Hallowe'en preview

CHEESE!

I decided to teach Sofia "Cheese" this morning.  These are some of the resulting faces.  Pretty funny! 

Grandpops Girl!

Sofia was helping me sweep the floors this morning and having fun doing it!   She was actually cheering for herself "YEAH, I did it!"  It was really funny. 

Randoms

Feeding a goat at a local farm.  

She's such a brave girl, you'd never catch me letting a goat touch me!  I'm a scare-dy-cat.

This pumpkin was HUGE!  

Trying to do her own hair.

Sofia is big on hats right now.  Everything is going on her head and being called a hat; toast, toys, shoes, clothes, books, really everything... however try to get her to keep a real hat on! HA

Fun weekend

We had a great weekend, sunny and crisp!  On Friday we had Aidens special day in a very late celebration of Aidens birthday.  We had Starbucks, hung upside down at the park, played cards, and went out for dinner.  It was a lot of fun.

On Saturday Grant arranged for some of his friends to meet us at a local park for a wiener roast and to see the salmon spawn.  The kids ate way to many hot dogs and the adults all had fun.

On Sunday we enjoyed a great walk at one of our favourite ocean spots, then had a great family dinner at FarMor and Grandpa Chris' (Happy Birthday Auntie Regina).

Great, fun, wonderful family time this weekend.  Sadly the camera batteries were dead.  

Ewedeshalo & STEP

Sofia is chattin' up a storm. I can get her to say just about anything some of it is gibberish and other stuff sounds pretty close.  She won't say " I love you" but she is will say "ewedeshalo" which is better as far as I'm concerend.  She and I had been saying it back and forth a few times yesterday and then she walked into the kitchen, right up to me and said "ewedeshalo" and I just about starting bawling!  Oh geez I love that little girl!!!  Being a parent IS the best thing on earth.  

Speaking of being a parent, I'm taking a STEP (systematic training for effective parenting) course.  I think that it's going to be interesting.  I'd say right now our parenting style is "patchwork".  This course will give us a foundation that we can build on.  Sofia is a strong willed child and we know that we don't have long until she's 'playing us' so we've got to be confident in our parenting method.  

*Ewedeshalo is Amharic for I love you.

Hockey!

Sofia and Twinkle waiting patiently for the puck to drop.

Pam, Mum, Twinkle, Jason, & Sofia

All geared up for another season!

I'm a bit behind with my posting... These pics are from the first regular season game a couple of weeks ago.  Pam and Jay are our hockey/camping buddies (although we didn't manage to get camping this year) and they came over to watch the game with us.  Sadly the game had a late start and Sofia didn't get to see the puck drop.  She has watched a few periods since then and seems to like it.  We are concerned she might be cheering for the wrong team, we caught her kissing the tv screen during the Montreal Canadiens introduction last Saturday night.  She really likes the cheering and high fives that come along with the game though and she thought it was really neat that we matched.  She now points to her chest and says "hockey".  Oh and the Canucks have a 2-0 record when Sofia has worn her jersey on game day ... coincidence?  

Tooth Envy

When we met this sweet little girl she only had 2 teeth.  5 months later she only has 6 teeth.  Sofia got her first teeth at the time when most kids are getting their one year molars.  Many people have told me that it is better to get your teeth late.  However I have tooth envy.  Every time a see a picture of a little one near Sofias age I count their teeth, every time we are at play group I count the kids teeth ... When oh when am I going to be able to give my little girl a carrot stick?  

Wittys Lagoon

Sofia, Qimik, and I are trying to soak up every bit of sun that we can.  Wittys is a favourite of mine.  We can't go there in the summer because of the no dogs allowed rule but we go there as much as we can in the winter.  Sofia loves her gumboots and loves to splash in the water.  She is also getting good at spotting 'treasures' aka rocks, shells, seaweed.  Lucky for the insides of my pockets she doesn't like to save these treasures but throw them in the ocean.  I'm sure this will change when she's older and we will have jars full of special rocks and shells.  

Baking cookies for Papa

Sofia mixed the dry quinoa and cocoa powder but Mum forgot to put it in the cookie batter, oops.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm feeling a bit sappy today and I'd just like to share what I'm most Thankful for today...

I am thankful for our family and friends that accepted our choice to adopt and so quickly welcomed Sofia into their lives.

I am thankful for Sofias birth mother, I think about her everyday.  

I am thankful for my husband.  He is such a wonderful father and watching him with Sofia makes my heart swell and soar. 

I am thankful for my daughter who has been through so much in her young life and has adapted so well.  Our family and friends accepted her but she was also so accepting of them.  I have learnt so much from her already and just thinking about her now has started the tears flowing.  I had no idea that I could love the way I love her. 

