Winnie's Baptism

Winnie was baptized on November 3, 2012. It was a very special day. She wore the white dress that Hannah wore at her baptism and that I wore at my baptism.

 Here she is with Robert before the service. I have a picture similar to this one with my dad. When Winnie was baptized the water was quite cold. She will always remember that I think.

Winnie and Hannah performed "When I am Baptized" as a special musical number. Hannah got terrible stage fright right before and didn't want to perform, but she did and did a great job! Winnie sang and Hannah played the violin.

Our family after the service. Bobby was wild during the whole thing, but many people helped keep him under control. I think he was de-toxing from Halloween week....way too much candy!

Here is Winnie with my mom. She spoke on baptism and did a really great job. The Holy Ghost was felt and I know Winnie was happy to have grandma speak. Carolyn spoke as well and I am sad that I didn't get a picture of her and Winnie together, but she did a great job. Winnie is wearing her baptism dress that she wore for her pictures.

Here is the way the program went.

Conducting: Brad Husberg

Pianist: Jolynn Hansen (Winnie's Primary Teacher)

Chorister: Bethany DeKay

Opening Prayer: Hannah DeKay

Opening Song: Choose the Right

Talk on Baptism: Hannah Galbraith

Special Musical Number: “When I am Baptized” by Hannah and Winnie DeKay

Baptism

Talk on Holy Ghost: Carolyn Townsend

Confirmation

Welcome to the ward: Bishop Bruce Clark

Closing Song: I am a Child of God

Closing Prayer: Rachel Bundy

Winnie was baptized and confirmed by her father, Robert DeKay.

I love Winnie. I am so grateful for her choice to be baptized. She is a wonderful girl. She is a blessing to our entire family.

Jack at 10 Months

Jack Facts:

A very good stander
A very good roller
"Swims" across the carpet to get what he wants
Loves to give kisses and hugs
Loves avocado, goldfish, spaghetti and jell-o
Weighs 19.5 pounds
Says mama, dada and night, night
Loves to jump
Loves to nurse
Brings joy to everyone around him

If you give Jack an Oreo....

Little White Dress

We went to the temple a few weeks ago for family home evening. It was in preparation for Winnie's baptism. I also wanted to take some pictures in her white dress for her baptism announcements. It was a very special evening for our family. We talked about temples and how baptism is the fist step on the way to the temple. Hannah expressed that she was excited to be able to go in when she is twelve.

Later, I was playing around in Photoshop and came up with this picture. I love it! I took about a million pictures, but this one really captures Winnie and the sweet girl hat she is. She is a wonderful girl with a very special spirit.

"Trick-or-Treating!"

Here is our Halloween crew this year. Hannah was a "Korean Girl", Winnie was Little Red Riding Hood, Bobby was a Cowboy and Jack was a Monkey.

Winnie was so cute as Miss Hood. I made the cape for her during nap time one day and she loved it. I don't really have a picture of her that does her justice. She was to cute in this outfit.

Hannah did her own costume this year and this is what she came up with. She really wanted to paint her face white, but I wouldn't let her. 

Bobby finally "got" Halloween this year. He was so awesome. He would ring the doorbell and say "Trick-or-Treating!" It was so precious. I wish I had a video!

Winnifred at Eight

I honestly cannot put Winnie into a word. There are too many words that describe this girl. That is why I took all these pictures of her on her birthday. They all describe Winnie perfectly.  I look at each one and say to myself, yep that's Winnie. I feel really lucky because a lot of people say that they have a "spirited child" and that is code for "extremely challenging". Winnie is a spirited child, but I absolutely would not say she is a challenge. She is an absolute delight. In fact she is my least challenging child at the moment.

Winnie is a sweet, caring, kind, smart, dramatic, friendly, opinionated, confidant, good and loving daughter.

Winnie Turns 8!

Winnie got to have "friend" party this year (we alternate every other year). She really wanted to have a swimming party like Hannah had for her eighth birthday and so we did. It was a blast. I don't have any picture of the actual party. I didn't take any. Pool pictures always turn out ugly anyways. I did take plenty of pictures that day though. Her birthday fell on a Saturday, so we got everything done on the actual birthday.

Grandma and Grandpa surprised Winnie by coming over on her birthday morning. I am so grateful to have wonderful parents who are very loving and thoughtful grandparents. They make each of their grandchildren children feel special and unique. I honestly think that they love my children as much as I do!

One tradition that I have carried on from my childhood is to make special, fun birthday cakes. I let them pick them out. Then if possible we make them together. Winnie wanted a swimming pool cake, but for the sake of a very large group of children we made 50 individual swimming pool cup cakes. We had a fun time making each of them different and fun.

Here Winnie is holding her two favorite ones. Two friends doing the back stroke and a bear in a life preserver. 

 Some of the cupcakes. They are all slightly different. They turned out so adorable. We let the kids each pick out their own.

This is what Winnie got for her birthday. An American Girl horse that she has wanted for two years. She looooves it!

On the way home from the pool we surprise Winnie by stopping at Red Robin for her birthday dinner. She was so excited and announced that this was the best birthday she ever had. The staff sang to her and she hid behind Robert. On the way home I asked her is she was glad they sang to her or if she wished they hadn't.

She replied, "I have mixed feelings about that."

I love Winnie. She is so awesome and adds so much character to our home.

As to her turning 8 and growing up, I have mixed feelings about that.