Birthday Numero Uno

Sophia's FIRST BIRTHDAY was February 6th!  It was a very exciting day around here!  Sophia was spoiled with the following:

1. A tiara to wear for the day
2. A wand to carry for the day
3. A walker from Mom & Dad
4. A dolly from G&G Simpson
5. A "Garden Activity Center" from G&G Wilson
6. TWO birthday cards from G&G Wilson (still not sure why they sent 2, but we aren't complaining)
7. An overstuffed cow named LouEllen
8. An adorable dress and bath toys from Janina
9. Lots of wrapping paper to rip off boxes
10. Lots of boxes to play with once gifts were opened...

And, of course, CAKE WITH FROSTING!  She thoroughly loved all of the above with the exception of the cake.  No big surprise there, given her behavior at most meals.

It's hard to believe she's already one-year-old! YIKES - where did the time go?  Some of the things I miss most about her babyhood are:

1. Late night feedings in the quiet, peaceful dark
2. Her quiver lip when she cried
3. Her ability to entertain herself for an hour just laying on a blanket

Unwrapping the walker

Unwrapping the dolly - the pics with the dolly were blurry, bummer!

She loves the walker!

We named the cow LouEllen

Playing with balls!

Peek-a-boo

What-choo lookin' at?

Birthday Girl with Dad AND Pigtails!

The Princess with her Royal Cake

Time to clean up after the cake

Christmas!

This post is awfully late, but I drove down a street yesterday with 4 houses still decorated for Christmas and figured, "if they still have their lights up, I can certainly still post about Christmas."  We went to Reno for Christmas this year - and good thing we did because Sophia's first Christmas was a WHITE Christmas...and everyone knows White Christmases are the best!  She loved the snow (playing in it and eating it).  We received some great gifts, but mostly just enjoyed being with family!

I crocheted these cowls for gifts this year.

Sophia's first "dress up" experience

"Put a fork in me - I'm done with Christmas!"

Sophia's favorite way to watch Baby Einstein.  Janelle's favorite way to get stuff done!

Sophia's first haircut - thanks Gramma!

Jeff's favorite Christmas present

Sophia loves the snow...

....and swings!

Here comes Santa Claus!

We have an adorable couple at our church that dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus every year for our church Christmas party.  Of course we took Sophia to see Santa this year - she didn't even cry!  In fact, she really loved Mrs. Claus!

Happy Thanksgiving (3 weeks later)

This was our first Thanksgiving in our home!  We really enjoyed not travelling during the busiest travel week of the year!  We also really enjoyed having Jeff's brothers come to Seattle for the holiday.  We had good conversation, fun games, rainy outings, and of course good food.

Being the snob that I am, I wanted to have a very classy Thanksgiving so we went all out with the decor.  It was so fun to see it all put together.  Sophia woke up just as we were sitting down to dinner, but she sat happily in her highchair eating mashed potatoes for about 45 minutes...it was fabulous!

Sophia loved cousin Ellie!

THE Thanksgiving Table!

Just Dance!

Pike's Place

Justin Bieber Laser Show

Gingerbread Houses at the Sheraton

Sophia loves mashed potatoes

Grandma and Grandpa

My parents came to visit us at the beginning of October.  We had such a good time with them!  My dad works for Bank of America so he gets off from work all of the random holidays that the rest of us wish we got off like Columbus Day.  Anyway, they came to celebrate Columbus Day with us.

We mostly worked on projects because my parents are awesome like that.  Their vacation time always seems to turn into "help our kids" time.  Jeff and my dad worked on replacing a pole on our front porch which had rotted badly.  My mom and I sewed Sophia a dress and made a Halloween wreath.  We also went to a pumpkin patch, went to dinner, went shopping, played games...it was a blast!

One of the nights they were here, my Dad read Sophia her bedtime story.  During the entire story she would look at the book, then look at Grandpa, then look back at the book, then back at Grandpa, then help turn the page, then look at Grandpa.  It was like she'd never had a book read to her before, she was just so excited!  Here are a few pictures from the trip:

Actually this was after the trip...but the pumpkin is from the patch we visited

Sophia in her new dress

Storytime with Grandpa

Happy Nevada Day!

October 31st marks two very important holidays in the United States - Halloween and Nevada Day.  Since I lived in Nevada for ten years and claim the state as my home, I feel it is only appropriate to continue celebrating the day Nevada joined the United States of America. As such, this Halloween I threw a Nevada Day Party.  It was so fun and there was even a second Nevadan there to join in the celebration!  

I'm not much of a cookie decorator, but the cookies were supposed to be silver dollars, gold nuggets, and Nevada shaped cookies.  Regardless of what the cookies looked like, they tasted great.  And my first attempt at homemade apple cider wasn't too bad either...if I do say so myself.  Happy Nevada Day!

The Little Mermaid

Jeff and I can often hear faint noises from our neighbors or the street outside when we're quiet in our house.  However, about 3 or 4 months ago we started hearing a strange thumping on a regular basis.  It took us several days to realize it was Sophia pounding her legs in her crib.  When she first wakes up she get really excited and thumps both legs simultaneously.  That is why she is a mermaid this year for Halloween!

I found a crochet pattern on Etsy for a mermaid tail and figured since I'd crocheted hats and scarves in the past, I could probably do a mermaid tail.  Well, it was much more difficult than I anticipated, but it turned out insanely cute if I do say so myself!

Of course, it's much cuter with Sophia in it!