My Baby Sofia is 1

My Dearest Doo Tweet-ums Baby Sofia,

I am overcome with love and bewilderment that you are a year old today.  Time has sped by and my heart is full.  I am so grateful that I was given the privilege of being your mom.  I remember holding you when you were so new and straight from heaven.  With your dark mohawk hair,  your gorgeous eyelashes  and all your parts so perfect and beautiful.  I was full of wonder and a bit afraid of my responsibilities of raising you to be a confident, strong, regal, spiritual and responsible girl.  I examined and touched every inch of your tiny body.  Thanking my Heavenly Father that all was well and that my body had not destroyed yours.  I felt as if you knew me instantly and our hearts connected and were bound forever in that instant.  I am so glad I have a daughter.  Not just to fuss and dress up and play but to teach and love and be bound together as women.  I do love you so my sweet daughter.

From day one, you have not been content to just hang out.  You are so busy and have to be doing something, learning something or studying something all the time.  That is why we call you Baby Doo.  You want to learn everything all at once.  I know you have a great purpose on this earth and your spirit yearns to just get on with it.  We have found so much joy in watching you learn and develop your body and personality.  You are definitely going to keep me on my toes.

You have a huge heart.  You love being out and about with lots of people to watch and see.  You brighten up and acknowledge the people that you love and know.  You also respond greatly to people you know love you even if you don't know them well.  I love this about you.  Always strive to expand this love you have for everyone it will make your life richer and happier and full of great meaning.  

Your personality is starting to leap out at us.  Your laugh is contagious,  and your brother can get you to laugh more than anyone.  You are a very happy baby now.  I feel as if you have finally excepted the timeline of being here on earth and now you have chosen just to enjoy the ride.  Everyday we learn new and marvelous traits  that you have.  You have been called, a serious baby, but your really not at all.  You are maticulous, tenacious, calculating and driven.  Not just for knowledge but experiences, feelings and life.  And you find joy in so many little things.  

Thank you my sweet baby Sofia Caroline, for coming to our family. And making us whole and complete.   I am so looking forward to watching you grow.  I love you with all my heart can hold

Love you forever,

Mom

Our Christmas in Pictures 2008

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  

Grateful Sunday 12-21-08

A Very Busy Fun Weekend:  To hear more read the last three posts.  We also went to Bonzai on Friday night for dinner, which was delicious.  It was a fun and tiring weekend.  Would not have it any other way.  

My Grandmas:  I visited both my Grandmas today with my two kids.  I love going into their homes.  It reminds me when I was young and all the memories there are sweet.  I love these women.  I am very blessed.

Noah:   Even in the last three months he is just excelling in everything.  It is like he finally gets so many things we have been working on.  His speech is a bit better,  he is trying and gets more frustrated when we don't get it.  We do get it more than we used to also.  He has been pooping in the potty for almost 2 weeks and now wears his big boy underwears to bed.  Tonight it will be 5 nights in a row.  Hooray, save $ no more pull ups.  He is so joyful and helpful.  He comes up with so many fun ideas and he is starting to get a sense of humor and tries to tell jokes.  I just love him.  

Christmas Tree Twinkle Lights:  I was nursing Sofia before bed the other night and my heart leaped back a year.  And I have come full circle.  Last year I started feeding my daughter under the glow of the Christmas tree and now a year later the magic is still there.  It was a sweet moment with my baby,  who is my last. (sniff sniff).  I love the way that Christmas lights put a magic glow around the room.  I remember playing house underneath our Tree as a child and I still play house under my tree now.  

A Night with Annie and Peter

Last night my dear friend Annie and I went to the Peter Breinholt Christmas concert downtown.   We had the best time.  This summer we went to an outdoor festival where I introduced Annie to Peter and when she called and said we should go.  I jumped at the chance.  Usually when we hang out we have Lily, Noah, Jacob and Sofia.  It was really lovely just being us girls.  She has become a very dear friend,  we talk every single day.  She picked me up a bit early.  So we had time to go to Squatters and get wings and salad.  It was so yummy and it was fun to talk and talk.  It is what we do best.  We had great seats up on the balcony right in the middle.  She is fun to go to concerts with, for she wears her emotions on her sleeve.   It was a lovely evening.

I realized last night how much I miss music.  I have neglected this part of myself since college.  As a child I took violin, mandolin and piano lessons.  I took singing lessons in high school and sang in groups through college.  I loved watching the instruments and how their hands flew across the keys or strings.  You could see their love and passion for music as they sang.  My heart was full and I came away with so much more of the Christmas spirit and ready for the week ahead.  Perfect way to bring in the week of Christmas.  Thanks Annie

Babes In Toyland

My dad is in a play this Holiday season.  He plays the Toymaker and Santa Claus in "Babes in Toyland" at the Children's Theatre downtown.  Noah and I decided to make it a date.  So  we went to the Matinee with Nik and Lena.  It was a really cute play.  Full of lots of colors and fun for the kids.  Noah laughed and got upset at the bad guys and said he loved it.  He kept asking when we would see Santa Claus.  We had talked about it all day. 

So he was jumping with excitement when we were able to stand in line to sit on his lap again.

It was a perfect Santa moment.

When "Santa" saw  my son,  he exclaimed "Noah, come sit on my lap".  They talked about what he liked "Star Wars, guns etc.  When Noah came back to me afterwards,  he said "MOm,  he knew my name and what I wanted."  I exclaimed "Well, of course,  he is Santa Claus".  I could tell that got Noah thinking 
We waited until all the kids were able to sit on Santa's lap.  Then I took my turn.  This is the Santa I sat on since I was a kid.  I have pictures dating from the late 70's on this Santa.  As a kid I use to think I was really special for My dad was a special Santa helper since he could not be everywhere.  He could talk to Santa and let him know what was going on.  I knew the secret that my dad was the one under the Santa suit and he told the real Santa about all the little kids.   My brother Nik took his turn also.  It was really fun.  You did  a fabulous job, Daddy.  

Now a Yellow Belt

We have had a wide weekend starting on thursday night where Noah went to his karate graduation.    I was so proud and impressed that a four year old advanced from a white to a yellow belt.  The week before at his test,  once he focused he did all of the moves on his own and proved that he knew his stuff.  I was a bit emotional watching him accomplish this feat.  He is obviously the youngest in his class and he earned a perfect attendance star.  

Noah showing his old white belt and his new yellow belt

Spencer and Noah congratulating each other for getting their new upper belt

This fuzzy pic is Noah receiving his certificate and his yellow belt, with Sensai Gearold and Sensai Colton

Here he is with his teachers and new uncle and cousin.  They are really proud of him.

He is pretty young to advance so quickly.  Yeah,  I need to brag just a bit.