The Long Awaited Arrival of Norah Lynn

We've been a family of 5 for a month now- time to get to the birth of baby #3! I felt kind of bad for the kids because it feels like the whole first month of summer was basically waiting for baby. I was majorly uncomfortable, and possibly crabby (I'm guessing Adam can confirm this!) and very eager to have baby here! Poor J said to me, "Mommy I just want the baby to come out so you can bend down and pick things up again." Ha! He was probably sick of hearing me sigh and groan every time something fell on the floor!

We have managed to do some fun things this summer while waiting for baby and also while adjusting to life with a newborn again.

The week before Norah was born, Hope decided she was done with ponytails and only "Elsa hair" would do. Crap. I don't do "Elsa hair"!! Thankfully Anna pigtail braids were good enough. Phew! And thankfully that phase lasted about 6 days. :)

June 17 was Felix Adler Day here in Clinton. Google "Felix Adler" if you want to know who he is, but basically he was a clown (no, seriously- he's in the clown hall of fame, people!) and he's the most famous person from Clinton, IA apparently. Our little Children's Discovery Center is named after him and holds a fun event to commemorate Felix Adler's birthday on June 17! I braved the heat and humidity and brought the kids and my huge baby belly to enjoy the fun!

Face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, bounce houses, games, free stuff, train rides.... so fun! And I'll have you know that I squeezed my 9 month pregnant self into the caboose of that kiddie train and went for a very uncomfortable, bumpy ride. And I still did not go into labor.

June 18- Happy Father's Day to this guy! :)

So on Thursday the 15th I had a Dr appt and since I was FINALLY passed the 39 week mark and baby girl was expected to be quite large (estimated between 9 and 10 pounds based on ultrasounds), and I was dilated passed 1 cm, we were finally able to schedule an induction. I had been told by one Dr that it would be good for me to deliver between 39 and 40 weeks because of the big baby, and also my "advanced age" (that made me feel great). So Adam and I were both like, "Sweet, let's do it tomorrow!" Ha. They were booked out until the following Tuesday, which just so happened to be my due date. So much for delivering between 39 and 40 weeks! We sent my parents home (they had been in town to help with the kids for my Dr appointments that week and if baby decided to arrive!) and waited 4 more long days.

My parents came back Monday evening so we could get to the hospital early Tuesday morning for my induction! We were all set-- grandma and grandpa in town to watch kids, Adam had Tues-Sat off of work, bags were packed. And just as we were about to leave Tuesday morning, they called and said they had to postpone my induction because they were too busy at the hospital and didn't have enough nurses to cover. Talk about disappointment!! I was all psyched up and ready to get this baby out, and mentally I was NOT prepared to hear "sorry, not today!" So I was pretty upset, to put it mildly. :) Adam and I went in that afternoon for Dr appt/NST/ultrasound and baby still looked great, and I was dilated to a 4. They said they'd put me on the schedule to be induced Wednesday morning, but also said it was pretty likely they'd have to postpone me again!!! Ugh. I was beginning to think I was going to be pregnant forever.

My parents graciously took J and H to McDonald's for supper so Adam and I could go out to dinner that night. La Féria Mexican food sounded good to me, so that's where we went. And what do you know, I started having contractions during dinner! I was kind of in denial that this could be the real deal, since I was convinced I was going to have to be induced! But the contractions were pretty regular all evening (not super painful though). So I wasn't sure what to do, when we went to bed Adam wanted to time them and turns out they were like regularly about 5 min apart. Still not sure this was IT, he convinced me to call the on-call Dr and she said since I was already at a 4, plus I needed antibiotics for Group B Strep before delivery, plus having a 40 min drive to the hospital, it would be good to come in. Yippeee!!!! Maybe this is IT!!!!

Got to the hospital about midnight and I was dilated to a 5, so they got me admitted and my antibiotics going.  Contractions were still bearable, but once I got my antibiotics etc in (about 2 AM), I got my epidural and that was lovely except he had to put it in TWICE because it went in wrong the first time. Dang, that wasn't fun. But once it was in correctly, both Adam and I were able to relax and get a bit of sleep. I think it was about 4 am the nurse came in and gave me a bit of pitocin since my contractions had spaced apart. Then about 5:45 she came and checked me and I was at 9.5, and she said let her know when I felt ready to push. And about 5 minutes later, I was feeling ready! Sure enough I was at 10 and ready to go. Started pushing about 6:00 AM and baby was born at 6:12 AM (I'm kind of proud of that. Seriously I was SO ready to have this baby OUT!!!)

Norah Lynn Wissink

June 21, 2017 6:12 AM

9 lbs 13 oz

20.5 inches long

She came out with a huge pouty lip, and went straight for her thumb! All the nurses could not get over her beautiful hair. :)

Apparently there was a gorgeous sunrise the morning Norah was born!

And just for anyone who is curious:

Norah on the left, Hope top right, Jeremiah bottom right. I'd say they all look like siblings!

We had lots of visitors on Wednesday. Of course the most important ones were the first to arrive!

Proud big brother and big sister!

