Sofia's Horse Camp

Sofia started horse camp on Monday at a place near us called "Ride with Pride." We've never seen her so excited and for days she kept asking when Monday would arrive since she knew that would be the start of horse camp. It's actually a pretty big accomplishment too, since it's reward for Sofia not sucking her thumb anymore! About 10 days ago, I told her that if she stopped sucking her thumb that she would be rewarded with a week at horse camp, and if she continued avoiding her thumb that she could take another week of riding later in the summer. It worked like a charm! She literally quit that day and I probably only reminded her once or twice in the past 10 days!

The camp was from 9-11am all week and is a mixture of playing with horse-related toys, learning about horses, riding, doing a craft, etc. She loves it! When I picked her up on Monday, I asked her what her favorite was and she listed all that they did in the two hours and then said "I guess my favorite was all of it!" She does want to ride horses more than the class allows, but the class includes kids as young as 3, so I think they are pretty limited in their riding time. Once she's 5 she can move up to the next age group and ride a lot more. It's so exciting to see her enjoy something so much. Once she gets home she uses my saddle and saddle stand as her "horse" and rides him, replaces his horseshoes and hangs up his bridle in the "tack room." It's very cute to watch!

Today was her last day of camp and the last half hour was devoted to the Buckaroo's Rodeo, so all the parents were able to watch the kids ride a horse around the paddock. When it was Sofia's turn, the owner announced that Sofia liked taking care of the horses best and that she wants to be a professional horse rider when she grows up! So cute. She really loved it and we are ready to sign her up for the next session.

Arriving for her first day of horse camp - I've never seen a more excited girl!!

Sofia wearing her "Ride with Pride" shirt she tie-died at camp on Wednesday.

Sofia riding Muffy at the Rodeo. She also rode Shotgun at camp, but said she liked Muffy better.

Sofia and Muffy!

All the Buckaroos ready for the awards ceremony

Sofia gets her award for Best Ranch Hand and is SO proud of it. It was the first thing she showed her Papa when he walked in the door that afternoon and she carries it around the house with her!

Sofia and her award - one very proud little girl!

Sofia and the friend she made during camp!

Sofia's crafts and Ranch Hand award!

Olivia at 10 Months

Our big girl is 10 months old and Sofia is just one month shy of her 5th birthday today! Olivia certainly has changed in the past month and seems to be growing up and changing on a daily basis. Olivia is now 27.5 inches and weighs 20 lbs even now! She still doesn't crawl, but is getting closer, although she tends to get onto her hands and feet rather than her knees and then moves backwards. She does love to explore her movement options though and especially loves standing up and holding onto something and can do so for a very long time. She's good at resting her forearm on a table ledge and playing with a toy, so she's pretty stable on her feet.

Olivia has four top teeth and two bottom teeth and loves feeding herself completely, so despite how hungry she might be, she will basically not eat all that delicious homemade baby food off a spoon from me and instead prefers finger foods. She will literally eat any and everything except for avocado, which she acts like it might be poison once it's in her mouth. Not only will she eat anything, but she eats a lot - more than Sofia probably! One of her favorite "starters" is peanut butter or hummus spread onto rice crackers. She will do a good job eating it, but it will also be all over her face and hair by the time she's done. She's obviously very proud of feeding herself though.

Like Sofia, she's very good at mimicking sounds and has said "Mama" since she was 5 months old and "Papa" since 8 months old, although she also says "Dada" at times. She loves to clap and click her tongue and will respond with the correct noise when CK asks her what sound a monkey makes. It's very cute.

She's a very social little gal who tries to catch other people's eye when we are out and about and is very liberal with her sweet smile. Except when she's very tired, she's generally in a happy and relaxed mood and is such fun to be around.

