Sophia

Resting with Daddy

The bonnet is a little small for her head-normal 6 month olds must have freakishly small heads....or my kids have freakishly large heads? It looked the same way on Stella when she wore it.

Being a kid is hard.

That's right. Being a kid is hard. You hardly ever get to do what you want to do. There is always some sort of change going on that you can't control. You can't eat strawberries for every meal. You can't play with mommy and daddy's things. You can't read your own books-you have to wait for the rotten adults to finish doing what they are doing to enjoy a good book. You have to sit in a car seat. You can't sit outside and blow bubbles all day. You have to go to bed at 8. You have to wear shoes. And there is a LOT of confusing stuff that you have to learn.

The story of Christmas

Me: (reading a story about Baby Jesus) This is Baby Jesus in a manger.

Stella: Manger? What's a manger?

M: A place where they put hay for the animals, but Baby Jesus didn't have a baby bed, so they put Him in there for the night.

S: Why didn't he have a baby bed?

M: Well, they didn't have room in any of the inns...

S: Inns?

M: Kind of like hotels, or places where people stay when they are travelling...Anyway, he is here in this picture with his mommy and daddy, Mary and Joseph. Well, not exactly his real daddy, but his daddy on earth.

S: (look of confusion) Who is his real daddy?

M: God.

S: Oh...who are those guys? (pointing at the Three Wise Men)

M: They are some guys who came to his birthday party and brought presents. This is why we celebrate Christmas-it's his birthday.

S: Where's Santa?

M: Santa wasn't around back then. He's kind of a newer thing as far as Christmas goes. He doesn't really have anything to do with Jesus.

This brings me to the Santa discussion and how ridiculous it sounds when you try to explain it. I wanted her to know who Santa is so she doesn't look like a weirdo when he comes to her school next week and she says "Who's this guy?"

M: Do you know who Santa Claus is?"

S: Who?

M: That's what I thought. Santa is a man who lives at the North Pole-like in Diego's Arctic Adventure-and he lives with a bunch of elves-little people-who help him build toys. If you are a good girl all year, you can write a letter or tell him when he comes to your school about what you would like for Christmas. Then, on Christmas Eve-the night before Christmas-he flies through the air in a sleigh-a sled type automobile-that is pulled by reindeer. He comes into your house and eats cookies-that we leave out for him-and leaves the presents under the tree. Anyway, he is coming to your school next week and you will tell him what kinds of toys you would like for Christmas.

S: (look of wide eyed wonder and confusion)

M: Got it?

S: Yeah...I got it. The deers fly?

M: Yep.

S: Oh. Okay. Do you want to make some cookies for him?

M: Sure.

Life is so much easier at this age-Sophia is pondering grass while Stella is trying to figure out the meaning of Christmas with all of the crazy stories that are flooding her poor little brain. Notice the bruise on her forehead? I guess she has a lot going on as well-she is learning to crawl and that the wood floor is pretty hard when you lunge forward and forget to move your arms. I guess life is just tough at any age.

Beautiful weekend

Conversation with Stella as she was sitting on the potty(we are spending a lot of time in the bathroom since the pediatrician told me that 3 year olds don't wear Pull Ups. I would like to invite him to spend some time with us to dispute that. After 5 pairs of wet undies/pants/socks today, I think 3 year olds in Pull Ups are a great idea!)

Me: What did you learn about at church today?

Stella: Shapes

Me: Shapes? You didn't learn about Jesus?

Stella: Oh...yea...I learned that Jesus was building something. A tent. With holes in it. (A holy tent)

Me: A tent? With holes in it? Why?

Stella: I don't know.

Me: We learned about angels in my class.

Stella: Really? Angels? That's cool.

3 Day Birthday Celebration!

Birthday Party

"Flying" with Caroline

Grandma Polly and Sophia

Caroline, Sadie, Stella and CJ

Blowing out the candle

Paw Paw Johnny, Gigi, and Grandma Polly

Sophia and Lisa

Diego cupcakes! Stella helped bake them.

Mixed in pictures from the Fall Hootenanny at her school

Listening to Mr. Eric sing songs at the Hootenanny

When she came home from school-she LOVED that crown. She is still wearing it-tried to wear it to school today.

Willem and Caroline-we love this girl!

Trying to get Stella to open her presents-she was only interested in balloons

Balloon fight with Daddy

"No pictures, please."

Paw Paw Johnny and Sophia

We had such a great weekend with the grandparents. Stella celebrated her birthday at school on Friday, had her party on Saturday, and the Fall Hootenanny on Sunday(which I am sure she assumed was the continuation of her birthday celebration extravaganza). Josh was scolding her for destroying her room during nap time and she said "But it's my birthday." She is so funny and getting smarter every day. It is so great to watch her grow up and she has been such a blessing and a joy to have around. I can't believe 3 years have already passed. It seems like yesterday that I was holding her in my arms and feeling so uncertain yet thrilled to be a new mom. I remember how heart wrenching it was to leave her to go back to work and how I worried all the time about how it would affect her. Now she jumps out of the car in the morning and says "Bye, Mommy!" She asked no less than 50 times this morning if it was time to go to school yet. She is complex and emotional, but she is a precious little girl with so much love in her heart. We are honored to be her mom and dad.

