Sofia at 22 months....

Today Sofia is 22 months old, which is so close to 2!! Her new love is music and every time we get into the car to go somewhere she immediately says "music? music?" She can now sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" pretty much all the way through and laughs at "Pop goes the Weasel" (she calls it "Pop Weasel") and can sing most of "Wheels on the Bus." She seems to be talking more and more every day! Her two bottom teeth on her right side are FINALLY coming in and seem to be about half way up already. She has her original "Green Beup Beup" as well as "This Green Beup Beup" which is a plastic loofah with a plastic frog attached to the top and "That Green Beup Beup" which is a frog luggage tag. She weighs 29 lbs and is 34 inches tall.

Our little big girl!


Showing off her 22 month smile


Earlier in the day wearing a brand new Mimi-made outfit at the duck pond


Pointing out the ducks to Mimi


At the park


Ready to slide down the slide


After her 22-month pictures - enjoying a popsicle and smiling at Mimi

Our little gardener

Sofia regularly tends to her zinnias her Grandparents sent her - they started out as seed and are now at least three inches tall and very healthy! Along with the seeds and little clay pot, her Grandparents sent along an adorable duck watering can which she calls "duck water" and wants to play with all the time. Her favorite is to fill 'duck water' from the pool and then water the plants or pour it down herself..... So far all of our plants look healthy enough, so it must not be to hard on them.

Watering her zinnias (we repotted them from their little clay pot)


She's a little unconventional in her watering....


Sofia watering her newly planted zinnias just after planting them


Checking on our tomatoes - this is her favorite thing to do and she also likes to eat on the basil that is growing next to the tomato plant


There it is!


Looking at our tomato crop

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a very fun and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend! It was beautiful weather and we spent most of our time outside, relaxing, in the pool or entertaining with friends. We also headed to REI and geared up for our upcoming vacation to Santa Fe. We now have this fabulous Sofia-carrying backpack that looks like a small torture device (for the carrier, not Sofia), but is actually quite comfortable! We also have new hiking boots (Crocs for Sofia) and are all set to explore Santa Fe and the surroundings!

It was one of the best Memorial Day weekends in memory and was a perfect mix of relaxation, pool time and time spent enjoying family and friends. I took approximately one million pictures of Sofia, and here are the best:

Our little swimsuit model


Floating with Papa


Floating with Mommy


Playing in the raft!


Fun for hours


Just after falling into the water (on the swim step) - she then tried to recreate it over and over and had a great time.


This looks like an action shot, but it is a picture of Sofia slowly trying to recreate her fall


Sofia's post swim snack and reading material

Our little parrot...

One of the wonderful aspects of being a parent is to watch Sofia develop and grow up into a little girl. She now parrots everything we say, which can be very funny at times. The other morning we walked out to get the newspaper and I accidentally ran into her. She then said "Boomba" (what she always says when something crashes), which was followed by "Don't do that" and then "Oh, boy." She likes to say "Oh boy" at anything, which is adorable. Also, when you ask what Papa says she says "No cryin" and when you ask what I say, she says "Whatcha doin, honey?" Obviously she hears that a million times a day from me. Tonight after dinner she was playing with my purse (unaware I was watching her) and then picked it up and said "Let's go, honey" and "car." It's adorable! She's such a fun girl and it's amazing to watch her change and grow up!

Her other favorite of the past few days is music! Every time she gets into the car she says "music!" before I start it up and between each song (I guess she doesn't realize there is a pause between songs). She also is trying to sing along, which is pretty amazing since we've only just started listening to "Bingo," "Pop Goes the Weasel," "Hokey Pokey," "Wheels on the Bus," "If You're Happy and You Know It" and other classics. It's so cute to watch her try to sing along! We try to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to her and at times she'll just start humming and sing, although she still doesn't know all the words. She does get the "Wonder what you are" and then "diamond....sky."

She also is slowly learning her manners and says "thank you" every time she walks through a door. She also knows to say "Bless you" when she or someone else sneezes, even though she still thinks sneezes are hilarious!

Enough rambling, here are some pictures....

Yesterday, we went for a run and on the way back we stopped to visit our 'neighbors' across the street. The steer was fascinated by her and walked right over, even though he then wasn't so sure about her. She was fearless though!


At the duck pond - the top is actually a "dress" that Mimi made about a year ago! It still fits her great, but obviously looks far better with shorts now!


Watching the geese and their babies


Wanting to 'hold' the geese (She says "Hold her, hold her" when she does that with her hands)


At the playground


Feeding the fish and ourselves......


Are there any more snacks in there?!

Visiting the Ft. Worth Zoo

We met our mom's group friends at Ft Worth Zoo at noon today, which made for a fun but LONG day since it is half price on Wednesdays (so everyone goes) and it was about 90 degrees today! As I loaded Sofia in her car seat, I told her we were headed to the zoo and that we would see elephants, tigers, lions.....and she looked me in the eye and said "George?" Yes, as in Curious George. So I explained to her that he now lives with the man in the yellow hat, but that we would see other monkeys.

