Gwen: 10 months

Gwen (a few days before 10 months) sitting with some favorite toys.

This lion has a lot to do with Gwen's love for growling.

And four seconds later, if that, she's off!

Alright!

This is actually her teething face. 

This is what used to happen when she took one hand off to reach for something else.
 She's mastered this skill since then.

We love you Gwen!  I tell you often, God made you a beautiful baby!

two teeth

You can ALMOST see that second tooth, but it's not quite in focus.

Last week was a big week:

• second tooth broke through (also a bottom middle)
• major balance improvement, and is now standing and slowly cruising along furniture
• army crawling ACROSS the room and getting into stuff never before explored
• when I asked her to say hi, she WAVED, and has been waving often since
• when I ask her what a cow says, she says brmooooo - with pride
• non-stop growling, which is something she does when happy
• once I asked her to say Mama, and she looked at me and said Da Da! stinker. :)
• increased head bumps and face scratches, ah the side-effects of mobility!

The challenge for me as a Mom has been letting her get into stuff like the TV table, VCR, coffee table, glider, KNOWING it's possible that she will get hurt.  I want her to learn how to fall down and be ok, but in order to do that I have to let her fall down.  Easier said than done.  It is so fun to watch her explore her world and discover new things.  Everything is exciting - the mirror effect of the oven door, the shoe tray by the back door, a spatula etc.  A whole new world indeed!

valentine!

Thank you for being the one I get to share everyday with.

You are a wonderful husband and daddy.

I love you!

Book Corner: Treasuring God in Our Traditions

Treasuring God in Our Traditions
Author: Noël Piper

What kind of read is it?
Easy. Quick. Practical.  Centered around God, family, and homemaking.

Why did I read it?
Traditions are so wonderful.  I want to be intentional about building some with Bert and Gwen so this book is helpful in giving ideas, encouragement, and reasons why.

Favorite quotes from the book?
Our children come to believe, probably unconsciously, that whatever is repeated regularly has significance. It was God's design that learning happen by frequent and regular repetition. (p.34)

But the steadiness of a daily childhood habit is a good basis for future disciplined living. (p.46)

Sometimes, when things are going well, we might too easily forget that we have only one sure, immovable, dependable strength---Jesus, who was a baby once and is always and forever God. That is what holds us and keeps us whether or not we can carry out our traditions.  May our decorations, gifts, and festivities---or lack of them---never block our view of him but always point us toward him.  Only Christ matters. (p.88)

What will I remember most about this book?

• Daily Bible reading can be taught to young children by giving them 15 minutes alone with God to listen to Bible stories on cd or read a picture Bible.
• Thanksgiving should be about thanking GOD.  A good way is to put up a poster and have people write or draw pictures of what they are thanking Him for.  And read Psalm 95!
• The recipes and the poems were really fun.  Someday I hope to try the special Breakfast Cake (p.14)

Rock, Rock

This is Bert's old rocking chair from his childhood.  Or perhaps we should say Danny's.

My mom is giving Gwen rocking chair lessons, and Gwen likes it a little bit.

This picture should probably go at the end of the post, but I couldn't help it.

Yia Yia shows how to hold on.

Yes. We got it!

Discovering the joy of clapping and singing while rocking. Whoa.

Book Corner: The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games Trilogy
Author: Suzanne Collins

What kind of read are these?
Young Adult. Suspenseful! Post-apocalyptic (quite unrealistic, but not outside realm of possibility). Plot-driven. Violent.

Why did I read them?
They are definitely the latest craze and the first movie is set to be released in March.  I wanted to see if I agreed with the masses. And I did in many ways. They totally captured my imagination and made me think a lot about the themes raised (poverty, materialism, violence, family, loss, revolution, strategy, hunger, etc.).

Favorite quotes from the book?
N/A  They weren't my books to underline in, and I don't remember any words of insight.

What will I remember most about these books?
the excitement of figuring out how to survive in the woods
Peeta being kind
Katniss being tough
the games being insanely cruel and fascinating at the same time
the way they talked about materialism vs people starving so frequently

ca·ve·at

 [kav-ee-aht, -at, kah-vee-, key-] 

1.

a warning or caution; admonition.

I noticed a steady increase of violence as the books went on.  This made the third book pretty dark at times, and I didn't enjoy it much.  Maybe it was true to the story, for me the third book was too much.  I really liked 1 and 2 though.  The mentality of the world that Collins creates WILL make you think, but the implications of that get pretty dark.

So, if you read, read with discernment!  And be thankful to know the One who gives us truth and hope as we grapple with the questions of human nature.  There is mercy in Jesus.

Mobility Skills: a work in progress

Stuck!

So. Close.

A Collection of Sweatsuit Pictures, 

because she's my first baby and I can't choose just one:

Classic Gwen: hands moving too fast to be seen.

And Clapping.

And looking like she knows how to crawl...

Oh wait, lets sit back down and look at books instead of work that hard.  (She takes that after me.)

Starting at the end of the book.  Oh no.  ...Brandes? Did you teach her this?!

Alumni Night

"Bethany Academy, we honor you with loyalty..."

Photo Credit: Kaylee aka Aunt Shay

Gwen and Daddy in January

He is so great at caring for Gwen!

Beat-boxing into the cup together

Love this.

1.19.12 - A Fun Day When I Took Some Pictures

Pictures began because I liked our yellow-blue color combo

You know you love me!

Awake from my nap Mom!

Lots of teething days lately.  Lots of RED cheeks.

Buddies at play

Gwen loves this pig rattle from Greece, thanks to Twyla.

I got to work on my Delight reading while Gwen bounced for a while.

I often enjoy this view out of Gwen's window.

A visit from YiaYia and Papou.  "What dreams are made of."