Totally Random

So a little while ago, we went to Toys 'R Us to get the pools for our house and my parents' house... I don't really remember when it was, but I know it was close to one of the zoo trips. Anyways, we let Emersyn walk since she's been doing so incredible at staying right with us (almost always holding hands) and listening to us. We didn't really think it through though, which was immediately evident when we got close to a certain section...

Happy Memorial Day

Hopefully, while everyone celebrated the long weekend, shopped the great sales and enjoyed lots of cookout fun, time was taken to remember why today is a holiday... I'll be the first to say that I, like so many others out there, have never had to pay for the freedoms that I enjoy so much. I've never had to make a sacrafice for my country or leave my family and friends to protect them with the rest of the nation. Knock on wood, I've also never lost anyone who chose to put their life on line to save mine. Today is for those men and women who have - those who know the true price of freedom, who made the ultimate sacrafice so that we get to have the things that we all to often take for granted. Today is a memorial of those lost for our country... and to their families - THANK YOU!!!

Today especially, I'm so grateful for my husband. Although he was ready and willing to make the same sacrafice as those courageous men and women, we were lucky enough that he didn't have to. I'm lucky enough to have him and to be able to watch him play with our little girl on days like today. I'm reminded that while I don't personally know the cost, I know that freedom isn't free adn that I'm extremely blessed to have my brave man with me to hit a great sale and enjoy some cookout fun!!

(On our way to Michael's to take advantage of thier huge sale and get a butt ton of yarn for more blankets.) (Emersyn enjoyed shopping at Joann's a little more though.)(And, back to my parents' to play in the pools with our favorite Veteran!)

Water, Water Everywhere...

... and Emersyn can't get enough of it!!
Between her pool and the big pool, Emersyn was in water-heaven today at my parents' house. I tell you, I'm starting to think I know where the baby is from the fish that fell in love with the bird... LOL! She just couldn't get enough. Oh, and I should say that when we made her get out to take a break our little Water Bird turned into a Bathing Beauty doing her best poses. I don't know where that comes from. ;) As always, there's tons of pictures at www.theswaderfarmily.shutterfly.com from today and, well, every other day!!

Little Gardener

There are very, very few things that I would rather do more on a sunny Summer Saturday than watch Emersyn play... especially when "play" includes something new for her. Helping Daddy do anything is always fun for her. Add water, dirt, some new "tools" and take it outside... well, then it's just perfect!!We're still working on what actually needs to be watered - flowers, grass, bushes - and what doesn't - the driveway, sidewalk, shoes, people. It's a work in progress. We also are still learning that our little gardening bag is for our garden tools as opposed to being a fashion accessory and that the gardening tools are not drumsticks... and that the lights are not drums, but we're hoping we can combine those two. One lesson Emersyn did learn very quickly is where more water is and how to get it. Luckily she's not quite strong enough to turn it on alone, but we're pretty sure that's coming way before we're ready.(And can I just say how fricking adorable my little girl is in her her camo boy shorts and pink chucks?!?! I mean, I normally try not to totally dress her like me, but this is one thing that I just couldn't not pass on...)

Water Bird

We really wanted to get her a pool last year, but with house hunting and moving and getting situated in the new house... well, Emersyn just ended up without one. This year, we made a point to get a nice big one (relatively speaking of course) for our house so that Bird didn't have to wait until Sunday at my parents' house to play in the water. Today, we set it up for the first time and, although a little skeptical at first, Emersyn quickly showed her true colors as a Water Bird...


There are tons more pictures at www.theswaderfarmily.shutterfly.com and, of course, the video is there too... along with all the other pictures and videos like always. :)

Yesterday...

When we got home, Emersyn went looking for rabbits... and yes, those are her sunglasses on her head; they're just like Mommy's and she insists on wearing them the same way I do. (It's one of those really odd moments where you just feel like the greatest thing in the world! LOL!)The bunny hunting didn't last long, and then she was totally into going for a little bike ride...

♥♥♥

We would have been 34 weeks along today... going from when she was "born", Brinley would be 3 weeks old today... I miss her so much that sometimes it physically hurts. I just miss her. ♥

Whatever Works

I survived Day 2... and, as a reward - well, part reward and part what gets me through the day - I get to come home to this ::
How lucky am I that I get to enjoy this little blessing?!?! I get to play in the sandbox, watch my little mini-me (to include the tongue hanging out - sorry Bird), and see my beautiful daughter take pleasure in the simplest things... like hoarding all the sandbox toys, dumping the sand onto her toes, and rearranging our "deck furniture"!! :)

As always, the pictures and video are at www.theswaderfarmily.shutterfly.com along with all the past ones.

Survival

I survived my first day back to work. No meltdowns, no tantrums or hysterical crying jags. One day of "normal life" down...

Giraffes and Bay-beee Lemurs

For your viewing pleasure, I would like to present two super fun videos... The first video below is of a gorgeous girl who conquers her fears from ten days before and feeds a giraffe at the zoo all by herself. The second video is a wonderful tale of a beautiful Bird who just wants to see the "bay-beee" lemur that she feel so in love with at her last visit to the zoo. Please enjoy. (LOL!)

Return Trip

It was so great (and cheap) the first time around, that we went back to zoo today... this time, Maw Maw and Cameron came too! We have some videos to post, so check back for those too - I'll give you a teaser and just say that Emersyn feeds the giraffe this time!! And yeah, there's another zoo album at www.theswaderfarmily.shutterfly.com with all the awesome pictures from today's adventure! From the little things like Emersyn actually getting in the Oriole's nest that she wouldn't get in last week and climbing onto the old horse saddles on her own accord even though she couldn't be bribed to sit on them with Mommy or Daddy last week, to everyone (and I mean, everyone) playing with the goats to the show we got to watch when the chimps found and "hunted" a snake... it was a wonderful day. (Only one thing was missing and I won't depress everyone by saying more than that.)