Sofia at 21/2...

I realize I forgot to take pictures of Sofia last month and am considering switching to take the "monthly" picture every three or four months instead.....but it is fun to document all the changes. However, now that Sofia is 21/2, I felt we really needed to document Sofia's growth, changes, and interests. It seems she grows up so fast and ends up saying thing that completely shocks us - in a good way! For instance, the other day CK came home and said something about the counter, to which Sofia pointed out that it was the island, not the counter and that the counter was the rest of the kitchen. Where she gets this is beyond me!!

So, I took the following pictures of her and also weighed and measured her! She's just under 32 lbs (fully clothed) and is 371/2 inches tall! I can't believe how tall she is now! Everything is "Sofie do it" and she tries to dress herself, get in and out of the car seat (this takes forever), read all stories, etc etc. It's really endearing but she sometimes gets frustrated at her lack of ability to do some things (like dress herself). The one thing she doesn't seem interested in at all is using the potty.....however, I don't suggest it as much as I should either. It always seems like I'm in the middle of things.....but I've vowed I've bought our last box of diapers! We'll see.

She loves figuring everything out and will spend 15 minutes working a measuring tape or working the space heater controls (her new favorite). She also loves to help out and uses the step stool to be able to look over the countertop.

Playing with the monkeys


Our little mouse!


Sofia and her FAVORITE boots -the cow boots. She wears them everywhere!


Green Beup Beup and the monkey


Giving an unsolicited kiss to Green Beup Beup!

Christmas Morning!

On Christmas morning, we were all ready for Sofia to wake up and be really excited by her stocking goodies, but CK had to wake her up! Once she was in the living room, she was drawn to CK's stocking (due to the candy canes!) and had to be redirected to the Radio Flyer wagon FULL of gifts and the cool doll house! She was taken with the doll house and wanted to rearrange the furniture immediately! After a few minutes of playing, we convinced her to go through her stocking. Santa had wrapped two gifts for Sofia and she opened the first one to find a school bus! The one thing she had asked for! She was so excited that the door opened and had a great time playing with it. The second gift was a monkey that rolled around on the floor laughing, which we all thought was great, especially Sofia who had a case of the belly laughs from it!

We had homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast then started opening presents. It was really fun to watch Sofia open gifts because she was so interested in opening one or two gifts and playing with her new toys and then wasn't interested in opening any other gifts....so it ended up taking about four days to open ALL of Sofia's gifts. However, it was really fun to prolong Christmas!

Christmas day and still covered in snow


Going over her stocking goodies


A school bus from Santa!


Papa and his stocking


Homemade cinnamon rolls - yum


All set for cinnamon rolls


And the Christmas present opening begins....


Sofia's "Melmo" shoes from Papa


Another school bus - from Grandma and Grandma - they have a direct connection to Santa, too!


Most Christmas presents opened....


Going for a walk in the snow


Weee!!


In her new "Melmo" shoes

All Set for Christmas

Here's our girl, all ready for Christmas! Before bedtime, Sofia and CK opened presents from Santa - something we did last year and hope becomes a tradition. Both got new pajamas and Sofia also got a new pair of purple slippers (she doesn't have any and her feet are ice cubes when she's running around the house). So, both were all set for Christmas morning! Sofia also set out the cookies and milk for Santa on her own plate, which she got last Christmas from Aunt Cathy and Uncle Eric. We were sure to take pictures of Sofia's goodies before she woke up in the morning (and she slept until nearly 9am, so CK decided to wake her since we were all ready to watch her reaction).

Photo op on her train with presents around the tree


Pensive


Happy Girl!


Opening new pajamas from Santa


Setting out freshly made Aunt Shirl Cranberry cookies for Santa along with some milk


Gifts from Santa


Yes, Sofia made out like a bandit!

