Wills Family After Thanksgiving Singing Extraordinaire

Well it has been many years since Nick and I sat out on the Black Friday craziness, but if there was ever a year to forgo the chaos this was it. I still don't want to be away from Ramona for any length of time and who is crazy enough to take a newborn out on Black Friday? Definitely not this couple.

Two days and two firsts for the precious Ramona. The annual Wills Family singing at First Baptist Church Fort Worth was today. Nick's family always has a Southern Gospel concert the Friday after Thanksgiving. We discovered that Ramona does not so much like Southern Gospel. I think it was just too loud for her. There was something about the pitch and ringing in the rafters that just had her all out of sorts. I'm sure she'll grow to love it but she wasn't having any of it tonight. Some of Nick's extended family got to meet her and gush over her. The Bob Wills Senior family doesn't have girls very often (3 out of 16 in the last 3 generations). Ramona did get to hear her Pops and great-Mimi sing.

Since she was a little fussy, we decided to skip out on the tradition of chatting it up at IHOP afterwards. She got some love from her Pops and great-Mimi and we were out.

Baby's 1st Thanksgiving

We celebrated our first Thanksgiving as a family of 3 this year. Of course Ramona didn't get to eat Thanksgiving dinner except via breastmilk later, but it was her 1st Thanksgiving nonetheless. We went my parents house the night before Thanksgiving to make pillowcase dresses for Ramona and Macie since we were having a family picture for our Christmas cards. Alicia and I wanted the girls to match. My mom sewed them while we watched into the wee morning hours. They turned out better than we could have imagined. They matched right down to the bows on their head. So cute.

We had Thanksgiving lunch at Lolli and Pops (Nick's parents) with the majority of the Wills family - Uncle Geejaw (Nick's brother Taylor), Allen & Sara, Uncle Bobby, Annette & kids, Aunt Angel, Mimi and Papaw. Ramona was so good. She let Uncle Geejaw hold her and seemed to like him. We couldn't have asked for her to be any better than she was. Ramona was happy and playful (as playful as a baby at her age can be).

We headed to my parents to make it to Aledo before the 3:15 Cowboy kickoff. We ate again and watched the Cowboys win. We took our family picture during half time. We had a friend who celebrated Thanksgiving with us take the picture. We then watched the Longhorns beat Texas A&M. It was a football afternoon/evening. Ramona was good over there too. She didn't want to change clothes or pose of pictures, but other than that she was happy!

What a busy and blessed day we had. We are so thankful for our sweet little girl who is honestly a very good baby. We couldn't have asked for or expected the incredible gift we were given this year. Happy Thanksgiving! Can't wait for next year! She'll be able to sneak a few bites of the deliciousness.

Jammin'

Nick has been in the studio for 2 days playing bass for his friend Chase who is recording a couple of songs. Ramona and I decided to go up there on Saturday to see daddy and Uncle Chase finish up. We were going to Dallas anyway for etsy Dallas jingle bash. Ramona had been fussy that morning, so it took me forever to just get out of the door. She was really good in the studio. She did jump when they started the music, so we stayed in the lounge area to avoid a meltdown!

Ramona was so good at the jingle bash too. She got to meet Shelley Flores. I work with Shelley and her daughter has a shop on etsy, Cut Out and Collect. She made my diaper bag! We didn't buy anything, but we loved going and looking at all the awesome handmade stuff. I want to learn how to sew so bad. I bought a sewing machine years ago...it's still in the box. Shelley said she would teach me to sew. I think I'm going to hold her to that.

Work

I was scheduled to return to work on Monday. I woke up last Wednesday morning and was just overwhelmed with the idea of being apart from her. I called my long term sub, and she said she would stay as long as I needed her, but I would have to talk with my principal because they've contracted her for an intervention program beginning Monday.

It was a mess for a while especially when you throw in the fact report cards go home Friday. We have developmental report cards in first grade, so that's no easy feat. Fortunately, my principal is allowing my sub to remain in my room until I officially return on December 7th. I will have 2 weeks of work then 2 weeks of vacation.

