I am still not caught up, but at least I've got a few new posts here. Apologies to anyone who checks this blog regularly--especially Mimi and Bupa. Hope you enjoy the new pics. There are more to come when I get all the way caught up! Staying home from church to avoid possibly giving anyone not immunized the measles allows for a little extra time--finally. I realize I am partly paranoid since I have been immunized, but I always test non-immune when I have a baby, and the kid at school with the measles is in my class, pretty sure. Now I have a runny nose, cough, sore throat, so I decided to err on the side of caution.
Yes, I am crazy. I am certain of it. I had big plans for Valentine's Day: sugar cookies to decorate, pistashio and lime curd strawberries for Mel, and homemade heart-shaped pizza for dinner. By the time I got to the end of this cooking list, I was worn out and, I'll just say it: ornery. But we did it all. Fortunately I had the where-with-all to do the chocolate fountain and "fancy" dinner the day before on Sunday. However, it was all sort of thrown to the wind when Sophie woke up with a fever and, after a trip to the doctor on Sunday night, an ear infection that still hadn't cleared up after 10 days of medicine. The fancy dinner was eaten in shifts on plastic plates while someone held Sophie, and we rushed the chocolate fountain in before the trip to the doctor. It seemed to cheer Sophie up a bit--who doesn't feel better after ibuprofen and chocolate? Next year I think I'll remember that less is more. But I do LOVE my family!
It's hard to believe how quickly a year goes by. Our little baby is not a baby anymore. She is a little girl who wants to be big like her brother and sister. She wants to dress herself, wear "unners" (unders), ride a big bike, go everywhere they go. . . . You got the picture. Soph is very strong-willed and knows what she wants. She has discovered Elmo and the Little Einsteins and enjoys laying in our bed watching "Elmo's World" while I get ready in the mornings. She loves to give kisses, read in bed, and play with T and Anna. She is still a little shy and quiet in public, but at home she is all personality. She is warming up, however, to friends and family, and they are beginning to see the real Soph--and cute she is!! Mel took the day off for her birthday, so while the rest of us were off at school, Mel and Soph ran some errands and went to the aquarium together. She had a good day!!!
Opening presents
The oh, so lovely cake. I took Soph to the store to pick out plates, and she wanted the "bug," so I decided I could manage a bug cake as well. It was a good effort at least. 
We had no idea what to get this 3rd child for her birthday--we have too many toys already. Mel decided she should have a Build-a-Bear, so we gave her an empty animal and an outfit, but you can be sure when we got to the store she chose her own dog and outfit--and Papa let her have whatever she picked up!! She was a little scared of the stuffing machine, but once her dog was in her hands, she was as pleased as she could be!
Of course, the brother and sister got to join in on the party and show Sophie how it is done.
Blowing out candles.
Eating cake.
We usually spend New Year's Eve with two friend families. This year one of the families had pink eye, so it was just the two families, but we made up for it later and repeated the party with the third family at the end of January. We usually order Chinese food from the Mandarin in Bountiful and the kids play while the adults hang out. It's lots of fun! We love our friends.
The kids NOT eating the Chinese food--of course. 
Sophie loves to paint--especially with the other kids. Here she is "finger" painting, but if you look closely, you can see what else she was painting. Never leave a 2-year-old unsupervised!
Now you can tell!
T's art
This kid is a crack-up. He is a mini-Mel. He makes us laugh a lot. 
Pops helped T build a really big, really cool track for his train!
Soph loves to do EVERYTHING that Thys and Anna do: costume like Thys, guitar like Anna.
While my sis was here after Christmas (yes, I am that far behind), we went to play at Jungle Jim's. The kids had a blast riding rides together--even Sophie loved the rides.
Anna on the spinning ride
Cousin and Thys on the spinning ride
T on the Space ship
Soph and cousin in the jeeps
Soph a little giddy from spinning
