Our Sweet Little Toddler

Photo courtesy of Kellen Jacob Photography

What a difference a year makes! Sophia is more toddler like each day. Here is the latest:

Milestones: Sophia is currently saying between 15-20 words consistently, more if you count imitations. These include: mommy, daddy, up, bite, nice, bye bye, hi, open, baby, eyes, nose, book, cookie, juice, blanket, night-night, car, bow, ball. Sophia is no longer walking - she's running and climbing. Climbing on the coffee table, into her pink chair, on top of the toy box - you name it she tries to climb it. Sophia currently has 3 teeth. Her daddy says that she's still within the "normal range" but that he was about 3 days from taking her up to hospital to get her X-Rayed to make sure there were actual teeth up there. He was quite relieved when that upper tooth came in. :) She continues to be a trooper in the sleep department, sleeping through the night and taking two naps during the day. She's pretty serious about her sleep, just like mommy and daddy.

Eating: Sophia enjoys a wide variety of fruits, meats, and breads but sticks to sweat peas and the occasional sweet potato in the veggie department. She can down breakfast. One morning she ate a whole banana, a bowl of oatmeal, a yogurt cup, and a few bites of my English muffin. Yes, she does like to steal a few bites from our plates. Her favorite thing to do is proclaim "up" when she's done with breakfast in her highchair. She then walks back and forth between her toys and the dinner table where she demands a "bite" of mommy or daddy's food. She doesn't eat as much for lunch or dinner. Although, give the girl a banana and she can eat it anytime, anywhere. It's by far her favorite food.

Favorites: Sophia is starting to enjoy stuffed animals. She picks them up, flings them over her shoulder, pats them on the back, and says, "ah." Her current favorites: Build a Bear Bunny from Aunt Kaela and Elmo from Mama Jean. This girl loves her music. This fall Mama Jean and Sophia went to Kindermusik once a week. I was fortunate to see Sophia in action the last two sessions. She adores the music and learned the motions to some of the songs before the end of the semester. As a result she likes to "pat" her tummy and dance to music. And finally, she continues to adore her books. If I need some time to finish a task, I can empty out her book box and she will sit on the floor turning the pages of each book, all the while jibber jabbing and pointing at the pictures. This can hold her attention for a good 15-20 minutes. Blocks, trucks, stacking - not so much.

Personality Plus: "Where's your nose Sophia?" is followed by touching EVERYONES nose in the room. You will not be able to escape it - just yield and let her jab her finger into your nose, followed by your eyes, and then a rather forceful turning of your head to point to your ears. She tells us when she's ready for night-night. Sometimes I could rock and sing to her forever but she will only take so much of this before she sits up in my lap, looks me in the eyes, and says, "night-night." She will not lay down in my arms again - it's time to go to her crib. And finally, she likes to make this scary face for the crocodile, lion, tiger, and bear:

Sophia, I would like to say that my love grows more each day that you grow but I like the way William P. Young states it in The Shack: "So many believe that it is love that grows, but it is the knowing that grows and love simply expands to contain it. Love is just the skin of knowing." I didn't think it was possible to love you any more than I did the day you were born but the more I know you the more I love you. Sandra Boynton puts it this way in one of your favorite books, Snuggle Puppy: "I love what you are. I love what you do. Fuzzy little snuggle puppy, I love you!"