Gwen giggles

Mom, your belly button looks like a termite home. 

Gwen's 3rd birthday!

After a morning of soccer games, Grandpa Jeff took the birthday girl out for ice cream cones at Super 1. 

She wanted a My Little Pony birthday so everything was rainbow. Fits her bight and colorful personality really well!

 Jello-flavored rainbow popcorn

Giggling Gwen

Look, Mom, I'm a Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer!  

"Mom! Mom! Mom! Circle!" She is too smart.

Reese Recited

"Look! Gwen is a Lamanite!"

Braids

First time putting Gwen's hair in braids. So cute!!

Ryan found Gwen downstairs by herself, sitting in the jump-a-roo, with a skiing helmet on, making car noises. Gotta love that imagination at such a young age! 

Gwen also LOVES to color! Anytime she sees paper or pens/pencils/ect, it's "Daw, daw? Daw!" Draw. Or "colow." So cute, even when she draws all over her face!

Gwen is really into "pretties." She found my newborn props. Love her pose!

This girl enjoys her spaghetti! I'm just glad we took her shirt off first!

Hello, Mom!! Do I have to set the table myself before you'll feed me?!

Gwen Sings

This was a couple of months ago (that's how awesome I've been about blogging) when we were sitting down for dinner and I noticed Gwen was singing. She had found a sheet of music and was singing along. It was so cute!! I couldn't get over how she found the music, knew what is was, and then started singing along like she knew what she was reading. Her daddy must be a musician, it's in her blood!

7/9/12
14 months old

Angel Wings vs. Devil Horns

Gwen

I finally took Gwen's one year pictures and you can see more of her cuteness HERE but for the family blog, I wanted to document her life...

This little lady is full of personality! She's a handful but in a good way. She drives me crazy but I'm so glad that she's busy and curious. Even though she loves attention, she doesn't like to perform. She'll rarely repeat what you want her to, she'll most likely respond "no." That's her favorite word. She says it constantly. Gwen loves her brothers and tries so hard to keep up with them. The three of them are really getting to be good friends. They play together really well. She's got great older brothers that look after her and are totally smitten with her. Carson and Reese are always repeating to us things she babbles or things she does. They think she's just the cutest, funniest thing. Carson will do anything for her, even throw away dirty diapers! Gwen has the cutest facial expressions. She loves to smile with her nose crinkled and she likes to purse her lips, most likely because she's just said or getting ready to say "no." And the little devil knows what it means! She knows what she does or doesn't want and there's no changing her mind! Those flips in her hair are natural and I'm still debating if their angel wings or devil horns. It just depends on the moment. :) She gets a lot of attention wherever we go but that's not a surprise because she's so stinkin' cute! We took the stair gate down because she's pretty much taught herself how to go down the stairs. I tried teaching her to go down on her belly but that just didn't work for her so she just decided to go down on her bum. She's really careful and controlled about it too. If she slips, she'll catch herself and say "woah." Gwen is a climber! I'll turn around and she'll be on top of the dining table laughing and smiling, knowing that she's in trouble. She loves music and she'll swing her hips side to side and it's just adorable. I've even caught her singing and dancing but then she got embarrassed and stopped. She's my pickiest eater and refuses to be fed. Every first bite she takes she makes a face. She has five teeth with two more on the way. She's fascinated by birds and airplanes. One of my favorite things is when she holds my finger while we walk. Gwen still loves to growl and constantly does her monster voice. She's spitfire and a sweetheart and there's nothing better than Gwenny hugs. We love having Gwen in our family!

Gwen's birthday

Gwen turned one last week! I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, just some cake with family. But once I came up with the cake plan I couldn't not make everything all cute and girly! It was really different planning pink and yellow owls but it was so fun! 

The family came over and we had chicken salad sandwiches and fruit salad and lots and lots of candy. Then I wanted to have her open presents next so she wouldn't be a mess in her new outfit that Grandma Connie sent her. Gwen was spoiled and Ryan even admits that it's kinda fun cleaning up girl toys now. :) At first Gwen wasn't really into the baby dolls she got but now she won't put them down! And she's always loved her "pretties."

The quilt that I finally finished... a year later!

She was not a fan of the cake at first. Gwen is a very picky eater already. Even if she likes it she'll spit the first bite out before eating more. I think it's a texture thing for her. She really didn't like the ice cream though because it hurt her burnt fingers (and I don't think I ever added this picture... She touched a hot lawnmower and it got her good!!!)

But once she figured out the it wasn't poisonous and we gave her a spoon (she refuses to eat dinner unless she's holding a spoon even though she can't even use it) she did just fine. 

The whole day Gwen was just super cute and perky and fun. She could tell it was her special day. We would sing "Happy Birthday" to her throughout the day and she would get a big grin on her face and start dancing. At the party she was having the time of her life, literally. :) Gwen loved all the attention and she was so smiley and happy and just talking up a storm. I'm glad she had such a good day because I did too! Happy birthday little lady!

Eleven Months Old!

Gwen has one month left before she's one year old. That reality is sinking in. I seriously don't remember life without her but I feel like I was just pregnant with her. She's definitely turning into a toddler though. She walks everywhere and is getting really fast. It's hard to take a picture of her that's in focus. Gwen is a tease! She'll steal a toy and then try to run away, laughing. She's got four teeth now and that was a huge ordeal for the whole family! She loves her brothers and tries her best to keep up with them. She's starting to sound out a few words and usually she'll let me know she's ready for a nap by saying "na, na" (night, night) and waving goodbye. She's very attached to her binki and I'm not looking forward to weening her off it. We're still off and on with sleeping through the night and she's losing interest in the bottle. I won't miss buying formula that's for sure! Gwen loves being outside! She gets so mad when you make her go inside! Her hair is getting longer and more curly and it's coming in really blonde. I'm sure she'll get just as blonde as the boys in the summer. 

She's had a hard month. The first week, she got a gash in her cheek, the next week, a black eye, and the third week, a huge bruise on her forehead. All from tripping and falling into our bed frame. 'Tis the age.

P.S. She has PERFECTED the tantrum!