4th of July

With CK in town for work, we decided to find a good place to watch fireworks. We sort of decided late in the day, and ruled out the beach (too crowded) and outside of Disneyland (always crazy, but probably worse on the 4th). We decided to drive up to Fullerton and go to the fireworks show put on at Fullerton High School, which is ironically the same football stadium that all of my high school football games were played in and where my graduation took place. I hadn't been back since. Inside the stadium a band played and there were several delicious looking food stands (with lines of people to go with them), as well as jugglers and lots of people camped out to watch the fireworks. After exploring, we decided to sit outside the stadium for the actual fireworks so we'd have a little bit better chance of getting back to the car.

When the fireworks started, Sofia was terrified and clung to CK while burying her head into his neck. We'd planned on going to In-N-Out after the fireworks, so at one point she was hiding and then said "Can we go to In-N-Out NOW?" Finally, after a minute or two we started telling her about how beautiful each one was and she finally started stealing glances, which soon turned into all out excitement for what she saw. By the time it was over she was telling everyone sitting around us (who obviously saw the same thing), how big and colorful and fun the fireworks were! The rest of the night she talked about them and for days kept asking if we could watch them again that night. Disneyland is only a few miles from Mom's and they actually have fireworks every night, but we figured that didn't necessarily need to be shared with Sofia, or else she'd want to go EVERY night. She loved it!

Heading to the stadium from our car


Watching the band and all the people


A juggler with VERY long legs


Hanging out....


With Mommy


Sofia at the beginning and first few minutes of the fireworks


Discovering how beautiful and fun the are!

Knott's Berry Farm with Mimi

My family has a strong tie to Knott's Berry Farm. When they were dating, my Mom's parents went out to the Chicken Dinner Restaurant for meals together. For their 50th wedding anniversary we all ate there the night before their big celebration party. When I was young, I probably knew Knott's Berry Farm as well as our own house - we spent a lot of time there. Some of my best childhood memories are of visiting the petting zoo (which is sadly no longer there), taking the train around the park, going for a stagecoach ride, and of course, the log ride!

So, before Sofia and I even arrived in California, Mom was adamant that we make a final trip to Knott's Berry Farm together and show Sofia such a wonderful place. Despite her health, Mom was determined and so we set out on Thursday morning. We ended up taking the 'scenic' route and it took a little longer to get there than it should have, but we were having fun talking. We made it to Knott's, and I wheeled Mom in her wheelchair and her oxygen bottle around the park, with Sofia sitting on Mimi's lap. We didn't really hit many rides - just a couple in Camp Snoopy for Sofia, but it was a fun adventure to be out with Mom and hear stories of when Mom used to take me when I was little and later my cousins to Knott's all those years ago. Sofia loved hanging out with Mimi and getting a ride on her lap instead of walking.

All set to explore the park!


On the train


Sofia was exhausted pretty quickly and she loved snuggling in with Mimi while we walked. Mimi is teasing her about her thumb sucking....





Heading out of the park


In front of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant - we wished we were hungry so we could have eaten there.


Mimi cuddles - the best!

Father's Day Weekend 2010

Sofia and I arrived in California the Monday before Father's Day weekend and enjoyed every minute we spent with Mom/Mimi. We talked about Mom's various on-going craft projects, her 'to do' list for us to work on, reminisced about past fun times, and just enjoyed our time together.

CK flew out for a visit over Father's Day weekend as did Aunt Cathy, Uncle Eric, Uncle Steve and Aunt Shirl. It was a bittersweet weekend filled with stories of Mom's growing up and life changes that were fun and tinged with sadness at the same time. Sofia enjoyed spending time with all of her Aunts and Uncles again. As usual, she loved her Mimi time and enjoyed sharing milkshakes with Mimi, being pushed in the swing, playing together with Green Beup Beup, dressing up her new doll, and playing tea party. Several times throughout the weekend, Sofia and Mimi set up her little tea set and played tea party (with real water from the fish pond). Sofia and Mimi also picked blackberries off the bushes in the backyard, checked how the heirloom tomatoes were growing, and played with Mimi's fabric scraps in her hobby room. When Mimi needed to lay down and rest, Sofia loved cuddling up with her or they would read "Sew Beautiful" magazines together.

Sofia's Mimi....


Mimi, Grandpa Joe and Marrieta


Mimi playing with Sofia in the swing


I love this picture of them horsing around...


Sofia and I swam in the fish pond - she was more eager to do so than I was....other than the slight fishy taste and smell to the water, it was fun.


Picking blackberries! We picked two big bowls then made blackberry cobbler - it was delicious! Sofia actually took this picture of Mimi.

Green Beup Beup

A few days before Mother's Day 2009 we gave Sofia Green Beup Beup and they have been nearly inseparable since then. He's traveled with us on every vacation, usually goes with us when we run errands, "watches" Sofia take baths, "shares" meals with her, and is always a great cuddler for naps and bedtime. In fact, she has only gone to bed without Green Beup Beup a handful of times (usually after we've searched high and low for him...). This morning, while we were enjoying the morning in the backyard, I captured Sofia and Green Beup Beup together. Enjoy!

