The Latest...

Hi, all!

So, it's been a month since I last posted a story and/or pics! It's been super crazy around here, as anyone who has ever had a 2 1/2 year old knows it can be! But, there have been some great things happening and I thought I'd share a few with you.

Potty Training. As reluctant as I was to attempt this, I knew Sophia was ready, so I gave it a shot. She did so well her first day, pottying in her potty chair! She got on super fast and, even though she was wearing Pull-Ups, she only had a few accidents. The next day, however, was horrible! She was so reluctant...she refused to use the potty, waiting until after trying to pee in her Pull-Up. She cried, screamed, kicked...it was a mess! I couldn't believe this was the same girl!! By the time she went to bed, I was pretty sure we were done for a while. However, the next morning, I bucked up and pushed forward. I did what they tell you not to do...I rewarded with M&Ms...IT WORKED! She got two each time she used the potty and she did so well! We put the potty seat on the toilet and she has never looked back! She wears big girl panties during the day and Pull-Ups at night, although she wakes up dry almost all of the time! She doesn't even ask for her M&Ms anymore. It worked for us and she is doing so well! She tells us when she has to go and isn't afraid of the toilet or anything! We are very proud!

Talking...!! Our girl can talk! She not only talks, she sings! She loves to sing her ABCs, Row, Row, Row Your Boat and You Are My Sunshine! She is so cute and really gets into it. Although we try to teach her new songs, those are the 3 she wants to do. My parents are VERY musical - my step-dad is a retired choir director - and they are thrilled that she has shown such an interest in music and singing. We have tried to tape her many times, but she's like the dancing frog from the old Looney Tunes cartoons...dances and sings when no one is looking, clams up when they are. Hopefully, one day...! As for the talking bit...be careful what you ask for! Holey moley, once she really got going, SHE REALLY GOT GOING! She loves to tell stories, is VERY mimicy and can hold her own in a conversation. She says her prayers both at nap time and bed time - so adorable! She has the sweetest voice and I never get tired of hearing her stories...over and over and over. What a blessing to hear her thoughts and words!!

Growing...and growning! Our girl is getting soooo tall! She is over 3'3 inches and is not stopping! So much for the petite little girl I thought we were going to get! She is tall and thin and very athletic. She LOVES to be outdoors, whether is playing on her slide or in her pool or taking a bike ride or working in the garden or just taking a walk, she loves to be outside! She seems to be pretty fearless and loves discovering new things. She eats like a horse and has a supermodel figure...sigh. Her enthusiasm is infectious and she has inspired me to get healthy and lose weight, so we can enjoy a LONG life together!! I definitely need to be in good shape to keep up with her!

Big Girl Bed! She just got her big girl bed last Tuesday! It's so beautiful and she loves it! We purchased it from the Land of Nod and it's definitely something that will grow with her. It's not too little girly, so it will still be a great bed when she's older. She loves it and feels like such a big girl every time she gets in it! It was strange for all of us at first...our little girl isn't a baby any more!!!

She amazes us so much every day. She laughs so heartily and is so tender. Don't get me wrong...the girl has got a temper and isn't afraid to show it! But, she is sweet and loving and so precious. She does so well with other kids, although is very shy at first. She loves to read and color the most. She loves to have tea parties and help clean. We find such joy and humor in her eyes and words. She loves life to fullest and lives every day with such purity and innocence! I hope we can do our best to ensure that she maintains that as she gets older, and not let this crazy world jade her!!

I have lots of pics and will post them soon! No stories with them, just captions. To be honest, I hate the time it takes to do all the formating here. So, stories will be seperate from pics...just more to look forward to! So, pics in the next few days! Until then....Take Care!!!

Oops...I did it, again!

Ok, Ok...I'm so far behind on blogging! Where does the time go????

It's been a month since I last posted and I feel bad! It's not that we don't have tons of pictures and stories to tell, because believe you me, we do! It's just that with a 2 1/2 yr old, it's total chaos around here. Now, I know...there are many of you who blog consistently and have the same aged children and more than 1, but I'm just too razzled at the end of the day! Also, it's really hard to format lots of pics and text...I just don't have it down yet, so I get easily frustrated! So, a compromise...

I promise to at least get more stories and words on here and get the pics up when I can. I know, you mostly come for the pics...but it's a compromise, remember? So, if you'll indulge me, I will try to indulge you! Stories on a regular basis and pics when I get a moment to myself!

So, I PROMISE to post an update tomorrow and let you know what's the what from the past month. We've hit some milestones and had some fun times...there IS a lot to tell and I can't wait to share it with you. For now, I'm off to bed...FINALLY!

Sweet dreams!!

Catching up with Sophia

Hi, all!

Well, after a few techinical glitches and harried days, I have finally updated our blog! I must admit, I'm not as much of a blog fanatic as some, but I wish I was. I just have so much other stuff going on, that this usually gets put on the back burner. Plus, I don't have near as many followers as some, so I kinda feel like I'm doing it more for me, than anybody else. However, that being said, I have some fantastic friends that DO visit, and so I will do my best to keep this as up to date as possible, so they can follow along! It's because of them, and Sophia, that I do this!

