Someone turned 4!

Almost 6 months ago :) Although I am way behind, I do want to catch up. Its amazing how important it is to document and write things down right away because now just 6 months later, I am forgetting details. So the next several posts will be mostly pictures but thats all that matters anyway, right?

Probably a week after Gwen's 3rd birthday, she was asking if we would "decorate her door" again when she turned 4. I guess we've started a new family tradition!

A favorite birthday morning activity is decorating her birthday crown.

We had a last minute birthday party. We had a fun time with some of our favorite people. I still can't believe that the parents of these kids are good friends who we have known for over 14 years and some even longer! What a blessing their friendships are to us and its so meaningful to have them be part of Gwen and Sonja's lives.

Sanne (holding Addison), Jackson (Emmett), Sofia, Gwen (Caroline), Elsa (Ellie) and Caleb

Sonja was sleeping

Decorating cupcakes

These two were really hard to get both looking at the camera.

And here is our 4 year old, goofy as ever. We are beyond lucky that God created Gwen and that we get to be her parents. She is so much fun and I really can't believe the stuff that comes out of her mouth (of course I don't remember much now. She loves swimming, school, her friends, her sister, camping, "playing" tennis, swinging, dress-up, dancing, doing her "projects" (a container full of art supplies that she makes all sorts of creations with), and much more that I am forgetting. She is showing a lot of interest in wanting to read, constantly telling me what letter a word starts with or trying to sound things out. She especially loves rhyming words. I just love to see the whole process develop so naturally and to see how her mind works. Maybe we'll have to officially start teaching her to read soon :) I always feel so much pressure writing these birthday posts...its so hard to sum up either of the girls in one paragraph. So, I'll let the rest of the blog and the pictures speak for me.

One funny tidbit about Gwen's birthday this year is that she refused to let us sing Happy Birthday to her. When someone even mentioned it, she was close to tears. Its funny because she loves to sing Happy Birthday to others and does it enthusiastically but when it was her turn, no thank you! There's something about being right up front and the center of attention. Even at school and Sunday school, she will easily talk to the whole class when she is sitting among them but if she is standing up front, she won't talk and gets really shy. Well enough rambling...she's our Gwen and we love her :)