I just wanted more time with Ramona. She is just so little. I was hoping to get her in more of a routine. Plus I'm hoping the transition of her will be easier. She will always have times when she cries just for me, but maybe these extra 3 weeks will help in that regard.

Smile

Ramona is usually pretty alert mid-morning, so Saturdays Nick takes advantage of this and plays with her. She gives us her curious face where her eyes just look like they are saying what the heck are you doing or she opens her mouth playfully like she wants to laugh. Today she was smiling - intentionally smiling! It was precious. I think we are seeing the beginning of a daddy's girl.

1 Month

I can't believe it's already been a month since little Miss Ramona burst onto the scene. She is a pretty good baby I must say. She rarely fusses just to fuss. She's typically trying to tell us something. Of course sometimes that something is just that she wants her momma.

She is very erratic in her sleeping and eating patterns still. This makes it very challenging to venture out because you just never know what can happen. She sleeps pretty well during the night. She refuses to sleep more than 5 minutes in her bassinet, so she sleeps with us. It's really just Nick and her sleeping while I watch because it freaks me out. During the day she wants to be held while she sleeps, so there really isn't much I get accomplished. I love holding her and watching her sleep, so I'm ok with her being high maintenance.

Her 1 month check up went great. She is healthy and growing. Ramona weighs 8 lbs 14 oz which puts her in the 40th percentile. She gains an average of 3/4 of an oz per day. The doctor said that's fine and isn't concerning unless she doesn't have enough poopie diapers which is definitely not a problem. She is 21.4 inches long which puts her slightly below the 60th percentile. Ramona has finally gotten rid of her cough and diaper rash!

Ramona got her 2nd shot for Hepatitis B. I felt so sorry for her. She can pout that lower lip with the best of them. She cries big alligator tears too which breaks our hearts.

She's absolutely perfect and the greatest blessing we've ever received.

Baby's First Halloween

We did not have anything planned for Halloween since it seemed ridiculous for us to trick or treat with a 3 week old when she obviously wouldn't be eating the candy. We started the morning trying to get out the door to make it to Bryson's last honk ball game. We made it for the last play, so we got to see Bryson bat. Technically we wouldn't have been able to see any play, but they played 1 more inning for us.

We went to the Brunson house to hang out for a while and have some delicious Taco Casa. The boys played with Bryson's nerf gun which provided Nick a nostalgic experience and me lots of laughs. Ramona was a very sleepy girl and dozed through the chaos. She slept for the majority of the night which makes 2 Friday nights in a row of good sleep. Unfortunately, her night of sleep was followed by a Halloween day of sleep and a long Saturday night/early Sunday morning. Thank goodness it was fall back!

Ramona took her first bottle without hesitation. Nick fed her since I wanted him to be able to have that bonding experience. She downed the 2 oz quickly and was ready for more. I don't think she was prepared for that much food in one setting because she spit up a lot afterwards.

We dressed up in our Halloween costume for the family. Nick found a picture of our Halloween costume when I was pregnant. We joked about actually doing it. I found her costume online at Target a few weeks before Halloween. Nick found it in the store, so he bought it. We threw our part together easily with the help of Ace Mart Restaurant Supply and the generous people at Steak 'N Shake. Thus, our perfect 1st Halloween costume was born!


We had to get all the cousins together for a picture. It was Macie Girl's 1st Halloween too! We had an adorable strawberry, a precious hot dog, and a brave fireman. Taking the picture was a bit of a whip but all in the name of capturing the moment to relive the memory. Oh how much we look forward to more Halloween's together.


We had a little photo shoot of her in her pumpkin onesie when we got home since she is just too precious!

Classic Pumpkin

Couture Pumpkin

This was also our first Halloween at the Washington house. I bought 3 big bags of candy thinking it would be plenty since I didn't figure people went door to door anymore with all the festivals and things now. Plus I didn't think people would trick or treat off a busy street. I was wrong. The kiddos came in droves. We were out of candy by 8 pm.