We're Back!

I've taken quite the blogging hiatus, but we're back!

Sophia is growing and changing so quickly. And talking up a storm. She knows (and understands) so many different words and phrases in both English and Chinese. "Ariel" and "thank you" are the newest additions to her vocabulary.

Her favorite phrases are: "Where's mama? Where's dada? Mama? Dada?" 

"Where'd it go?"

"I want eat eat eat."

"I want sit."

"Let it goooo…." (when she's singing to the Frozen soundtrack)

Communicating with her gets a little easier every day, but, of course, there's still phrases that only Sophia understands.

Every morning, Sophia grabs a couple hair ties, pats her head, and plops down in my lap for some pigtails. They usually last about thirty minutes before she rips them out. It's a love-hate relationship. I'm just excited that her hair is finally growing. Maybe people will finally stop asking me if she's a boy or a girl.

She loves going to the park. The slide is her favorite and always puts a huge smile on her face. She also loves going to feed the ducks with my dad. This girl has a soft spot for ducks and dogs.

She's attached at the hip with her Snoopy. We recently added Ariel, the Disney princess bear, to her stuffed animal collection during her Build-A-Bear play date. (I learned during this play date that although it takes her awhile to warm up to people, she's super friendly and loves giving her baby friends lots of hugs.)

We're starting her Disney education young in preparation for our Disney World trip early next year. I can't wait! My family used to visit Disney World every other year, and I used to think it was the most magical place in the world. I hope she thinks it is just as magical.

I'm looking forward to everything that 2014 will bring for our family. Sophia turns two (eek!) this year, and every stage gets better and better. But before that, we have to tackle potty training. My goal is to give it a try in two weeks. Wish me luck and lots and lots of patience!

18 Months

This post is a bit delayed because Sophia turned 18 months last week! I've been a bit preoccupied between working Black Friday and a week of the stomach flu hitting every person in the house. And a mom fail? I wasn't able to get her in for her 18-month-check-up until...January. Oops!

Age: 18 Months!

Favorite Foods: Cantaloupe, Broccoli

Favorite Words: "Wo wo" for dog

Favorite Toy: Snoopy

Favorite Activities: Riding her new bike, Watching Vine videos, Helping out :)

Least Favorite Activities: Going to sleep without mommy AND daddy in bed with her

Nicknames: So, B

Signature Moves: Blowing kisses, Putting her hand under her chin & saying "cheese"

Biggest Change Since Last Update: She is able to communicate everything she wants with us even without saying a word. From our room, she'll pull me to the baby gate, throw her arms up to be carried down the stairs, and point at what she wants once downstairs. That's not to say that her vocabulary has remained stagnant. It has grown significantly, and she can put together some phrases. Her understanding of everything we say is pretty incredible as well.

Here's some photos of her riding her new bike. She doesn't have the hang of moving her feet to get around, so sometimes she just pushes it along. P.S. Yes, that is my favorite shirt on her.

Hi Friend!

Hi friends! Worst. Blogger. Ever. When I'm not at work (holiday season has taken over the retail world, eek!), I'm running after this crazy lady. Her current obsessions are fuzzy slipper (the white ones on her feet & the duck ones for her hands), drinking from water bottles, and hoarding my EOS chapsticks & bouncy balls in her puppy purse. Love her and all her craziness!

Suggestions?

For some time now, I've been considering opening up my own handmade shop to bring in some extra money and to eventually be able to stay home with Sophia. The only problem is I can't decide exactly WHAT I should make. I absolutely do not want to do anything that has already been perfected and "taken" by someone else. I hear about copycats in the homemade community so often, and it's not even something that I want to be involved with. So I turn to y'all...what do YOU want that you feel is an untapped area? I'd prefer to stay in the baby girl market :)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

It is a dark and stormy day here in Sugar Land. I guess it's perfect for Halloween.

I'm so behind in blogging, and well, life in general. Sara nominated me for the Liebster award, so that post is coming up! Thank you so much, by the way. I'm not ignoring it; just busy!

Sophia has been changing and growing and learning so much. She observes and remembers EVERYTHING! I caught her doing some of the cutest things that she learned just from watching mommy and daddy:

1 | She touches the lid/pump of hand soap and rubs her hands together as if she's washing her hands. She does the same with lotion.

2 | She holds the phone up to her ear and starts having a conversation.

3 | She tries to hang up her towels after bath time. She also tries to help hang up clothes in the closet.

4 | She takes tissues out of the box and wipes her mouth/nose. SO cute...but who taught her to put it back in the box?!

5 | She picks up her dirty diaper...AND THROWS IT IN THE TRASH HERSELF! Whaaat?!? She also brings us a diaper and the box of wipes if she needs her diaper changed. (This isn't an every day occurrence, but I am still so proud!) 

6 | She also takes the diaper rash ointment and puts it back in it's spot.

7 | She opens my purse because she knows I always have Ritz crackers in there.

8 | She helps me close the baby gate at the top of the stairs.

9 | She takes daddy's slippers and put them back with the rest of his shoes. She knows where everything in the house belongs. EVERYTHING. Except keys.

10 | My sister has to wear a cap when she goes outside. Sophia hands her her cap whenever it is time to leave the house.

She's pretty much a sponge and soaks up everything. I guess that means we need to be so careful about what we say and do around her! Eeek!

I'll leave you with some photos of my little tin man!

My Little Crazy

Sophia is a CRAZY little girl.

Her new thing is to cover her mouth with both hands, double over with laughter, and then throw her whole body backwards while cracking up.

Mid laugh...

It's hilarious! My new goal in life is to capture that laugh on video. 

Oh and Sophia has an obsession with my sister's old duck slippers. She puts them on herself & somehow manages to walk around in them. Look at that sass!

Oh Hello!

So it's been a million years since I last posted. Life has been a little crazy around here lately. Teething, a minor ear infection, and all THREE of us with the flu has really drained all my energy.

It's been a long week & this is the first night Sophia has slept in her crib since getting sick, so it's going to be a short post.

Here's some recent photos of my little So!

Sophia and I on my birthday! I'm definitely starting to feel old.

Cheering on the Dallas Cowboys with daddy on Football Sundays. Anyone that knows me well knows that I always wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Since I'm way past that point in my life, Sophia's DCC training starts now :)

Celebrating the first day of October with her little babyGap "Boo" dress! I actually bought that dress the second it was added to their website & waited until it was socially acceptable to put it on her. I'm dying over her tiny little pigtails. I can't wait until she legit grows more hair though!

Watering plants outside with grandpa.

Representing our great state in her Texas tee. "You can still dream big even if you're little." How cute is that?!

And modeling her Circus Peanut outfit.

In other news, today the hubs and I celebrated four years since we started dating and three years since he proposed. It's been a crazy ride, and our lives have changed so much since our carefree days in good ole' Waco, Texas!

Next up is a trip to Dewberry Farms for some pumpkin patch fun (and an early glimpse at the Christmas tree farm!!!!!) and some family pictures for our Christmas card. Anything to coordinate some cute outfits, right?

Have a good weekend!