Sofia at Two!

WOW, I just can't believe our baby is 2! It's gone by so fast and we marvel at the significant changes from even six month ago! We can hardly even remember what those first few days were like. She has really gotten into the "Sofi do it" mode, and tries to put on/take off her own shoes and clothes and open/close everything. She also likes to read stories to us rather than have them be read, with her favorite being "Hush Little Baby" which has different words than the lullaby, but which is very sweet. She loves the song "Wheels on the Bus" and when we aren't listening to it 1,000 times in the car, she sings it. She particularly likes to wear her swim vest and spin around in the water while singing it. The best part is she makes up all sorts of things depending on what we are doing or what she's playing with - I often hear "Purple pony on the bus....." etc, Also just in the days since her birthday she has really taken to imaginative play! She found my yoga ball and pushes it around saying it's her puppy, feeds it, it gets sad and happy, has a sore tummy, etc. She also loves to talk with the ball/puppy. It's adorable. She also loves to draw, which is a new find for her. She will grab all of her drawing supplies off the side table, sit down and draw away. She's talking up a storm and seems to learn how to say more and more in the span of a few days. We now say "Ohhh Laaa Laaaa" when she's doing something fun or special, like rubbing body lotion on her legs (yes, you can imagine she's not too thorough with that before she wants more lotion!). She still loves trains, Green Beup-Beup, has a new Striped Green Beup-Beup, and enjoys reading books most of all, although drawing is getting right up there!

She is exactly 30 lbs and is 34.5 inches tall.

Our big girl


Smiles!


Such a cutie.


Hugging her owl pillow that we found at Target.


Sofia and the owl pillow.

Sofia's First Gifts for her Second Birthday (Thursday)

Sofia's Mimi and Grandpa Joe arrived on Thursday afternoon with arms full of gifts for the soon-to-be birthday girl! CK and I decided to space out Sofia's gifts over the weekend so she could really enjoy her birthday and toys. It was fun to watch Sofia open up the gifts from Mimi and Grandpa Joe and play with all of her fun new things.

What's in the bag? Sofia starts in our her bag full of gifts.


Sofia looks at her new SweetPea music player.


Sofia watches Mimi...


Sofia's "Happy Birthday Bear" from Lupe! She has since pulled off two of the candles, but loves making the bear "sing."


Figuring out how to turn on the "Happy Birthday Bear"


A new Mimi-made "Happy Birthday" outfit for Sofia!


Trying to wear her new Happy Birthday outfit! She has really gotten into the "Sofia do it" mode and tries to dress and do everything herself.


Emiy! Mimi and Grandpa Joe gave Sofia the Thomas the Train named Emily, which she loves!!


On Friday, Mimi, Sofia and I went on the quest for a "big girl bed" (we were unlucky in our search). At our last stop, after a long day and sitting in traffic, we decided to let Sofia run around awhile before we piled back in the car to head home. She found this great elephant statue which she just had to "ride." She had great fun and was ready for the trip home after some serious elephant riding and stair climbing.

Sofia's Birthday (Weekend - Saturday)

On Saturday Mimi and Grandpa Joe made pancakes for Sofia while CK and I hung out together and visited some friends' brand new baby boy. Once we returned to the house, Sofia opened up a few more gifts before we went swimming.

Sitting down to a big breakfast of pancakes - Sofia's favorite!


Our sweet pea and her pancakes with one of her new Mimi-made outfits.


Sofia's "big" gift from her Papa and Mommy - a Kettler tricycle! She calls it her "Happy Birthday Tricycle" and loves to be pushed around on it.


Mimi pushes Sofia around the living room


More toys in the trunk!


Opening the "small" gifts from Mommy and Papa. She got a few bath/pool toys, including Thomas the Train toys and fish, etc.


Opening gifts from Mimi and Grandpa Joe


Dr. Seuss books!


After opening gifts, Sofia licks the beaters of her birthday cake frosting.


Showing off her swimming skills - going after her Thomas Train pool toys


All ready to sing "Happy Birthday" to our birthday girl!


Papa with the birthday cake!


Look at all those candles!


Playing with her "2"


Papa, Mommy and Sofia


Her first bite of birthday cake!


Happy Birthday to our 2 year old!


Having fun....

Sofia's Birthday (weekend - Sunday)

On Sunday morning Sofia woke up ready to ride her "Happy Birthday Tricycle" with Papa at the wheel to the front yard to pick up the newspaper. We went to Meeting and returned home for lunch, however the birthday girl passed out in the car and then enjoyed a nice nap once she transfered to her crib.

Heading out to get the newspaper.


Sofia's post-nap gift opening......She got a purple Rody ride-on pony that we saw in the toy store Friday. She carried it everywhere, so Mimi decided to get it for her while I distracted Sofia....She was so excited!


Purple Pony!


Going for her first ride


Hanging out with Mimi


Mimi and Sofia.....

Sofia's 2nd Birthday!

On Sofia's actual birthday, CK left early for a week in Washington DC and Mimi, Sofia and I headed to Sears for a little photo session of the birthday girl! She had lots of great smiles for the camera and the photographer even said she was the best 2-year old she'd ever seen (she probably says that to everyone!). I'll post a few of her Sears pictures after I download them from the CD. We continued to listen to Sofia's very favorite song "Wheels on the Bus" while we were in the car and she continues to sing it throughout the day - which is very cute. After her nap, her buddies Miss Mya and Grady dropped off an adorable gift for her - a tank top, matching capris, sunglasses (very glamorous) and great sparkly hair clips! Mimi and Grandpa Joe also brought out a gift from Lupe, which was a cheerleader doll that Sofia loves to play with (especially when she "cheers"). She also opened presents from Uncle Ben and Aunt Rebecca - books, her favorite! Her final present for her birthday was Aunt Cynthia, Uncle Jay's and Cousin Chandler's presents - pens, coloring books, finger paints, paper, and Play Doh! Needless to say, she jumped right into coloring and playing with her Play Doh, and she keeps asking to make a duck out of it.

In the late afternoon Mimi made up a healthy portion of birthday cake and ice cream and we sang "Happy Birthday" to her once again since it was her actual big day. However, all the presents, activities, and sugar added up to a rough time going to sleep that night.....thank goodness her birthday is 364 days away!

Opening Lupe's present - she's very careful and removes all ribbon and paper before trying to get into the box.


The cheerleader doll!


Opening Uncle Ben and Aunt Rebecca's presents


Runaway Bunny and Good Night Moon!


Opening presents from Uncle Jay, Aunt Cynthia and Cousin Chandler


Coloring books!


Testing it out!


Ahh, Play Doh - the Grand Finale!


Happy Birthday cake.


Purple pony and her "Happy Birthday Tricycle" - what could be better?!


Finger painting - this actually turned out really pretty and Mimi took it home to display.

Our Tomato Crop

Our tomatoes continue to grow and get ripe! Sofia loves to water them each day with me and checks on their progress. It's almost more than she can bear not to pick them each time we go out, but she's gotten very good and feeling how firm they are and leaving them alone. The other day we had a lot of ripe tomatoes and she loved picking them! She almost didn't believe me when I told her to keep picking!

Checking out our tomatoes


Picking the first ripe tomato.


So proud of her tomato!


All smiles!


Our tomato crop!


Inspecting them closely!