Spring is coming . . . right?

It's been awhile. I'd apologize but I just really don't have time to! With my current availability I'll give you all a quick update on the Nieder-Meyer crew since you've been so patiently waiting!

January and February were dark, dreary, and cold for us here. I spent every available second studying and learning Masters Level Statistics . . . I don't want to go back to it, so I'll end with saying I succeeded! PHEW! I've moved onto my next class, with joy, and have started my Masters Project! I'm a whole lot closer to the end my friends! We also celebrate Judy's 60th birthday with a surprise party and family get together which was great! It was an exciting weekend in the Niderman household! Dan is enjoying is challenges at work and has some really cool side projects both professionally and at home that he is tackling including some gardening 101! I can't wait for good weather and tomatoes in the backyard!

This gross weather delayed our first family trip to Phoenix in February, but ended up working out quite fine when we arrived in 75 degree weather the following week. As always, we had a wonderful Meyer family gathering with Dad, Em, and the whole Thompson crew. Remy did GREAT on the plane and every grandparent within 100 yards came to talk to us. She's just a little joy maker.

Which leads me to what I know you really want to read about, REMY! She is awesome, so cute, and gets more fun every day! She isn't quite crawling, but she is moving fast with her little kick, scoot, wiggle, army crawl thing. She babbles all the time with "Da da da, bahhh, ba ba ba, oooo" and the such. I'm pretty sure she is saying "I'm so happy! I love you!" We're trying to soak up every second and enjoy her. She weighed in just under 17 pounds (10 percentile) and over 28 inches (90 percentile). She stands, dances, plays with Henry (he is doing fine by the way and getting loved), laughs, reads, and LOVES bath time.

That's all for now folks, I'll update with some more photos later! Hopefully the next time I post, spring will actually be here and I'll be in flip-flops!


 

This will make you smile on a snowy spring day

 

Eat - Drink - Remember

It's been 5 years since we've been able to sing happy birthday to my momma, and it doesn't get any easier. As a means to cope, remember, persevere, and continue on I like to try and celebrate the 23 years I got with her and in her honor enjoy two of her favorite things, chocolate and coffee. Each year, I find a picture that captures her essence, as a way to recognize that somehow she is still with me. Next to her family and friends, my mom LOVED chocolate and coffee and I inherently do too! Take a moment and do the same remembering the joy she brought you. I found this quote in a magazine I was reading, which I find important for anyone dealing with someone who is grieving should understand: "This is a moment for your friends and family to practice compassion. True sympathy means respecting the grieving process, selflessly and without expectation."

 

Remy Dancing!

Remy Rue shakin it (I'm ok with this now by the way . . . )

 

 

Nieder-Meyer 2012 Recap

We brought the new year in with two buns in the oven, with sparkling cider, and 12:05 bed time!

January we got to see baby Poppy, healthy and looking good! January I also started Graduate School at Clemson University (pursuing a Masters in Youth Development Leadership), with an orientation and vacation to South Carolina.

We also got the nursery together as we awaited baby Poppy with excitement! We also began our 12 week baby/birth class. We chose to learn the Bradley Method of Father Coached Natural Birthing. We learned so much, made some great friends, and met our doula. It was worth everything!

February we got a quick trip from Jamie, Molly, and baby Emily! We ate, hung out, and just spent some time together joyfully!

 

February we also welcomed sweet baby Annalyn Eddie, pseudo niece! A few months later in April the Thompson's welcomed Emily Jo and we couldn't be more excited for Jamie, Dusty, and Molly. All these baby girls coming into our lives we were anticipating a boy :) Or I was!

 

March I had a beautiful baby shower with so many friends and family. It was incredible to see how loved our baby was, without even being met yet. My mother in law and sisters in law did a fantastic job and brought so much joy to us!

We also had a little Babymoon in a cabin near Gatlinburg, TN. We were able to spend time together alone, explore, and enjoy the great outdoors.

In April, Poppy and I were lucky enough to have another fantastic baby shower with even more friends to help celebrate! It was a social craft hour with some of my favorite people! It was wonderful and even closer to due date!!!

May was a busy month: May 5th, Dan ran his first mini-marathon in Indy. He had a great experience and enjoyed every step of the way. He also surprised us, and himself, but running it under 2 hours! It was awesome for all!

Baby Poppy surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my first Mother's Day which we celebrated with my two favorite dads! Dan also got a great start to his garden, and Henry well is just being Henry!

We also celebrated our 4th anniversary with a delicious and beautiful dinner at the Scenic View. I spent most of May cooking and freezing some meals for our future, cleaning, studying, and trying to keep myself busy!

Look at the progress and growth of my pregnancy! Woah! Not shown here, week 41 (I was NOT excited about the camera). Every minute past my due date was hard, so if you know a Momma with a "late" baby please don't remind her of that fact!



Bennett, Henry, and Baby Poppy - I miss you Benny!

