12 Months!!

Our baby is 1 year old! (She is actually 13 months now that I finally have a chance to write this post!) She has gotten so big and looking back at last months update she has also gotten a lot of hair!

DEVELOPMENT
Wren has gotten so big as I said before! We had her 12 month doctor visit and she weighs 23lb. 9oz. and is 29.75in long. This puts her in the 89th percentile for weight and 54th percentile for height. So all her moving hasn't caused her to lose too much of that baby fat yet :) Wren has been walking like a pro and can pretty much get wherever she wants including climbing stairs. She still hasn't figured out how to get down though which can cause some problems! She has started to pop a molar this past week (technically at 13mo.) and that has been a battle with diarrhea and cranky baby but we are getting through it. Wren also got another ear infection, her first one since last winter, so tubes may be in her future if this is a sign of how our winter will go. We had been giving Wren milk and cheese and pretty much any food but after some nasty diarrhea, raw butt, and gas we are trying to figure out if possibly the dairy is the cause of some of these issues. We don't know anything yet but hopefully we can get something figured out to help her feel better in the digestive department. So other than dairy Wren pretty much eats anything and is usually willing to try anything. She has always been a pretty good eater which is really nice. Wren has started repeating words after us. A few things she can say are; thank you, love you, Myli, bottle, dada, mama, bye bye, hi. All these words aren't completely clear but it is obvious she is trying to say them. Myli is one she will holler! She likes to yell at Myli if we go outside or in the mornings go to her cage and call her name! Wren is starting to get quit a bit of hair and it is full of curls in the back! I absolutely love it and hope it stays curly as it gets longer! At this point if it wasn't for her curls she would pretty much have a mullet :)

PERSONALITY
Still a fire ball!! Wren has a strong personality and strong lungs! These days her lungs are often used to throw temper tantrums when she isn't getting her way. Temper tantrums are hard to deal with for a one year old because reasoning is out of the question. Strong personalities also have their good side though! She is very determined and isn't scared of much.  We enjoy her outgoing, fun side, making lots of happy squeals and laughing a lot! Actually many people say Wren looks just like Jesse and that they cant believe she was adopted but as far as personality it seems Wren has mine all the way! Is this a good thing?!? ;) Wren knows what she wants and will definitely let us know! She can be the most snuggly lovable baby especially in the mornings but when she is done snuggling we best let her go! She loves to give kisses, only when in the right mood of course, and will open her mouth wide! One day while on duty we had an emergency where I had to be gone overnight. When I came home the next day Wren got so excited to see me walking up the drive through the window and started smiling and clapping! I picked her up and she instantly hugged me and started kissing me mouth wide open! She probably kissed me 5 times before she felt like that was sufficient! Its times like those that make all the tantrums worth it! She is such a sweetie!

THINGS WREN LOVES
Baby dolls, Myli, playing with other kids around, attention, her paci, snuggling in mom and dads bed in the morning, books, getting into anything that isn't a toy ex. garbage, cupboards, drawers, mommies purse..., the barney theme song, playing outside in anything that is dirty, dancing to music, and playing with mom or dads phone.

Loving her baby dolls! She has about 6 of them and she plays with them all!

Playing with Myli at Cypress house. Myli wasn't to sure about the dog sweater one of the residents got her but Wren would cry if we took it off!

THINGS WREN HATES
BEING TOLD NO! applesauce, traveling so much (although she does pretty well for the amount of time we travel!), having things that aren't toys or are dangerous taken away from her (so basically not getting her way!) Overall she is a pretty laid back baby and doesn't have to many dislikes. Right now the main battle is being told no and the tantrums that come from it.

FUN THINGS WE DID THIS MONTH
Wren's Uncle Toby came to volunteer at gateway for two weeks!

Playing with uncle Toby at the park!

We found a really nice pool in Fort Wayne with lots of fun kid things!

This girl loves water :)

Wren's Aunt Leann and cousin Ellie stayed over night and watched Wren while we went on a long day trip with our Gateway house! Wren enjoyed playing with her cousin even though right now they both have strong personalities and a lot of fighting and squealing tends to happen when they are together!

Wagon rides :)

Sharing cereal on the living room floor.

Tired little girlies reading a book together!

(LEFT) Terrorizing Myli   

 (RIGHT) These two girls were sleeping in no time on the ride 

home after a shopping day and out to eat:)

Swinging at the park.

Gateway Woods Annual Auction

Gateway raised over $500,000 this year, a record high! Thanks to all of you who came and helped out and supported the ministry:)

Campfires with our friends/neighbors

Wren loves her new bag chair she got from grandma for her birthday!

Although this is a little past her 12 month mark we went to Alabama to the beach with my brother and sister in-law and their little girl Emerson!

(LEFT) This is Wren's reaction to her first time at the beach! 

(We did go when she was a new born but that doesn't count)

(RIGHT) Eventually she did warm up to it and even chased the birds on her own!

Playing in the sand!

We went mini golfing one night. It was miserably hot but Wren did 

get her own plastic club :)

Playing with Emme at the condo.

The condo had a nice pool the girls enjoyed :)

It also had a hammock swing and two regular hammocks.

       

 We went to the Naval base in Pensecola FL and watched 

the Blue Angels practice as well as toured the museum. 

(LEFT) Wren enjoyed the air show even though she constantly wanted to rip out her ear plugs! 

(RIGHT) Wren loved playing in the little play area spinning the wheel and pushing all the buttons.

1st Birthday party with family!!(I will do another post with birthday pictures since I have so many!)

Needless to say August was whirlwind for us between a trip to Illinois, a trip to Alabama, family visiting, working, and the gateway woods Auction but we survived! Oh and finally one month late I have a chance to write this update :)

RANDOM PICS

(LEFT) Playing with Jude at Cypress. (Jude is the lead houseparents little boy)

                                              (RIGHT) Lawn mower ride with daddy.

Getting treats from our assistant at Cypress house! We love Kristi and I think Wren does too ;)

We went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and Wren and our neighbors little boy, Ty, rode the mechanical bull together.

(LEFT) One day I caught Wren cuddling with a pillow case in the corner. Silly girl.

 (RIGHT) Wren was trying out her new shades for the Alabama trip :)

(LEFT) Swimming with uncle clay at a hotel they were staying at.

(RIGHT) Sharing some popcorn with daddy!)

(LEFT) Playing with her friends from Illinois while home for her birthday.

(LEFT) A little tumble by the stairs at grandmas house left a nasty huge bruise betweens Wrens eyes! She looked at little funny for awhile.

Playing with tractors in the driveway at Cypress.

 WEEKLY PICS

SO UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF WEEKLY PICTURES WERE COMPLETELY CRAZY BUSY AND WE DIDNT GET THE LAST FEW PICS! OUR YEAR ENDS ON WEEK 49!