More pics - Andi April

Saturday before Easter - Great Grandpa and Grandma Maynard, Grandpa Tom, Grandma Marilyn and us. Andi didn't want more of her pictures taken, and was crying her eyes out :(


The four generations - Great grandma Charlotte, Grandma Marilyn, Dad Ben and Andi


Grandma Marilyn and Andi at grandma's Easter concert


Andi in her Easter dress

Grandpa Tom and Andi relaxing after Easter dinner

Uncle Bastian

Andi trying to show off her smile to uncle Bastian

Andi staring at uncle Bastian

Yawn!

Oh the places you will go - Part I

This Blog will eventually have many, many parts, because I think Andi will be going many, many places at this rate :)

Last week, my brother Bastian came to visit! His first trip to Laramie, and we had such a great time! We packed the week with trips all over, and of course Andi came along ...

The adventure started with picking up uncle Bastian at DIA on Thursday the 16th - the night of a big snowstorm. It rained along I25, and when we got to Cheyenne the rain had turned to snow. We filled up the car and our bellies (thank goodness!), and tried to make it over the pass to Laramie - about 25 miles out, we saw a bunch of cars lined up, indicating we would be going nowhere. Typical Ben style, Ben had quickly made friends with all the truckers around us, and learned from them (and their radios) that a bunch of semi trucks had jack knifed, and two snowplows had gotten stuck on the pass. After 4 hrs another snowplow came, only able to free the road back to Cheyenne, so off we went. Thankfully we were able to stay with some very sweet friends, David and Kirsty Wilms - thank you! By friday afternoon we heard highway 287 had opened up, so we backtracked to FtCollins to make our way home.
Bastian was not impressed with our lovely *spring* weather :)



Stuck in the car on I80. Even though the adults were very very thirsty, and melting snow on the car heater to get some water to drink, Andi thankfully had everything she needed, and had no clue of what all was going on.

Our plan for the weekend was to go up North to show Bastian more of beautiful Wyoming, and to end up in Teton National Park. However, because of the weather, and because Ben had already missed a day of work that plan was out. :( Because I didn't want the weather to spoil our fun, I quickly hopped online to see what else we could do, and booked these cabins in Estes Park, CO, so we could see Rocky Mountain National Park at least:

So back in the car we went, off to the mountains! We walked around Estes, and had fun in our cabin. Sunday was a gorgeous sunny day, and with all the fresh snow, Rocky Mountain NP was just stunning!




Brother and sister in the snow at a frozen lake.

Our truck and camper, conquering the snow.

Hiking.

Andi in her warm yellow ducky suit in the front pack.

Tuckered out from all those walks!

Again with mom in the front pack.

Walking yet another loop :)

During the week Ben had to go back to work, so Bastian and Andi and I took off on our own. We walked around town and the University, hiked in Vedauwoo twice, played by the reservoirs of Curt Gowdy state park, and hiked in the Snowy Range.

Bastian and Sage in Vedauwoo. Sage was so happy someone was showing her some more attention!

Mom and Andi in Vedauwoo

Hiking the snow in the Snowy Range.

Hiking Turtle Rock trail in Vedauwoo.

Large Coat

The reason Wyoming moms buy a winter coat that is one size too large:

So you can take your baby with you when your dog needs to be taken for a walk in frigid, windy *spring* weather.

Family time.

Last evening, we took my parents to the airport to fly back home to Holland. They've been in the US for little over a month, and spent a lot of that time with us. It was so special to me to have them here when Andi was born, and the first days and weeks right after. Nothing like having your mom and dad there! I am always a little sad the first days after they leave again, I don't think I will ever get used to living so far apart. Especially now that Andi is here, and we can't just go visit grandma and grandpa Mooiweer. But, it is not all sad - every time we visit, it is therefore even more special, and how cool is it that Andi has a grandpa and grandma, aunties and uncles and nephews in Holland! She will be the coolest kid in kindergarten :)


