Leapin' Leprechauns!

While Gavin napped and Gracie had  a vest/nebulizer treatment, Preston and I decided it was prime Leprechaun Trap Construction Time!!!  (This was not my idea... he talked about making a trap every day after school for over a week!)

With his completed trap.  He insisted he was going to stay up all night to try and catch a leprechaun with his bare hands! 
He lasted all of 20 minutes while I read to him!

Much to Preston's dismay, the trap was empty this morning. 
However, a Leapin' Leprechaun visited in the wee hours and left behind a few chocolate coins, turned the toilet water green, left green footprints all over the place and even made our milk green!  Preston would NOT drink the milk... he figured the green toilet water was pee... so he feared the Leprechaun peed in the milk.  (Guess mama should have considered his thought processes a bit more before coloring the milk!)

My Funny Valentines

Miss Gracie... rocking one of many heart shirts this week!

Preston, busting out his Valentines for his classmates on Sunday night.
 

Our littlest Valentine wearing the same bib his big brother sported five years ago!

Can you say ham?!

The Valentine gifts the kids gave to their teachers/aide/nurse

And because it's always fun to walk down memory lane...

An oldie but goodie... I never tire of looking at this picture of Miss Gracie.

Their bond... so special... so instant.
I am so thankful that Gavin loves his sister this much, too!

So sweet!  I love Preston attacking Gracie... big 'ole bear hug!

Merry

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! It started with the best gift - - the fact that John was off both days for the first time since 2008 and, therefore, Santa didn't have to make a special trip on the 23rd or 26th. Having spent Christmas in the hospital with Gracie in the past, we know that what matters the most is being together and it was nice to have our togetherness be on the actual holidays and in our home. Nana and Papa joined us for Christmas Eve evening and Christmas Day. We ate delicious food, relaxed and made wonderful memories... it was Merry!
And it ended perfectly with our baby tucked away sleeping peacefully in his crib and our oldest two kiddos having a slumber party cuddled up in Gracie's bed.  Sweet and Merry, indeed!

A photo of our Flock (minus Toby who was too excited to be in the house that morning!)
Gracie has on jammies... that lasted all of about 15 minutes!  At least we got a pic of her dressed!

Gavin with Mommy on his first Christmas

Gavin and his Nana
I love this!
 

Preston after opening his first present (following the stocking) Bumblebee, a Transformer Rescue Bots. He asked for all of the ones he didn't already have and wrote this one out all by himself on his wish list.  Happy, happy boy!

Papa, showing off one of his new, fun t-shirts.

Preston excitedly receiving his new street bike from Nana and Papa

Gavin opening his very first Christmas present ever

Preston super stoked over his Buster Posey Jersey

Who needs presents when there is paper, bows and ribbon?!

What would a first Christmas be without a photo shoot in his amazingly adorable, super soft Santa Suit jammies?
I had to make several collages because there were so many cute pictures that I couldn't decide on just one or two!

When all else fails, eat the paper!

"Mama... can we please get this thing open?!"

So much FUN!

Adore this... all that concentration... and those eyelashes!

Sporting his new BMX racing helmet

"You talkin' to me?!"

Preston on his new street bike from Nana and Papa

Preston testing out his "new-to-him" BMX racing bike with Toby giving him a run for his money!
Not sure who was faster or who had more fun!

Papa taking a snooze while Preston and his Rescue Bots sat guard.
On the floor below the couch, John and Gracie were cuddled under blankets... Gracie didn't nap, but John definitely did!

Gavin dropping next to Gracie for a "power nap" and some affection! 
(He just drops on the floor or a pillow and rests for a moment... we jokingly call this his "power nap!")

Nana and Papa with the little Swanns

The expressions in this one crack me up!

LOVE

and LOVE
Seeing my mama loving on my baby (well, all of my babies!) makes me so happy

Merry Christmas!!!

Santa Baby!!!

