Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa!

My grandpa, Gwen's great-grandpa, celebrates his 80th birthday on New Year's Day. Him and my grandma spend the winter in Florida, so they always stop in Morton on their drive there to see everyone for a little late Christmas celebration. This year, Grandpa didn't know that not only my family and the Bates family were there, all of his kids and grandkids were there to surprise him. He is a quiet, kind of low key type man that doesn't like too much attention, but you could tell he was really excited and touched that everyone came. It was a fun celebration...Gwen's very lucky to still have 3 of her great-grandparents around!

Christmas 2011

Gwen was excited for her 2nd Christmas

Gift Opening at Grandma and Grandpa Erwin's

Erwin Cousins

Santa Came!

Bad reaction to Santa

Ralph Christmas...Gwen's cousins and Adam's cousin's kids

Bad Reaction to Mall Santa

Mall Playland with Ellie and Sylvie...she LOVES her big girl cousins

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!!

"Berry Piss!"

As I said in my last post, Gwen has really started to talk...well, for the last week or so she has been looking me straight in the eye saying what seems to be "Berry Piss". I know she knows the word "berry" because she loves the food, but "piss"???...that's not exactly a word I use to her or even at all. She kept saying it and I could tell she was getting frustrated that I could not figure out what she was telling me.

The other day we were at the grocery store and we saw a picture of Santa. I said, "Look Gwen, it's Santa. Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!" in a Santa like voice impression. She said right back "Ho Ho Ho, Berry Piss!"

So, if I don't get a chance to see you before the 25th:

BERRY PISS!!!!

Gwen's Lingo

Gwen has started coming up with different words and phrases that are so funny and cute to hear come from her little high pitched voice. Some of my favorites are:

"Oh, hi guys" when she holds a phone to her ear

"Oh no!" when she purposely spills milk from her sippy cup

"Diggy go?" when she searches for Diggy

"Stir, Stir, Stir" when she's eating anything in a bowl with a spoon

"Go Bye Bye" as she puts one of my huge purses on her shoulder

She's getting so big and learns so much every day. I feel like every night when Adam comes home I'm trying to remember all the new things she did or said that day. She's at such a fun age.

In other news, our house is progressing. I haven't taken a picture for a week or so but these are pictures taken in the last few weeks or the progress.

It's exciting to be able to actually see something that resembles a house rather than just a hole now :)

Thanksgiving and Other November Events

Like most months, November went so fast! We have had a good month and had lots of time with our friends and family!

Gwen and Adam lounging

Gwen's playdate with Tucker and Paisley

Playland with Scarlett and Sylvie

Thanksgiving morning with Addi and Sam

We had a great Thanksgiving and got to spend it with both sides of our family, the morning with Adam's family at Jay's house in Dunlap, and the afternoon with my family at my parent's in Morton. My grandma who will be 81 this year plus 3 of my aunts and their families also came. We got lots of quality time with the Boekers in (and are getting sad that their move is approaching) and spent lots of time together at our home. I love holidays and love family get togethers. Now soooo excited that the Christmas season has begun!

Baby Boy!

We found out yesterday that our baby is a boy!!! I was almost certain it would be a girl, I guess because my pregnancy has been so similar to when I was pregnant with Gwen, but I was wrong! I am so excited to see how having a boy compares to a girl.

Besides finding the sex out, everything looked great and healthy! I got a lot of comments about how he can't sit still and he's busy...just like with Gwen. I also feel him moving around a ton...just like with Gwen. If this is an indication of what he will be like once he is born, I think I will have TWO very busy, very active, young ones to keep their mom very busy :) Can't wait!

Kitchens Kitchens Kitchens

We have been spending a lot of time at kitchen stores. There is so much to pick out; cabinets, floors, counters, sinks, faucets, hardware, appliances, etc. Gwen HATES these errands, haha. Our visits to these stores usually start out okay, then she starts getting bored and starts whining in the cart, then we give her a toy and she gets bored, then we give her a snack and she gets bored, then we finally resort to letting her run loose. We always leave stores with her looking like a complete rugrat-black hands and knees from playing on the gross floors, food usually on her face, clothes dirty, hair messy, the whole works. There is one store, however, that she can NOT get enough of and is sad when it's time to leave....

This store has an 11 week old puppy that comes to work with the owners. Gwen LOVES to play with it and they chase eachother around. Lucky for us, this is the place that we are buying from, so I hope they keep bringing that dog to work for our future visits. Isn't it cute??? Makes me think maybe we should get another puppy :)

Ironically, this is where she goes to sit when we get home, ontop of her kitchen. Maybe I should get her a potty chair for when we start picking out bathroom items.