A Great Week and A New Member of the Family

We have had a great week! Gwendolyn came home from the hospital last Thursday and was so, so, so glad to be home. We have had several hemoglobin checks since then and all have come back normal and on the upswing. YAHOO! We still don't know why she lost blood so quickly but we are working with her doctors to sort it all out. The good news is she is back on track, rested, and ready to go. In fact, after trying to lay low for a few days she basically told us she was bored and needed to get out -- N.O.W.! (This energy surge is extra great news because she starts KINDERGARTEN on Monday! Oh my gosh!!!)

So this week, by Gwendolyn's demands popular request, we have been doing some fun activities and we have a new member of the family...

That's right, after years of campaigning, Gwendolyn is one proud Mama! Meet "Gil" -- our new fish. Gwendolyn picked everything out: the green rocks, the pink tree, the castle, and, of course, Gil. She had a hard time deciding between all the pretty fish but finally selected a (surprise) purple and red combo. It is adorable to watch Gwendolyn so engaged and so committed to her little fish. She greets him every morning, checks on him throughout the day, and is very determined when she feeds him each night. And watching her supervise him is adorable. She had a thing or two to say to him when he decided to hide in his castle the first day -- but then Daddy reminded her what a great Mommy she was for selecting such a nice castle that he clearly loves. She bought that one.

On Saturday morning we had a very special visit from the handsome Little Star who came to our house decked out in his new fancy butterflies. This, of course, made Gwendolyn's weekend! And it made us happy too. It never ceases to make everyone laugh to see a horse walking through a neighborhood. Little Star is such a gentle soul with Gwendolyn -- he always is. He stays by her side, gives her hand little nuzzles with his nose, and lets her take him on walks wherever she wants to go. Diane is amazing and Gwendolyn is so comfortable with her that she bosses her around -- "Keep walking, turn back, more carrots..." Diane and Little Star take Gwendolyn's bossy times in stride and chalk it up to Miss G is feeling better and that is a good thing

The week Gwendolyn was in the hospital was supposed to be her week at Zoo Camp. We were all really disappointed to miss this special experience -- especially because we knew Gwendolyn would have relished every second. In the last few weeks Gwendolyn's development has soared. We aren't sure if it is just enthusiasm for kindergarten or if she has had a sudden brain spurt but lately she is extra inquisitive, extra curious, and super eager to learn -- anything! Our wonderful neighbors/friends were in our Zoo Camp group and brought home all of Gwendolyn's official Zoo Camp gear: a shirt, a hat, and a name badge. On Tuesday, Bill decked Miss G out in all of it and created a Daddy/Daughter Zoo Camp experience and Gwendolyn thought it was awesome!

This week also included a visit from Mr. Bear! Gramma brought him as a special surprise and Gwendolyn was so, so, so excited. She demanded he do school work with them, read books with them, play games with them, and be involved in every single activity Gramma had planned. She had a healthy dose of "expressing her frustration" with us when we made Gramma take Mr. Bear home with her. Yes, we are evil. But that darn bear is HUGE! (and she already has a GIANT horse at home -- courtesy of Gramma).

Yesterday, I surprised Gwendolyn with a visit to the carousel and it was a big hit! The day was absolutely gorgeous and Gwendolyn looked so pretty in her pinstriped dress that it made for a perfect morning to do something special. The carousel at Chase Palm Park is right across from the beach and has a bit of European feel to it. I always feel warm and fuzzy there because this is where we celebrated Gwendolyn 2nd birthday (a bit of a tough milestone in the SMA world given the "90% don't live to see their 2nd birthday stat). Gwendolyn loved it then. And has loved it each time we have been back -- with her cousins, with Gramma, just the three of us. But I've never taken her there on my own because we usually help her sit up on one of the horses. Now that she is so much bigger and I'm not so tall, this is not an option. But I knew they had fancy bench seating and hoped she would be happy with that. My snuggle girl nuzzled right in and we had a blast. She did ask to go on the horses like she usually does, but when I told her we needed Daddy to do that she understood...and then snuggled in on my shoulder and squealed as we went around and around!

And...tomorrow...our sweet butterfly, our Little Miss Confident, our Miss G is going to her "Kindergarten Tea" (aka orientation). I think we will take her lead. She is feeling large and in charge and is so ready to hit the big leagues. The school gave this letter from us to every parent. And we hope they read it. And most importantly we hope this is an amazing year for Gwendolyn -- filled with new friendships, new experiences, new learning, and new opportunities for independence.

You can bet my mascara will be flowing on Monday. (I'm a crier, what can I do.) And you can double down that Gwendolyn will be P.R.O.U.D. with her new backpack and her new outfit and all of it! We promise to post about the "BIG First Day" with lots of photos -- super promise with all the threats we have received .

Thank you all so very much for your notes and messages and extra efforts to let us know Gwendolyn is in your thoughts lately. When Gwendolyn isn't well, you know we are a mess so we really appreciate the extra love.

More "Good Things For Gwendolyn" coming soon! 

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