This is how Sofia cuddles with Green Beup Beup - she falls asleep with him right against her nose and says he "smells like carrots" (Really he smells like countless nights of being drooled on, but she likes it...)




Green Beup Beup is great at playing with Sofia and always "talks" to her in a deep voice. She'll have a full conversation going back and forth in her voice and his...


Giving her buddy a hug


Giving him a bear hug. Lately she gives bear hugs, thanks to her Papa. It's really cute how hard she tries to squeeze.


This is one of my favorite pics


Buddies!

Sofia's first 5K

This morning Sofia completed her first 5K with me - hopefully the first of many! I hadn't done a race since last spring's half marathon, and planned on walking the majority if the 5K since I haven't run much lately. However, my friend Carey who met me for the race wanted to run, so we did. I woke Sofia up just before 7am so I could get her to go potty and get woken up enough to be ready for the race. We made it to the race, which was at the Colleyville Community Center about 3 miles away around 730am and met up with Carey and her husband and 2-year old. The race was a good one, although it was hot already by the time we started at 8am! We ran for the first half, then started to walk and Sofia enjoyed watching everyone run, playing with her books and a pine cone Carey picked up for her, and drinking water....what a life!

After we finished, Carey's husband brought us oranges and cold watermelon, which were delicious! The Lion's Club, which put on the race also offered a full pancake breakfast, but we weren't really in the mood for it after the hot run. Plus, Sofia wanted to "go potty at home," so we headed home and relaxed the rest of the day. It was a fun race and I am so proud of Sofia for not having an accident mid-run! I considered putting her in a pull-up for the race, but decided that we might go backward if I did that, and I'm glad she proved me right! We look forward to the next race.

All set for the run - Sofia used my post-race shirt as a blanket since she said she was "cold" when we arrived - it was only 75 out already at 730am!


Waiting for Carey and watching the Lion's Club guys make LOTS of pancakes


Minutes before the start! All set to go.


Enjoying some cold watermelon and oranges after the race


After the race!

Potty Training!

On Tuesday morning, after taking CK and Sofia's Grandpa to the Baron and then Sofia's Grandma to the airport, I decided to hit Target for some potty training supplies. Following some advice from a friend, I went ahead and bought Sofia the "panties" she really wanted - Thomas Train 4T boy briefs. They don't seem to make Thomas Train panties, but instead they make princess, My Little Pony, and Dora panties - which Sofia could care less about or doesn't even know what they are, as in the case of My Little Pony and Dora. So, we picked out a set of Thomas Train briefs then headed over to the snack aisle for "rewards." Sofia picked out dum-dum pops which are little lollipops that we've been using already, gummy bears, and Oreo cookies. Finally, we went to Sofia's very favorite section in Target - the Thomas Train aisle and she picked out her prize to work toward - a motorized Emily train. Then we went home and started and it was easy! In fact, it's been easier than I imagined. I let her carry Emily around (without opening her up) and explained to her the goal. As soon as we opened the Thomas train "underwear" she was sold and she's woken up every morning asking to wear "panties" (I'm still doing diapers for nap and bedtime). She got to open Emily up on Thursday night, after a full day of no accidents! She continues to carry Emily (and Thomas) along everywhere she goes).

She has been such a trooper, and now, four days into it she generally doesn't even ask for a treat. We're still working on "#2" but that will happen. This has been such a huge step and I'm so proud of her. Of course, it now means pre-planning and leaving plenty of time for potty breaks wherever we go, but so far it has gone far smoother than I ever expected. ALL of my friends were right - they will do it when they are ready and it will not be a battle.

We've tried to get Sofia potty trained for several months now and it's always been a battle. She would generally go without complaint for CK but would yell and kick anytime I even so much as mentioned it (or especially when I'd steer her toward the potty). When we went for our tour of Spanish Schoolhouse (where Sofia will start school twice a day in August), she fell in love and it's been a bit of a motivation to get potty trained. I've told her many times that she can't go to school unless she's potty trained. Now, of course, she thinks she gets to go now!

We're very excited for her and I'm looking forward to moving her changing table into the attic.....our little girl is growing up!

Thomas


Admittedly, she likes to play with the unworn "panties." Hey, whatever works!


Treats!

Finger Painting

Yesterday afternoon, I offered two ideas for Sofia to pass some time in the afternoon since it's so hot outside - to play with Play Doh or to finger paint. She's been playing with her Play Doh set every day for the past few, so she decided on finger painting. I hadn't brought out the finger paints in awhile, so I was interested to see what she did with all that fun.

For the first few minutes, Sofia used her paint brushes and carefully dipped them into the colors and painted them onto her paper. However, after that the fingers got involved. Before I knew it she was spreading paint onto her arms (she liked watching how it went on) and "painting" with her hands on the paper. I had her do a few hand print pages as well as her mixed color masterpieces. She had a great time and after she was done, we just went in the pool for a little swim/rinse off.

Starting off with paint brushes


Soon the fingers were involved....


Our little artist


The artist at work




Rubbing the paint onto her hands




Creating more art work


Showing off those hands!


Finishing up. Green Beup Buep, wearing panties on his arms, watches.....