I have been wanting to write and update on Sofia for a while now, but how do I encapsulate this delicate firecracker in a blog post?
She continues to melt Chris's and my heart more each day. When I was young, I used to wish I could have the snuggle laundry bear for my own. I remember almost being in tears, that's how badly I wanted to hold him. And now, although she is climbing all over the place and turning the house upside down, the moments that she comes up to me and lies her head down make me feel that I have a snuggle bear of my own.
Lucas finds her a tad annoying at times. Still, he's good with her and it's obvious that she's captured his heart too. She plays soccer (since she could walk, she began naturally kicking the ball) and loves cars, dirt and rocks so they already have many activities to do together!
Here are some highlights of Sofia's life at present.
Words to describe her:
Hopeful, adventurous, graceful, resilient, impatient, observant, well-paced, gratuitous and approving when something is being done for her, smart, funny, demanding (but with a smile), always ready to have a good time, and known for her gurgles, inquisitive looks and her eureeka sounds (oooOOOOooo).
Her sleeping style:
Sofia still often wakes up multiple times a night from teething, or just whatever. The waking is erratic though. Several nights in the past few week or so, she slept straight through. Then last night she was up three times. She still has to be nursed to go to sleep. Sometimes more than once in a stretch, but she always goes down drowsy and falls asleep on her own. Any attempts at letting her cry it out turn into a hyperventilating hysteria, so I've decided we are going with the "Wait It Out" plan. She often sleeps through the night when she is about to come down with something. And that is pretty often - lately it seems we've been having a lot of weird bugs come through here, most recently a mild tummy virus that she is still working through. Her illnesses are much more brief now and she is usually able to play and eat through them.
She sleeps with a blanket and her cloud b ladubug. The lavendar insert in the ladybug was quite strong so we are letting it ventilate for a while before putting it back in. Lucas has one in his giraffe that is a year and a half old so more subdued but he does enjoy the scent - he says it helps him fall asleep.
Her eating style:
With Lucas I had a free hand and enough energy to keep his eating a bit neater. With Sofia I do not, so she often has oatmeal in her hair and chili in her ears. But she is getting better (one positive of being left on your own - you learn quickly!) and has already mastered the spoon. She is now onto the fork and has not quite figured out how to pierce food, but when I help her achieve this she gets giddy with delight! She hands-down prefers feeding herself and oftentimes refuses to let me help her even if it's something she enjoys. But she makes an exception for smoothies.
Favorite Foods:
smoked salmon, blueberries, raspberries, chili, chicken, broccoli (a new one!), warm broth from the sippy cup & smoothies
Favorite "inside" things to do:
having tea parties with her singing teapot from Gigi and Papa (Chris's parents), following through with little requests ("Sofia, please through this napkin away" or "Please put this sock back"), reading books, helping herself to things from the pantry, putting laundry away, baths, having us hold her upside down like a bat, Uttanasana the yoga pose and peeking at us upside down between her legs, pressing the pause/play button over and over on Lucas's stereo playing "Back in the USSR", dancing (is there anything cuter than the toddler bopping up and down move?)
When I am getting her dressed I act completely distraught when her hand is still in the sleeve, as if it is gone forever. Then I get overjoyed when it comes through and kiss it like crazy. She things this is the funniest thing in the world!
Favorite "outside" things to do:
digging, collecting rocks, kicking the ball, swinging (although this is becoming too passive an activity for her), going down slides head first, navigating the ramps at the multi-level treehouse/deck at Lucas's school
I am amazed at how babies develop naturally and teach themselves this second go around. Without even a suggestion, she began opening the silverware drawer and setting the table by herself to indicate that her tummy says it's time to eat! She loves order and understanding where things go, getting her shoes and other items by herself. After dinner, she marches straight to the bathroom, knowing that it's probably bath time. And even if she doesn't particularly want to take a nap, she takes initiative and walks herself to her room when I tell her it's time to read and "sleep with ladybug."
And now, naptime is over, so that's the end of the post!
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