BOO Brunch

Today I was so lucky to have been given a baby shower hosted by Kelly. So here are a few pictures of the event. I forgot to pull out my camera until the end, blame it on the pregnancy, but here are a few of the fun festive decorations that she had.

Here are all of the great and darling gifts that we received. Thanks so much to everyone that helped and joined us to celebrate the new baby.
It was so much fun to see and talk with everyone that attended. I am so grateful for all the love and support that everyone has given us. We will keep everyone updated and on baby alert.

something fishy

So Halloween is right around the corner and we are now ready for the big event. I have to say that this year I did a lot of looking around for a costume and here is my plug for Baby Style, I found this one online and all of their costumes are already marked down, and shipping is only $2! So if you are in the market for a fun and great priced costume there you go. Oh and I got mine in the mail in two days. That is almost like instant gratification. So here are a few pictures to show you how Gwen catches and cares for her prize fish.

Personality strikes

Well I was talking to James about how having a girl was supposed to allow me to dress her how I wanted to. Allowing me to put her in the things that I like. Well I was really wrong because this is not the first time that she has picked and fought her way into the clothes that she chose.
So just to clarify she is wearing shorts and a little t-shirt that is covered by a tu-tu and little pink Sunday ballet shoes. (thanks to Leslie for the shoes) I like all these items, but not so much all together. I guess that I should have taken a lot more pictures in the outfits that I had before this little personality trait came along. I guess that it is a good thing that we are having another one so I can at least dress one of them.

fountain fun

Today we took a little adventure down town to a little place by Zilker Park. It is this really fun water fountain play place. Here Gwen is trying to decide if it is really safe, I know that she was a little confused because our shower doesn't shoot out of the drain like that.
All along the sides of the fountains are these really cute shallow pools, it is like watching a little group of hummingbirds, the kids go from one pool to the next dipping in and running out. Here we have (left to right) Simone Romriell, Gwen, Logan Smith, and random girl in her underwear.
Here is a better look at the little pools. they have just a little fountain that creates bubbles and sheer entertainment. I forgot to mention that the larger fountain/ sprinklers are on a little timer and so they do all sorts of fun heights, and patterns. I have heard that at night they light up the little fountains and it is really cool. We just might have to check that out.

Mother Hen

With only a couple of weeks to go before we add a new baby to this house, Gwen has been showing me how to take care of a baby. Just in case I forgot.

She makes sure that the baby has juice and milk, and her favorite the binki.
What a good little helper. She is also an expert on hugs and kisses. Now that is what I call being a great big sister.

Bubble toes

Bubbles are a BIG deal at our home. So sometimes you just need a little bubble time, and that can mean in the tub, in the sink, or out side.
Today it was in the sink.

Here is the happy girl that just can't live with out a little bubble time. I am not going to lie, I also enjoy the soapy fun. Who wouldn't love a little splish splash in the sink?

to infinity and beyond

Do you recognize these two kids? Well it is James and I taking part in a Switzerland sunset. That my friends was over four years ago. And we do not look like that anymore. Just this past weekend James and I celebrated our sixth year of marriage. I can hardly believe that, time is just whizzing by. And it is funny to think of the future because I have no idea where we could be in a few more years. But I am glad to make the journey with my best friend. (That would be James) So in honor of the sixth year I have decided to let everyone in on just why I love Mr. James Barlow:
1. He makes me feel like a princess. Even when I have gained a lot of weight.
2. He can really make me laugh. and I love that about him.
3. He loves eating out, good movies, and snickity snacks just as much as I do.
4. There is not a cool electronic gadget that I like that we don't have.
5. He is a great father...and that melts my heart.
6. Out of all the other girls that he could have picked, he chose me, that makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

fancy photos

So I have noticed on a few different blogs a fun little thing, picture mosaics. So today I looked up a few different ways that this is possible. James and I stumbled across this one that used all of our own pics to form an image that you choose. So you can zoom in to see any of the pictures that you want. How clever is that. And to see the actual photo better just squint and ta-da just like new.

story time

One morning James and I thought that it was a little too quiet around our house, so we turned the corner to see Gwen having story time with all her little friends that she could fit on the chair. I think that it is so funny to catch her doing big kid things.

looking back

Well I was actually motivated by Tyler and Jessica Pace's blog debate on who their daughter looks more like, and I have to say that we get a whole lot of Gwen looks like James. Well I was digging through the Dattage archives and I found this one, I was a little older than Gwen is but we have the same really blonde hair, and chubby hands. I know that the facial expression makes it tricky to really make a good call for those of you who have not seen other pictures of me as a kid, but trust me, she is 100% mine. If you still have doubts let me know and I will pull out some more pics from the forbidden early eighties. I just hope that my family will forgive me.

My sound off

First of all I should start with saying that I do enjoy being pregnant and so as not to complain too much, this morning I was missing a few things now that my body has transformed into wide load status.
1. I Really miss sleeping on my stomach.
2. I miss being able to suck in to slip past things...that seems like it may never happen again.
3. I miss eating. I know that sounds silly, but honestly I feel like I can only fit a fraction of what I would normally eat in these days.
4. I miss being able to bend over with ease.
5. I miss my ribs being left in one place all the time.

I do have to say that these things are rapidly coming to a close, but for some reason today I felt like I had taken over someone else's body. But I am sure that tomorrow all will be fine.

school days

My mom teaches preschool and she was getting her classroom ready while we popped up for a visit. Gwen was in little kid heaven while we were there, everything is just her size, including this little couch. She went crazy for all the little kitchen stuff, and the small tables and chairs. we had to pry her away from the toys so that we could go get lunch. Maybe James and I should invest in small couches just for a little entertainment for Gwen.

shipping and handling

My dad got a little package, and Gwen was the first one to help him open it. And then she decided that she was going to take a closer look at things. Well we had packing peanuts all over the place, but it sure was fun. Oh and yes she is eating them.

To the middle of Utah we go

Well here is the reason that we were jet setting to Mt. Pleasant a few weeks ago. James' youngest sister Becky got married, and they planned the wedding in four weeks!!! Yikes! But I have to say that it was great to be out there for the wedding and it was beautiful.
All the little grand daughters, and there were 8 from the Barlow side, and two more that were not grand daughters. But they all had these little matching flower girl dresses. They looked so cute. Gwen has the pacifier in because we had to wake her up for the reception. But don't worry by he time it was over she had totally warmed up and was running around chatting it up like crazy to whoever she could.
While James only had a few short days with us out there he made the most of our time together and he even played with the other kids too.

Gwen was one of the first to take a bath in the new bathroom, and she was willing to share her time with her California cousins, Lesil, and Ally.
We were able to see all of the cousins at the same time...who knows if that will ever happen again. I am so glad that James was able to come spend a bit of time with us during the wedding. James' mom was able to get a funny little clip of Gwen dancing one night, if you want to have a look head to syl's blog.

were back...

Alright we have returned from our travels, however we are all a little under the weather, but have no fear I do have pictures and stories to tell. So please check back a little later and I will try to give you a glimpse of all the fun things that we did.