And of course Grandma and Grandpa Wiers, too.

And Matt and Cheryl, Josie and Evan just happened to be driving across Iowa to Chicago, so they hopped off I-80 and stopped to see us in the afternoon. So glad Norah timed her arrival so perfectly!

Also passing through, but going the other way (MI to Sioux Falls), were my cousins Melissa and Myah. So nice to see them!! Again, Norah has impeccable timing!

Melissa even did a little photo shoot of Norah for us! Love!!!

Thursday was a quieter day- my parents brought J and H in the morning and then they were off to Chicago for the day. So it was pretty much us and Norah relaxing, which was nice and much needed!

We had a great experience at Genesis-East. We are so extremely glad we opted to see Drs and deliver in the Quad Cities!

Just chilling with Mommy.

Friday we were discharged about noon. I always hate leaving the hospital where they take care of you and there's no laundry to do or meals to cook! But, it was time to get back to reality.

Norah was ready to head home. Once in her seat, she went straight for her thumb again!

I was able to squeeze her into newborn diapers and clothes for about 1 week.

At home, Norah got plenty of attention and cuddling!

Even Grandpa enjoyed a snuggle!

My parents headed home that weekend. The week after Norah was born, Jeremiah did VBS at our church, so we had no choice but to start getting used to being out and about with all 3 kids. The girls and I did enjoy some quieter time at home, too.

I'm just soaking in all of this sweet newborn-ness!!

Norah is such a blessing and a miracle! We all just love her to pieces!!

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rest of Spring (and Yes, I'm Still Pregnant)

Time to get this updated before we hopefully have more exciting things to blog about soon! Can't believe my last post was April- that feels like ages ago!

The week after Easter with a healthy household, I finally got the Easter picture of the kiddos that I was hoping for. :)

Aw our tulips looked so lovely! They are dead and long gone by now.

Enjoying a nice spring day meant a trip to DQ and Hope's first blizzard! She doesn't mess around when it comes to ice cream.

Getting ready for baby! Tiny baby clothes on top, giant 2.5 year old clothes on the bottom.

The first weekend of May was Dutch Days in Fulton, IL so we enjoyed our first experience with that. Jeremiah walked in the parade with the kids from his school, and I do have to say he is the cutest little Dutch boy ever! 

And of course Daddy was in the parade, too, in the Pizza Ranch car!

We had fun checking out the craft fair, tractor display, and other events, too!

The next weekend we made a Friday evening trip down to Galesburg to meet up with our good friends and J's former daycare provider, who were out this way for a wedding! I can't even say how good it was to see them again and J and his buddy G had such fun together, it was like no time had passed at all! I hope they are buddies forever.

I had a lovely Mother's Day! Even though Adam had to work, he and the kids made sure to make me feel very loved and special. :)

 

"My mom's favorite thing to do is go to Starbucks." Um, yep. :)

Also a lovely bouquet of flowers and a necklace J made for me in Art class. I made sure to wear it to church!

Also on Mother's Day, my Uncle Lew passed away. He was a very special uncle to me and my siblings, since we moved to Brookfield and spent lots of time with Uncle Lew and Aunt JoAnne. He was always so kind and joyful, and so funny! We miss him very much! We made a quick overnight trip to Wisconsin so we could go to the visitation and funeral.

Jeremiah meeting Uncle Lew for the first time! Once J started talking, he called Uncle Lew "Hunka Noo." :)

The kids with Uncle Lew and Aunt JoAnne last summer.

The Friday before Memorial Day was J's last day of 1st Grade!!! How can this be?!?!? And his report card even says he's promoted to 2nd grade.... we have a 2nd grader! He's officially older than the grades I have taught!

I was NOT sad to make his final lunch! 

And now it's summer!! The weather has certainly jumped right into summer, too, with lots of sun, heat, and humidity! We've been keeping busy playing at the park, playing in our  backyard, and having fun in the sprinkler and inflatable pool (we've been through 2 inflatable pools so far this summer already and I am SO DONE with those stupid things! Any recommendations for a better kiddie pool that won't pop after 1 day?!?!). We've also enjoyed Steam Anchor smoothies, signed up for the library reading program, and even found time for chores and "nesting."

J is also signed up for Enviro-Kids, which is a fun program here in Clinton where he gets to do some fun and educational activities at some local businesses (and Hope and I get to tag along) on Saturdays (not every Saturday, a couple each month).

The first Enviro-Kids outing was to the Izaak Walton League for outdoor activities- canoeing, fishing, learning about guns/archery, and a (hot, bumpy) hayride around the property.

The next Saturday activity was at the Clinton County Are Solid Waste Agency. 

Ready to tour the landfill! (Also, what better place to spend a hot summer morning than the dump?!). J loved it. H and I...... not so much.

 I'm not going to lie, keeping up with the kids and trying to keep them entertained at this stage in pregnancy is not easy!! Also, the heat-not nice! So glad baby is a June baby and not August!

