Sophia learns to sew during ICD fall break

 While Kaylee was at preschool today Sophia and I spent some quality time together shopping, having lunch, and learning a new skill.  She asked if I would teach her how to sew when we stopped in the fabric store today.

 I told her she could pick out a fabric and I would teach her how to make a simple skirt.  She chose this whimsical spooky cat fabric.  She was SO excited.  The photo above is her wearing the spooky skirt she sewed this afternoon. She actually remembered how to thread the sewing machine.  I better watch out.  She is going to want to play with my serger next. I am so proud of her.

She chose a fun whimsical fabric for her sister too so as she stated, "Kaylee needs one too so she won't be jealous." 

  I quickly serged a little fun spooky skirt for Kaylee too.

Kaylee started walking today - April 19, 2011.

Kaylee has discovered that she can walk.  She started walking one week prior to her first birthday.

Here she stood up and turned around and is saying "Yeah!" with mommy and daddy.

There she is walking like a big girl.

Run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me.  I am the running Kaylee baby girl.

Officially standing and playing at 8 1/2 months

Kaylee loves standing amd playing

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Kaylee Crawling at 6 months

April 4, 2009 Eggs Eggs Easter Egg Hunt

Sophia went to her first Easter Egg hunt this past weekend at McNair park in St. Charles, Missouri. I liked this egg hunt because they divided the kids up into age groups. Sophia was in the group from 1 to 3 year olds which was perfect for her based on her speed and ability in hunting eggs. From the smiles showing on her face, I am guessing she enjoyed it. Here she is picking up Easter Eggs and putting them in her basket.

Oh, look there are a few more. She really only found one egg but somehow more kept popping up not far from where she was. She ended up with about a half dozen eggs. Maybe someday I will share the secret with her of parents bringing extra eggs in their pockets. Thanks to my parents for that bit of advice. Egg hunts are much more fun when a child is not screaming that she didn't get any eggs. Yes, there were a few around us that screamed, but Sophia just walked along proudly with her treasure.

Scott and Sophia had a quick hug and kiss for the Easter Bunny.

April 2, 2009 "Back Pack", "Back Pack" - Sophia the Explorer

Sophia has recently discovered "Dora the Explorer" and loves the character "Back Pack!" She sings along with "Back Pack" everytime it is on TV. She only heard the word a couple times and now it is part of her regular everyday words. She pronounces it "Buck Puck!" which is so darn cute!

So, her Grandma brought her a "Back Pack." She instantly exclaimed, "Buck Puck", and launched into song, "Buck Puck! Buck Puck!" Anyone who has seen the show knows this cute little song.

Here, Sophia is proudly displaying her back pack over her head.

Her "Buck Puck" a newfound love.....

Sophia is learning words at a rate of about 2 to 4 new words a day. I can hardly keep up with her. Some of her new favorites words are "rainbow, unny (for Bunny), Map (from 'Dora the Explorer'), eggy, A, B ..."

She is also stringing words together in phrases. When Scott returned home from work the other day, he went into my room to change out of his work clothes like he does every night. Sophia exclaimed to me she was going to, "Get my Daddy!" What? Really? I couldn't believe my ears! (I was so shocked like the day at four months when she said, "Milk!") She is 18 months and stringing words together with possessive pronouns correctly. By no means is she always using full sentences with a subject and verb, but I am guessing that is not far off. How could that be? I asked Scott if I heard her right. He confirmed that is exactly what she said as she ran after him. I was shocked! I couldn't believe it. I guess all the time we spend reading books several times a day and my parallel talking is teaching her lots of vocabulary. I can only wonder what will she say next?

January 30, 2009 "I BE GOOD"

We have no pictures for today but we do have a new phrase.  Yes, you got it a phrase.  Sophia was running around the house making me crazy taking everything apart that I was cleaning up. I would pick up her toys and put them in the storage bins only to find less than 5 minutes later she had taken everything out and put it all over the floor.  The same went for her hair bows, several other toys that have several parts, her zoo, her puzzles and so on.  I was getting really frustrated. I was trying to get everything picked up so I could make dinner and get ready to go to work.   I told her she was going to have to take her nap now because she wasn't being a good girl. I picked her up and put her in her bed. I rarily punish her because she is usually a very good child.  I also try never to associate her bed with anything negative.  It just so happened that it was really naptime or a little after and she was being destructive.  So, I told her it was naptime and calmly put her in her bed. She started crying and fussing. Then, she looked me straight in the eye and said, " I BE GOOD." and she repeated it, "I BE GOOD! I BE GOOD!" I looked at her and couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was telling me she would be good I guess so she could get back out of bed.  

