June 2-9

The girls and I went up to visit my parents last weekend.  Bryan was supposed to come with us, but ended up having to work Friday night.  He was also told he'd have to work Saturday, but then didn't have to go in. More on that whole situation next week.  Anyway.  Olivia, Gretchen, and I went up Friday afternoon and left Monday morning, so we got a few more hours to visit with people.  We also got to see my dad's parents, who were happened to be visiting at the same time.

Olivia refers to herself as "the girl."  Whenever she wants to do something or needs to take her turn (she's all about taking turns and making sure everyone gets their chance -- even Gretchen), she talks about the girl and points to herself.  Meet the Barhorsts: Mama, Dedah, Bebe, and Girl.  :)

Gretchen apparently has exactly five states of being: Bebe nees (sneeze), Bebe pit (spit), Bebe appy (happy), Uh-oh Bebe, and Shh Bebe.  Actually, that seems about right.

This week I got an actual smile from Gretchen!  Just a little one, but I smiled at her and she smiled back.  :)  Also, she's beginning to make happy baby noises.

Gretchen has a bad case of baby acne.  I remember Olivia getting the little pimples around 6 weeks old, but I don't remember it being this bad.  I think Gretchen's skin issues are aggravated by her spit.  Imagine being allergic to your own spit.  :(

Friday I convinced Olivia to wear a ponytail so that she could be "like mama."  After getting the back of her hair into the ponytail, I still had to use a barrette to keep her bangs out of her eyes.  She looked super cute, though.  Pictures below.

Another wedding this weekend, and then we're wedding-free until August (but only because we have to miss one in July).

Pictures:
Olivia routinely takes spices out of the spice cupboard to play with, but only recently has she realized that she can now remove the lids:

Some pictures Josef took of Olivia and me in church:

Gretchen was there, too:

Josef also edited a picture of himself holding Gretchen the day after her baptism:

I wrote the Beatitudes up all pretty to hang in our chapel:

The ponytail pictures:

Also one of Gretchen:

Saw this on a gas pump on the way home Monday morning.  In case you wondered how much of the price is tax:

Jillian took some good pictures of the girls when we were visiting, but I have to figure out how to get the blog to put them up without stretching all the people into fat versions of themselves.  Hopefully I'll have them up next week.