On a rainy, windy, no-one-should-drag-their-kids-out night, we took ours to see Santa Claus! In spite of (and because of) the ugly weather, it was perfect timing to see the jolly man in red. There was a five minute wait. And, behind Santa's Village in the rotunda at Blackhawk Plaza, it "snows" (bubbles... so fun) and Frosty the Snowman walks around (although he was MIA that night, much to Preston's dismay). The fire was roaring in the outdoor fireplace and the ducks were happily swimming about the ponds even with the intermittent downpours. Luckily, Gracie was perfectly content with the entire outing until we walked into Starbucks for a hot drink, so we got our treats to go, grabbed dinner to go and, in true Swann fashion, had a car picnic to keep Gracie content. In all, a good (and very typical) family outing!

Everything about this makes me smile!
I am so glad we got this shot... the young woman working the camera was trying to get Gavin in between the hysterics... I just wanted the real shot!  He was not happy about Santa. At all! 
However, once it was over, he just waved and waved at him and all the decorations in the rotunda where Santa's village was.

Same shot... in color.  (I love it so much, I can't decide which edit I prefer!)

Gracie... "Um, does anyone see that Gavin looks like he is about to scream a scream that I might be able to hear?!"
Gavin... "Um... you have 1/2 a second and I am screaming!"
Preston... "I got this!"  (And cheesy smile!)

Gavin... "Your 1/2 second is up!"
(See top photo... screaming begins again!)

This is a zoomed screen shot from a video John took on his phone.  Gavin and Santa exchanged a split second of content gazes and then the tears started again!

Mama with her little Santa
(Thanks, Nana... cutest Santa outfit EVER!)

Little man checking out the ducks and decorations

Gavin wasn't any more thrilled sitting with Preston than he was with Santa!

Little Swanns by the fire

Fa La La La La

Deck the halls with boughs of holly...

Fa la la la la, la la la la

'Tis the season to be jolly...

Fa la la la la... la la la laaaaaaaa!!!

(And... the big kids finally got out! Fa la la la la, la la la la!!!)

 

We've decked our halls!  We (and by "we" I mean, John!) managed to get the outside lights up during Thanksgiving weekend.  It isn't as elaborate as we used to do in Roseville (picture a tasteful Griswold scenario!), and even less than down South (as Preston pointed out), but there are lights up and the kids are happy!

We (and by "we" I mean, I) got the inside decorated by the 3rd of December... with all things above Gavin's stretching capabilities. (Though he has grown enough to stand on tippy-toes and reach for things that he couldn't just a few weeks ago!)

I couldn't hang the stockings from the mantle as they were in perfect reach for Gav-man!
(And, notice that his stocking is still missing his name... oops!)

We (and, this time, I actually mean "we!") got the tree up and decorated by December 4th.  Gavin's first Christmas tree... and it's on the kitchen table where we can all see it and appreciate it... and NOT touch it!  Not too shabby considering a nasty stomach bug was running rampant through our house for a few weeks straight!  Miss Gracie is bummed that another little brother is coming between her and her beloved Christmas tree. Her favorite thing this time of year is to lay under the tree and stare at the lights (and take off and re-hang ornaments). She has been content to lay on the table and hang out a bit each evening, but I know she will be glad when the big tree is back!

I adore that Preston is telling and signing the light colors to Gavin.  Sweet.

Our littlest Swann taking in his very first Christmas tree.

There have been parties and school activities and all kinds of Christmas fun to enjoy. For the first time in five years of Christmas parties, I was able to attend John's with him!  A huge thanks to Nana and Papa for watching all three kiddos (and driving two plus hours each way) on a Friday night!

 

Our first date-night in a year and only the third since October 2008!!!

All of the cousins on the "Swann" side together for the first time in years!

My reindeer saying "Ho Ho Ho!"
Ice skating with Daddy
Making "Snowman Soup" for all of the kids in his class
Enjoying a craft and fun-filled party at a classmate's home

Miss Gracie... chilling as she does each evening by the light of the tree!

Gavin... obsessed with the Nutcracker (regardless of his attire!)

Another "virtual" photo shoot with Chloe and Gavin...
Caption ideas from various family members...
"Hello, Deer!"
"Neither of them looks very 'fawned' of their antlers"
"Oh, Deer"
 

Next stop... visiting Santa Claus!!!