then it snowed. . .

so far. . .

this is all ice folks. . . .

Great way to spend a snow day. . .

watching Cars (for the 100 billionth time)

Jo. . . SEPH

Ever since Joseph could say his name, he has been saying "Jofus." I would try to get him to say "Joseph."

me: "Joe"
J: "Joe"
me: "seph"
J: "fus!"

We turned a corner a few weeks ago and he now says Jo-SEPH. It takes a little thought and there is definitely a pause between the "Jo" and the "SEPH." However, it doesn't end there. He now has to say his whole name - every time. "Jo-SEPH Henry Swearingen!" This has led to him saying everyone's whole name every time.
"Mama Swearingen"
"Daddy Swearingen"
"Jo-SEPH Henry Swearingen"

Let me take you back to a few months ago when Joseph was trying to call us by our first names.

me: "we don't say Christopher - we say Daddy" - "we don't say Emilie - we say mama"

We finally nipped the "Christopher" and "Emilie" phase in the bud. However, this has caused an issue when trying to get him to say Baby Jacob's whole name.

me: "Jacob Christopher Swearingen"
J: "Jacob Daddy Swearingen!"

Family Addition

This morning Joseph and I don't have to take Christopher to work. . . and we'll still get to go to StoryTime at the library. Yep - for the first time in 5 years, we are a 2-car family. yay! I'm not sure we'll know what to do with the luxury. I take that back. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

So - about our new addition:

Name: Hyundai Santa Fe
Color: White
Year: 2009
Good Deal: oh yah

Our original intent was to purchase a gently used family vehicle. Christopher has been doing his research and we had narrowed it down to a couple of different options. We looked at option #1 when we first got to the dealership and quickly ruled it out. It just didn't look practical for our family. The Santa Fe looked like the best option for us. We were both impressed with the size, storage space, kiddo space and safety features. However, after realizing that with the factory and dealer incentives brought a brand new car almost equal in priced to the used one, we ended up going with the 2009 instead of the 2008.

today's plans

Last Friday morning we were awaiting our flight to Chicago.

This morning's agenda:
laundry
WALL-E (at least once)
and this. . .

Surprise Weekend

My sister, Natalie, turned 30 last weekend and her husband planned a huge surprise celebration in Chicago. Natalie knew she was headed to Chicago on Friday night for dinner with my other sister, Megan, and her husband, Chris. She was told that her favorite restaurant was closed that night due to a special event and that they had a late check-out from their hotel the next day so they could spend the day shopping and then head directly to her birthday party in Indy.

We arrived in Chicago on Friday morning. We were able to have dinner at Lou Malnati's with our friends Matt, Anita and Mei Ling Witt(my god-daughter). Saturday morning my parents took the South Shore train up from South Bend and we spent the rest of the day dodging Natalie on Michigan Avenue.

Joseph loved the Lego Store.Mostly he loved playing with Grandpa & Grandma (and riding the elevator up and down at the hotel) and would have preferred that Momma & Daddy weren't there at all.

In the evening we headed over to Jon & Natalie's hotel to prepare for the surprise. Jon thought of everything, down to the surprise banner and noise makers.

Natalie headed out of the hotel with her luggage. Then pausing when Jon stops by the lobby bar where her family and friends were waiting.

Natalie doubles over in surprise. (at this point Joseph started crying from all the noise and, assuming that Natalie must be as scared as he, made it his mission for the next half hour to comfort her.)

Jon arranged for a private dinner in the Wine Room at Natalie's favorite restaurant, Roy's. They had special menus made up that said "Happy Birthday Natalie" at the top.

Her dessert plate also said "Happy Birthday Natalie" in chocolate.

After dinner, the next surprise - a 26-passenger limo to drive us around town.We made a few stops along the way and ended up at the John Hancock building where we enjoyed the foggy view from the 96th floor. We also watched a video Jon made for Natalie on the 14 flat-screen TVs inside the limo during the ride.

It was a fantastic, although exhausting, weekend. Happy surprise Birthday to my 30-year-old sister Natalie! So glad we could be there to celebrate.

it's SheTLer, not SheLTer - you Jacka**!

So yesterday Christopher & I finally went to the DMV to turn in our SC licenses and get brand spankin' new AR ones. We walked right up (no line!) and handed over our SC licenses and showed our passports. The helpful gentleman went and made copies of both documents and then proceeded to type our information into the system. Did we want to register to vote? Yes! One stop shopping. He was quite chatty, explaining that in AR there would be a comma after each word in our name. (For example: Swearingen, Emilie, Shetler,) He was also very chatty about where we lived, our commute to the Children's Hospital and "oh by the way, do you know Dr. So-and-So? because she used to be my step-mom." Finally we stepped around to get our photos taken, autographed the paper and waited for our new licenses to drop into the tray. Mine dropped first. I took one look at it, walked back around to the front of the counter and handed it to the chatty gentleman.

Me: you spelled my middle name wrong.
CG: really? Emilie Shelter Swearingen is wrong?
Me: yes. It's Shetler not Shelter
CG: oh sorry about that
Me: it was the first thing I checked because it happens all the time. In fact, there is even a Facebook Group called "It's Shetler, not Shelter - you Jacka**!" (this cracked up the guy behind me in line)
CG: well I just copied it off of your SC license so I guess it was misspelled there too.
Me: no. I don't think it was. I usually check.
CG: (pulls copy of SC license) yes. See here. I just copied the way they had it.
Me: It says Shetler on my SC license.
CG: no. see. Shelter
Me: no. see. S. H. E. T. L. E. R.
CG: oh. yah. oops
Me: no big deal. it really does happen all the time. can we fix it?
CG: yes. sure can. (then proceeds to pick up the phone to ask supervisor how to fix it)

Chatty Gentleman finally fixes my name.

Me: don't forget that comma after my middle name.

I then have to step back around the counter to get my picture taken and sign the autograph paper again. Then I wait for my new AR license to drop into the tray. And I wait. And I wait. Then chatty gentleman realizes that the machine is not working.

Me: is this because I called you a jacka**?

I am now the proud owner of a new AR driver's license. Swearingen, Emilie, Shetler,

conversational Joseph

case #1
Aftin, Christopher & I are sitting on the couch when Joseph walks up.
Aftin: "Hi Joseph"
Joseph: raises hand to wave and says "Hi Aftin"
Joseph: reaches out right hand to me
Momma: thinking this is a good time to work on social skills takes right hand in "hand shake" mode.
Joseph: "nicetomeetcha momma"
Momma: stunned silence
Joseph: moving on to daddy and extending his right hand
Daddy: also in stunned silence takes extended hand
Joseph" nicetomeetcha daddy"

case #2
Christopher, Joseph and I went to dinner the other evening. Joseph was having a hard time staying focused on eating his dinner because he kept wanting to hug me. Sweet, yes. A little naughty, also yes.
Then he put his arm around me, put the other hand on my face and, leaning in close, said: "you're so precious momma."
Now how do you make him sit down and eat his dinner after that? :-)

Tender Tennessee Christmas

Christmas was spent in Nashville with Christopher's family this year. This bad momma took a total of about 5 pictures while we were there. :( Here are a couple from the present extravaganza.

Other highlights from our trip:
Tailgating at the Music City Bowl with the McClellans & McCuens (dear friends from South Carolina). It was soooo good to see y'all!
BC Girls' Christmas Exchange at Mamma Mia's. (I only get to participate in person every other year.)
New Year's Recovery Day at the Sherwood's.