For Uncle Ben

Reading a book to Cat

"cheese!"

3 of her favourite things; blanket, baba, & Cat

Kissing the TV while watching Pengu

Ramblings

Winter coats and woolies are far easier to put on than sunscreen.  I'm just saying...  I am really enjoying not having to lotion Sofia up every time I want to go outside.  I like the summer sun but suntan lotion is a pain.  I'm always worried if I missed a spot, if I used enough, and if it's time to re-apply.  Mittens and toques are no brainers, much easier!  

Sofia is learning in leaps and bounds.  Today she climbed into the rocking chair in her room.  I had no idea she could do that.  She also is testing going downstairs standing up.  She's figured out standing sideways helps.  Her knee bends are getting deeper, it's gonna happen soon.  

I love watching Grant teach Sofia new things.  They had a game in which Grant would stand Sofia on her stool in the middle of the room.  With Grants help she could get down, without Grants help she would just cry.  As soon as Grant would help her down she wanted back up, and back up, and back up, and back up.  I should mention that Sofia is a great fake cry-er, she can turn it on and off like a switch tears and all.  Sunday when they were playing their game I said, "I should really get some video of this."  Well I should of because on Monday she'd figured it out!  She can now bend her knees and step off the stool all by herself.  Note to self: "Don't put off for tomorrow what can be done today"

The count down is on for me going back to work.  Grant is going to stay home for a couple of months and then Sofia will start daycare.  I'm torn about going back to work.  I want to 'talk' about it but today I must clean!  

Thug?

Look at that swagger!

Aww yeah!

Givin' bones to Mum as she cruised by.

Hee hee, I love this little leisure suit.  It's soft and purple with a very cute Tinkerbell on it.  I can't decide if she looks gangsta or retired Miami style.  

Ready for winter

Can you tell I grew up in Ontario?  November comes and I break out the winter woolies.

Where's the snow? 

It has been quite chilly here the past few weeks.  Sofia is good about keeping her boots, mittens, and stroller blanket on.  She also does a decent job at staying hidden under the strollers rain cover.  I am in love with her winter coat!  I've never been big on name brands but the Gagou Tagou brand has won me over!  Not only are there clothes fun colours and patterns they are smart!  Her mitten strings snap on in the inside of the wrists and the sleeves have front and back snaps to hold them on.  BRILLIANT!  

Sofia loves her dog.

Qimik  loves his girl.

Talking

Sofia has started talking in her sleep.  Her room is across the hall from ours and it's loud enough to wake me up.  Her talking is usually a sign she's ready to get up, so when I hear her I wake up and prepare for her to call out to us.  After being woken up the last 3 nights by her talking I finally put all the pieces together and realized that she's talking in her sleep.  Sometimes it's a giggle, once she was reciting the words to a book "Moo, Baa, LaLaLa", and this morning she was calling "Qimik!"  Yes it's sweet and cute but I'm tired!  I don't fall back asleep easily and so I lie awake and stress about how I'm losing sleep.  I'll try shutting both our bedrooms doors tight tonight and see if that helps.  I guess like everything else I'll get used to it in time.  

Sofia is very curious and keeps a close eye on what Grant and I are doing.  She copy cats us both all day long.  Today I was squatting down to take her picture and so she squatted down too.  In this picture she was watching Grant shave.  Hopefully she never has to copy that behaviour! lol

I broke down

I have a rule (that I adopted from my Dad) that nothing Christmas happens in my house until December 1st.  I couldn't handle it anymore I am too excited about this Christmas.  Right now Mr Bing Crosby is crooning to me ... ahhh so lovely! 

I've asked Grant to drag the Christmas box up from the crawl space and I've already got our special Christmas picture hung above the fire place!  Skipping last Christmas gave me the break I needed to be able to appreciate the season again.  (We'll be doing that every few years)  It's nice to have the perspective back and the joy of celebration!  I'm most excited that my parents are coming this year and my brother is coming too!  It will be so great to have my whole family all in one house!  Grants family lives in town near us so we will be spending time with them too!

I've been working on teaching Sofia 'Jingle Bells' for a while now but this morning when I put Bings cd on she started singing along to Silent Night.  Well the 'ooooh oooh part'  at least.  Watch out GrandPops and GrandMa you're in for the Christmas of a life time!!!

Yesterday afternoon some friends (with Ethiopian children) and I got together and had a little cooking party.  We made doro wat, chickpea wat, shiro, and atakilt (cabbage) wat.  Oooh! it was so yummy!  The kids all enjoyed themselves and the adults too!  My goal is to be able to add an Ethiopian night to our regular meal rotation (yes I'm that boring! I have a meal roation)  Although cutting up the vegetables is a bit labour intensive if I use my food processor it will be a snap!  Safe to say we'll be enjoying an Ethiopian dish or two with our traditional Christmas dinner this year!

