November Fun

Sophia and Dillyn





Nicole and Dillyn

We were busy spending time with friends and family in November and are looking forward to Christmas this year. I love baking, making crafts, and cozying up to my family by the fire with Hot Cocoa in hand! I do not have any Thanksgiving pictures to post yet, but hopefully will soon. We stuffed our turkeys, watched football, and did some 3am shopping on black friday. I've almost finished Christmas shopping! Yeah! I still have ornaments to make from Sophia to grandparents and picture blocks!

On another notehere are some things Sophia is doing at 15 months:
*Says and signs words: please, eat, more
*words she says: all gone, up, out, puppy, baby, Aubree, momma, daddy, hi, bye bye, duck,ball, milk (pronounced GULK), and many more
*she loves to climb, cook, and play with her babies
*she loves to pretend to read, and play play play
* dancing queen

Funny Things:
*she Quacks when she sees a bird
*she calls EVERYONE Aubree because she loves her cousin Aubree
*she says up for down too
*she does leg extensions while dancing

And Then There Were Four

I should be napping right now, but it has been over a month since I posted anything. There has been a lot of things happening since my last post.

For starters I'm PREGO again! Ready or not, here baby #2 comes. We should expect the new bundle the first week in June, or sooner :)! I don't know if I'm ready for the newborn stage again, but it has to happen sometime.


Halloween was so much fun! Sophia actually went trick of treating to three houses and LOVED it! I can't wait until next year!





I am so excited about the holidays and can't wait to feel "normal" again if ever I was. I just hate pregnancy sickness. It is getting better.

I am obsessed with eating right and not gaining much weight this time, but it doesn't seem to matter. I'm just thankful this baby really doesn't like sweets or soda.

Regulars in my life:
Laughing Cow cheese
Honey crisp apples
Reading the Lost Symbol
Dancing with Sophia
Feeling Blah
Teaching cute kiddos
Insanity :)

Changes in the Hair

I can't believe it is October already. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Fall! My favorite time of year. I love it when the weather changes and the leaves color. Change has been the most consistent constant in my life and I embrace it. I find joy in the everyday constants too like: playing with Sophia, baking treats, reading, moments of queit serenity, and teaching.

Change, however, can be refreshing and revitalizing! Here is my big change for the fall: I chopped off my hair, and I LOVE it!


On another note, we have been busy decorating for fall, making decorations, making baby gifts, hanging with friends and family, and playing outside (a lot)! Sophia is busy eating things after they have been in her pockets for HOURS (grody), talking, talking, talking, climbing on everything, and puting away mom's things in the strangest places (favorite place to "put things away" is the bathtub), and giving lots and lots of hugs and kisses!

September

This month has been full of fun and changes. Preschool started on the 1st of September and has been wonderful. It is hard work, but so much easier to manage 6, four year olds instead of 18, five year olds. Management issues are at an all time minimum compared to Kinder. These kids are so smart too. We are moving into being scientists through the five senses and putting letters together to make words. It has been exhausting, seeing as I haven't worked in over a year. Sophia is enjoying playing with some girls around her age. I do miss her while I'm teaching, but it is fun for both of us.

Random Pics!

Little Miss Piggie

Sophia can finally wear PIGTAILS!!!!!!!!!!!! It is so much fun, yet soooooooo sad at the same time. Our little girl is starting to look older. Kids grow up so fast. We are loving this age! Playing chase, singing, dancing, brushing each other's hair (and teeth), and snacking together.

Sophia's first trip to the temple!

Happy First Birthday Sophia

Dearest Sophia,

This year has gone by so fast. It seems like days ago, not one year, that we were flying over pot holes to get to the hospital. At about 6:30pm on August 14th I was chatting on the phone to your Yaya when POP!!!!! my water broke right then and there on the couch. I frantically washed up, shaved my legs, and polished my piggies while Yaya tried to keep me calm. When your Daddy got home from work he was in for a BIG surprise. With bags already in the car, I announced that my water had broke and the Hospital L&D was waiting on us to arrive.



We hurried off on the MOST exciting adventure of our lives. The birth of our first baby girl! Your Dad was driving safely but very very quickly, as we flew threw stop lights and were air born at several points in the journey. My contractions were literally 2 minutes apart, and VERY painful. We arrived safely and were now waiting on your arrival. Even at that moment, we never knew just how much we were going to love you. My contractions were very close, and very painful. Drugs helped, but soon wore off and the second dose was no match for the contractions. Finally, at 1am I met the man of my dreams, the anesthesiologist!!! From that point on it was a breeze.




After 15 minutes of pushing you were born at 8:13am on 8/15/09 weighing 6 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long. There you were, my heart, the most perfect being my eyes had ever beheld. So tiny, so new, so fresh from Heaven. I did not cry when I first saw you, but my Momma instinct kicked in from the moment you were born. I had an urgency to feed you, take care of you, and protect you. After we cuddled and nursed, the nurses finished testing and discovered you had low blood sugar. You were whisked away to have a giant IV placed in your head, I cried for the first time.



The first couple of days were difficult because you were not feeding well. They had to give you the bottle to help with low blood sugar and you were having some trouble breast feeding. By Tuesday, many lactation visits, and plenty of tools, you were finally breastfeeding and off the bottle.

We brought you home on Sunday. You were a wonderful little newborn. You slept all the time and cried when you were hungry or tired. A couple of weeks later your naps went haywire and you were a little fussy, but reflux medicine helped.


Your Daddy and I loved every minute of your first year. It was hard and required much sacrifice, but it was worth it. By 8 months your reflux was gone and by 5 months you were finished with physical therapy for torticollus.

