forever.  I loved watching that little body.  When Nathan was 3, he had surgery on his eye.  We were told he would see better after the surgery.  What we weren't told was that both eyes would be covered.  When he came out of the surgery he said, "You told me I'd see better.  Now I'm blind!"  We were all pretty upset.
As he and Sarah were in the early grade school years, he and his friends would spy on Sarah and her friends at recess.  That was always funny to hear about.  Then he would tell me not to let Sarah have certain teachers, since he had experienced them or his friends had.  He was pretty protective. He was a fun student to have in kindergarten.  He looked forward to all my school plans.  He really was so enthusiastic.  Nathan was always a good student.  He had a voracious appetite for knowledge.
I remember how diligent he was about his work.  We never had to tell him to go do the vending machines; he just went, filled them, fixed them, listened to complaints; but he totally took care of them--independently and competently.  I don't remember him ever complaining about it.  When he used to make sandwiches at the store, he would whistle while he made them.  People love Nathan.  It's just who he is, not what he does.  He just has a lovable spirit.
How I enjoyed having this boy in our home!  All the quartets he was in practiced at our house.  When I had Charity, he would run home at lunch to see whatever new thing there was about her.  He was totally fascinated with children.  I thought he would be embarrassed when I was pregnant and fat, so I considered not going to the Christmas concert.  Of course, he wouldn't have that.  I so appreciated his attitude.
I remember how he took his hard-earned money and bought everything he could find on the "lost ten tribes."  He was committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He took a job at Marie Callendar's with the understanding at the beginning that he wouldn't work on Sundays.  Well, he had the power to call the manager when he got scheduled and remind him.  The manager said it wouldn't happen again, but then someone got sick and they called him in.  He didn't punch in the time clock because he was doing a service.  Man can't serve two masters, so he chose to serve God.  Nathan was committed to serve God in all things as he understood it.  When it was time to serve his mission, I encouraged him to finish the second semester of school because his birthday came in the middle.  No, he wouldn't do that.  He was going to serve as soon as possible, so he finished one semester and went on his mission as soon as the call came.  He was studious with his scriptures and gospel study.  When he went on his mission, he was as well prepared as most when they return.  I've always been grateful for Nathan's total commitment to Jesus Christ and to His living prophets.  What else would a mother want of her child?  And then he married Amy.  How I love his tenderness toward her and how he loves to visit with her about everything.  Man is that he might have joy and in Nathan's life, I have had JOY.