GwendolynStrong.com has been a bit heavy of late. And while all of this is going on for Bill and me, we try really hard to not let it be part of Gwendolyn's life. No, Gwendolyn is 3 and should get to be just 3! And like most 3 year olds, the world is her oyster and fun can be found everywhere! So I wanted to write just about Gwendolyn and some of the good things that are part of her life right now.
Gwendolyn's Good Things:
1) Swinging on the swings. Gwendolyn has always loved the swings. She loves going to the park, but the swings at preschool are somehow extra special. I always take her off bipap, suction her, and then get her out of the stroller and, without fail, flocks of little girls come running for a chance to push Gwendolyn (and her Mommy) high up in the sky! I hold Gwendolyn in my lap and the little girls use all their might to push us (I help) and Gwendolyn excitedly looks to see who is pushing her. And then we take turns and give our friends pushes, too.
2) Snack time and feeling included. Gwendolyn loves feeling included. She loves doing what the other children are doing, even if she does it in a different way. As long as there is a resemblance to her peers, she is happy — and proud. Snack time is the time at school when everyone sits around a table and listens to a story. They start by passing napkins (Gwendolyn wants one), passing cups (Gwendolyn holds one), passing snack (Gwendolyn wants some of this, too). She watches what everyone is doing and has surprised me by demanding peanut butter and pretzels, carrots, celery, and is excited to have me help her taste these treats — just like all her friends.
3) Friends thinking about Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn absolutely loves when friends approach her, talk to her, tell her something, or ask her to play. At the Thanksgiving party this week, one little girl excitedly grabbed two spots at the table and said, “Gwendolyn come sit by me!” and then immediately noticed that Gwendolyn needed a napkin. And one of my favorite exchanges was with our friend Owen. He enthusiastically told us first thing in the morning, “Gwendolyn and Owen dress up and Gwendolyn's Mommy and Owen's Daddy laugh really loud.” And so we did. We tried on hats. Picked out shirts. And we laughed and smiled hugely!!!
4) Racing with the boys. Last week the school put out all the tricycles, some cones, and a mini gas tank and we watched as they sped around the parking lot. Gwendolyn gave me a big “Ah-huh” when I asked her if she wanted to try. And so we gased up the stroller and headed out, swirving around the bends, cheering for our friends, and the faster we went, the more Gwendolyn squealed. It must have been that high octane fuel. 
We love this little girl. And we love seeing her happy!