aaaaahhhhhhhhh

Ok seriously, this whole no background/layout thing is really old... I know that I have to be doing something wrong, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it is!!!! I totally follow all the stupid steps from thecutestblogontheblock.com (which is what everyone else seems to use too) and still I get a dumb error message saying "a server error occured. please try again later."!!!!!

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

All I fricking want is a background/layout! Seriously, I've tried about 5 of them and have gotten the exact same message. I even went to another blogger layout site and tried one of thiers --- I didn't get an error message, but nothing happened! I know I'm not completely stupid. I did do it before and it was when I went to change it that all of a sudden I wasn't able to do anything!! So I know I'm not brain dead about this, because I did it before!! Ugh!! Stupid technology!!! =P

Puppy Class :)

Ok, we have to take a second to brag a little bit...

A lot of you all know that we've been doing a Puppy Class at petsmart since we brought Cuya home at 8 weeks old. Since you can repeat as much as you want, Cuya continued her 'education' while we brought Dobie home, when he joined her. Once they were both so big, we moved up to the Beginner Class - which is really the same thing, but with full grown and big dogs, as opposed to the little puppies.

In class, our fur babies have learned the basic obedience commands - sit, down, stay, come, walking on a leash (which we're still having a hard time with)... Not too mention that the socialization has been amazing.

Now the bragging... our babies graduated last night and we have decided, since they're pretty much bored in class now, that we're moving up to Intermediate! We start tonight, so hopefully the puppies will be as spectacular as they have been in the Puppy/Beginner classes. :)

November 08 Graduation Picture

April 09 Graduation Picture

Easter

Yeah so we're a few weeks late, but just be happy I got around to it at all!! LOL!!

Photobucket is not being very cooperative lately, so you'll have to deal with some snapfish this time... and, realistically, probably a lot more often since I always have such better luck there. All the pictures from Easter are up... You just have to log in to see them.

If you don't know, www.snapfish.com is another free photo and video site, like photobucket. The only thing is, you need an account. It's totally free, so don't worry! Plus, it's nice because it automatically saves your "friends" albums as well as any that you upload on your own. And it's super easy (from what I hear) to order prints if you want. Oh, and they have about a butt ton of projects you can do which is kind of cool...

Anyways, here's the link for the Easter album:: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=540438009/a=77264276_77264276/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish

And here's a few of our favorites ::

Emersyn has a Daycare!!!

Chris and I took today off to Daycare Shop for Emersyn... We had 4 appointments, at a variety of daycares in our area. KinderCare at 10am, ChildTime at noon, Goddard at 2pm, and the Center for Creative Children at 3:30 pm.

I had worked at KinderCare (differnt location) years ago, so I was kind of biased towards them. Goddard was kind of the same way, since while at Kindercare, we were normally compared to Goddard and it was always a close race. The Center for Creative Children is right around the corner from Chris' work (and my mom's) and was recommended by friends who use them for their kids. Chris found ChildTime and, after some research, told me about them.

We spent a good bit of time at each center, touring the facility and talking with the assistant director or director of the center about everything. I won't name them specifically, but let's just say we saw the whole spectrum between those 4 centers! There was one that we couldn't wait to get out of, it was just ridiculous to think we would hand our baby - the ultimate love of our lives, the most important thing in the world to us - over to these people!! There was one that totally blew us away and, of course, we fell in love with. We were slightly surprised by one, for both good and bad reasons. It was quite an eye-opener all around! :)

So our name is on the list at one center (because it was free and we figured it's always best to have a back-up plan), but we are putting our deposit down today for Emersyn's spot at... drum roll please... ChildTime!!!!

Seriously, this place is so amazing, I feel like I could be a spokesman for them now!!! LOL! Between the center itself, the directors, the teachers, the individual set ups of the room and lesson plans, the turn-over rate being almost non-existant, the location... it is without a doubt the perfect center for us and for our little girl. I mean, I want to go there! LOL!

That's one more thing down to get ready for Emersyn's arrival... not much more left now! :)

Oh Happy Day

We picked the puppies up today (I forgot to mention this before) and they were healthy, happy, and well taken care of!!!!! It is a very happy day for us, knowing that we can finally leave (board) our fur babies somewhere that will take care of them. Although I love our vet, I was a little hesitant (worried, nervous, scared...) that we would have a repeat episode of picking our puppies up from the last kennel. Chris reassured me many times that because we were using our vet this time, it would be different. And, of course, he was right and it was a super pleasant experience!! While Cuya and Dobie were both very happy to see us and to come home, neither were covered in blood or starved looking or shedding horribly; both were just like our happy-go-lucky puppies and were all about giving us lots of lovings!! So to anyone in our area --- Huffard Animal Hospital is THE BEST PLACE EVER!!!! :D

O-H... I-O!!!

