Pops' Birthday--The BIG 40!

Chocolate truffle birthday cake (made with MUCH love) and Hannah Montana candle
Birthday party activity--tie dye--only for those you really love do you do this!
The result--mine will NOT be worn out of the house!

Various and Sundry Fun

We are all about trains, planes, and automobiles these days; so when UTA/Trax had it's try-riding-for-free day, we were all over it. (Along with all the other frugal families with 3-year-old boys.) We got on by our house, rode to the hospital, got out, waiting for a train going back, and rode home. You'd think we'd gone to Disneyland--and all for free!!!
T enjoying the view
Anna posing
Soph was not so sure about the whole experience. I think she is not into trains--yet.
We're getting a few warm days now, so it was off with the training wheels and off with Anna. She learned to ride last summer, but was a little insecure. The first time she got her bike out, she wanted them off. The insecurity is a thing of the past!
Our T--the happiest kid around
Soph is considering a bike as well this summer. She's just trying out the equipment.
Just playing. Anna discovered that Soph liked to be drug around the room in the box, and they both had a great time.
This girl is a good eater. We've finally got her drinking from a sippy--at least water--and she eats almost anything we give her. Ahhhhh--relief. She does, however, always need her own spoon. She is pretty good at feeding herself and making a great big mess.

Valentine's Day

Aren't holidays the best when you are a kid? Shirts, parties, gifts, projects, candy, candy, candy? The above pic was Friday after all the school Valentine's day hoopla. I can't believe I actually got a decent pic! The first one I took, of course. It went down hill after that.
Becky was so nice as to let Anna bring home this very Valentine-y dress to wear to church. She was definitely the most valentine-y girl I saw at stake conference. We returned the dress to Becky for some other lucky child to borrow in the future. Instead of candy, Mom and Dad got Annie the long-awaited unicorn Webkins. The joy!!!!
And just as lovely as the unicorn was the plane. It was a hit with all the kids at stake conference, but T made sure everyone knew it was his! He love it, and I love this picture!! What a kid.

The Rest of the First Birthday

We had to finish the first birthday celebrating at Grandma and Grandpa's with the cousins . We had more fun, more ducks, more presents. Thanks everyone for celebrating with and for us! You're good sports and generous gift-givers. Bryn and Sophie blowing out her cupcake.
Aunt Steph and Sophie opening gifts.
Sophie sporting one of her stylin' outfits from Aunt Steph.

One Big Year

I find that I always have such ambivalent feelings on my kids' birthdays. On one hand, I can't wait to be done nursing, waking up at all hours of the night, and trying to get a baby to drink a bottle. On the other hand, I don't want my baby to grow up so fast! It hardly seems like she can be one. She is still such a tiny little thing that I can treat her like a baby.She is most likely the last, and it makes me a little sad to have her already be one-year old! However, she is so cute and so fun! Despite her own stubborn little habits, she really is a great baby. She plays great by herself, she loves to go in the car and run errands, she naps well. She loves ducks and books. We swear she says, "Read it," when she brings us a book and crawls up to our laps. She will sit as long as we will read. She can say, "Duck," and quack like one too. (Hence the duck birthday cake.) She also loves Anna and Thys. They are the center of her world. (Okay, let's be honest, I am the center of her world--but Papa and the kids come next.) Soph loves to be carried, but always makes sure her little arm and elbow keep her from getting pulled in too closely. She doesn't want to miss anything that is going on. We love this sweet little girl and are so grateful to have such a healthy, happy, and cute little person in our family!Sophie loves her books--especially ones with touchy textures and flaps. As soon as this new birthday book was out of the bag, she was headed for Papa's lap to read.
Soph has been carrying around an old dirty doll of Anna's, so we got her her own for her birthday gift. I took her to the store with me to get it because I wasn't sure she would really go for it, but when I put it in front of her at the store, she giggled and gooed and kissed the box. Done deal. She was absolutely delighted again today--nothing likes squeals of joy from a baby to make you happy!
Birthday pics.

We felt like we had to "do" something for Soph's birthday. We went swimming during Christmas break, and she loved it, except I couldn't let her be where she wanted to be because I had to watch the other kids. We decided if Mel and I both went, Soph could play where she wanted to. I think she had a fun time, but the water was a bit cold, so she didn't last too long--thank goodness.



And then we came home for spaghetti (one of Soph's favorite foods) and cake. She definitely loved the ducks on the cake much more than the cake.
Happy Birthday, baby Sophie!

Playing Around

Daily life around our house includes a lot of toys! Sophie's favorite thing to do is unload the puzzles and books off the bookcase and play with the stacking blocks. I could clean up the mess three times a day, at least, but I usually don't. She also enjoys a little TV, but we try not to encourage that habit!
Joy of joys! Thys is FINALLY not afraid of the bouncy-bounce. This thing has instilled great fear and panic in Thys since Anna got it for her birthday two-and-a-half years ago. Even if it was rolled up in the bag behind the couch, he couldn't function. It had to be put away in the garage. We finally got him in, and now we can't get him out!
Brave T!
Sophie also got in for the first time. No fear here--except for when it was blowing up and all of a sudden the pillars popped up. (I think that is what scared T as well--the blowing up and letting out.) She was hilarious. She would lean her whole little body against the mesh and smash her face while she put her hands behind her back.
Fun for all, I think.

The First Try at Skiing

Anna has been wanting to try skiing, so I decided with the long weekend maybe we could give it a shot. I'm not in shape enough or rich enough to start the downhill experience with a five-year-old, so we started with a little cross-country--or Nordic, as the experts call it. Even Thys wanted to give it a try, so we rented skis on Friday afternoon, and while Thys and Sophie were napping, Anna and I ventured to the backyard to practice. I have to say, for a first-timer, she picked it up fairly quickly. By the end of the afternoon, she was skiing back and forth in the backyard. So Saturday we headed up the canyon to Mountain Dell Golf Course. It was a little too hilly, but Anna gave it her best shot. Thys, on the other hand, preferred the safety of the carpet, and opted to spend his afternoon with dad drinking soda in the van while Annie and I toured (if you could call it that) around. It gave me just enough of a taste to remember why I love it. I ready to go sans kids!