It was a Wednesday morning around 11:00 when my contractions began, 1 week post due date. Things progressed quickly and my labor and natural delivery were greatly supported by Dan and our doula Barbara. At 8:10 P.M. baby was put on my chest and Dan announced shortly there after, "Shawna, it's a girl! It's a girl, it's Remy!!!"  I said "I love her, and I want to but her something pretty!" I was in shock for about two weeks that we had a daughter, but oh were we in love! So many people came to visit and we were so excited to show off our beautiful creation!

At a young age of 3 weeks, this little girl had so much personality. But mostly, she was happy! One happy, sweet, beautiful girl!

We had lots more visitors and fun in the first few weeks! Dan was able to stay at home too the first 3.5 weeks which was awesome! When he went back to work, he went back to a promotion!

And even more visitors! I still had class too, so I quickly became a pro at multi-tasking!

Wearing the sweater Grandmomma Connie made for Jamie's future baby! Glad she got to wear something she made!

Our first big outing, an Eddie (Emily & Aaron) wedding! We got to spend time with family and our BFF's (Mike, Ashley, and Annalyn)!

In August, for the first time in over 2 years, we got the whole Meyer Family together! We spent a week together doing what we do best, NOTHING! We ate, we explored, but mostly we just enjoyed the fact that we were all together as a family. Something that we unfortunately don't get to do so often. PawPaw got to be with all of his girls and grandgirls, the guys enjoyed beer fest, and cousins got to meet!

 We also had a BLAST at the incredible Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo!!!

 We had a great summer with more friends to visit, going to our awesome Farmer's Market, a neighborhood block party, and concerts in the park. My maternity leave was going to quickly!

 Look at this girl? Remy was getting more amazing every day and we are so thankful for exactly who she is. So far she is long and thin, but ooh soo sweet!

 In September I went back to work part-time and Remy started daycare. We love where she is at, and I'm so thankful for a supportive job that I truly enjoy! We also went on our first camping trip since baby was born! We enjoyed the campfire, cool nights, and fire cooked meals!

October and November were exciting but very busy, hence no photos really! We enjoyed Halloween, Thanksgiving, and honestly I don't know what else happened!

We spent Christmas in Bloomington and loved it. As always, good food and family was involved!

 Later in the month we went to Huntington for Niederman Christmas and enjoyed more gifts, more food, and more sweet smiles from Remy! Jessie and Levi are growing up so fast too!

 December 30th Remy was baptized at Grace Episcopal Church in the dress both myself and my mother were baptized in. Our long time friend and third component of  the DJS, Jon Ross, became her Godfather. We also got to spend some time with other friends visiting in town that we hadn't seen in awhile which was so much fun!

 Like always, the way we leave a year is the same way we welcome the next with the Eddie's. Except this year, we are a group of 6 instead of 4! Our two little girls are 4 months apart and so much fun! I've declared NYE as my new favorite holiday: guaranteed good food, people, and drinks!

REMY UPDATE: She is about 15 pounds, eating homemade solids, has two bottom teeth, can sit on her own, and is a little joy maker wherever she goes. She likes to stand, jump in her jumper, smile, and look at other people! She sleeps almost through the night, and loves to play on her tummy!

For the most part I love my classes and the time and money we are investing into this is worth it and important to us. We might be sacrificing some now, but the pay off will be sweet. I still have 12 months of school left, but I graduate December 19th from Clemson University! I'm closer to the end than the beginning!

We've got two trips to Clemson, 1 to Phoenix, and hopefully some other adventures too! We don't know what else to expect, but we will continue to enjoy our baby, each other, and try to maintain sanity as we juggle all of our commitments. But, if you don't see much of us know that you are still important!

May good things happen, and may we make good things happen, this year!

Merry Christmas

From the Nieder-Meyer household to yours, we hope that you have a wonderful Christmas! If you don't celebrate Christmas, we hope you enjoyed your holiday with your family and enjoy today anyway!

Over the past few years Dan & I have tried to create our own Christmas traditions while incorporating some from our individual pasts.We know that neither of us will ever be able to have everything that made Christmas, a real Christmas like it was growing up. But we've decided that from the Niederman side: shrimp ring and special pajamas on Christmas Eve. On the Meyer side: coffee cake in the morning.

While it's hard not going over to relatives houses with extended family, visiting the Santa downtown Ft. Wayne, and not being at "home" for the holidays, we anticipate that our Christmas incorporates our two favorite things, food & family. So whatever, however, and whenever that combination gets together you know we'll be celebrating!

We are thankful for the wonderful people in our lives, our amazing baby girl, the opportunities that we have, and the many privileges that we are enabled to experience every day. Merry, merry Christmas!

With much love,
The Nieder-Meyer Family

Come back next year for our 2012 recap (with lots of photos)!

It's been awhile

Hello All,
It's been awhile. Sorry. With baby, school, work, and life this blog has taken a back seat. But wanted to let you know you weren't forgotten! This is just a little note before I work on our Christmas card, and wait for the New Year for our BIG year end family recap with LOTS of pictures. That is my full intention at least!

For the good stuff: Our sweet baby girl is even sweeter than yesterday! She is working on crawling, talking, and eating solids (we've got sweet potatoe waiting for her)! She loves to giggle, lay on her belly, and listen to daddy beat-box (seriously).

To hold you over, here is a picture: