I have a horrible habit that has resulted in these scrapbook pages completed… when I am totally stressed out, and deadlines are bearing down… without fail, I retreat into recreational scrapbooking. i haven’t taken very many photos of Connor, nor have I taken the time to work on a baby announcement, or focus on trying to get a great photo for the announcement. And now, this little boy is suddenly just over 3 weeks, and my head is still spinning just a bit! somehow, the scrapbooking centers me. relaxes me. and makes me happy. I love to scrapbook. I love to enjoy the photos, and the feelings. Especially late at night. And I have totally be regretting the staying up late the last few nights when the morning comes and I have huge bags under my eyes, but at the same time, my soul needs the quiet, heidi time. It’s so precious to me, and I guess these days, I have to pay a higher price than usual for it. so… I thought I would share. I will be appearing on the QVC craft day on August 14th and I have the opportunity to present 5 new kits. So I will be able to use these samples on air for a couple of the kits, so see… killing 2 birds w/ one stone! I will be giving a pre-view of what I’m presenting as we get a little closer. I have to say, I am quite OUT of practice creating little baby boy pages. I really dug into my paper stash… Scenic Route, My Mind’s Eye, Crate paper…and of course, who can scrapbook without Bazzill Cardstock. (impossible). The other recent obsession: my Journaling Spot Stamps. Each sku has 5-6 clear stamps that are in the shape of my ever-enjoyable journaling spots. You can see that I have used them on every layout. I can’t get enough of them! when I get on a ‘kick’… it’s hard to get off it! connor is such a sweet angel baby! I just love him! We all do! he is a joy.
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not lost! & club heidi update!
Don’t worry, I didn’t drop off the face of the earth… just trying to get things figured out! I think that I spent 9 months worrying about how it was going to be to juggle everything. I am happy to report that it is every bit as difficult and overwhelming as I suspected! LOL! actually, I think that I am adjusting! Connor couldn’t be any more easy going and angelic… and Capri is not quite as violent with him as she was in the beginning! I think that protecting him from her was one of my biggest challenges. That, and the thought of needing to go to the grocery store. (frightening)… so I decided to go the on-line grocery shopping route! man, that was awesome. The kids were totally getting a kick out of me ‘grocery shopping’ on-line… and just like they do at the store, they sat and begged for me to order cookies and chips and candy etc. the best part, was that when the groceries arrived, the guy totally brought them right into my kitchen counter. TOTALLY worth that $10 delivery charge! I guess that I just have to be really creative . My sister, Katie has been in town this week with my niece Aspen who is just a few months older than Capri. The little girls were just too cute for words toddling around. Katie and I went and saw “Hairspray” at the late movie Monday night. I LOVED it! so cute. I have never seen the play, so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect…I highly recommend it! it was so fun to have my sister here so someone would go with me!
So our yard is DONE! it looks sooooo fabulous! I know that I mentioned that we were doing some work out there… and I am so LOVING IT! where we live, we don’t have access to city water, so we have a well. it’s not prolific enough that we can water grass, so after much deliberation, we decided to put in artificial grass. I know… sounds like a miniature golf course! But this stuff is fantastic! I looks GORGEOUS. And it will ALWAYS look gorgeous! No water, no mowing, no dead spots from the dog, no weeds… no prob! And we have been having so much fun playing on it. it’s been years since we could be out in the back kicking a soccer ball or throwing a Frisbee! Amazing what a bonding, family thing grass is! I have to show you a photo! between the new coat of paint, the stone veneer on the front and the grass, it looks like a new place!
OH… I almost forgot! The NEW August ‘Club Heidi” kit is UP and will be available for purchase on August 1st. Check out the fun ideas for sure!
color box love...
So I just have to mention a new little ‘addiction’ that I have been developing!! At preview day for Creative Escape, which- as I have mentioned before, it’s when we get all the volunteers and teachers together and go over all the classes, so that we all know what to expect, blah blah blah… well, i was really excited to get to know Rhonna a little better, as I think that she is a totally-rock start-designer, and she is just this little power house chick, and I am really stoked on what she is going to be presenting at CE…. And I was really curious to hear her, and create this project! well, I was totally motivated by her at the preview, and kept thinking and thinking about it, and wanting to get started on my own. Now, of course I am not going to give anything away here… cause you know how much I love to keep things a secret! (so CE is kinda like Christmas!!) anyway… part of her project is using these fabulous Color box inks (Awesome sponsors of Creative Escape)… so the last 3 or 4 days I have been totally playing with my acrylic stamps, and Rhonna’s acrylic stamps- by Autumn Leaves (another Awesome sponsor of CE!) with these Color Box inks… seriously… they work FABULOUS with the acrylic stamps! and check out these beautiful, vibrant colors! I have these stamps that are ‘journaling spot’ stamps in my line, … and I hadn’t played with them very much, and for whatever reason pulled them out today and went NUTS with them! so easy and cool and fun. So if you are wondering what is a great ink to use w/ all the FUN and FRESH acrylic stamps… find yourself some of these. they rock! It’s been charging my creative battery, and I have TOTALLY needed that! 
one week old!
I can’t believe that it’s been almost a week that Connor has been here! This week has gone by really fast! I hope that I can get this whole thing figured out… try to figure out a schedule and a routine that is going to work for everyone. This week has been very good. Luckily, my mom has been here taking care of everyone! When we were in the hospital, eric started having dizziness problems again associated with his inner-ear injuries a couple months ago… what crappy timing! So the first ½ of the week, we were really a sad case for my mom to watch over! I don’t know what I would have done if she hadn’t been here! I know it’s been a lot of work for her. She did all our laundry, has kept us fed and the house clean! Man, I really owe her big! Dad came down on Thursday-I so appreciate them coming! Means a lot to me that they want to have special relationships with each of my children, and that they make a special effort. it’s so much harder when that relationship is long-distance. But, they do a great job! We realized just the other day, that not only is Connor born on 7-7-07, and is the 7th member of our little family, he is also the 7th Grandbaby for my mom and dad… as well as the 7th grandbaby on eric’s side!! Isn’t that crazy! 
I am a little worried about mom leaving! This whole pregnancy, when people would ask me how close Capri and the new baby would be, and I would say: 11 months… the response was ALWAYS the same: “wow, you are really going to have your hands full!”… (as if they think that I wasn’t FULLY aware of that). as it turns out, even that prediction was a gross understatement of what it’s like with these 2 little ones, plus the big ones… plus my seriously neglected workload! I think it will take a few weeks to get used to things and make necessary adjustments! It’s so great having kids that can help out! I am LUCKY that way!
day three
I thought I would get a couple photos of this sweet baby connor posted…it’s been so nice to bring him home. We are all just so in love with him! I think that Capri has finally realized that connor is a force to be reckoned with. He has a bottle and a blinky just like her, and she is just not sure why everyone is making such a big deal about him! Lol! She is pretty concerned… she wants to touch him, but certainly doesn’t get the concept of “‘soft’… Colton was sitting by me, holding him as he is fast asleep, and colton said ‘I forgot how boring Capri used to be…” totally, the kids love to play with Capri so much cause she can really PLAY! She is so much fuN! …
Connor had a few hours of awake time today- which is exciting! He has been a total power sleeper! He is so sweet… so calm! He doesn’t cry… or at least he hasn’t yet. I am sure he’ll figure it out! but he wakes up in the night, and just kicks his blankets off and kind of makes grunting noises… but no crying! He’s just happy to be here!
Man, so am i!!
I am feeling so much better. I have been totally taking it easy!
I am not a breast feeder… I went through hell with the first 3 kids… did the whole guilt feeling, and was just miserable for the first 2 or so months of their lives… casue I felt like that was expected of me etc… I gave that up with Capri! Went straight to the bottle, and that was the best thing ever for ME! (and for everyone… the big fight is who gets to feed baby!) anyway…so I am bottle feeding Connor, which makes me happy, and makes him happy! And I know just how much he’s eaten and it doesn’t take 2 hours! … since it’s day 3, I am starting having major pain as the milk is thinking it's supposed to come in… so sore! So I have been doing the cabbage routine! It worked like a charm w/ Capri. So they are starting to feel much better! I am sure it will be sore for a few more days!
So for now… I am so sad that my family doesn’t live closer! It will be a couple weeks before we’ll be up in SLC to show him off!
LUCKY US!
well, we did it!
YAY!!
words can't even express how amazing i feel... how relieved i am, and happy to have this sweet, sweet baby here!
our body clocks are pretty messed up! it's 3am and i finally feel like i can sit up and am even somewhat rested!
everything went smoothly! thanks for all the prayers and happy thoughts coming in from everywhere... eric has a verizon wireless card, so i am able to post directly from my hospital bed! how cool is that!
Connor Price Swapp arrived at 2:25pm, Saturday 07-07-07! he is so beautiful, weighing in at 7lbs. 9oz. and 20in long.
he's got lots of dark hair... has to be our darkest hair yet! and looks like it might have a little curl! he is just so sweet, so cuddly and absolutely perfect! eating and pooping and all that stuff going well! he likes to be nestled right up under my chin, and he smells so good, that i just love to oblige!
everything went pretty well for our labor/delivery portion of the day! we arrived about 7:45am, and immediately got all set up with the pitocin drip. the nurse anethsetist (sp?) came in and told me that the anesthesiologist would be heading into surgery and did i want to go ahead and get the epidural. i wasn't feeling any pain, and was reluctant to be completely numb for longer than i had to be... so we decided to go ahead and place the epidural catheter, but just not dose it until i was ready... ok, this was brilliant! usually, i wait and ask for the epidural when the paint is starting to reach an uncomfortable point. then i am shaking and bending over for the process...while i am supposed to be holding completely still... it has always been a bit of an ordeal. but this time, i wasn't feeling any pain at all when the dr. put the stuff in my back and it was super easy and totally comfortable. about 2 or so hours later, i was ready for it to be dosed, and within just a few minutes i was comfortable and pain free... ladies, this is an awesome trick to remember!!! i wish i didn't just figure it out on my last one! 
anyway, my mom, and eric's mom were both able to be here at the hospital to see Connor be born. what a sweet moment it is when the baby arrives. wow. i am humbled and thrilled to be this beautiful child's mother. I am so thankful for eric, and what an awesome daddy he is. we just couldn't be happier! i just couldn't stop the tears of joy and relief...i feel so blessed and so happy!
dang, it feels good to get the baby OUT!
so cute when all my children arrived to meet their baby brother... they were so excited and instantly in love with him, and completely irritated they couldn't just stay the night at the hospital with eric and i! capri was way more into all the flashing lights on the hospital equipment and attempting to empty out all the drawers full of medical supplies and equipment! she's pretty oblivious to her newly awarded 'big sister' title.
thanks to some good drugs, i have been resting comfortably and enjoying these quiet, precious moments that eric and i have here at the hospital to get acquainted with this little guy! we'll work on better photos tomorrow! a special thanks to my mom for coming down and being here to help out for the week! so great to have your mom... even after you are supposed to be an 'old pro' w/ 5 kids...
night.
countdown!
I love it when you get to this point, and people ask you … how long until you are due? And you can say: TOMORROW!!!! And they go “OH”… lol, shocked-ish. It’s so much better than having to say: “15 weeks” or even “3 weeks”… YAY… I am so ready, so excited! Here’s hoping that there will be an empty bed at the hospital in the morning for me! i need to just straighten a few things up, and fold a load of whites. I am not packed yet, I do have the camera batteries charging! As well as the video ipod… I have a bunch of episodes of LOST that I have been purposely saving for this exact time! I need to relax a bit…spend some time writing in my journal. This is just such an amazing time, an amazing experience. It was funny tonight, we went to our favorite Thai restaurant and the same girl that always waits on us was asking if we wanted to take the left overs home… and I told her no… tomorrow is hospital to have the baby, and she got this really confused look on her face and said, ‘but you just had a baby’! eric and I started busting up laughing. She explained that she thought I just hadn’t lost the baby weight! (YIKES).
We got a good chuckle anyway.
It seems that Capri is ready for her little brother as well! so funny, quincy was never into baby dolls! She has lots of them, but really never liked to play with them or anything like that. well, Capri is the opposite. She LOVES babies! It’s so funny! So quincy has these 2 little dolls, that are soft-bodies and Capri just loves them. she hauls them all over, kisses them and hugs them. I am sure that somehow she knows that she will become a big sister soon! It will be really interesting to see how she takes it! 
Thanks to all the kind words and prayers! I appreciate that so much.
Good night.
