For Grandma Norma

This post is especially dedicated to my most loyal blog follower-My grandma Norma all the way in England!
I thought you could use a new video:

one month old!

Well, we've survived one month as parents of two... barely.

Both kids got RSV and after a long week of breathing treatments, anti biotics, pedialyte and jello... Lucy is happy to report she is "all better now". Teddy wasn't hit quite as hard as Lucy thanks to his shield of breastmilk immunity.
Now they are finally able to be siblings instead of living in quarantine conditions.

Lucy's idea of sharing with baby brother. I'm sure he was thrilled...
More photos:

March 2012

Once upon a time...

Lucy loves her baby brother.....

Theodore Rex

He's here! Theodore Rex Swanson was born at 5:01 am Saturday February 4. Weighing in at 7lbs 14 oz measuring 21 in long.
So, for the story of how he ('Teddy, Theo, or T-Rex') arrived.... I was feeling really uncomfortable and cranky on Friday because I was ready to NOT be pregnant anymore! We went for dinner on Friday night with our friends Josh and Jessica and decided to come back to our house to play Settlers of Catan (yea, it sounds so dorky now that I retell it). I was losing pretty badly and feeling all around uncomfortable and just as we were getting close to ending the game I stood up and... GUSH. Water broke- or BURST more like it. I announced game over- time to go. Thank goodness Josh and Jessica were there because Lucy was already in bed asleep so they just stayed the night and allowed Sam and I to make our quick escape to the hospital.
We arrived in the ER just after 11:00 and after a check of the cervix I was at a 3 and contractions were already starting to roll in on their own. Just after 1 I was in serious pain so we called for the epidural. (which made me so itchy I could barely stand it- but better than the pain!). My mom and Brian arrived at the hospital around 3:45 and by 4:00 I had only progressed to a 4 so they decided to start me on pitocin. The nurse said I would feel stronger contractions within about 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark I was so uncomfortable and Teddy's heart rate was dropping- a team of nurses rushed in and put me in panic mode about his heart rate. They kicked mom and Brian out and began paging for other nurses to come in- they checked me again and I had dilated fully to a 10. 4 to 10 in 20 minutes! At which point, I had a freak-out and started crying. Sam did a great job of staying calm and calming me down. They told me to hold my legs together and DON'T push- women who have had babies- you know that a baby trying to get out is not easy to keep IN!! When Sam asked where the Dr. was they said she was coming from her house.... HER HOUSE?? I had to keep that baby in while she drove from her HOUSE?? The Dr. must have driven like crazy because I think it only took her 10 more minutes to arrive. She jumped up in front of me and about 10 minutes later Theodore was here!
It was a fast and furious delivery but Teddy is well worth the wait. He is super cute and snuggly and a GREAT baby so far! Lucy is an excellent big sister as we knew should would be. She loves to look at her 'baby brudder' and likes to show him everything. Anytime he cries she runs over and pats him on the back and says "it's ok, Teddy".

Another great thing about Teddy's birthday was that his cousin was born in Houston the exact same day! My sister in law Kelly and I had been teasing each other throughout our pregnancies about who would deliver first since our due dates were so close. I can't believe we actually delivered on the SAME day! We are looking forward to meeting our new nephew James and hope that he and Teddy will share a special friendship as well as a birthday.

It hasn't been an easy transition into parents of two. Lucy has been sick with a terrible cold so our first full day at home was a fun one with one kid puking and the other kid... well, being a 3 day old. We are doing our best to keep germs at bay and praying that Teddy doesn't get whatever his big sister has! Thank goodness my mom is here!

All in all, we were so grateful that Teddy arrived safely and that so many of our friends and family were there to come and meet him at the hospital!
To view our online album of Teddy's birthday click on the album below.

Teddy's Birthday- 2412

Thanksgiving and more

Here is a photo of Sam on career day at my school! One of the best presenters in my opinion!
We agreed that Baylor season tickets were our best decision of 2011- we've had so much fun going to all of the games and seeing all of those Baylor wins! We had a great time at Baylor Homecoming back at the beginning of November. We attended the parade, the bonfire, the game and did some driving around Waco.

(the above is a photo of Sam and I at homecoming bonfire 5 years ago! Lots of changes since then!)
We had a great Swanson-family thanksgiving this year down in Galveston! We spent time on the beach, touring moody gardens, and even a boat ride around the harbor. One thing is for sure- Lucy LOVES being with her cousins!!





These cousins were so cute in their new clothes from Abue and Grandpa

Lucy Sings ABC's

Happy Halloween 2011

It's hard to tell without her hood on, but Lucy is dressed up as a Monkey for halloween. She and I had lots of fun at the Pumpkin patch picking out a pumpkin and looking at all the cut-out characters.


She was thrilled to find Lion King!
"The governor" and I at our small group halloween party.

My prize winning 'most creative' dessert-Kitty Litter cake!!


The coach and his wife. haha. fun times. Wasn't Lucy the cutest little pumpkin this time 2 years ago?? Halloween 2009