The 'Wood and The Babe

Last weekend my winterguard "came out." We went to Pell City, Alabama for our first competition. The girls did great. They had their show on the floor for 7 days before the competition. The other colorguards had their show for at least a month. So, considering the few snags we have had getting this season off and running (our director leaving, the new director (me) giving birth, my one and only staff member being pregnant now, our writer being snowed in during our winter camp, etc.) we were rather impressed. I had the pleasure of running into an old friend at the show. I hadn't seen him in 10 years....yes...a decade. He and I used to teach a group together. I've been doing this colorguard thing for way too long.

The precious little man in my life is currently asleep (on his tummy...don't call family services please...I am sitting right next to him and his airway is not obstructed...and no mom...he isn't rebreathing carbon dioxide...we're safe) on the couch. He is pretty much the sweetest thing I have ever seen. Don't believe me??

He will be 12 weeks old tomorrow.

Photo updates

From the last two weeks...

napping buddies.


as sweet as it gets.


learning our vowels with daddy.


now on to the whole alphabet.


"mommy, does daddy know i can't talk yet??"


the beautiful, 8 year old applejack.


sky appreciation.


rick and his mom heading to rick's latest presentation.


my sweet baby.


ready to go to guard rehearsal.


rick and the ice at tannehill.


rub-a-dub.


melting my heart.


the most beautiful smile i have ever seen.


night night.


sitting with apple and granny.

The icy south

Living down here in the great state of Alabama means we don't often see below freezing temperatures. This morning, however, it was 20 degrees when Rick left for work. When he walked out to his car, his windows were covered with ice. So, he took his cup of water out there and fixed it. Then, he headed on to our favorite coffee spot for his morning brew. After a few sips, he hopped back into the car and hopped over to work. While at work, he noticed that he couldn't get his doors unlocked. He noticed this from the inside of course. His doors were frozen shut and he was locked inside. What do people in Fargo do?

The long and winding road...

Oh wait...that was last year. My winterguard kids learned their show this weekend. My dear friend, Travis Estler, flew in and taught them 7,269 counts in a day and a half. Ok, maybe not that many. But it was close. Travis was supposed to come down in December but he was snowed in and couldn't make it. So, he came down from Pennsylvania on Friday, we had rehearsal Friday night and Saturday all day, and then I took him back to the airport at 4:00AM. And amazingly enough, my kiddies learned pretty much an entire show in that amount of time. I'm super proud. So, thank you Travis. You have made my favorite teenagers very happy. It is a fabulous show--or it will be. When we get it cleaned up. Rick says it is the "best show ever." He can see its potential. Thank you Travis! Once my Internet stops kicking me off, I will put a video on youtube for everyone to see.

Update on the Swats

I'm so sorry for being so behind. Our little person has kept us very very busy. So...here's the skinny on us:

Praise GOD!! Hunter's sweat test came back negative!! Rick and I are so thankful for all of your prayers. We know they made the difference. The next step for us to get have them test Rick and me to see which one of us has the gene mutation that Hunter has. The parent who does not have that mutation will then be given an entire DNA work over to see if he or she has another of the 1600 possible CF gene mutations. Why does this matter? Future children. We can't go through this again. We have to know if there is a possibility of having a child with CF. If only one of us is a carrier, we are in the clear!

Christmas was wonderful. We spent it n Atlanta with my parents. Hunter slept through his first Christmas, but he was so cute doing it!! Here are a few shots including Hunter's picture with Santa (which he also slept through):

Hunter's first photo with Santa.

On our way to church on Christmas Eve.

The clan at 6:00am Christmas morning.


Hunter...sleeping through Christmas.


The children.

Happy New Year!! This time last year we weren't even pregnant. Now, we have a precious little man in our life.

Rick's mom is in town for two weeks meeting her first grandchild. We're having a blast. My good buddy Travis Estler (wait for it...here it comes) is swooping in this Friday to finish the winterguard show he has started for me. Having a different director situation with my colorguard has left me responsible for coming up with a show. So, what did I do?? I deferred to someone who actually has talent in doing so. Travis is my life saver!! (how'd I do??)

Almost there...

In just a few more days we go to Birmingham for Hunter's tests. Rick and I are so thankful for the support we have received from our friends and family. I'm not sure we could have made it through the last two weeks without it. Thank you!!