We love you so! You bring so much joy to so many people. You are a spunky determined little girl who loves to read, talk, run, and play wit your Daddy. You are my heart, walking around outside my body. How can someone possess such a deep love. I feel closer to my Heavenly Father because of you. I now know a little of the love he has for us. I could not imagine loving you anymore, but everyday I do. My heart should burst...but my capacity to love just continues to grow. I love you and your Daddy so...



Happy Birthday to our little Sopapilla!

Love you so,
Mom and Dad

Crazy Girl

Sophia's favorite game: run from Mommy!

It is unfathomable to think that Sophia will be turning one in August! This first year with her has gone by so fast. It has been a miracle to witness her growth physically and cognitively. Here are some snapshots of our crazy life together!


Falling!


Mischievous!

Following in Daddy's footsteps!

Fireworks, Friends, and Small Town Parade

Our Forth of July was filled with a pancake breakfast with friends, small town parade, and fireworks with family. Sophia had fun watching all of the patriotic patrons marching the streets of Haslet. She even enjoying admiring the old cars, festive floats, and fire engines! The sound of vrooming motorcycles was the only time her pouty face made an appearance! Despite the sweat, we were able to keep relatively cool, hydrated, and hot dog full bellies! Later that evening my Dad and Kelly came up to watch movies and enjoy our community fire works from the best spot in town! Our backyard!!!

Just Keep Swimming...

Sophia's first summer has been a BLAST! We started off the summer with Mommy and Me swimming lessons! Sophia was the youngest baby there, 10 months old, but she was the bravest and often the Ginny pig! The toddlers learned to bend down and pick things up in the water, reach towards the stairs, turn around, and jump back off, and hang on to edge of the pool. While some of these activities were heart pounding at first, I was proud of how brave Sophia was. She loves to go to the pool, what kid doesn't? Now that she is running around everywhere, the local splash pool has a new shark on the loose! Beware sunbathers, playing children, and any objects shiny or sparkly (such a girl). Despite the 16 pool closings due to miscreants who poo in the pool, we have had fun getting tans and splashing around!

Haslet Style-I'm a Journalist

If you get the Haslet Style it came out today! The article I wrote is The ABC's OF KINDERGARTEN READINESS! Check it out if you get a chance! This is my first time to ever write an article for a magazine. It is not perfect, but it was sooo much fun!

Exciting News

I may be a little crazy, but the world needs us crazy people to have faith and JUMP into life. Many of you know that I taught Kindergarten in Denton before staying home with Sophia. I love to teach. I love to see the light bulbs of inspiration as kids discover things for themselves and share it with others. I want to share my gifts with others in our community and bring in some income, so I have decided to teach Pre-School from my home! I am going to offer MW or MWF classes from 9:00-11:45. I am soooo excited about this new adventure in our lives. I am working on the room right now and will post pics as it comes together.

I just started spreading the word in our community, but the newsletter does not come out until the end of July. I have also written an article for the Haslet Style magazine called The ABC's of Kindergarten Readiness. It will come out in the back to school addition.

I am only taking 5-6 kids in order to keep a low student/teacher ratio. I can't wait until everything comes together. If you know anyone who is looking for a pre-school spread the word!!! I have a flyer and other info but do not know how to link word documents to posts.

Teaching again will be a breathe of fresh air!

Hi Daddy!

Happy first official Father's Day Jerad!
My friend Natasha from Sweet Lime Photography took these pics and some other sweet ones of our family that I will post later. She is having a contest for a free photo session, so check out her site.

Sophia is so fortunate to have a Dad like Jerad. He is fun, sweet, considerate, and protective. He has always been the VERY involved Dad and loves to spend his free time with us. He never imagined he would be so in love with our little family. Sophia and Dad love to play, swim, take walks, and cuddle on the couch!

Side Note: While taking pictures on Saturday June 13th, Sophia looked at Jerad, waved and said "Hi, Dad"! How sweet! What a perfect Father's Day gift!

Pittsbutg,TX Home of the Hot Link

Some of my favorite childhood memories are nestled between the towering pecan trees and running crawdad creeks of East Texas. Every summer I would map out my Papa's land. Me, my cousin, and some crazy chickens were pioneers on a trek across the great wilderness. Along the way we were met by water mocasins, rabid wild dogs, boars, and angry chickens! We would seek refuge in the tall oak trees and look out across our vast beautiful empire. When the sun blazed our backs we would dip our toes into the sparkling stock ponds; not too far, for fear of the mocasins kept us from breaking too many rules. So many adventures, so many memories.




In May we visited my papa in beautiful Pittsburg, TX. A birthday celebration with hotlinks, chocolate cake, and family.

Silver and Gold

"Make new friends but keep the old, some are silver and the others gold!"


May was a month of visits from friends of old and new. My friend Juliann, who I roomed with in college came down to Texas for a visit. I was fortunate enough to get to see her while she was here visiting family. Her family lives near Houston, so we met in Waco for some lunch. Sophia and Juliann's 4 month old baby boy, Kai, had fun talking to each other. Sophia cried most of the way there, but was as happy as a clam when we got out. When it was time to go home she was zonked from all of the play. It was so great to see my dear friend.


Around the same time some friends came to stay with us (well really with Sophia). We had so much fun with Nick and Maddie. Sophia LOVED them so! She laughed and giggled to her hearts content. She was so excited that she didn't take her naps and woke up at 5am to greet us in the mornings! Sophia and Nick had fun playing ball. Sophia really liked it when he would throw the very soft soccer ball in her face. What a weirdo!

We all had fun watching movies, making pizza, swimming, and playing games. It made me realize how busy your life gets as your kids get older. We had so much fun with these sweet, creative, funny kids!