Once at the zoo, the six of us - complete with ultra-wide strollers, snacks, sippy cups, diapers, etc must have looked like a small army rolling up the walk. Almost immediately I let Sofia out of the stroller since she really couldn't see the animals very well and she basically walked the ENTIRE day! According to my stroller, it was over 2 miles and I think I carried her for a few minutes here and there - she never sat in her stroller again. I was pretty impressed (she also went to sleep at 730 tonight).

She loved looking at all the animals and she is at the perfect age. I was remember how my mommy friends in DC visited the zoo when Sofia was 8 weeks old and all the pictures I took (mainly of her sleeping with an animal in the background). Now she points and exclaims "Giraffe!" or "Elephant!" or "Bear!" when she sees them. Also, although she didn't stick perfectly to my side all day, I love that she runs around and explores! After the first time she ran off I chased after her and picked her up and told her that she shouldn't run away but stay close.....then, every chance she got she would say "Run away!" even though she would stay close.

There's the Rhino!


The zebra - such beautiful animals


With her buddy Thomas (she likes saying his name because of "Thomas Train") looking at merkats.


Penguins!


Watching the train with Beup-beup


Riding the coin horse and eyeing someone next to her on another coin animal


On the train back to the entrance


All tuckered out

Sofia's Beup-Beup

Sofia is in LOVE! It started on Cinco de Mayo when we were hosted at Sofia's buddy Grady's house. Grady has a frog that he was given when he was first born and who stays in his bed. Sofia found Grady's frog and carried him around the house the entire evening. Even during dinner Sofia just kept saying "beup, beup" over and over. So, thanks to the modern conveniences of the internet, a few short minutes on eBay made us a proud owner of a brand new "beup, beup," Since we gave Sofia the frog on Friday, she hasn't put him down! It's adorable!

With Beup-Beup at Mother's Day brunch


Putting Beup-Beup asleep with Mommy's pashmina as a blanket


Riding on the airplane with Beup-Beup - her favorite park fun


Weee


In the jogging stroller with Beup-Beup

Mother's Day 2009

I had a fabulous Mother's Day and was pampered by both CK and Sofia. I knew it was going to be a good day when I got to sleep in until 830! Then, once I came out of our bedroom Sofia got a huge smile on her face, jumped up and down and exclaimed "Donuts!!!" instead of the usual "Mommy." CK then explained that he asked Sofia what they should make Mommy for breakfast, and she exclaimed "donuts". So, they went off to Krispy Kreme and bought an assortment. Then, CK told Sofia that she couldn't eat donuts until Mommy woke up.....

After Meeting we had a few hours before brunch at the Gaylord Texan Resort, so we grabbed a cup of Starbucks and headed to a nearby park to watch the ducks and let Sofia play on the slide. Brunch at the Gaylord Texan Resort was amazing! The buffet was one of the best I've ever been to, and had plenty of wonderful options (including sushi!!). One of the best parts was the three piece band - not only did they play lovely music, but Sofia was completely transfixed! She spent most of her meal staring at the band and moving to the music.

After brunch, we headed back home and relaxed a little bit before CK headed off on a bike ride and Sofia and I went for a run. It was a wonderful day!!

The three of us after Meeting


At a nearby park - a new Mother's Day dress, a Starbucks latte and playing with our girl - priceless!


Telling Sofia something.....she's thinking it over


A short nap before brunch


The family picture at brunch (I think my dress and that crazy background clashed just a little!)


Sofia at the kid's buffet


Red velvet cupcakes - yummy!

Train Lover

Although owls continue to hold a special area of Sofia's interest, she has a new love: trains! It started when Grandma Lee bought Sofia a Thomas the Train toy while we were in Florida around Easter. She carries "Thomas Train" (as she calls him) around EVERYWHERE!! When she wakes up in the morning or from a nap the first word is no longer "Mommy" but either "Thomas Train" or "Curious George"..... Thomas goes with us EVERYWHERE we go and he often eats meals with us (he has a hearty appetite and often helps Sofia try something new).

Then, when we visited Mimi, the three of us went on a train ride at Orange Park, which Sofia loved! After, Mimi bought Sofia a train t-shirt and a little train engine. That train is carried around whenever Thomas the Train isn't available and it is called "mommy train" and another little train she has is called "Baby train."

This past weekend, we visited the caboose that is displayed near our house and then drove over to see the Grapevine train. Now every time we go anywhere, Sofia wants to visit the caboose....

Feeding "Thomas Train" some broccoli at lunch


Not only wearing her train t-shirt, but sitting in front of caboose holding "Thomas Train"



Papa and Sofia in front of the old steam train in Grapevine


By the train's wheel


In the engine compartment with Papa


Running toward her favorite - the caboose!


Weeeee!


Our cutie with her pigtails (I convinced her to keep them in by promising a visit to the caboose - it worked!)