So, here are pics taken from Easter to just yesterday. We've had some really fun times, including taking our new trailer out on it's maiden voyage to the Washington Coast! What fun we had! My parents were staying along the Oregon Coast, not too far away, and we met in the middle for a wonderful afternoon of fun and sun with them. We also spent time on the beach at the camp ground and Sophia flew her very first kite! She loved it and had so much fun!

Lastly, our artist spent an afternoon finger painting and having a blast! Her artwork is so cute! She did one that both my husband and I said looked like Chinese caligraphy...go figure! Anywho, without further ado...Sophia!

Our little butterfly

Our "cheesy" girl and her pals...relaxin'

Easter day

On an Easter Egg hunt...it was raining outside

At Seaside, OR with Papa

Looking at seashells with Grandma

Sophia flying her kite

Sophia on the carousel...she rode it twice and still didn't want to get off!

Sophia looking out over the Pacific Ocean

Strollin' on the beach in Seaside, OR

Swinging at the neighborhood park
Having fun at the park

Our budding artist hard at work

She's a little ham!

OH, my...I'm so talented!!!

I think she did a great job on her arms, as well!

Yes, I'm behind!

Hello to all!

Ok, so it was brought to my attention that I am behind on blogging...and that would be correct! It has been a madhouse here the past few weeks...not to mention we just got done camping over a long weekend! But, have no fear...life is slowing down a tic - JUST a tic - and I will have more time for this blog, I promise!

So, be on the look out later today for some new pics of our girl and some new stories to go with them! I promise, they will be worth the wait!

Time to Garden

Spring is here!!!

So glad to know that warm weather is on the way! A couple of weekends ago, my husband and daughter finished putting together my raised garden beds. I am just so happy with how they turned out...and I cannot wait to get some yummy veggies and pretty flowers planted!

Of course, Sophia was so anxious to help daddy out! She helped shovel dirt and make the beds nice and pretty. She loves getting in her boots and trodding around in the dirt. She feels so important and loves to help!

Below are some pictures of her wonderful garden building skills! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do...our girl is just the best!

Sophia and her ever present, "Cheese!" for the camera!

Ready for the next load of dirt!
Shoveling the next load into the garden form
A future Master Gardener!

First Haircut and fun with BFF!

So, I finally bit the bullet and cut Sophia's bangs! Now, let me just say that I am NOT a skilled hair cutter. I have never done it, except to my own hair - which I screwed up - and my husband's eyebrows, which I shaved one a little too close! However, her hair kept getting her face, so I just had to do it! It was a struggle, at first. There was much crying - no, not by me but by Sophia - and it took about 5 tries to get them even. By the 5th cutting, she was ok and it turned out pretty decently, if I do say so myself!

The instant change in her appearance kind of caught me off guard! She went from looking like a baby to a little girl! It was so wonderful to see her pretty face and I just can't get over how different she looks now! When it comes to the BIG cutting, I will be leaving that to the professionals, for sure!

We also spent the first WARM day this year with our good friend, the McEllraths. They are Sophia's Godparents and their oldest daughter, Kendall, is Sophia's BFF!! They have such fun when they play together...it's just so neat to know that they will grow up together and always have each other! "Uncle" Josh took the girls for a ride in Sophia's wagon and "Auntie" Debbie got some great pics!

Hope you all are enjoying Spring! We are back in a rain pattern, but looking foward to warmer days ahead!

Sophia and Kendall

Two beautiful girls having fun!

Sophia saying, "Cheese!" for the camera

Our girl with her first hair cut!!

Random Days of Ours..

Well, it's been "one of those" weeks. Both Sophia and I caught head colds, which are absolutely no fun! Luckily, we both seem to have shaken them off quite quickly, with just a little stuffiness or an occasional cough lingering. We also bought a brand new travel trailer! We will be picking it up tomorrow...I cannot wait to go camping in it! It's much bigger and more spacious than our current trailer, so it will be so much more comfortable to camp in, for sure!

Also, after FINALLY getting around to downloading all the pics we've taken the past few weeks, I am here to post them. Some are from playing around the house and some are from our ride on MAX in Portland. Wall-E, Eve, her new sleeping bag, her foam letters...all things that make our girl smile. Some where she's saying, "CHEESE!" (which is her new favorite word) and some with just her beautiful facial expressions.

Anywho, enough of my rambling. We hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we do.

Just in case you didn't know who this blog was about...

Sophia enjoying one of her many books

Our girl is NOT a slave to fashion

Riding on MAX with Mommy

CHEESE!!! (Gotta love the comb in her hair!)

Inside her Alphabet house that Daddy built

Hanging out on the stairs...she loves to do this

Trying out her brand new sleeping bag

Her two favorite friends...Eve and Wall-E

It's only quiet when she sleeps!