Until now, she has not used any three word phrases.  I was stunned. A year ago at 4 months on January 7 she said her first word "milk".  I knew then I had a smart child on my hands. Not only is milk a hard word for a baby to say, it is not a common word for a baby so young to understand.  Kids don't usually talk that early.  Three word phrases in context, how could this be? Whatever am I going to do with a kid speaking in three word phrases at 16 months?  I guess I will have to stay one step ahead of her and challenge her.  Apparently, she is smarter than I realize.  

It was so cute the way she looked at me and said, " I BE GOOD!"  that I just had to stop myself for a second and give her a big hug and kiss. I will never forget her first word a year ago or the look on her face when she told me she would be good.  Of course, it is not hard to figure out what happened next, I took her out of her bed and said, "I understand you Sophia. You will be good for mommy so I will let you stay up a little longer. Please do not destroy the house and I will turn on Babies for you meaning the DVD "Baby Signing Time", her very favorite DVD.   She was so excited that "Babies" was coming on the TV that she nearly jumped out of my arms with delight. She kept her promise, she was good and didn't undue anything else that I cleaned up this evening.  Her daddy put her to bed at 7pm which is way early, but that is okay. I better hit the sack before I stay up all night and can't function in the morning. I know Sophia will be up bright and early since she went to bed at 7pm.  Good Night!  

January 28, 2009 Grandma's Old Rocking Chair

The Old Baby Rocking Chair has been passed down to Sophia from her Grandma and Great Grandma.

This rocking chair has somehow made it through 3 generations. My mother rocked in this chair as a small child. I played with it as well and can remember rocking in it when I was younger. I do remember it being broken at some point but have no recollection of breaking it. I do know that Mike, Nicholas, and I played on it as we ran through my grandmother's house as kids. My father miraculously repaired it recently for Sophia.  The arm was completely off and the wood was really rough. Dad was able to sand it down and repair the very badly damaged arm.  I couldn't believe it was all back in one piece for my dearest Sophia considering I took it over to him in pieces. I didn't hold out a lot of hope for anyone to fix it.  If anyone could fix it, I knew my dad could fix it and he did.   I have learned over the years that my dad can fix just about anything. 

It took a while for Sophia to warm up to this chair. I have put her in it several times over the last few weeks and she always screams and cries "Mum,Mum, Up!"  She is not a fan of moving objects.  I have been putting her dolls in the rocking chair everyday.  Everyday she throws them off of the chair and onto the carpet.  She doesn't want her dolls in the chair either.  
Tonight was different.  I had just prepared her for bed by putting on her warm footed pajamas seen here and reading books.   After we finished reading books, she got down off my lap and looked at this rocking chair and sat down. I sat on the floor rocking her in it and singing songs. "Rock a bye baby on the tree top....Down will come Sophia cradle and all."  Here she looks happy. I am not sure if she is laughing at my horrible singing or if she is just happy to be rocking in the chair.  We all love you.   Sophia love and enjoy that old rocking chair now that it is back in one piece, it is yours darling.  I am such a sentimental sap for stuff like this. I am not sure why, but I have a very strong attachment to this little chair. 

January 28, 2009 Snowbunny baby's First Snow

Below, Sophia is so proud of her first snow playing experience as displayed by her smile.  Maybe she is just happy to be back inside and out of all those layers of clothing. 

So here it is the long awaited First Snow for Sophia.  She didn't really like it. She was very unsure of the whole idea once we got outside. 




 

The neighbor suggested that Sophia stand on the sewer cover 

Maybe walking on all fours would help me move around in this stuff mom calls snow.

Our neighbor took a picture of Sophia and I. Sophia just wanted me to hold her.

I am sure !Sophia is thinking the snow is up to my knees mom.  Now what do I do?  Sophia exclaimed, "Mama, Up! Up!"

All bundled up and ready to play in the snow.  Can we go out yet?

January 14, 2009 More New Words

Sunday Morning Sophia asked for an appo. It took me a few minutes to determine what she was asking. We were in her bedroom and she started saying "Appo! Appo!" I asked what are you saying, " Apple, Elmo, or Elbow? So I did the baby sign for apple and she smiled. I asked her about the other choices and she made no response. Then she said, "Appo" and put her fist near the apple of her cheek to tell me apple. Okay, I replied. We will have apples with breakfast. She was so excited when she realized that I understood her; she clapped and smiled.


