To My Sweet So-So...

I watch you daily and am continually in awe of your sweet spirit.  There are literally moments when I look into your big blue eyes and know in that instant the meaning of true, unconditional love.

I adore being your Mommy.  I adore your smiles.  I adore your giggles.  I adore your hugs and kisses.  I adore your sweet voice and all the things that you have learned to say.  I could go on all day...but at the end of all that, you would realize one thing...I adore everything about you!  No matter the day, you have the ability to right my world in a single second.  You will truly never know how much I cherish you and all you have brought into our lives.  I have no idea what I ever did to deserve being your Mommy.  I don't know why the Lord chose to bless us with such an amazing angel.  But what I do know is that I will do my very best every single day to encourage you, to hold and snuggle you, to protect you to the very best of my ability, to point you toward the Lord, and to always, always, ALWAYS show you love.

At 21-22 months, you:

• Have blossomed into one AMAZING little girl
• Wear size 18 month bottoms and a 2T shirt (sometimes a 3T) simply for length.  
• Wear size 6 shoes
• Wear size 4 diapers which you are beginning to hate.  You prefer pull-ups but we aren't quite ready for that step yet.
• Sleep on average 11-12 hours a night and nap for about 1.5-2 hours a day.
• Must go night-night with Teddy and Elmo, without exception!
• Are independent and want to learn to do everything by yourself.
• Say "Help Mommy" or "Help Daddy" when the above mentioned independence doesn't really work out so well.
• Have a love/hate relationship with Bubba...sometimes you two torture one another and the next you are playing fetch and are the best of friends.
• Were diagnosed with your first round of strep and a few days later your first round of flu :(  Not to mention a trip to TCH because your fever was so high that Sunday.  Needless to say, this was not such a fun week for any of us :(  Were also just, meaning an hour ago, diagnosed with the following: pink eye, a cold and an ear infection!  UGH!  February has not been good to you in the way of sickness :(  My poor, poor baby!!!
• Are learning to potty train and getting better every day.
• Can put your shoes on by yourself and love doing it.  And most of the time, they are on the right feet :)
• Try to put your socks on and pull up your pants...a work in progress but it's progress!
• Have graduated to a true "big-girl" bed.  You only spent a couple nights in a toddler bed and one of those was at Mimi's.  Then your big girl furniture arrived and Daddy decided to try you in the full-size bed.  Worry wart that I am, I had my reservations.  However, you have done perfectly!  So proud and a little sad as the same time.  When did you get so big?!
• Still think Elmo is pretty much the greatest thing on Earth.
• Can say your name...though it comes out something like this...Sopia Gace Talferro.  For not quite two and not such an easy name, I think that's pretty good!
• Know that you are "two" and answer appropriately when asked.  A couple months early but "two" is WAY earlier than "twenty-two months" :)
• Went through a stage where everything was "hot".  Food was hot.  Bath water was hot.  Cereal was hot.  This was not an easy stage.  One, because you didn't want to eat much because it was hot and two, because bath time was a screaming fit.
• Despise having your hair washed...haven't quite figured this one out yet...
• Also, you are not a fan of having your hair done or having your teeth brushed.
• Think your new step stools (pink for your bedroom and white for the restroom) are super cool and of course make you even more of a big girl.
• Had your very first dentist appointment.  I'd like to say I took pictures of this monumental occasion but that simply isn't the case.  And not because I didn't want to...but for those who have experienced this with an almost two year-old...well, I'm just glad we got through that appointment without permanent emotional trauma!
• Fish are super cool in your world...the church has fish, the dentist has fish, even Elmo has a fish.
• Have asked for an Elmo "potty".  Translation from the child who sometimes sounds like she has a British accent...she wants an Elmo party.
• At times do truly seem to have a British accent...I wasn't really exaggerating above :)  Colour is color, obviously party sounds like potty, and sticker is more like sticka.  Guess that is what happens when you go to the British Private Prep School :)
• Everything is "need", not want.  "I need milk".  "I need cookies (= fig newton)".  "I need Mommy, Daddy, Mimi, Jaja, Bubba".  "I need colour".  And the list could go on, and on, and on.
• Like to take inventory of people.  By that I mean you like to identify where everyone is, especially if you have had visitors.  For example, "Daddy go to work", "Mimi with Toby", "Jaja bye-bye", "Emi and Avi bye-bye". 
• Are a parrot!  Duly noted and lesson learned ~ aka, telling George to shut-up is no longer an option.
• Give Mommy's tummy pats and kisses...hopefully this lasts when Lilah actually arrives!
• Very sensitive to other people's feelings.  If I am sad, you are sad.  If Emeri and Avari are crying, you are quick to let someone know.  If I'm not feeling well, you are quick to give hugs and kisses.  I am quite interested to know how this might influence your future...nurse, vet, doctor, teacher, volunteer???  Whatever it is, continue to care about people sweet girl.  So many people don't, and you can change the world, even if in some small way.
• Are learning to say your prayers every night before bed.
• Love balls...this is a slight problem between you and Bubba at times.
• Love music.
• Love to dance.
• Love outside.
• Love stickers and stamps.
• Love to color, especially with sidewalk chalk.
• And finally, and I'm sure I left out a million and one things I will recall and add later, you love your family...but not nearly as much as we love you!

