A first for everything

First bath, first smile, first laugh, first rollover... and now, first cold. Yes, Gwendolyn has been suffering from a wee bug these past few days.

Luckily we're at the tail end of things, and all we've seen is a stuffy nose and a little less energy from Gwen as a result. She has been a generally happy little trooper, nursing through the stuffiness and tolerating the nasal spraying/nostril sucking regimen as best as could be expected. (Really now, who wouldn't cry if someone stuffed a nozzle up their nose, uninvited of course, and fired a spray of salt water up each nostril?)

Through it all, Gwendolyn has found great comfort in a pink stuffy cow/blankie combo. (Thanks, Brian and Jane!) Here's our little patient, hugging the stuffing out of her new "bff".

Who Loves Her Daddy?

Here's Gwendolyn, gazing lovingly and benevolently upon her dear old Dad. We realize we haven't posted too many photos of her smiling -- that's because she arranges her face into a totally neutral expression immediately upon seeing the camera, for some strange reason. So enjoy these rare photos of Gwendolyn's smile.

Easter Greetings

Gwendolyn has donned her finest spring-themed sleeper (thanks, Mémé!) to wish you all a happy and blessed Easter. Mom and Dad have been battling colds this week, so there hasn't been much in the way of Easter celebrations in our house; we hope your house was in better spirits.

Thanks too to Auntie Deborah for the very cute "Baby's 1st Easter" soft rattle. Gwen was quite enthralled with it upon waking up this morning, although she's not quite ready to hold it on her own just yet.

Roll with it, Baby!

Gwendolyn is getting more mobile by the day. Witness this short (5 second) video of her latest discovery. Now, each and every time we lay her on her back, she immediately begins to roll -- lots of fun, but a bit of a challenge if we're in the middle of a diaper change!

Gwendolyn's REAL favourite in the Ronaghan household

Remember Gwendolyn's off camera gaze in the photo below? Well, here's the object of her affection. Gwen loves (and we do mean loves) watching our living room ceiling fan. Every time she catches sight of it, she goes into a bit of a trance, and turning her toward it during a fussy period is a surefire calming device. We've even caught her smiling and laughing at it as she watches it spin and spin... and spin.

You could say Gwendolyn is the fan's greatest fan...

More photos from Gwendolyn's baptism day

We promised a few photos of Gwendolyn's baptism reception, and here they are (from top to bottom):

• Kristi takes her turn with Gwendolyn
• A happy family portrait (note the direction of Gwen's gaze; more about this in a future post)
• Lisa holding the girl of the hour
• James, Monica and Grace enjoying a wee bit of cake

There were several cameras in action during the day, and we're hopeful we'll see more lovely photos courtesy of our guests. (That's a hint, folks...)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Gwendolyn wishes all of her fans a delightful St. Patrick's Day. In about ten years, she'll no doubt wish for a long and painful death for her parents for posting this photo.

Gwendolyn's Baptism

Just a quick note regarding Gwendolyn's baptism... She was a bit ornery when she first arrived at the church, but eventually nodded off in Mom's arms after a calming feed. Aside from a wrinkled nose when she felt the water on her forehead, Gwen didn't wake up until the ceremony was over.

Here's a photo of Father Gordon performing the baptism, with Mom and Dad, and Godparents Monica and James looking on.

Afterward, all in attendance retired to the Ronaghan residence to enjoy some coffee, cake and social time. Pictures of the reception to follow...

Meeting more of the family

Were very happy that Papa John, Uncle James, Aunt Monica and Cousin Grace have made the journey westward for Gwendolyn's baptism. We know the rest of Felicity's clan and their families will be with us in spirit tomorrow. We're also expecting Kevin's Mom and Dad, his sister Deborah and niece Shannon, and a few close friends to be in attendance.

A big shout out to Scott and Jack for holding down the fort while Mom and Sis are in Vancouver. Grace misses you both already!

Here are a couple of photos for your enjoyment: John with his youngest grand-daughter, and Grace "holding" her newest cousin.

Gwendolyn Sarah Laughed

Guess who busted a gut for the first time today? Yes, our own Gwendolyn Sarah laughed -- at our family doctor, Dr. Harpur, during today's appointment. We're not too sure what he has that Mom and Dad don't, but we enjoyed her outbursts (there were three in quick succession) very much.

Three Months Old!

Happy three-month birthday, Gwendolyn! We are seeing lots of great changes and developments in Gwen lately. She's getting much better with her neck control so we're very close to being able to do front carries in the wrap or sling with her facing out. Gwen's also developed an affinity for "leg work" where she insists on standing up while being held on your lap. We fear we've got an early walker on our hands. Yikes!!

We also had a very successful doctor's visit today. Gwendolyn is in the 90th percentile for height as you can see from the third photo . The nickname "Stretch" has been duly added to the lexicon.

Out and About with Auntie Annie

Anne and Gwendolyn went out for a shopping trip this morning to give Mom a break. Someone looks pretty comfy in her sling, eh?

Chillin' with the Rattrays

While Kevin is standing up for Uncle Greg at his wedding in Puerto Rico, the Rattrays kindly offered to host Felicity. Here's a photo of Gwendolyn's Rattray Fan Club.