April Recap

A continuation of my previous post...

April was Easter. We did the usual tormenting of our child...dressing her up in fancy clothes, dragging her around the yard looking for Easter eggs filled with candy for US to eat and taking picture after picture.

She did very well until the end, which is when we got the funniest pictures! Look at that poor, pitiful face!

April also marked the beginning of Willa's first swimming lesson! We are signed up with some friends of ours who have a little girl Willa's age. We thought it would be fun to get the girls in the pool together. We are two weeks into the 5 week class and so far Willa seems to enjoy it! There is no fear (I don't think this kid fears

anything) but the first week she was very serious. She had to observe everything that was going on, so all our pictures are of her being very solemn. I do think she enjoyed herself even if she doesn't look like it in the pictures! She was very relaxed the whole time and didn't seem to mind water splashing her face. This past week the dads went in the pool and she was actually kicking her legs quite a bit, so I'd call that a pretty good start!

Other activities of note: we took Willa to Bass Pro for the first time and she had a great time looking at all the animals and the fish. Also got an awesome backpack carrier for her and took her on a hike...I think we will get a ton of use out of that thing!

Worst Blogger Ever!

I KNEW when I started this that I would be all gung-ho in the beginning, and then little by little my excitement would dwindle and my posts would be few and far between. Let's see...last updated in January...that sounds like me! Well, I am determined to keep this blog going, but few and far between is what you're going to get!

Okay, I don't even know where to start! I suppose January.

January and February were Nick's last months of the winter season. Since we didn't get as much snow as usual to keep him busy, we set to work on the house! When I say "we", I mean "him". What started as ripping ou

t all the old carpet and installing laminate turned into flooring PLUS painting two rooms, replacing all the baseboards (which was going to happen anyway) and getting new furniture. It was totally worth it though, because getting rid of the oversized furniture which fit into our old house but not into this one needed to be done. Painting the room a lighter color also helps the room feel bigger. Nick did a GREAT job!

March brought Willa's baptism, and a visit from all 4 grandparents! Willa was a little rambunctious during her baptism, kicking her legs, grabbing the water bowl, slapping Pastor Jim's papers and hands, trying to jump out of my arms...making us laugh during prayer. It was a very nice service anyway and we were very happy that people could make the trip here for it!

Daddy Day Care

As most of you know, Nick is in landscaping...which usually means LOTS of snowplowing in the winter. Not this year! We have not had the snowfall we usually get, so he has been home a lot more than usual. Which means we get to save a little $ on daycare (Willa still goes 3 days a week for consistency's sake), AND he gets stuff done around the house! Win, win!

On Thursday, Willa decided that she didn't need an afternoon nap. I work from home in the afternoons, so it was up to Nick to entertain her. He decided he needed some chocolate cake, so he pulled a mix from the cupboard and the two of them went to work baking.

Tonight's activity was paper pirate hats!

I know he's ready to get back to working regular hours again, and we're ALL ready for spring so we can get out of the house, but this has been a lot of fun!

Christmas 09...one month late!

Yes, I'm a huge blog slacker.

Anyway, Christmas! I will try to remember what we did. We made the trip home in about 8 hours. It definitely takes longer when you have a little one, but I think we could've done worse! Willa did GREAT on the trip. We only had one meltdown on the way there, I think she cried for about 15 minutes but that was the only incident. By the time we got there she was definitely ready to be out of her carseat. We went to Christmas Eve church that night and had another meltdown on the way home. It was just too much carseat time! Fortunately, after a good night's rest, Willa pulled it together and had a wonderful long weekend, being passed around and spoiled!

We had 4 Christmas celebrations to squeeze in, running here and there visiting people...it gets to be so much! We did manage to get away and hang out with a big group of friends, and I'm so glad! I think we are going to make that an annual thing.

Anyway, here are some pictures. Willa got to play with her cousins Cole and Aubrey and learned to sit up on her own over the holiday. She's a pro these days, but it was big news just a month ago!

Halloween Fun!

I am up early because Willa doesn't know about daylight savings time. Time to update the blog!

Yesterday was Halloween! We love

Halloween...next year we are looking forward to taking Willa Trick or Treating and then eating her candy, but this year her job was just to stay home and look cute.

We carved pumpkins the night before. Halloween day we took pictures of Willa in her costume, and then put her in her little My Firs

t Halloween outfit for the rest of the day. We had some friends over with their little girl who is Willa's age, and I made creepy finger cookies. It was a good day!

Comparisons

I don't think I need to explain this post...I will just let it speak for itself.

Cousins

Cousins (L-R) Aubrey, Cole & Willa (nice fat tummy, Willa!)

Aubrey and Willa, 3 months apart in age.

Mini House Makeover

We have many plans for this house that involve at the very least new siding, at most an addition. We'd like to do both of those at once, but until we can afford it, the house looks pretty drab. In fact, we get lots of siding salesmen knocking on our door reminding me that we need new siding. Four years we have lived in this house, complaining about the faded shutters and general ugliness. So one day I got the bright idea to freshen up the outside just a little...and after we had finished, Nick and I both looked at each other and wondered why on earth we didn't think to do this before.

We repainted the shutters and added some color to the doors! The "before" photo was taken a couple years ago, so new landscaping has made a big difference as well. Anyway, I think I can live with this for awhile now. Until it's time for new siding, this will do!

Blooper!

While trying to make a nice little video for Willa's Aunt Angie to see while she's at work, Willa did what she does best!

She did it!