We're back!! :)

Kherington is even more beautiful than she was last time we visited!! She really has gotten so big, it's hard to believe she's the same little girl we saw just about 2 months ago... And those cheeks!!! OMG you could seriously kiss them forever. Talk about a good baby, too!! Kherington was just amazing. I really hope that's a Swader trait so Emersyn gets those genes too! LOL! She was just sooooo good, all the time.

The Bapitsim was so nice too. It was a very small, family affair and it was perfect. Of course, Kherington was a model baby and barely made a noise the whole time. And she looked gorgeous in her big white gown. Chris made a very proud (and kind of cute) Godfather, while Shannon's sister helped out as Godmother. The whole weekend was fabulous, and that day especially was just beautiful!

Michelle took lots of pictures at the Baptism with her super professional camera. (It's the kind I would love to have, but would break in a heartbeat because of it's size!) So when she gets a chance to send them along to us, I'll make sure to post them as well. For now though, you get my favorites from the ones we took!!

(All of them are up on our photobucket ~ http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s241/swaders_1girl/Kids%20Pics/Kherington/4%2025%2009%20Baptism%20Weekend/)

Belly Comparisson... Chris wasn't all that happy about his Mom calling him out on his (little teeny bit of) sympathy weight gain!

24 Weeks!!

It's official, we are 24 weeks along... only about 16 more left before we get to meet our beautiful daughter, Emersyn!!

We had our appointment yesterday, and the doctor says Emersyn's heart sounds great and she seems to be right on track size wise. Next month I'll get blood work, but it appears that everything is just great!! Oh, and my fabulous husband made $hit happen and got to meet me at the appointment. What an amazing surprise! It totally made the whole extra trip and all the b.s. worth it!! And, of course, the expression - all the love and pride and joy - on his face when we heard Emersyn's heartbeat was priceless!

So, as promised, here are some updated belly pictures... I hadn't realized how much I've "popped" since the last pictures at 18 weeks! But now I look beyond huge in comparrison! LOL!

Please ignore the oh-so-flattering maternity pants... and it was late, so don't mind the tired attempt at a smile. I really just wanted to change and curl up on the couch for American Idol! LOL!! :)

Just Kidding...

Yeah, even though we "officially decided" on a name, we're actually going to test drive one more real quick! :

Emersyn is the name of the week now.

We originally had Emersyn as our favorite girl's name. Neither one of us really know why we took it off or didn't test drive it though. I think we started looking at options and because Chris was never really 100% on Emersyn, we kind of dropped it along the way. But today we realized that we still like it, even if we don't think we like it more than Jacelyn...

Long story short, this came about because my mom calls to tell me that a name came to her last night. Eaghan. Last night, while she lay awake in bed, the name Eaghan came to her and she's been thinking about it nonstop ever since. So, being a good sport (and because it's not totally horrible to me) I ask Chris what he thinks and get an immediate and instant "NO!!"... Then we run through the other names my mom had suggested this week - Avery, Ava... - and question why she waited until we say "hey, we decided on Jacelyn" to tell us she doesn't really like it. After all, she was vocal about her feelings on Adelaide, Delainey, McKenna, Emerson --- hey, wait, whatever happened to Emersyn?!?!?!

So here we are... test driving one more name, just to be sure. Now, you know the drill. Tell us what you think. What are some nicknames? What are some playground names that will make her cry? Seriously. What do you think?

No Appointment Today

Yeah we were supposed to have our 24 week check up today, but it didn't happen. Needless to say I'm really frickin' happy about that...

I leave work early, make the hour trip home to let the puppies out before the appointment. Dobie had an accident again, so now I have to clean up the pee-prints that run from our bedroom to the front door... I have to pee so bad at this point, but I can't because they're going to want me to pee in a cup in a few minutes so I have to hold it. I can't really bend down either; not just because of the increasingly huge belly, but because Cuya scratched me this morning across my belly right where my pants crease into my belly so it's incredibly irratated. Chris finally gets home and cleans the crate (thank God because it was seriously disgusting) and then we can't get the puppies inside so we can leave. Then, Chris decides he needs to change his shirt... We finally leave about 5 minutes before our appointment!! So of course we're totally late. I'm rushing into the office and am so grateful that we're only about 3 minutes late after all. Whew!!

But no.

