Welcome!

We are very excited to announce a new addition to our family.  Griffin Louis Swinger joined us all tonight around 6pm.  Matt and Brittany are very excited to welcome their second son.  He weighed 8 lbs 5 oz and was 21 3/4 inches long.  (I think all of those stats are right)  Anyway, mom and baby are doing great after a week that was very long and trying.  Welcome Griff!  We can't wait to hold and start playing with you!

I wanted to do something fun and different today so I took Paisley to the YMCA for a little swim.  I had never visited the Christian County YMCA but thought we could have some fun!  We are also leaving for Mexico in 11 days so I wanted to introduce her to the swimming pool again.

Needless to say, I do not think we will have to worry about her not liking the water.  She had a blast!

She loved the water noodles!

She enjoyed the tire swing that you can not really see in this picture and the slide.  Between the swinging, sliding, floating/walking around in lazy pool, and jumping in, I bet I can not even count the number of times I heard MORE!  After 1 1/2 hours in the water and a lot of wrinkles in her hands and feet, I convinced her to leave (not without tears though).  We can't wait to go to the pool again!

today we went to the mall as a family.  we needed to get a few clothes for a mexico trip which is coming up in 16 days :)  daddy was not paying much attention and let paisley see the carousel.  (i always avoided that area as best i could :))  anyway, grandma sandy and papa bill were there too so paisley got her way and was around to ride a "neigh".  she was so excited!

safety first...

when the carousel started, she let go and let me hold her.  she giggled the entire time.  i did not realize a carousel was so much fun :)

our shopping trips will never be the same...or maybe i can use the carousel as a great bribery tool :)

Paisley is sitting in her new big girl chair.  She is proudly supporting a dress that she got for Christmas from Sprout Fitters.  (Another plug for your store, Cheryl :))  Sorry that the picture is kind of dark.

Sorry that is has taken a little while to get up some pictures from Christmas.  As you will soon be able to see, we had five different Christmas festivities to go to.  So let's get started...

We are at my mom's house in Tuscola.  We gathered for a quick family picture by her Christmas Tree.

Justin and Allie (the newly engaged couple) standing by the Christmas Tree.  Congratulations!

And all five of us by the tree.

We started at my Grandparents in Tuscola on Christmas Eve.  Paisley is helping Aunt Makayle open her gift.

On the bottom of Paisley's tights was a bear.  I had to take a picture!  I guess this is why they called them Bear Bottom Tights :)

Paisley is smiling pretty for the camera with Aunt Makayla.

We left Tuscola around 6 and went to the Davis Christmas back in Edinburg.  Sorry I do not have any pictures for you because I left my camera in Tuscola.  Pictures of Christmas morning are to follow in another post.

On Christmas day, Paisley wore a dress that I had someone paint.  It had three Santa's on the top with bows and near the bottom of the dress it said Ho Ho Ho!  Too cute.  Thank you Cheryl Morman and Sprout Fitters - www.sprout-fitters.com 

Paisley got Elmo Live Encore for Christmas.  She loved him! 

Paisley with Grandma Debbie.  Paisley so conveniently leaned in for a kiss!

Paisley's favorite part of opening Christmas presents was the ribbon.  She immediately put every ribbon around her neck.  I think she is going to like jewelry!

Paisley was showing her teeth in this picture standing with Cooper (Justin and Allie's dog).

Paisley was standing on the whicker basket that has ber books in it looking outside.  Plus she was showing off her pink Ugg boots that Uncle Justin and Aunt Allie got her :)

Paisley showing off her bear gloves that she got from Papa Bill.

After nap, Paisley thought she needed a cookie.  She loved the snowman sugar cookie with tons of icing.

On Saturday, we had our small Swinger family Christmas.  Paisley and I are enjoying a little quiet time in her new bean bag!

Pais acting silly!

On Sunday, we had the BIG Swinger Christmas.  Paisley backed right on up to her cousin Andrew sitting in her bean bag chair.  She was very content sitting on his lap.  By the way, today is day one for a ponytail.  Isn't it cute!  It made her look so big though :(

Paisley playing with toys with a puzzled little face.  This was the last day for Christmas for us.  I asked her if she wanted to open more presents and she told me no.  I think she was too overwhelmed and worn out :)

We finally came back home.  Paisley is sitting at her new table that she got for Christmas for Papa Bill and Mama Sandy.  She is also playing with the new farm animals that she got from Aunt Ryan.  She loves those things!

Some on Paisley's Christmas gifts include table and chairs, Elmo Live, upholstered chair, bean bag, tons of clothes, kitchen, play food for her kitchen, shopping cart, puzzles and books, art easel, pink Ugg boots, baby doll and stroller, and more and more and more toys!  Thank you to everyone for making this Christmas very special!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This past Friday, Paisley and I went to the Henson Robinson Zoo with the Heddens to see a Christmas light show.  The kids loved the lights.  As we were walking back to our cars, Paisley saw Santa and went running.  For a split second, she liked him and that is all.  This is the only picture I could get.  HAHA!  Maybe next year!

Yesterday was Paisley's Christmas Pajama Party day at School.  Paisley was in charge of bringing cupcakes.  After the party, she was entertaining everyone with her faces.  This is her show me your teeth face :)

And this is her show me your lips face :)

Anyway, we had a lot of fun at the light show and school party.

On a side not, my brother got engaged last Saturday :)  Congratulations Justin and Allie!  Pictures of the ring and proposal to follow.

Adam is still in the field, but I was desperate to get a Christmas Tree.  So Paisley and I headed to our favorite place - The Apple Barn in Chatham.  They bought pre-cut trees so it was not hard this year to find the perfect tree.

I nicely asked (okay I kind of bribed) Justin and Allie to come over and help me move furniture, bring the tree in, and decorate it.  After Paisley woke up from her nap, you should have seen the look on her face.  She was amazed at the tree and said wow pretty lights as soon as she saw it!

She was all faces today while visting her Uncle Justin and Allie!

a pig face...

a fish face...

a rotten face...

Paisley found her glasses.

and the remote...

and her belly!

Paisley and Allie posing my the tree :)

Thanks Justin and Allie for coming over and helping again!!!!!  Love ya!

We are crossing our fingers that we get done in the field soon so we can enjoy this holiday season even more!