Willa slept through the night last night...yeah!!! From 10:00 pm - 5:30 am. We are very grateful for a FULL, uninterrupted night of sleep. Looking at that last sentence, I can't believe I'm at the point in my life where I consider 10 pm - 5:30 am a full night's rest...but hey, I'll take it.

Of course, we woke with a start when the alarm went off and ran in there to make sure she was still breathing...

I don't expect this every night just yet, but a couple times a week would be nice. Way to go Willa!

Officially parents

I think we have been officially initiated into the world of parenthood.

This is the worst we've had so far.  And this was one of my favorite onesies...hope the stain comes out!

No more cankles!

I meant to post this a few weeks ago, but I'm a slacker.  I'm enjoying my normal sized ankles again!  And the fact that I got a pedicure and now my feet don't look so gross.

Yes, that's the big news of the last few weeks.  That and I can get my wedding ring on again, but it's still a little too tight to wear.  I suppose I have more weight to lose.

Willa meets (some of) her family!

Willa has now met Grandpa and Grandma Van Veen, Grandpa and Grandma Pierson, Aunt Angie, Great Grandpa and Grandma Voss, Great Aunt Nancy and my cousins Lisa, Jessica and Julie.  Looking forward to more family coming up to see our little girl!  Willa has so many cousins on Nick's side, she has no idea!

Other news this week...we have been getting out and about!  We did a little shopping in Saugatuck on Monday, went out to eat a few times and went to the Coast Guard Festival on Friday afternoon.  It feels good to go do stuff again, walk at nearly my normal speed and for more than 5 minutes!  Willa LOVES being outside and we are having fun using the new stroller.  Glad it's summer!!

All dressed up right before one of our outings:

Welcome to the world, Willa!

Our little bundle of joy has finally arrived!  After one failed induction on July 10, one reschedule from July 14 to July 15...I was more than ready!!!  The rescheduling of the second induction was awful...I cried...but then I went and saw Harry Potter with Nick, which I wasn't expecting to be able to see in the theater.  :oD

Went in at 7:30 pm July 15 to be induced for the second time, and this time it worked!  They didn't even need to give me Pitocin, so that was great...I must've been close to going on my own.  Also, BIG kudos to the nursing staff at Holland Hospital.  They were fantastic...especially Jaclyn, who was with me through the worst of it.

So after 11 hours and one epidural (a gift directly from heaven, with an angel administering it) Willa Anne Pierson made her big debut into this world at 7:29 am at 7 lbs. 13 oz., 20" long.  She looks AMAZINGLY like her daddy...I will have to scan in a 5-day old picture of him that his mom gave me with his baby book.  It is nearly identical!

Enjoy the pics!  I'm avoiding posting the NEW newborn ones where her head and face are all squashy.  ;o)

Home, no baby yet,

I've never heard of inducing labor and having it not work.  Until now.  We were at the hospital from 7am - 11pm yesterday, Pitocin cranked up high, not really affecting me at all.  

Baby P doesn't like to be told what to do, sound familiar??

So they sent us home.  I was so incredibly disappointed, especially since we felt like we wasted the entire day and have nothing to show for it. On the other hand, I'm very happy that my doctor didn't want to take the easy/lazy way out and do a c-section. 

The plan now is to have me come in for testing on Monday to make sure the baby is still looking healthy.  Then Tuesday night they will try to induce me again, and if it for some reason wouldn't work AGAIN, we will have a c-section.

So sorry everyone, thought I'd have some news by now.

Baby Pierson is almost here!

I am being induced bright and early tomorrow morning!  My doctor thinks the baby is a little on the big side, and waiting until my due date might be more of a risk of having to have a c-section.  So hopefully Baby P arrives without incident!  Pray for me people, I'm kind of scared!!

39 weeks and last pregnant pic!

Baby's room is ready.  Kudos to Mom for making the bedding and curtains, and my Aunt Nancy for the beautiful knitted blanket!

And for good measure, check out my CANKLES!  The swelling goes all the way up to my knees...they look like the legs of a different person.  I will be happy to see my foot bones again!

Neti Pot Fun

After years and years of allergies, and now a gross cold, I have finally been pushed to try a neti pot.  What is a neti pot you ask?  It's like a little watering can for your nose.  You fill it with a salt/water mix and just pour it in and it is supposed to irrigate and wash out your sinuses. 

I had an allergy attack on Tuesday that turned into a cold.  The kind of cold where your whole face hurts because your sinuses are packed full and your voice sounds like a man.  I could tell it was loosening up the last couple of days so I finally decided to use the neti pot.

This is the coolest thing ever.  I loved it!  It totally cleaned a BUNCH of stuff out and I instantly felt better. Now, since I have a cold, the congestion did come back later but with less nose-blowing involved.  Used it again this morning and I'm once again nice and clear!  

Of course it was amazingly disgusting (the good kind though, you know, like when you pop a zit or something)...so of course I wanted to watch Nick to try it.  This resulted in hilarious laughter, on my end.  There he is, bent over the sink with the pot in his nose, and he starts complaining of it all going in his mouth and ears (?).  I start laughing, he begins to cough and choke and I see the water solution start bubbling and shooting out of the top of the pot.  Keep in mind that all that is supposed to happen is water is supposed to just drain out of your other nostril.  So pretty soon I have to leave the room in tears of laughter, and I hear him choking and coughing and yelling "I'm never doing that again!!" and I come in to find water all over the counter.

So, I've had two good experiences.  I recommend a neti pot!  Nick however, does not.