I was putting together a really complex fairy lantern set that she got for her birthday and there were several little pieces to each lantern. Stella was "helping" me and I was getting frustrated. I couldn't find a piece that I needed and said "Stella, I can't find the hook-did you move it? It was just here and you keep moving everything. Where is it?" She looked me dead in the eye and said "Breathe, mama. Count to three and I will help you find it." I laughed out loud. Maybe everyone needs a portable Stella to remind them to breathe. Get your own-she's ours.

Sophia is growing up so fast. She is eating solids now and is loving it-except for green beans. They make her vomit-literally. She is still trying to learn how to crawl and can go from all fours to a sitting position. She still flips backward and bumps her head on the floor. I find myself trying to keep a pillow behind her, but she scoots all over the place so my attempts are futile. She is such an easy baby and is so happy. We are happy that she chose us to watch her grow. She is an angel. If I would have had her first, I would have had three more kids. But since Stella was first, well...we'll just have to keep it at two.

Happy Halloween!

Reading to Bootsy, the prisoner-see the toys around that she brought to her?

Posin' with the pumpkins-doesn't she look thrilled?

What a weekend! The Newmans came to visit and left this morning. We had an action packed weekend. Stella had her Halloween party at school on Friday, Trick or Treating on Saturday, and shopping on Sunday. Stella was really shy at first about trick or treating until she realized that she would get candy. From then on, she was a pro! The weather was pretty nasty, but we still went out for a bit. We came back home to eat dinner and had so many trick or treaters. Stella loved greeting them at the door, handing out candy, and depositing more into her own bucket. She hasn't even asked for it, so I guess she doesn't realize that it is hers to keep. We probably won't get away with that next year. Anyway, it was a successful first for us and now we are looking forward to the Brunette visit and Stella's 3rd birthday this coming weekend. Can't believe she is going to be 3. More updates to come!

I'm a Great Runnist

Josh has always had his own language over the years....now it has passed on to his offspring. For instance, when I make a great meal, he will say "Amy, you are such a great cookist." When complimented on his driving skills, he might say "Of course, because I am a great drive-ist." The other day, Stella was running through the house and shouted "I am a great runnist!" We both cracked up.

Sophia's baptism was last Sunday and the whole congregation sang a song to her! I shed a tear. Of course, it doesn't take much to make me shed a tear.

Pastor Glen walked around the church and introduced her to everyone. This also made me shed a tear. Nikki and Whitney were in town for this event and just having them here made me shed a tear.

After church, hanging out on the couch. We forgot to get a proper pic at church. There was a lot going on!

We went to Monkey Joe's with our friend Caroline and her mom, Marie. It was so much fun!

The leaves they are a changin'...

So is Sophia

She's getting very big

So is her smile

"My, what big pumpkins you have." Bert's Pumpkin Farm has the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen in my life. I bet they have to put a fire pit in these things to get them to light up. Or maybe you don't carve mammoth pumpkins....I don't know.

Have I mentioned how difficult it is to get a good picture with both of them in it?

Pumpkin sandwich

I underestimated how much cooler it would be after driving an hour and a half north into the mountains. I wore a short sleeved shirt (genius, I know). Josh offered up his coat-what a gentleman!

Bert's Pumpkin Farm in Dawsonville, Georgia

This pumpkin was $99. We urged Stella to move on to the $10 pumpkins.

Never take a walk with Stella without a stroller. Inevitably, her short little legs will wear out (especially when she is running half of the time) and she will want to be carried home. We love to take walks around our neighborhood and lately, Stella does not want to be tied down to a stroller. So, I put Sophia in the stroller and let her walk. We must have taken a few detours from our normal route the other day because she kept wanting to take a rest...every 10 feet. I explained to her that the sun was going down and we needed to get home. I said "Do you want me to carry you on my back?" "Yes." This lasted about 5 minutes until she slid down to the ground and said "I'm too tired. My feet need to rest." I said "Do you want to get back on my back? We really need to get home." "No, mama. I want to ride on your stomach." (no fat jokes, please-she meant she wanted me to carry her in the front, not on my back. At least that's what I want to believe.) I ended up letting her stand on the back of the umbrella stroller and held her up all the way home. We have a VERY hilly neighborhood, just so you know. Never again my friends-I have learned my lesson.

"The sun is out too long." Does anyone know what this means? Is this in a children's book that I don't know about? It has been Stella's excuse for everything lately.

• It is time to eat dinner, Stella. "I can't! The sun is out too long!"
• Let's go inside now. "NO!! The sun is out too long!"
• Put your coat and shoes on. "Mama, I can't because the sun is out too long."

I have to agree because sometimes I think the sun is out too long myself. I mean, sometimes the days seem to go on forever. Maybe she is on to something. Should we move to a place where the days are shorter? Perhaps that is what she is trying to tell us.

On one of the days where the sun was out too long, I decided to empty out all of Stella's toy baskets and organize them. I took pictures of the contents of each basket and plan on affixing the picture to each basket so Stella knows where her toys are located. I was so excited about this until I told Josh and his reply was "You need to go back to work." I guess turning our dining room into a preschool classroom wasn't what he had planned when we moved into this house.