Escape Route?

The other morning I came in to get Sofie out of bed, and found she had stacked everything in her crib up in the corner and packed it in tightly. What's this all about? An escape route? I've caught her trying to hike her leg over the crib rail a few times, which really scares the bejeezus out of me. So imagine my reaction to this very cleverly designed escape route. Not cool Sofie.

 

 

Sickies

**Updated: I will twitter (left side bar) Sofie's sickie updates for Grandmas and Grandpas and Daddy to keep up on.**

Sofie has flu symptoms today. She woke up with the chills and rosy little cheeks, and her temp was 100.5. She also has a slight cough today and just generally acts like she doesn't feel the greatest. I gave her some Motrin and called Dr. Y., her pediatrician. He called in some Tamiflu for her a little while ago, so she'll start that sometime this afternoon. Hopefully this will prove to be mild and short-lived!

Congratulations Uncle Mike & Aunt Tiffany!

A big congratulations to Sofie's Uncle Mike and Aunt Tiffany who were married this weekend! The wedding was beautiful, the reception was a blast, and you both looked fabulous. Best wishes from all of us for many, many more happy years together!

The Beautiful Bride

Sofie with her Aunt Tiffany and Uncle Mike


Sofie had so much fun as their flower girl. We were worried she'd be shy around so many new people, but she was everywhere and had a great time. She was dressed and ready and checking everything out. There was so much fun to be had!

Is it my turn to walk yet?

When her big moment came, she made Mommy and Daddy proud and walked down the aisle like a big girl.

Sofie's Big Moment

The Happy Couple

After the I Do's

Sofie was having so much fun, she didn't have time for a nap (even with much persuasion from Mommy). She did grab a 5 minute power nap just after the ceremony.



Oh, but then it was time to party. And Sofie does love her parties. She ate and danced. And danced. And danced. There was no stopping the girl.

Let's get this party started.


She looked like she was fading around 9:00 pm (remember no nap), so I changed her into her jammies. But that just gave her a second wind, and then she really stared busting the moves.

Don't just stand there, bust a move!


She danced until midnight, and then was still awake back in the hotel room jumping in her pack n' play until 1:00 am. I think it's safe to say we all had a good time!

Flower Girl Preview

We are very excited for Uncle Mike and Aunt Tiffany's wedding this Saturday. Sofie gets to be a flower girl for the very first time. What better reason to start walking, right? I tried her dress and shoes on (her) today one last time to make sure everything fits perfectly and is all ready to go.

Do you think anyone would notice if we let her carry a remote or a random shoe down the aisle? This seemed to be the only thing that would keep her happy today while I snapped some pictures.

Oh, and we need to work on how to stand up like a lady.

19 Months Update

Let me just get this right out there at the top of the list...

• WALKING!!!!!!!!!!

We are so excited about Sofie walking! Can you tell? We sometimes just stand and watch her walk around. It's fantastic. And to those who say "Oh, you'll be wishing she wasn't walking soon enough!" I just shake my head and smile, because when you've seen your baby like this...



...there are really no words to express how it feels to see your baby like this...



So what else is new this month, besides walking? It seems like she's always doing cute new things. Here are a few new skills:

• Parts of the body she knows well - eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, chin, hair, ears, hands, fingers, toes, tummy, (belly) button.


• New words - Nana and huh uh (as in NO). This brings her vocabulary to 8 regularly used words (Dada, Mama, Lola, Hi, Bah Bah, Nana, Huh Uh, and What's That?) She'll also say "Hi Mama," "Hi Dada," "Hi Lola," and "Hi Nana."


• New food - frozen lemonade

One of her cutest new skills is praying at meal time. Here's a video...



Feeding is still Medium-Well and holding steady. She weighs 20 lbs, 9 oz. She had been stuck bouncing between 19 1/2 and 20 lbs since the beginning of July until a couple of weeks ago. Dr. Y. told me that once she started walking she would start gaining weight again. I hope we catch this upswing and pick up a big gain now that she's walking!

Cow Kisses

Here's a video from back in August during Sofie's morning playtime. She was playing with her tractor, one of her favorite toys. She is partial to the cow that rides in it. The video is of her playing with the tractor and cow, and giving the cow kisses and hugs. So sweet!