I am thankful for our cat and dog who have adapted so well to having a little one in the house.  Both of them are willing to let Sofia lay on them, poke at them, tug, grab, and smack at them.

Well there's a first time for everything.  That felt pretty good, I should do that more often!  Maybe not in such a public forum, perhaps I should start journaling again.  I have tons of pictures to share, we had a great weekend.  A few trips to the beach, lots of yummy food, cozy family time, and a monopoly game!  We are going to visit with some old neighbours for desert tonight and I can't think of a nicer way to end our weekend.  Grant goes back to work tomorrow and it's bitter sweet.  Bitter because he'll be gone so much longer ever day and sweet because one of us will be off EI.  

Funny Faces!

Sofia is becoming quite the comedienne.  She has figured out that she can express herself with her face.  I rarely have the camera close at hand and am rarely quick enough to catch the brief contortions but I got a few the other day.  Not the greatest pictures but the give you an idea of the silliness that keep me laughing all day.

Well the rainy season has started.  It doesn't keep us from going outside but it's just miserable.  I tend to spend more time in my pjs and therefore so does Sofia.  She and I have been spending a lot of time being cozy and drinking herbal tea lately.  I appreciate being a dog owner a lot in the rainy season because it forces you outside even in the most miserable conditions.  I must admit some fresh air and some exercise always gives me a different perspective and most times that different perspective is cheerier! haha  This winter will prove a bit more challenging though because of Sofias schedule.  In the past we have waited for a break in the weather to get  outside but that weather break may not coincide with Sofias awake time.  Plus it is a lot harder to get out the door in a hurry with a toddler.  Especially a toddler with her own ideas!  Today we were fortunate.  We spent a wonderful hour at the beach splashing in the water in our gumboots.  The rain started about 20 minutes after we got home.  Lucky duckys!!

Happy Anniversary x2!

October is my favourite month of the year.  There is just so many wonderful things!  Sweater weather, pretty fall colours, anniversaries, birthday parties, and the start of the salmon spawn.  Today is my double anniversary, 9 years since I moved to Victoria and 3 years since Grant and I got married.  It's only noon and already today has been amazing!

Grant ran out before he went to school this morning and brought me home a venti pumpkin spiced latte for my anniversary.  He chose Starbucks because when I moved to Victoria 9 years ago there wasn't a Starbucks in London.  What a treat and a super great way to start the day!!  

This was my beautiful daughter at 810 this morning! WooHoo!!  To be honest she woke up at 6 but was back asleep cuddling with me in the spare bed 20 minutes later.  Super sweet!  12 hours of sleep makes for a very happy daughter and a very happy mother!

Such a happy baby in fact that I decided to try a more intricate hair-do.  I got all these ponies done while Sofia fed herself her cereal.  I'd like to try braiding them but I didn't want to push my luck.

Sofia has been showering me with hugs and kisses today, she must know it's my special day.  Auntie Tracy is coming over to babysit tonight and Grant and I are going out to dinner at our special restaurant.  Ahh, I love October!!!!

Helping Mummy in the kitchen

Sofia likes to hang out with me in the kitchen when I'm cooking.  Lately she's been unloading my pots and pans.  The other day she was at my feet cooking up something fierce or at least that's what all the banging and shaking lead me to think.  I got down on the floor with two forks and we ate what she made right out of the pan.  The look on her face was amazing!  She has an amazing imagination and I think she was shocked that her Mum has one too!  I oohed and awed over her creation and told her what a good cook she was.  It was fun.

Since Sofia enjoys hanging out in the kitchen with me I try to include her when I'm able. 

Sofia adding bread crumbs to the meat loaf mixture.  She added more than she ate so we'll call it helping.

Cooking something yummy!

My view while I'm cooking.  

Don't worry, I don't let her stand there if the stoves on.

Running laps around the kitchen island.  Yes that's right folks, Sofia runs!  She's getting fast.  This picture is one of my new favourites.  

Sofia is such an animated child, she rarely sits still and even if she's still she's not quiet!  As I mentioned she has a wonderful imagination and likes to play pretend.  Although her favourite activity seems to be reading, her happiest time has to be when she plays her tambourine.  The look of pure joy on her face is amazing.  She has started singing.  The tune changes but the words are always "Backpack Backpack".  Yesterday while playing Ring around the Rosie with Grant she sang "Ring Hush Down" so we are hopeful that her Backpack chant will soon be a thing of the past.  She has started dancing too.  Oh, there's something blissful about watching your toddler dance.  

**Edited:  I just realized with the sentence "Although her favourtie activity seems to be reading, her happiest time has to be when she plays her tambourine."  I describe the perfect combination of Grant and I.  Awe, bliss!

Wordless Wednesday