Gwendolyn is five

This year, Gigi had a party several days after her birthday. Pictures to follow. Her family birthday was very sweet. We opened gifts first thing in the morning because, as she says, "Don't you remember how I don't like to wait?" And she got to be queen for a day, deciding what we did and ate all day long. She shares her birthday with her dad, which is always special for her. We love this little girl so much!

She is so vivacious! Our lives would be dull without her. She uses every muscle in her face and body to tell a story . . . it is really something to witness.

When she is saying goodnight, it is always several hugs, kisses, and zerberts, then a promise to keep sending them through the air after we are gone.

She often wakes up during the night (I think she is nocturnal), but has been convinced by Dirk that waking me up is not a considerate thing to do. So, unless she needs me (bad dream, urgent questions, etc.), she will just make herself a little bed on the floor next to me and sleep the rest of the night. I have stepped on her once or twice, but now I know to always check before I get out of bed.

Her pouts are adorable. Clenched fists, arms straight by her sides, face upturned, and a look that could kill. Fierce.

She loves her friends. She towers over most of them and enjoys picking them up as part of her goodbye after a play date.

She already has a testimony of prayer. When she is scared, we say prayers together, sometimes more than one. She is sure that Heavenly Father loves her, and has no second thoughts about asking for what she needs.

Loves to chew gum.

Loves all things girl: nail polish, lip gloss, froofy dresses, tap shoes.

She assumes she is in charge of our lives! One morning, she woke up and announced that we were having a dance show and I needed to call all her friends and invite them over. She set up all the chairs in the house for her audience and asked me to make popcorn. Another day, she proclaimed all Fridays as "Girl Days" and said we needed to have a tea party. I would resent being bossed around by a five-year-old, except she is so convincing! When possible, I try to help her make her stuff happen. Only one friend came to the dance show, but with the boys and me, we made a good audience. And the tea party was a great success. Fortunately, there are enough girlie girls around and not yet in school to people her parties.