Best Surprise EVER!!! (Back-Blogging, Part 1)

Well, between my laptop constantly shutting down every five minutes and some seriously sick people in the Swann house for the last seven weeks (at least two of us have been sick since the first week in April... well, three, including the laptop), this blog is in (yet another) sad state of neglect.  I am way behind and will be making a concentrated effort to catch-up and stay current over the next few weeks.  We'll see how that goes... and if my laptop cooperates!

The Saturday before Easter, my mom (Nana) was scheduled to arrive for a six-day visit.  She'd been in Northern California working the previous week and we were lucky that she was able to work remotely from our house and visit with us.  Knowing way in advance that she was coming, my brilliant sister-in-law (Vanessa) concocted a plan to have my brother's family (Brian) drive from Arizona and come surprise Nana.  My mom hadn't seen them in about 18 months and so hadn't yet met Makenzie, their eight month old daughter. 

But, in true Swann fashion, a brilliantly planned surprise (for which we were all SO excited) could not go off without an element of drama.  Saturday morning, Preston woke-up at 4am, crawled into bed with John and me.  At 6am, he sat up, said "Mommy," then threw up all over our bed and proceeded to get sick every twenty minutes for a couple of hours.

  

This is what our sad little man looked like for a while...

Then it just stopped and he was fine.  He hadn't eaten dinner the night before (because he fell asleep at 6pm while it was being made), so we didn't think he was sick from something he ate.   But, because of this, Brian and Vanessa were understandably hesitant to come hang out - - and they'd already driven the eight hours (with two kids and three dogs) the day before.  In the meantime, my mom called to say that her flight was delayed (over three hours in the end).  Brian and Vanessa actually contemplated not staying in town and just heading back to Arizona because we weren't even certain how long it would be before my mom could get on a plane. And really, I couldn't blame them... a 2 year-old and an 8 month old... who'd want them to be exposed to the flu?!   I was a wreck and in tears thinking that we were so close to pulling off such a great surprise only to have failed.  I couldn't believe that Vanessa had put together this great plan and it wasn't going to happen.  We made all kinds of alternate arrangements, jumped through some additional hoops and then, since Preston was tolerating fluids and crackers, decided in the end that it wasn't the flu, and the surprise was back on...but not without me aging a bit in the process!

After a few hours, Preston was back to normal and the boys were playing.
Aren't they so stinkin' cute together?!

Gracie and I picked Nana up from the airport.  John, who was off work with a bad back (he looked like an "S" which just added to our drama... he is still sore), was home with Preston (who couldn't have possibly kept the secret as excited as he was!).  When we walked in the door, Preston called for Nana from Gracie's room... and when Nana walked in, only Makenzie was sitting on the floor.
 





Nana was stunned, then cried... and then Makenzie cried, too!

As Nana walked in, she was confused for a split second, even turning to me to ask, "Who is this?" and then realizing, before the whole question came out of her mouth, that it was her granddaughter!  It was, by far, the best surprise EVER!!!

My beautiful mama, my beautiful sister-in-law and my beautiful niece



Nana and Jack having great fun bonding at the water table.
They were both cracking up as Jack soaked her!



After a change into some dry clothes for Jack, their fun continued!



More Saturday afternoon fun... bubble blowing, egg dying and cars!



Gracie, our shirtless wonder, enjoyed the weekend, too! 
She loved having everyone around and, despite not feeling 100%,
had a blast playing with the Rapunzel doll she received in her Easter basket!
It has provided her with hours and hours of enjoyment!

I just love these two pictures... for very different reasons!



It rained all Easter morning... but that didn't stop the boys from rolling up their pants and getting their feet wet to find a few eggs.  The big ones had hot wheels in them... which they both loved!



So cute... even when she's crying!



Nana and her four grandchildren - - in the same place, at the same time - - for the very first time!
Best surprise EVER!!!