Sleeping happy with Oma Mooiweer


Our little humpty by Opa Mooiweer

I am also happy to have a very amazing family in-law (who do live close by!); from the moment I was introduced to them they adopted me as their own daughter/sister/grand daughter/niece - I am so blessed! Actually, as I am typing this I should be getting myself and my girl ready to head out to an Easter get-together with the whole bunch in Denver this afternoon.
More of the great family invasion will also commence, as Uncle Grant and Aunt Sara are flying in to spend a week around here! Yippee!!
Then after that, this Thursday, my brother will by flying in to spend a week with us!! I am beyond excited about this, because this will be his first time visiting in the nine years I've lived here. He is taking vacation time especially for us to meet little Andi, and that is a big gift considering his wife is staying home with their two boys. Thank you Erika, Ivan and Tesse!

But, with all these things going on, I didn't want to forget about the most important thing this weekend - Easter. It is probably my favorite holiday, and I'm so excited to celebrate it! Christ died on the cross for my sins, three days later he rose again, and now I am free! Our pastor always reminds us that even if we were the only ones to ever have sinned, Christ would have made that same sacrifice, and died just for us. Just think about that for a second - He loves us that much!

4 Weeks Old!

Andi is 4 weeks old today! Friday she will be one MONTH!

We go in for a weight check some time later this week, but I think she weighs about 7 lbs 12 oz now. She is working on some rolls around her thighs and wrists, which looks so adorable! She is also busting out of her newborn sleepers and onesies - especially in her feet, she's got such big little feet! She's been wearing these basically every day, because I think they are so convenient with the little feet attached to them and zippers and all, but I think it is time to bring out some of those adorable new born outfits that she has!

(for some reason all new born outfits are still plenty big on her, while the sleepers aren't)

Also, as I was taking this weeks' picture with Slungel, I noticed that when I compared it to her first picture, that her head has grown so much! She has this little pink Pooh hat, that used to be way to big for her head, and always fell off - now it fits around it all snug! (and no, it did not shrink more in the wash, since it was a second hand, and had been washed many times before)

Four weeks, with Slungel:

Oh, and remember in my previous post I wrote she never cries?

Well .... that has changed :)

....

She still looks pretty cute though, especially in her knitted booties that Grandma Mooiweer made for her! (they stay on really well too!)

And two of her little piggies :) ....

New Mom Thoughts and Observations - Part II

I spend copious hours sitting in my glorious rocking chair nursing Andi, and sometimes the most rediculous thoughts come to mind. Most of them get lost, as it is the middle of the night, and you try to head back to bed after, but some do stick....

A small forewarning - I might be revealing a little bit too much personal information here, but hey - it is my blog, and as long as I stay within Blogger guidelines, I can write whatever I want ;)

* I feel like a Linebacker sometimes - No, not because I feel huge, but:
1) My appetite! I seem to be eating constantly - no amount can fill my bottomless pit!
2) I am a new mom, a new nursing mom - one word: PADS. Every morning as I get ready I giggle to myself, as I feel like I'm getting ready for a game - pads are stuffed everywhere.
Not. Very. Sexy.

* When I'm finally able to suck out that gigantic booger from Andi's nose, allowing her to breathe and nurse freely once again - we have a small party together.

* I understand the dilemma now between "sleep when the baby sleeps" and "do I take this time to finally do something around here?" I can't imagine when you have more kids.

* Yes, I do still take time to blog. Breakfast, coffee and my computer - I love it.

* I have taken a shower every day since Andi was born! (again, I know - I only have one kid)

* We are getting ready for a weekend just the two of us, as Dad heads to a weekend of gruelling Army drill in Guernsey. At least I'll have a car though! - We've been sharing my blazer, as my parents took the truck on their camping trip, leaving me glued home a lot.

* Here's the little girl sleeping quietly and peacefully in her cradle. I say quietly and peacefully, because it is day time, hence mom is awake. When mom and dad try to sleep at night, little Andi grunts and squeaks like a small horse.



* But really, we have it pretty easy - she is a perfect little baby - she eats like a champ, and barely cries. Two things I prayed for so often when I was still pregnant. Again, God is good.