2011 looking back

Happy New Year!!!

I can't believe how much has changed over one year.

We rang in 2011 waiting for our baby girl to arrive.

and just a few weeks into the new year we welcomed sweet little Sophia.

We celebrate the beginning of 2012 with a very busy, almost toddler keeping our days full and filled with smiles.

We can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us!

Christmas!

Christmas morning arrived and we ran downstairs to check out what Santa brought. Sophia wanted to bring one of her favorite books with her ;)

Sophia still had a cold but it didn't bother her one bit. She was very excited to get her hands on her stocking that has been hanging by the fireplace for weeks.

We helped Sophia unwrap her gifts. She enjoyed exploring everyone's new things. She loved these little egg balls that rattle and daddy's hand lotion.

After we had our little Christmas just the three of us, we had my family over for brunch (no one took pictures!) and then went to Nana and Pappy's for a few more gifts. We spread the unwrapping out some because it was too overwhelming for Sophia.

She received lots of wonderful toys (more pictures to come). A favorite was the doll she received from Nana and Pappy. She loves this doll. Nana told her to "kiss the baby" and she put it right up to her mouth with a great big grin on her face. Love.

We had a wonderful Christmas day. Unfortunately, that night Sophia's cold turned into Croup. Poor thing was so upset and couldn't sleep until midnight (after a walk around the block in her snowsuit...). We're just thankful she was able to enjoy her first Christmas!

Christmas Eve- Part 2

After her nap Sophia got all dressed up and ready for Christmas Eve services (she was wearing shoes....she preferred bare feet. ha). Sophia wore my Christmas dress from when I was just a little older than her.

We went to the live pageant service at our church. Sophia loved being in church. She hasn't been to a service since she was just a few months old, as she is far to noisy for a normal church service. The pageant service was the perfect one to take her to. There were lots of kids and even live animals so no one minded that Sophia was a chatterbox. She enjoyed pointing out everything to mom and dad. "Look mom lights!" "look a donkey!" "look windows!" "look people!" or at least this is what I imagine she was saying.

After the service we headed to Nana and Pappy's for dinner.

Pointing to the Christmas tree. Making sure everyone sees it.

Pappy Clark showing Ms. S a few special ornaments on the tree.

Sophia enjoyed every minute of Christmas Eve despite her cold. I am pretty sure her favorite part was throwing her sippy cup on the floor and watching Pappy pick it up all through dinner. After an early dinner we rushed home to get Ms. S in bed so Santa could come! (with hopes that the cold would be gone by morning)

Christmas Eve-Part 1

We had a very busy, fun filled, first Christmas with Sophia! Unfortunately, Ms. S woke up on the 23rd with a cold that only got worse until it turned into Croup on Christmas day :( Despite that we still enjoyed our Christmas!

The morning of Christmas Eve we had our Christmas with Carl's parents. They were heading to Virginia to be with Carl's sister on Christmas so we got together a day early.

Sophia doesn't "get" gifts quite yet and really is not very interested in the unwrapping process at all. So with a little help from mom and Grandma all of her gifts were opened.

Inspecting her new shopping cart. She was very interested in the little girl on the box.

We then spent some time with the salin spray so our sweet girl could take a good nap before church and Christmas Eve dinner at Nana and Pappy's. Sophia loves the salin spray bottle (don't worry, she's always supervised when holding it ;)). More on our Christmas Eve and Christmas day to come.....

first snow

We had our first real snowfall last weekend. We've had light sprinkles once or twice before but never anything that stuck. On Saturday we got a few inches, so we decided it was time to introduce Ms. S to the wonderful white stuff!

Looking cute in her snowsuit.

I think it's safe to say that Sophia wasn't sold on the cold white fluffy stuff....

Probably didn't help that mom was behind the camera and not with her. We lasted all of one minute. haha We plan to take her out a few more times to help her get used to the white stuff and hopefully one day turn those tears into squeals of delight! ;)

11 months!

11 months! Only one more month until Sophia is 1, oh my! Sophia is becoming less and less of an baby each day. If I thought I had trouble taking pictures of her before...these days I'm lucky if I get a picture of the back of her head!

I bribed her to sit still with an empty applesauce packet (anyone know how to photoshop that thing out?!)....


It worked for all of two seconds...

but I got some cute shots anyways :)

Sophia at 11 months:

• wears size 6-9 month clothes and some 12 months



• eats 3 solid meals a day of all table food (ground turkey, peas, carrots, blueberries, rice cakes etc)



• nurses 3 times a day and gets a bottle at bedtime



• takes 2 naps, sometimes very reluctantly and sleeps from about 7-7 (though we've been having some early mornings the last few days!)



• loves to point at things so we can name them for her



• can stand very briefly on her own



• loves to walk around using furniture or her push toy for support



• loves to play with the toys at the library



• is busy busy busy!

Sophia, you are so curious! From the moment you wake up in the morning you are pointing at things and "asking" mommy and daddy to tell you what they are. You are on the move and going places fast! We love watching you grow and learn new things each day. We love you sweet girl!

O Christmas Tree

Last Saturday we kicked off the Advent season by cutting down our Christmas tree!

Cutting down our tree is a tradition my dad and I started when I was in high school. I am so excited to share this family tradition with Sophia!

Pappy Clark and Sophia trying to find 2 perfect trees (one for Nana and Pappy and one for Sophia).

The Carter family (I have to hunt down last year's picture, lets just say things have changed! and we love it!)

Sophia taking a ride in the tree sled before the tree was cut. She was far more interested in the pine needles than the fact that she was in a sled that was moving...

Daddy doing the hard work cutting down the tree.

Once we get the tree up (it is still in our garage....baking 6 batches of cookies and night classes have postponed that part of the story) I will post pictures!

future drummer?

As long as we can keep the drum sticks out of our mouth...

We may have a future as a rock star...

mommy's little helper

Sophia loves 'helping' mommy out lately.

Folding laundry...

She is an excellent basket emptier....

Doing dishes...

Cutest helper a mom could ask for!