Apparently this was the one and only appointment that isn't at the exact same time as every single other one we've had and have scheduled through June! This one was supposed to be 15 minutes earlier than normal. It's also the last appointment, so the doctor left for the day. "He waited." So I have to reschedule... Fine.

Oh, but it has to be tomorrow and it can it only be at another location that I've never been too before and have no idea where it is... and it's earlier than normal...

So now, I get to leave work early again. Even earlier this time. I get to use vacation time that is beyond precious right now, that I hadn't planned on using. I get to try to find this new facility in a city I seriously don't think I've ever been in before. I get to meet with a new doctor. Oh, and I get to do it completely alone because Chris says he "just can't leave work again". Not too mention that I still have all my normal (and irrational, I know) thoughts about what could be wrong, what they could find, what they're going to tell me... And, I now also have a huge, angry red scratch across my belly from my dog.

The one thing that got me through a crappy day (which I won't even get into) was knowing that I was going to get to hear my daughter's heartbeat this afternoon, while holding my husband's hand and seeing his eyes glisten and a smile cover his face; was knowing that we would get a little extra time together today where the rest of the world would stop just for our magic moment; was knowing none of the day would matter when I heard that perfect little "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh"... But instead, I get a great ending to a great day, and an added bonus of a promise of a great tomorrow!!!! The real cherry on the sundae is that I get to do it all alone tomorrow too. I even get to lose that perfect moment of holding Chris' hand, seeing his face, when we hear our daughter's heartbeat. I lose the companionship, and the ability to say that "we" went to every appointment "together"; that we did it all together.

Here's to about 16 more weeks before I can drink again!!

Jacelyn's Room

Well, it was a long weekend, but Jacelyn's room is done!!!

There's still a couple things we need to move out of the nursery, but for the most part, Jacelyn has a room now. It turned out soooo good if I do say so myself! The stripes are amazing, the colors are perfect, the furniture looks incredible... I mean, it really is our kind of perfect! There's a few little things we have to do - like move a desk, dresser, and rocking chair out; get the curtains we want and hang them; pick out, buy and pick up the glider/chair; adjust the layout a little once the chair is in.

Chris is the bestest ever!! Seriously, he had to do it all by himself. I mean, I put the handles on the furniture and helped hold the pieces of the crib while he put it together, and I taped... but he had to do all the real work. All the primer, all the paint, all the touch-ups, all the moving, all the rearranging while I debated about what set-up looks better - he did it all and without complaint!! Part of me thinks it's some sort of Daddy-rite-of-passage that he's actually glad to do, but the majority of me just thinks he really is that amazing of a guy!!

pictures as promised::

Audrey El

Pictures are below from the party, but just wanted to post a quick thing...

Happy Birthday Audrey El (one day early, just for your party)

One of the cutest little girls turns the big ol' 2 tomorrow!! We celebrated today in style, as always when it's a Haig thing. LOL! Audrey got to hit a pinata tiara... which Chelsea finally gave up and snapped open for her. And she had a blast opening presents!!

It's so funny to think that 2 years ago tomorrow, we were sitting in Franklin Square Hospital playing MadLibs while Chelsea got her make-up down in the hospital bed, waiting for Audrey to come out! I totally thought I was reading her contractions on the little machine by her bed, and we were all convinced that labor would be nothing since some of those things were insanely huge but Chelsea wasn't feeling them at all... then we found out it wasn't actually anything and Chelsea asked for her epidoral! LOL! Now there's this little person running around in a pink dress, blond curls bouncing everywhere, candy necklace sticking to her, lollypop blue all over her lips and tonuge!!

Happy Birthday Audrey... and happy survival of 2 whole years Chelsea!! LOL!

Official Name...

It is with great pleasure, much pride, and immense excitement that we announce we have decided on a name...

drum rolll please

Jacelyn Dorothy Swader

After test driving a few of our favorites, we still kept feeling like Jacelyn was "just her name". We love Adelaide, but after about 2 weeks, it still didn't feel right. I know it sounds silly, both of us said that over and over again. But somehow, Jacelyn just feels like it's her name.

Last night we were eating dinner and the subject came up... as it often does. We started talking about how people were reacting to Adelaide and how we were feeling about it. Then, Chris actually said he was "over Adelaide" after only about 3 days, but really wanted to give it a chance. I kind of felt the same way. For some reason, Jacelyn just seems to feel right. Both of us just wanted to give a beautiful name it's run... but in the end, we just weren't feeling Adelaide. That's not to say that we'll take one look at her and declare she doesn't look anything like a Jacelyn, but right now, our tiny dancer is Jacelyn Dorothy!!

Belly Ripples!!!!

It's not all the time, and you have to get at just the right angle, but Adelaide makes ripples on my belly!!