Moment...ummm

Remember when the little things just weren't going our way a while back? Here's a refresher...http://www.sofiascdhstory.com/2009/08/when-it-rains-it-pours.html. Well, things are looking up.

After our beautiful-practically-brand-new-but-not-new-enough-to-still-be-under-full warranty (of course) dishwasher

started doing this,



we were able to replace it with this.



And, do you remember when our closet did this?



As you can see, it's now back in working order.



And I'm sure you didn't forget the three-legged chair. I mean, how could you forget the way it snapped beneath me like a twig one morning while I was enjoying my coffee and a bagel?



We were actually able to get a replacement leg. So now that chair again has - count em' - one, two, three, four legs. Beautiful.



While we were replacing things, we also traded off my old Honda for a new Volvo. The Honda was a good car for a long time. We went way back. Twelve years way back. And let me just say that unless your car is a classic Camero, Corvette, or something of the sort, you and your car should not go way back.

I found this old (dorky) picture of me and The Honda from high school, where I look absolutely thrilled to be having my picture taken. I think this was from the day I graduated. The Honda and I had already been together for a year. Little did I know I would still be driving this car twelve years later! Oh, the memories.



So before we went to pick up the new Volvo, I made Kenny take this (equally dorky) picture of me with The Honda one last time. Goodbye, Little Red. I'll miss you.



Tear.

Oh, look at that. I'm over it.



Isn't she purty?

So while all these things were falling into place for us, we decided to run with the momentum, and put our house on the market. You know, just to see what would happen. It was a completely spur-of-the-moment decision. So in the last three weeks we have remodeled a bathroom, recarpeted our sitting room, retiled part of the kitchen, and spiffed up numerous other things inside and outside of the house. Oh, yeah, we're painting the exterior of the house too. Yeah, I said three weeks.

What's that, you ask? Oh, you mean the sound of screeching tires? That was our momentum. Or moment...ummm, if you will. Yes, we are suffering from a little case of burnout, and remembering how much work and headache it was to completely remodel this house.

And so we started tearing things apart...

Sitting Room


Moving out of the closet and onto the floor. I swear, I really don't have a lot of shoes! But I sure was stepping on lots of them in the dark all week. (Hey, those aren't all mine.)


The shoes move back into the closet. Next room. Ugh! I so preferred the shoes. Look closely. Yes, that's a toilet at the end of our bed. For nearly two weeks, I might add. Gross. I hate remodeling.


Do not fear, the toilet is back upon it's rightful spot. Not a day too soon, either. We did manage to get a lot done in just a couple of weeks, including replacing the old bathroom flooring...


...with some nice, new flooring. Painting, new hardware, light fixures, window coverings, etc. also on the list of things we have completed in the master bath and sitting room.


And a special thanks to Kenny's (super-home-remodeler-deluxe) Dad (who I swear can do anything related to remodeling a home like a pro) for laying our plush, fluffy new sitting room carpet.


Now all that's left is a major cleaning to get the house in show condition. Gotta bury that St. Joseph statue, too. Oh, and find another place to live. Minor details.

Happy 1st Birthday, Carter!!

We want to wish Carter a VERY HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!!!! We are so happy to have been able to share in all you have conquered in your first year. You have such an amazing Mommy and Daddy. We hope you enjoy this very special day!

(Sofie thinks Carter needs to come visit her in KC, so she can show him how much fun the slide is.)

The Toddler Toddles

Here is Daddy's reaction to seeing Sofie walk for the first time. I didn't tell him about her new skill, so he was completely surprised. Priceless!

Here's Sofie walking!!!!!

Capturing that video was not as easy as it looked. I have several attempts like this one...

And several where she uses the "wet noodle refusal tactic"...

P.S. Just ignore that outfit: too small pink pj shirt, brown leggings, red socks, and yesterday's hair.

Biblesta Beans and the Magical Shoes

This weekend we traveled back to our hometowns, so Sofie could attend her very first Biblesta. Family, funnel cakes, ham and beans, live music and the parade; Biblesta has been a tradition for over 50 years. The town square is hopping with live gospel music, food vendors, a petting zoo, and children's activities. Nearly the whole town and people from many neighboring towns turn out for the festivities, which culminate with a Biblically themed parade and town bean feed (a.k.a. Biblesta Beans).

