Indiana State Fair

Every year, Andy & enjoy going to the state fair. If not for the people watching, for the food! What could be better than fried cheese, fried tenderloins, elephant ears, and chocolate-covered bacon?!? This year was especially fun with Emma as she loved all the kiddie rides. And let me tell you--this child has NO FEAR. If the didn't have size limited on the upside-down-topsy-turvy ride, she'd be all over it.

Some of her favorites were the Bear Affair--a ride that goes in circles, but you have control over how fast you twirl. Similar to the tea cups at Disney. A "car ride" that goes around in circles, whipping you around super-fast at the turns. And the slide, which got Emma air borne!

The Babysitter

I must share a story of a recent babysitting experience that was had by my brother-in-law. For those of you who don't know him, let me first start off by explaining Matt for you all. I think I can best sum it up in the above picture. (Matt is the one on the right.) He's a very um, charismatic, individual. He is also an individual who is very anal...his house is immaculate. He has a great sense of decoration and loves to keep everything in order. He's also a single, 30-something man. Without kids. No plans for kids. Loves them, but loves his clean, scream-free place even more.

Above all, though, he's got a great sense of humor, hence the above photo. So I thought it would be great if Uncle Matt could watch the kids for us, while Andy went in for a teacher workday. No big deal, right? I mean, what's the harm?...Drew's a piece of cake. He just sleeps the majority of the time. When he's not sleeping, he's content to watch his crazy sister or YO Gabba Gabba. And Emma loves Uncle Matt, so there'd be no problem, right?

WRONG. Of course Drew decides to be fussy for Uncle Matt. Or so Matt explains. And of course the batteries went dead in the swing. (The swing is typically the "savior" when Drew is unhappy. ) He could swing for hours upon hours in that thing. Anyway, Matt explains that at one point in time, Drew won't stop crying. And then Emma starts crying because all focus is shifted to Drew. Of course, right?!? While this episode happens, Nana (Matt's mom; my MIL) decides to give a call to check in on how things are going. From what I understand (God, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall), Matt is all in a tisy and has no time to talk. So he hangs up on his mom. And I just KNOW Karen was laughing hystically when she heard the deadtone on the other end!

I know I was when I heard that story.

Meanwhile, at work, I get on facebook to check up on Finish Line's page (because I'm at work and that is the sole purpose for getting access to FB at work) and I notice that Matt has updated his status to "ordering a movie on Pay-Per-View." Little did I know, that he was just messing with me, knowing that I would see that. Ha. Ha.

Ohhhhhh, I'm still kinda chuckling to myself. I think it's FANTASTIC that Matt got to experience "parenthood" with 2 under 3. I've got him booked for another day come December!

My Sweet-Natured Boy

I can't believe how lucky I am. I thought Emma was a good baby, especially when it came to sleeping. I remember her sleeping through the night between months 3-4. I had gone back to work by then, but remember only having to wake up 1 time during the middle of the night for the first few weeks I was back to work. But Drew...wow! He started sleeping through the night after month 1!

Andy & I are firm believers in establishing routines for our kids. We learned this from our first daycare provider, Carolyn. She maintained the same exact routine for all the children she watched, which helped Emma find her groove. I firmly believe that kids need a sense of order and consistancy. Having them know what to expect on a daily basis really helps them get into a normal and healthy sleeping pattern.

That said, Drew goes down around 10/10:30 and doesn't wake up until I get him up around 6:00 or so. And he always wakes up with a smile! He's such a sweet-natured little guy. He loves his mommy and his mommy loves him. I only hope he keeps up his gentle nature....Lord knows we need to have an easy-going child, to offset the craziness called Emma Lucille.

Drew Wells Swickheimer

Drew Wells Swickheimer
May 6, 2009
8lbs, 12 oz 20.5in

Easter 2009

Another Easter with the bunny! Emma was really looking forward to sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap...that's all she talked about for a couple of days, straight. When we got to the mall, she just wanted to sit and watch the bunny for about 10 minutes. I started to get nervous, because there were a couple of kids who started crying. I thought, "Oh no. If she sees these kids crying, she'll start to cry once she sits on his lap." I've always dreaded that...those poor moms trying to settle their kids down, while they breakdown on poor Mr. Easter Bunny (or Santa Claus). But, nope--Emma was just fine.

Sick. Sicker than sh!t

Gotta start this one off with my tagline that I live by for 9 months. I HATE being pregnant. It is truly the worst experience of my life. Times 2, now. I hate everything about it: the pure sickness I have for the first 4-5 months, the miserable headaches I experience, the beautiful stretch marks left behind (yep, fully admit it...I have stretch marks...gasp, I know), and the absolute uncomfortableness I feel with an added 20+ pounds on my already larger-frame.
So take those feelings and add them to the effects of the ever-fantastic 24 Hour Flu. My wonderful daugther, Emma, passed along this sickness to me the other day and I thought I could have just about died. We all know you can't keep anything down when going through this sickness...but now imagine being 7.5 months pregnant on top of it. The stress your stomach feels is ungodly. You can't jump up fast, while in the lying-down position, as it's just a physical impossibility. Then having to pull the trash bucket up and over your belly is a trying task.
I may be a wuss, but I just can't handle this sickness + pregnancy. When I am sick, I just want to be babied. My mom was always so good and comforting when I was sick as a child. She'd get me whatever I needed; would hold the trash bucket up for me, pull my hair up out of my face...whatever needed to be done, she'd have done it. It's just not the same with a husband. Sure, he brought home the ginger ale and crackers. But was he there to hold back the hair. Was he there to give me a cold towel to put over my face?...It's just not the same as is with mom.

Emma's First Haircut

So I did it. Over 2 years later, I finally give in and take Emma to get her hair cut. I just regretted this event because I love her long hair. I can remember when I was about 5 years old, watching an episode of Kid's Incorporated....the hot pink light was shining down on this girl's hair and I just had to cut my hair, so that it shined all nice and pink like that. But as soon as I cut it, I hated it. It wasn't pink. So I've been traumatized ever since, and just don't want Emma to hate her short hair.

But she's only 2. I bet she could care less.