Monday we went to the library and borrowed some different books to read. Sophia likes to say yellow so I picked up a book showing things that are yellow. One of the things in the book was a bumblebee. As I read the book to her, she repeated, "bumbobee!" I was delighted. Then, I made the buzzing sound for her. She imitated me and made a buzzing sound too. I was so impressed. She still remembers it today when I showed her the bumblebee in the book.

Tuesday Sophia was sick so we didn't get any pictures.

Wednesday Sophia added a new word to her vocabulary. The new word of the day was cracker or Sophia as pronounces it "Cwacko ." Most of us pronounce it cracker. Because Sophia was sick all I gave her was crackers and Jello. She quickly learned that if she asked for a cwacko, mommy would give her one. It is so cool that she can ask for something if she is hungry rather than me having to guess if she is hungry. This also let me know she was starting to feel a little better because she was getting her appetite back. I hope this is a good sign that she will be better soon.

January 6, 2009 A New Year with New Words

Sophia' vocabulary has increased all of a sudden.  It seems like whatever word she hears, she simply repeats it. The other day was Grandma.  Here are some of the following new words she has said in the last few days:

Andma (while Grandma was leaving our house)

Clean Up (while mommy was showing her how to put her toys in the toy bins)

Yellow (She learned this from the man with the yellow hat on Curious George on PBS) Now whenever she sees the color yellow in a book, she says yellow. 

Up Means everything from getting up out of bed, to put me in the kitchen with the dog so we can play.  We have to lift her up over the gate.  Getting out of her high chair is another instance where she uses "Up".

Pee She said this last night January 5 after using the potty.  Daddy asked her if she used the potty chair.  He asked if she went poop or pee.  She replied "Pee".  It was so funny the way she said it. Scott and I both clapped for her and laughed. It was if she understood what he asked.

ABC EF For Christmas Sophia received a Leap Frog - Fridge Phonics Alphabet reader from her cousins in the mail.  She loves it. She goes to the refrigerator and pushes the alphabet song button.  She then proceeds to sing the song along with the reader.  The letters listed are the only ones that are really clear as she sings so far.  She also takes each letter and puts it in the reader and says the name after the fridge reader says it.  So, not only is it great for learning her letters, it also teaches her fine motor skills. She learns how to put the puzzle piece letter inside the reader correctly.  What a great toy!  Thanks to the cousins. 

Yummy Yum She has been using this for about a month when she likes  a food she is eating. The first time she used "yummy yum" was when she was feeding her baby doll a bottle. She looked down at the baby doll and told her "Yummy Yum."

There may be more new words but that is all I can think of for right now.  I can't wait to hear what she says next. We know she understands a lot of what we say to her as displayed by her resulting actions.  I look forward to the next things she learns. 

November 12, 2008 Sophia walks

Sophia walks.   She finally did it, she walked from the TV all the way around the family room all by herself and Daddy caught the moment with the camera. Scott and Sophia were hanging out playing while Mommy was at work.   Sophia just decided to get up and get moving. Here she is walking around the room trying not to trip on all the toys scattered across the floor. She looks pretty proud that she can finally walk.  She is smiling and having a grand time showing off her new skill for daddy with the camera.  

Dearest Sophia, 

Mommy is so proud of you.  I have been waiting for this moment for the past couple months and here it is. You have finally decided that you can walk.  I am sorry I was not home when you chose to do this, but I am still very proud of you and all your accomplishments.  I love you very much and look forward to all your future firsts.  You are the best little girl a mommy could have.

Love you lots,

Mommy 

Here is a slideshow of Sophia's first steps.

November 4, Day of Firsts, She Walks, Eats White Castles

Sophia and I went to the park today Election Day. The weather was beautiful and Sophia enjoyed herself at the park. She was very good today so I took her out to lunch. In honor of her late Grandmother Sally Sikes, who loved the mini burgers from White Castles, I took her for her First White Castle Burger. She ate the burger like a big girl. She took the sandwich and ate it like she has been eating burgers forever. She also said "George" while watching Curious George for the first time. 

When we finished lunch we went for a nice bike ride all around our neighborhood. It was so pretty that we just rode around until I could barely pull her up the hills anymore. My legs were burning and I finally decided to call it quits.

We came home and Sophia had a nice sippy cup full of juice and then it happened. She was standing next to me as I sat on the couch resting from our bike ride. She reached over and started shredding a box of Kleenex. Then, she turned around and took four steps holding the shredded tissues in hand, she WALKED. She forgot to hold onto something because the tissues were in her hand. Then, she grabbed onto me because she realized she was walking. Yeah Sophia! I am so proud of you.