It's the weirdest and most amazing thing I've ever seen before. I'm just sitting on the couch, feeling her dance around in there, when she got in a few big kicks. Being funny, I asked her if she was trying to get us to look at her, and then Adelaide did a couple little jabs up my right rib cage and I SAW IT!!

I had to enlist some help from the cool ranch doritos, but with a little encouragement to keep dancing and some pretty ingenious manuevers from Chris, Adelaide made ripples for us again! We just kept talking to her and laughing, and she kept dancing and drawing wrinkles on my belly.

It just constantly amazes me that there's this perfect little girl, just waiting to come bless us with her presence! I don't care if it's bias, Adelaide (or whatever we decide her name to be) really is God's gift to us and to the world!!!!

Started the Nursery

We had the paint, the tape, and the Marine for the job...

Chris started Adelaide's room. So far just the pale green (behr 420C-1 highlight) is up. Once that's all dry, the pink (behr 140C-1 southern beauty) stripe will get taped off and painted... and then the "dark" green ( behr 420C-3 clery bunch) will go up. Hopefully by this weekend, Adelaide will officially have a nursery! :)

And, no, I don't get to help paint. I just get to to help tape after the Chris has deemed the fumes sufficiently emptied from the room!

Chris is wonderful though! He's been moving all the stuff in the room (all her furniture is in there, in it's boxes) and priming and, of course, is going to do all the painting. I hate that I can't help, but I think he actually enjoys doing this all by himself. Like it's some sort of Daddy thing that only he can complete! It's super cute and just reminds me what a lucky little girl Adelaide is to have him as her Daddy!!

Happy Birthday Patrick

Just a little shout out to my baby brother...

Happy 22nd Birthday!!!!

That's it. Happy Monday to everyone else. =P

Happy Easter!!!

Yup... :)

((I'm a slacker, so you have to wait for the Easter pictures... taken on the new fabulous camera...))

Not a Snack!!

So we got a new camera... It's so teeny tiny and fabulous! Of course, they had it in blue but I was told no because then we'd have to wait like 2 weeks to get it... but I guess silver isn't too bad.

Ugh it's soooo super fast and everyone will be jealous of the ridiculous speed that we can take pictures with such an itty bitty camera. Yeah...

There's already a strict rule that the camera will stay in the office, behind the baby gate the puppies don't go over. No more treats like this for Cuya!!

Camera's are Delicious

According to our wonderful Boxer girl, Cuya, a camera is a tasty midnight treat. Yeah...

So I know we owe you a 20 week belly shot, but you're just not getting one. And really, no idea when we're going to get a new camera, so I can't even make promises about the next picture update you'll get.

You can thank Cuya for getting the camera... off the top of the microwave... that was on the counter in the corner... and chewing the crap out of it...

Jacelyn to Adelaide

Starting today, we are officially test driving Adelaide. We love Jacelyn, and were both pleasantly surprised that it grew on us more and more, but we still want to feel out Adelaide.

So... starting now, she is Adelaide Dorothy for at least a week.

We're still taking any suggestions and opinions though!!! Don't be shy, we want to hear what you think about the name...

Cousin Lovin'

Our (now) 4 year old nephew isn't exactly into the idea of Aunt Bean having a baby, causing him to lose his spot as the resident grandchild and favorite kid of the family! But he finally started talking to me again after we explained that Aunt Bean is having a little girl... although he still thinks we should name her Cameron Michael Swader!! LOL!

Well, we're over there earlier today (as with every Sunday) and Cameron was not too happy when my mom stopped coloring with him to see the 3D sonogram pictures of the baby... Don't ask me why she doesn't look at the emails or the blog or anything! Cameron looked at about 2 pictures before pulling a face and looking at us like we're crazy for calling that a baby, and then it was time for dinner. Cameron and I decided that we're going to have a special day just for us, and go do something super cool!! Thinking Build-a-Bear, but we'll see. After that, he decided I was OK again...

So the baby starts kicking me as we're all cleaning up dinner, and I call Cameron to come feel her. I tell him to put his hand on my belly and push, and see if she'll kick his hand... He does, and just stares at my belly with these big, patient, innocent blue eyes for a good 3 minutes. Just as I'm about to say the baby must be taking a break, he looks up at me and says "Aunt Bean, her not going to kick me because her likes me"!!! (Yeah, he says "him/her" instead of "he/she" but he's getting better.)

I about died! As eh as Cameron is towards the idea of sharing his grandparents, his Aunt Bean and his Uncle Chris with the baby, he knows that she loves him too much to kick him!!! =P