Thanks Auntie Hez!

Thanks for coming to visit us and thanks for the cowboy hat.  We had a lot of fun with you and we miss you.  Hope to see you again soon.

Sofia and her Auntie Hez

Cuban Pete (click for a fun video) 

"I go chick-chicky-boom chick-chicky boom chick-chicky boom!" 

Less Word Wednesday

Although Sofia has grown a lot she still fits into her special dress.  We met some friends for dinner at the local Ethiopian restaurant and I decided she should wear her it.  Click here  to see a much younger Sofia wearing her dress.  She's changed a lot, eh?

I decided that being 18 months old was worthy of celebrating and so I got Sofia a cake.  Since we had cake I figured she could blow out a candle, might as well go all the way.  

Sofia loves "Cheers"

Sofia and Papa had a lovely morning together while Mum just chilled by herself.  Then Papa went to work and Mum and Sofia had a nice afternoon together.  

18 months and 6 months too!

Sofia is 18 months today and I feel like that's worth celebrating.  I'm pretty stoked that we've been a family for 6 months now.  We've had a lot of ups and downs but the ups out weigh the downs so I'm calling it successful!  Sofia has brought so much life to our lives.  She is an amazing spirit and was very obviously meant to be ours.  Every few days we see a new part of her personality emerge and I keep falling more and more in love with her.  

Sofia has grown a LOT in the last 6 months.  She's put on almost 10lbs, grown 3 inches, and 2 shoe sizes!  She has also gone from 2 or 3 sounds to 50+ words!  Today Grant taught her to say "Good dog Qimik" although it sounds like "ood dodt iddleiddley"  I am having so much fun watching her learn and change.  It is amazing how someone so little has taught me so much.  I am thankful for her almost everyday (the days I'm not thankful for her are because I am looking at things the wrong way).  

Sofia loves reading books, animals of all shapes and sizes, music and talk on the phone.  Right now she enjoys hats, Dora, playing Mom to her babies, shape sorters, and climbing.  So far we've figured her dislikes are being alone and carrots.  Her face and eyes are very expressive and she can say a lot without any words.  There's the defiant glare, the evil eye squint, the mischievous glint, and the happy twinkle.  I love all of them!  Oh, if you could see the way this baby girl gawks and swoons over her Papa!

This week my favourite Sofia thing has to do with a toy cow.  She loves that plastic cow and picks it up and says "MOOOO" with the cutest little lip pucker and oddly deep voice.  Then she flips it over puts the udders up to her mouth and pretends to drink.  When she pulls it away she says "milk, mmmm".  

I'm not sure exactly what we are going to do today but I know that it is going to end with a yummy dessert!

Potty Talk

Yes we feel as though it's time.  Sofia is 18 months now and has been sitting on the potty for about 6 weeks.  Sometimes there's action, sometime there isn't.  She has started letting us know there is 'poot' in her diaper so she has some awareness.  My request for today is that you give me hints, stories, or book suggestions on how you potty trained your daughters.  How old were they, how successful was it, how long did it take?  If you'd rather not leave a comment feel free to email me directly.  Thank you in advance.

Wordless Wednesday

First sleepover

This past Saturday night Grants band played a show and Sofia had her first sleepover.  Our neighbours offered to take her for the night so we didn't have to worry about rushing home after the show and we also got to sleep in a bit too.  They have a 3 year old girl, M, and Sofia got to sleep in her room with her.  Sofia and M play together quite a bit so it was all familiar to her.  I was a bit nervous about leaving Sofia but she did fantastic.  She has such an amazing 'roll with it' attitude, I could learn a lot from her.  

I'm glad that we have this 'mile stone' behind us.  It's a bit intimidating leaving but I had a great night out.  Grants band played a great set and I got to party it up with some of our friends.  I also learned that I am no longer good at sleeping in!  Seems my days of sleeping until 1pm are long gone.  Oh well, it's all for a good reason. 

Happy Hallowe'en?

Sofia Bug and Qimik Bee

Sofia liked her costume alright but didn't like Qimiks at all.  She also was pretty upset seeing all her friends dressed up.  We knew that she was still a bit too young but figured we'd let her experience a bit of Hallowe'en.  Grant took Sofia trick-or-treating to a few house on our street.  Sofia is a very good "HI" and "BYE"er, and seemed to enjoy that part of the exchange.  She didn't seem phased at all by any of the decorations, it was just the costumes she didn't like.

Sofia reacting to Qimiks costume

Qimik doesn't mind being a bee, he never puts up a fight when I put the costume on him and he has never tried to take it off.  In fact he is more cooperative when I put on the costume than he is when I put on his harness!  Sofia on the other hand was pissed off! and so we de-bee'd him.

All the captions for this are too juicy ... I'll just leave it as 

Mum & Sofia

Does this need a caption?