Sofie kicked off her fun Friday afternoon with Grandma Cheryl when they went to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin.

How bout' this one, Nana?


Ooh, this one's just my size.


Punkin in the Punkin Patch


Saturday morning, Sofie and Grandma Cheryl were up early to take their shift stirring the beans on the square. The legendary Biblesta bean feed is a town effort. Volunteers sort beans the week before Biblesta, then soak them, assemble the ham and beans in lots of giant pots under a big tent on the square, and then take shifts stirring all day until the bean feed at 5pm on Saturday.

Sofie perusing the Biblesta Schedule of Events while Grandma Cheryl stirs.


Brrr! It's cold out here! (Note the giant pots of beans.)


There are TONS of beans! Everyone can have an unlimited amount and there are always leftovers. And by unlimited amount, I mean everyone takes up several big pots to be filled with beans. Beans, beans, beans! Beans in gallon Blue Bunny ice cream containers, huge stock pots full of beans. If it's big and can hold beans, fill er' up! And everyone eats their Biblesta Beans a different way. You've got The Plain Jane (straight up, unaltered Biblesta Beans). Or your choice of lots of crazy additions: ketchup, mustard, or cottage cheese, to name a few.

Saturday afternoon is the Biblesta Parade, and all entries are Biblically themed. We all gathered at Aunt Karen's house to watch the parade.

Sofie eating her cheese. "When's this parade supposed to start?"


C'mon Grandpa Steve, I need a walkin' buddy!


Sofie's cousin, Melanie (left), leading off the parade.


I'm so tall!


Noah's Ark float.


Jonah and the Whale float. Every year someone gets to be Jonah and hang their legs out of the whale's mouth.


Grandpa Kenny pulling the St. Joseph's church float he and Grandma Cheryl helped work on.


St. Joseph's float.


Are you keeping up, Grandpa Steve?


Oooh, horsies!


Parade Watcher


Sofie's cousin, Xavier (left), closing out the parade.


Sofie's cousin, Ricklyn, watching the parade. Love those curls!


C'mon Great Uncle Roger, Grandpa Steve got tired.


After the parade we went to a family wedding. Congrats Lindsy and Daniel!! After the reception it was time for the big Biblesta Bean Feed. Grab your pots!

My Aunt Sandy dishing up some Biblesta Beans for us to take home.


My Aunt Sandy and Kenny's Aunt Karen live just a few doors from each other and just a couple of blocks from the square and all the Biblesta festivities, so we went from house to house and to the square and back all day. It was so nice having both of our families together. Sofie really enjoyed seeing her cousins and getting to play.

Sofie and Ricklyn playing at Aunt Karen's.


So now you know all about Biblesta Beans. What gives with the Magical Shoes, you ask? Grandma Linda and Grandpa Steve gave Sofie a new pair of shoes Saturday. Apparently they were magical, because not long after she put them on she took off walking!! Yes, Sofie is an official walker!!

She was playing with Ricklyn and Grandpa Kenny when she first took a few steps without a walking buddy. Then she was holding onto one of these balloons:

and started walking on her own thinking something was holding her up. Once she figured out she was doing it on her own, she went a little further and a little further, until she was walking all around Karen's house. Yay Sofie! Sherry, Sofie's OT, has been telling me for a while that one day Sofie would just start walking like a pro, and she sure did. She looks like she's been walking for months. It was three months to the day (July 3rd to October 3rd) since she first walked with assistance.

July 3, 2009


I actually DO NOT have any pictures of the big event, because I was afraid she'd stop doing it if she saw me taking pictures of her. And Kenny was out of town with Uncle Mike and Uncle Kris for Uncle Mike's bachelor party, so they all missed it. I swore everyone to secrecy to not tell Kenny, so he could witness it for himself and be as surprised and excited as he deserved to be about it. We have been waiting for this for SUCH a long time!

First thing this morning, I took Sofie downstairs and put her down to see if she still remembered her new skill, and she took right off. When Kenny came downstairs I turned the camera on him and caught his reaction to seeing her walk across the room for the first time. I promise to post the video of Kenny and some shots of Sofie toddling around very soon, but for now, here are The Magical Shoes.