Our Snowy Christmas Eve

While at the grocery store for some last minute things (along with EVERYONE else in Texas!!), it started snowing! Huge wet flakes started falling from the sky and the wind created quite the experience returning to the car. Once back at home, we watched as the snow slowly built up and the wind continued into what the radio called "near blizzard conditions" (although it didn't seem that bad really). It really turned into a beautiful setting, especially for Christmas Eve! Sofia was at work with her Papa that morning, helping hand out Christmas presents and spreading holiday cheer and they returned in the early afternoon. By the time she awoke from her nap, there was a white blanket across everything and it continued to snow! Her Papa dressed her up and took her outside, which she was a little unsure about, but quickly warmed up to the idea of holding the snow (and eventually eating it). However, neither of them stayed out for long. This was apparently the first snow of this amount in over 80 years in North Texas!

Sofia and her Papa head out into the 'blizzard'


Holding the snow


...and playing with it.


Touching the snow in our planter


Our front yard gets covered with snow


Our backyard


A close up


With Grandpa Joe on the upstairs balcony

Tea Party with Mimi

Two days before Christmas, we opened a gift from Aunt Cathy and Uncle Eric that was labeled "For The Girls" and Sofia was SO excited!! She unwrapped it and found the cutest polka dot tea set! Immediately she asked Mimi to open it up and they set off on a tea party that lasted through Christmas and beyond! By that evening she'd draped a kitchen towel over our side table and would ask either Mimi or Grandpa Joe (never me or her Papa) a plaintive "Will you come talk with me?" which meant that it was time for a tea party at the side table and arm chair. Usually the tea was either "too hot" or "spicy" depending on the moment and sometimes the sugar bowl held mustard (NO idea where she got that from). Needless to say, Sofia LOVES her new tea set and particularly loves having tea parties with Mimi!

Opening the new tea set from Aunt Cathy and Uncle Eric


Checking it all out!


Taking out the tea pot for their first party!


And the tea party begins....

The Polar Express

On Sunday afternoon December 20th, we took the Polar Express which left Grapevine, Texas and made it to and from the North Pole in about 40 minutes! Along the way we sang Christmas carols and had a visit from Santa (following a rather long and drawn out "show" at the train depot). Luckily, this gave Sofia her big chance to tell Santa what she wanted. So, when he showed up and shook her hand she said "School Bus" and smiled! It was a fun trip!

With Papa in front of the Polar Express


With Frosty the Snowman! Oddly enough, although Sofia isn't sure about Santa, she ADORES Frosty! She's only seen him at the Colleyville Library's Christmas Event and at the Grapevine Train Depot, but she couldn't get enough of him. She followed him around, held his hand, hugged him and sat on his lap.


With Rudolf the Reindeer - she ran up and hugged him before he even knew she was there!


Walking through the "snow" to the train


To the North Pole!


Getting onto the train


Looking for Santa!


Santa!


Shaking hands


After telling Santa "School Bus," she was very happy!

Making Christmas Cookies

This year for Christmas I made homemade Christmas cookies - Gingerbread, Aunt Shirl's Cranberry Walnut Cookies and Chocolate Crinkles - and sent them to family and friends. Throughout the process I ended up having a very good little helper! However, my little helper preferred helping at the end - by eating the treats! She did make a few gingerbread men for me but then discovered that it was much more fun to eat the dough and/or finished cookie than cut them out and put them onto the cookie sheet, so I had to retire her from her work.

On Christmas Eve I made a fresh batch of Aunt Shirl's Cranberry Walnut Cookies for Santa's visit and so we'd have a few cookies of our own to enjoy. Although she isn't a huge fan of the cookie, Sofia LOVES the icing, so I had a lot of help. She did lick all the frosting from the waxed paper rather than off the cookies though!

Checking progress on the Chocolate Crinkles.


Cookies! These were all packaged and send out the next day.


Helping make Gingerbread




Enjoying a cooked Gingerbread Cookie


A little too much help! Sofia with flour everywhere!


Licking the frosting off the waxed paper on Christmas Eve


Yum!!