Stay precious sweet girl.  The Lord has made you VERY special, and I am beyond honored to be your Mommy.  We love you to the moon and back!

Forever and always,

Mommy

And just for fun, a couple of videos of our after school playtime yesterday.  Mommy loves spending these moments with you baby girl!  That smile is absolutely priceless!

Love My Family, Especially at Christmas :)

Can I just say that I absolutely, positively LOVE my family?!  At times we may be a little on the random, slightly dysfunctional side, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)  They are the best friends and support group anyone could ever ask for!!!

I mean who wouldn't love a family that has this much fun?!

And this was before presents :)

Mema with her great-grandkids (minus a few)

 Sure do love this little girl!  

Wowzer!!!

And let the present pandemonium begin :)

I realize I didn't have a lot to say in this post, but sometimes the pictures speak for themselves.  I truly do cherish moments like these.  It's nice to know that you can always go home to a crazy, fun, loyal and loving family.  I pray I never take this for granted and hope that years from now, our sweet girls will have their own memories just like these. Because I can promise them this, life won't always be perfect, but our arms will always be home for them and love will never, ever be in short supply.

Merry Christmas (A Little Late)!

The good news for all you So-So fans is that I am sticking to my plan of getting caught up and enjoying the blog world again!  The bad news...this isn't the last Christmas post. So if you get sick of the Christmas posts, I get it, no hard feelings!  Just skim right over and carry on your way :)

However, she is pretty stinking cute and this one actually contains several videos...so I guess what I'm saying is you'd be skimming over some pretty fun memories if you skimmed this one!  Of course, that being said, I am just a wee bit biased :)

Either way, I hope each of you had a fabulous Christmas morning!  Hard to believe that was already two months ago (minus a few days).  Hope you enjoy getting a glimpse of our Christmas morning family fun!  

Christmas Eve Pajamas :)

Love, love, love stockings!!!

Stocking Stuffers :)

(Don't worry, we did these pics Christmas Eve.  I wasn't actually this anal compulsive Christmas morning!)

 

Opening her stocking goodies!  

 Santa Came!

And boy was he nice!!!  Someone must have used her cuteness to score some serious Santa points :)

Are You Ready for Some Football?

One of the reasons we left Kevin's family Christmas on Saturday was because we had tickets to the Houston Texans game on the 18th!!!  Yes, I love watching Sunday football on tv, especially if the Texans are playing.  I know, weird, random, unexpected fact :) And thanks to Deb and Daniel, this was my first professional, live football game.  Not Kevin's, but that's ok.  He knew he owed me for that time he went with Joe, knowing I was disappointed not to be going too.  Of course, who's keeping track, right?!  :)

Overall we had a great time.  I say overall because the Texans LOST!  What in the world?  They were on a winning streak!  However, while it's not funny, it kind of is.  Kevin and I have this weird thing where bad things seem to happen when we go places.  Oh, nothing terrible thankfully.  But bad service at restaurants, the theaters with the annoying, loud teenagers or cell phone talkers, going to games when teams should win and then they don't :(  Just ask James and Jaime...they will vouch for it.  We hang out enough that they have dealt with the repurcussions a few times :)  Thankfully, the "jinx" seems to have let up some over the years, but still makes for some good laughs on occasion!

Even with this loss, here's to a great season and an even better one next year!

On a somewhat random note, little Miss Lilah loved her some stadium food :)

Surprised?!

Me too!  I'd like to say I have a million reasons for not updating the blog...and frankly, I could list a few.  You know, something like this...work, chasing a toddler around, baking a baby, and of course normal every day life.  Heck, when I list it like that, I pretty much have no reason...but really, I promise that is a lot even if it only looks like four things!

However, if I had to be absolutely honest, I think I kind of just burned myself out and blogging became more of a chore than something I truly enjoyed doing.  So I got overwhelmed and just backed off a little.  But, I'm back.  At least for now!

So that being said...let's take it back a couple months.  Yes, that's right.  It's Christmas-time in February :)

This year, or wait...I suppose last year is more appropriate since I am so far behind..., we did things a little differently.  Instead of splitting our time between families over the same weekend, we decided to plan two weekends for Christmas back home.  Yes, it was more traveling, but I actually think it might have been less stressful.  Now this year...with two kiddos...hmmm, well we will simply cross that bridge when we get there!  Besides, I think it's safe to say that Soph had a fabulous time and didn't really seem to tire of all the attention...or presents for that matter!

Here's a small glimpse of Christmas weekend with Kevin's side of the family...and yes, there will be more Christmas in February to come :)

And what's a Texas Christmas if you can't share some ice cream with your Pawpaw :)

Spoiled much?!

 Present time...

 

 Just a little bit of ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!!!!!!!

 The girls :)  Gotta love cousins!

And later Saturday evening, Soph and I continued our gingerbread house tradition.

And for the second year in a row, I think I did all the work :)

 

Her work of art ;)

And I'm almost certain that about 30 minutes after this photo, Mommy fell into bed absolutely beyond exhausted.  This baby making thing is harder the second time around :)  And yet, I love every second of it! Love you little Lilah  Bear!