So, I though you might like an update on what Hunter does all day...

Eat. Sleep. Poop. Eat again. 

That's pretty much it. But he's so pretty while he's doing it. Here are a few shots...

More later.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We hope that everyone is having a fabulous Thanksgiving! Here are a few pictures of our sweet boy from today!

Prayer request...

We went in yesterday for Hunter's two week post-partum appointment. There we were told that Hunter's newborn cystic fibrosis screening came back positive. Rick and I are, of course, very upset at the thought that our child could be afflicted with the incurable disease. The initial screening does not mean that he has CF. However, he was found to have a DeltaF508 mutation which means he is in fact a carrier of the disease. We go to Children's Hospital in Birmingham on December 12 for a sweat test for Hunter. Hopefully that will tell us whether or not he has CF. Rick and I will also be tested on that day to see which one of us has the gene mutation. Please pray that Hunter does not have CF. The hope of this initial test being a false positive has been ruled out. At the very least, he is a carrier. Please pray that is it.

Hunter Benjamin Swatloski's Arrival

Yes, Rick and I have a baby. He is two weeks and three days old today. Here's how it went down...

Friday, November 7, Rick and I checked into the hospital at 6:00 after enjoying a sandwich from Chick-fil-a (my last meal for a couple days). Once I slipped into my hospital gown, I was hooked up to a fetal monitor and the cervidil thingy was administered. Then, it was time to go to sleep (yeah right). Around 4:00 am Saturday morning, my contractions started to get stronger and closer together. Around 7:30 am, the nurse came to remove the cervidil thingy. At 9:00 they brought in the Pitocin which got me to 2 cm by 9:30 which was when they decided to give me an epidural (I didn't need it yet, but they gave it to me anyway...which was fine :) ). At 10:00, the doctor broke my water and there was no turning back. Everything was peachy-keen until sometime after 12:00 when I started to feel a bit more pressure. Hmm...I thought you didn't feel much with an epidural. What followed was about 6 hours of tortuous hell. The pain was indescribable. So, I won't go into it. I only got to 8 cm when the labor stalled. Much to my relief, my doctor then decided that he was not coming on his own so he said the magic hyphenated word...c-section. So, off to the operating room we went. They had redosed my epidural so many times during labor because it wasn't working so they could give me anymore for surgery so I had to be put under. That meant Rick couldn't be in the room until the baby was out. Which made me a bit sad. To make a long story short, Hunter Benjamin was born on Saturday, November 8 at 7:02 pm. He was 8 pounds and 3 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. Once the doctor cut me open he found that Hunter was too long to straighten out and come on his own. That's what I get for marrying someone who is a foot taller than me.

Hunter and I were released from the hospital on Tuesday. We got to leave a day early because I got out of bed so quickly on Sunday (the nurses said I should come back and teach a class on how to get up after a c-section). Since then, we have been enjoying the stew out of our little guy! My parents were in town for a week helping us out (thank God!!). We are so thankful that the baby is healthy and happy. He hardly cries unless he is hungry or wet. He is inquisitive and bright eyed. He is the joy of our lives.

Apple Jack has been a trooper. She is not totally sure if she is in love with Hunter, but she does come to get us when he cries. She's a good Big Sister.

Here are a few pictures from our little adventure.

About to head to the hospital.

Before I was reduced to screaming through my mother's
attempts to get me to do some Lamaze breathing.

Rick waiting to hear his son cry.


Father and son.


Already found his fingers.


Meeting Hunter for the first time.


Hunter, 4 days old.

This morning's findings...

Rick and I went back to the doctor this morning for our second non-stress test. Beebop continues to be handling his low fluid environment very well. The doctor said that if we wanted to, we could wait until next Monday, have another ultrasound, another non-stress test and go from there. He then added though that he was more inclined to go ahead and get Beeb out. So, we will be checking into the hospital Friday evening at 6:00, get the cervidil going, and then they will start a pitocin drip first thing Saturday morning. Rick and I will be parents, one way or another, by Saturday night!! It's definitely real now!! We can't wait to see our sweet boy's handsome face! And we can't wait to share him with all of you! Please keep our little family in your prayers over the weekend! See you on the flip side!