Sofia is excited for her 5th birthday and wants ladybug cupcakes and a pool party. She loves horses and spends a lot of time "trotting" around on all fours and neighing like a horse. Although she's not as into trains and Thomas as she used to be, she does still set up her train track and haul her little plastic horses around on the train and still loves reading Thomas train stories. She also continues to have a very vivid imagination and makes up interesting and detailed stories of horses. She's such a fun, happy girl and is very social, although she's becoming a little more conscience of herself, especially around adults. Our girls are growing up so fast and we are loving all the milestones, but sometimes which it could go a little slower....

OUr 10 month old

Not so sure she wants to smile, which is pretty rare, especially when there's a camera around!

Our BIG girl!

Sisters!

A happy smile, thanks to her big sister

This is how Olivia eats and drinks....

Olivia puts the food in her mouth...

...then makes sure that it made it all the way in!

Just a little messy but so happy to feed herself!

Father's Day 2012, Day 2

On Father's Day morning, before Meeting, the girls gave their Papa the cards they picked out for him at the store as well as one I picked out for him. After Meeting, we returned home and our guests arrived shortly after. After they got settled and moved their things into the house, we enjoyed some snacks that would hold us over until we arrived at the baseball game, since there would be a lot of food there.

We arrived at the Rangers game and were so lucky to be able to sit in a box to watch the game (and eat catered Mexican food), all thanks to one of CK's colleagues. It's such a difference to have room to move around in, especially with kiddos. Alice and I took the kids to the kid's zone where Sofia, Grayden and Audrey were able to run off some steam and play. The baseball game was fun and it was a great way to visit with our friends Joe and Alice and their kiddos.

On Monday, Alice and I went to an early spinning class at my gym and came home to CK's signature Pasqual's honey whole wheat pancakes, eggs, and bacon! We enjoyed the delicious meal and then Joe and CK went off to fly the Waco while the rest of us played in the pool and relaxed. After the guys were home, Alice and I snuck out for a much-needed pedicure, which was a great break. We returned home to the kids swimming and CK grilling tri-tip, which was delicious. Then, Alice and served the special Father's Day dessert - Strawberry shortcake which is Joe's favorite and cheesecake, which is CK's favorite. It was a very fun Father's Day weekend and a great weekend to relax with our friends.

Yum, breakfast!!

Heading to the Rangers Game - Olivia's first time.

All of us outside the stadium

Papa and his girls on Father's Day

All of us at the game!

CK and his girls

Joe and his kiddos, Grayden and Audrey

The four of us

Our view

Father's Day dessert...strawberry shortcake and cheesecake. What a fun day!

Father's Day 2012, Day 1

Since our friends planned to arrive at our house on Father's Day, we decided to celebrate on Saturday as well as Sunday. CK wanted to fly the Waco, so he headed out early Saturday morning and spent a few hours flying. Around lunchtime we met him and planned to take him to Chop House Burgers in Arlington which has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and is apparently really great. However, once we arrived the line was probably 30 people long and we were all too hungry, so we headed over to In N Out for CK's Father's Day lunch. From there, we took him to the CR Smith Museum and gave him a one year membership for one of his gifts. We'd never visited before and it's a cute little museum about the formation of American Airlines and early air travel. After we headed home and swam in the pool before having a relaxing dinner. After Olivia was in bed, Sofia gave her Papa his gifts which included a tie and shirt she picked out as well as a framed family picture of us that Annie took at Mother's Day so he can put it on his desk at work. Sofia and I also made his Father's Day card which has become a bit of a tradition for the two of us to make the Mother's Day and Father's Day cards for each other with pictures. However, I didn't have a picture of CK with both girls so had to use two photos so both girls were on it with him. I think CK had a fun and relaxing first day of Father's Day!

I tried to get a good picture of CK and the girls the weekend before Father's Day but never really loved the ones I took here.

One CK took of me and the girls

CK and his girls at the CR Smith Museum

A close up

Inside the museum

A little girl on a big tire!

The DC-3 on display

Inside the DC-3

Sofia, ready for take off!

Our smiley girl

Sofia and her Papa and his homemade card

A close-up

Olivia and Sofia give Papa his other cards on Sunday