Non-stress tests, ultrasound, Dr appointments, swollen ankles, and general major discomfort have been the story of my life the past few weeks. The ultrasound tech last Wednesday estimated baby's weight at 9 lbs 1 oz already, so any time this little lady wants to join us out here would be great! Today is technically the due date my first Dr gave me. But when I switched to my current Drs they changed it to the 20th. We are really hoping baby will decide to join us here between now and then!! Hopefully my next post will be about her smooth, speedy, and painless (ha!) arrival. :)

 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

Spring!!!!!

Spring is here! It's really here!! It's always such a welcome sight to see daffodils (and tulips!) blooming, leaves growing on the trees, green grass, etc. Ahhhh, we made it through another winter. :)

So, here's what we've been up to since the end of February!

Jeremiah's class and the 2nd grade class did a Talent Chapel where they had to choose a talent to display or perform during Chapel. There was a WIDE variety of talents from singing and dancing to LEGO building and playing soccer. Jeremiah and 2 friends decided their talent would be........

Driving remote control vehicles!! I mean look at that- between the legs?! THAT is talent!!

Both kids did a session of swimming lessons at the Y.

Neither child passed, but the lessons were definitely a success because I think we're one more step closer to getting J more comfortable and independent in the water. And he only cried like once, so that's definitely progress from the last time! Hope can't move on to the next level till she's 3, so till then she is stuck with the mommy and me (or in this case it was daddy and me!) lessons. 

I thought it was so sweet that J brought this paper home from school.

That's him in swimming lessons. And he quite often told me he was saying that verse over and over again to help him through his lessons. We'll keep working on it and I know he'll get there!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Pregnancy cravings are a benefit to everyone when they include ice cream cookie sandwiches! Baby Thelma loves these!!

We sported our Wiers Warrior shirts in honor of my sister-in-law Cheryl- she went in to the hospital (City of Hope) for her stem cell transplant on March 20. And thankfully she was discharged on April 12 and now she's home! Yay!! Prayers for her continued health and healing are much appreciated!!

Always praying for Aunt Cheryl!!

Jeremiah's spring break was the last week in March. We didn't go anywhere and we really didn't do much exciting, unfortunately! Maybe some day. The weather was also pretty chilly and rainy, which was a bummer.

One morning I took the kids to the Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center here in Clinton. That is always fun for the kids, and it was especially fun this time because most of the kids there were from J's school! So he had buddies to play with.

This cracked me up- I have no idea how she even knew it was a phone! And she was probably wondering why the heck it was attached to the wall!

J had a SUPER loose tooth that he just wanted to fall out on its own (who are these kids who just wiggle and pull their own teeth out?!?! We don't have one of those.) It did indeed fall out on its own..... at 1:00 am!!!! What the heck?! So that was a fun wake-up for Mommy. I'm just so glad he understood why it was best to wait until the next night to put the tooth under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy!

One morning I had a Dr appointment in the Quad Cities and it was also Adam's day off. So while I was at the Dr (for my glucose tolerance test.... which I passed, woohoo!!), Adam took the kids to Monkey Joe's to jump around.

Fun times!

We also got a short visit from Grandpa and Grandma Wiers- they were on their way from CA back to Brookfield, WI and they stopped to see us before driving the final leg of their journey.

The Saturday before Palm Sunday we went to the Easter Egg hunt at Spring Valley Reformed Church. Lots of fun games to play plus the egg hunt! 

Also, Hope hated the Easter bunny.

Adam had to buy some new clippers, so that means free haircuts for J now. Woohoo!

I took the kids to the Discovery Center again last Friday to see their baby chicks!

That's not Hope petting the chick. She wanted nothing to do with them! (Also that little girl is way balder than Hope).

When we got home, we found that some friends had "egged" our house and we had to hunt in our yard for 12 eggs! The kids were so surprised and J is still trying to figure out who did it! :)

On Saturday Jeremiah woke up complaining of a sore throat, but since both he and H have been a bit sniffly the past week I thought nothing of it. Gave him some ibuprofen and we went on with our day. By the afternoon his tummy hurt, too, plus he had a fever. He's pretty good at self-diagnosing this now-- strep throat! Adam was home for the afternoon so got J to Urgent Care and got his antibiotics so we could get started with those. J threw up his first dose, but somehow must have gotten some of it in him because he woke up on Easter Sunday feeling much better! No church, though, since he was still contagious. 

They found their Easter baskets!

We also did a little egg hunt in our front yard.

Then Sunday night Grandpa and Grandma Wiers came (with more goodies) for a visit. They stayed the night and we spent Monday together- it was such a nice day!

We went to the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL (J's choice!).

We walked to Jimmy John's for lunch (and ate outside- the weather was perfect!), then headed home. When Adam got home from work, we picked up dinner and then went and ate it at the Lock and Dam in Fulton. We timed it perfectly and saw a huge barge go through!

This spring it has been so fun to watch our tulips grow!! We did it, they actually grew and bloomed! They are so pretty!!!

Popping up quite early!

So close!

The first one.

And the rest of them!

I'll be so sad when they are all done for the season. :(

Also- approximately only 9 weeks left till we have this baby! Yikes!!!