Gwen Turns 6!

Gwen woke up on her 6th birthday, throwing up. Hoping it was just a fluke, we were still tentatively planning on going swimming that night as a family, per Gwen's request. But Gwen was miserable all day. It was such a bummer. The only good thing about being sick is getting to watch lots and lots of movies, and get out of chores- so she did get spoiled in that way. Luckily she felt good enough by about 6 to eat her requested homemade pizza dinner and chocolate cake. We were so excited to have Taysom and Belen come up to celebrate with us! (Can't believe I didn't get a picture!) They brought her nail polish and lip gloss, Miles gave her another "Goldiblocks" game, Richie and I gave her a book and supplies for a fairy garden. We tried a homemade version last summer and it was a big ol' failure. So I bought a few store made things and they have had such fun pretending with them. But the highlight was opening her very own copy of, "Moana". We finally went to see it at the cheap seats a week or so ago, and that's all the kids have been singing and requesting since then. She was beyond excited and hurried to stick it in the DVD player. It was the perfect way to end a sick birthday.



She was fine the next day, so I was hopeful she'd be able to go to her friend's birthday party. She has the exact same birthday as Gwen and was having a "Moana" party. I think Gwen was looking forward to this girl's birthday party more than her own. She talked of little else for about 2 weeks. Then Friday morning rolled around, and she was sick again! This time, no throwing up. But she was completely miserable and lethargic all day. Fever, aches, chills, lack of appetite...everything. I felt like crying for her. So, we watched "Moana" at home again. :)

We were so happy that she was feeling better the next day. We got out chores done and then finally got to go swimming as a family for Gwen's Birthday at the "Dragon Pool" (What the kids call the South Jordan Rec Center) Miles is finally good enough at swimming we can confidently let him go about without any floaties. (YAY!) Gwen and Lindy stayed close to Richie, and I stayed close to Benson out of the pool. I did put a swim diaper on him for a bit and let him splash around, which he thought was completely fantastic.


So, it may not have happened exactly as we had planned, but hopefully miss Gwen still felt extra special and loved. At one point when she was miserable in bed and crying, I tried to calm her down by telling her all about the day she was born. She knows the story pretty well by now. This time when I got to the part where I say, 'The snow had almost melted all away, but by the time you were born, there was a fresh coat of beautiful, pure white snow- making the world all soft and special and new again, just for you!' She said, "Maybe that's because my name means beautiful and pure." (Something her primary teachers taught her.) Gwen is beautiful and pure. She is thoughtful and kind, distracted and dreamy, talented and capable, has a crazy good memory, passionate and dramatic, easy to please and the best 1st daughter in the world.