Just wanted to share...

Well, before the birthday party post, I wanted to share some really great pictures we've been taking of our little Sofie and some of her newest adventures and other just really cute pictures of her.

She is growing and changing so quickly. Each time I see the pictures we've taken and compare them...it's like I'm looking at a different child.


Sofie is really getting such a personality. She is very vocal and wants what she wants, when she wants it (if they makes any sense). I am trying to be patient and discipline her but some of the looks she gives, just melts my heart!

Here is a picture of her at Nonnie and Grandpa's house. It's too cute, they buy her toys just for their house, that way she always has something to play with. Here she is playing with Grandpa and her Elmo plane.

Sofie has already discovered the kitchen. I can't wait until we start cooking together. It's gonna be a blast! I'll have to get her a baby apron and pair of baby kitchen clogs. :O)

A few weeks ago, we went to dinner with our friends and their little girl. We went to this place called "Organ Stop Pizza". It's really an interesting place. There is this huge custom organ that takes up an entire wall. There is one man who plays the organ and choreographs the music to a light show. This man sits in the middle of the restaurant on a stage that comes up from the ground. It was a little reminiscent to the Wizard of Oz...he was like the wizard behind the curtain. He also plays about another dozen or so instruments...a one man band.

Sofie LOVED this place and was fascinated by the sound.

Nick and Ryan were set for the night....The beer was flowing and the glasses were like little baby thimbles. It made the organ bearable! Nick did not even mind the cheap beer either! Sorry, no Guinness at the- "ORGAN STOP PIZZA PARLOR"

As cheesy as it was (no pun intended) we enjoyed ourselves and will probably go back!

That same weekend, Sofie attend Elmo's birthday party held at Border Books. She really enjoyed the book store. That day she was able to play with the books, listening to story time, have some birthday treats and play with the other children.

Here is Sofie playing superheros....she is "SUUUPPPERR SOFIEEEE"

A few weeks ago, Nick and I decided to take a day trip up to Sedona. It was my first time and I was really looking forward to seeing the infamous "red rock". It was amazingly beautiful!

Once we were done checking out Sedona, we decided to take the drive up to Flagstaff. It was such a nice day, seeing the other part of Arizona! It's an amazing state.

I think Nick was secretly missing Minnesota's weather....

We ended our adventure with the most beautiful sunset. The day could not have been better. Don't ask...this one was Nicks finding...

Our little girl turned 1

I know that I'm a little late with updating the blog. There has been so much going on here...but, while we were out...

SOFIE TURNED 1!!!

Her party was all that we had hoped for. She was excited to see all her balloons, or as Sofie likes to call them "bwoons". As mentioned in the previous post, Nick and I really wanted to give her a unique party. We decided to go with the Elmo theme because she loves Sesame Street so much.

I made her a really cute Elmo birthday cake with some really cute matching Elmo cupcakes. We had the party at my parents house and invited all our friends and family.

My sister and her family drove out from California just for the big event. This meant so much to us! Sofie is getting to the point where she can remember people and recognize familiar faces. Sofie was a little apprehensive at first but came around and loved playing with Katie and Arrianna. It was the cutest thing, she would give hugs to her cousins and pat them on the back. TOO CUTE! We can't wait until Auntie Kalani, Uncle Bryan and the girls move back to Arizona.

Sofie had some other playmates there too. Her cousin Austin was there, her friend Zoe and Kaylin too. They all had a blast playing with some of Sofie's toys and eating all the yummy, yummy sweets.

Here is Sofie with her best little bud, Kaylin! These two are too cute!



Sofie and her Nonnie-


And Nick and his friends doing what they do best!

Here is Sofie and her Auntie Angie and her Nana-

Here are some great pictures of Sofie opening up her gifts. She was a little unsure of what she was suppose to do. She found the wrapping paper to be a bit more interesting that the gift it self. Sofie received some really great stuff. Her daddy bought her a new push buggy and a new Elmo walker. The walker is getting her ready to walk- she is SO close. We also bought her, her new "big girl" car seat. She grew out of her infant carrier and upgraded.















Sofia is getting a really great collection of books. It's almost time to upgrade her book case. She loves to flip pages.

The best part of the day for Nick and I, seeing her face glow with all the new things. Seeing her face glow with all the balloons or the sheer pleasure of the taste of icing topped on her very own cupcake. The look of excitement to be pushed around in her new buggy! All these first memories will be in our hearts forever!






Thank you Nick for making this day so very special! You are the best Da-Da ever!

*Thanks to all her family who sent gifts even though they were not able to attend*

***Stay tuned for some really cute pictures of Sofie scarfing down her very own cupcake*****

Look who's coming to town...

La, la lala, La la lala...It's Elmo's World!

We are gearing up for our little girls first birthday party. Since Sofia has been watching Sesame Street since she was about 6 months and she LOVES anything Elmo, we decided to throw her an Elmo party. We are so excited, we can't believe that a year has come and gone so quickly. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital.

Looking back over this last year, I'm really happy with the way things have turned out. We've created a family, something Nick and I never thought would happen. Sofie has developed such an awesome personality, she really makes Nick and I laugh over something new each day. Seeing her continue to learn and develop is such an amazing thing. Sofia is starting to talk! We can hardly believe it.

So far she says-

-Ma ma ~ me

-Da da ~ Nick

-Wa wa ~ water

-Ba-ba~ bottle

-Na-na ~ banana (sorry mom...she points and wants her banana)

-bubal ~ bubbles

-bebe ~ baby

-hey ~ hey

-dat ~ that

and she is starting to understand where her eyes, nose and mouth are. So far she's pretty good with the eyes and the nose and mouth are hit and miss.

It's funny, I can remember when Nick and I brought her home and how careful we were and how we wanted to do everything just right. I remember so vividly, giving her sponge baths while singing to her, waiting for her to poop (she was terribly constipated)...Nick and I were so worried that we must have taken her to the doctors half a dozen times. I use to watch her sleep at 2 a.m. and fighting the urge to pick her up and snuggle. Those memories will always be in our hearts. The best memories are yet to come.

Seeing our little girl turn one year old will the a memory that we will cherish...after all, it only happens once! Sofie is gonna have a blast next weekend. We can't wait to post the pictures!

Snifflin' Sofie

Well, Sofia is sick again and this time she has Bronchitis. If it's not one thing it's another. It seems like she has been sick this entire month! Nick and I have been really stressed and hate seeing her uncomfortable.

We picked her up from daycare on Thursday and she had a temperature of 101 degrees. So, we took her to her Pediatrician she was diagnosed with Bronchitis. He gave us this breathing machine called a nebulizer and prescribed antibiotics. We have to put medicine into the chamber of this machine which then turns the liquid medicine into vapors. Our poor little girl has to wear this mask over her nose and mouth and breath in the vapors for 10 min., four times a day.

WE FEEL SO BAD FOR HER!

Sofia has been such a trooper. She has been out of it for the last four days. She only drinks and eats when she feels like it and she WILL not be forced or tricked for that matter into anything.

So, this evening we decided to take her into Urgent Care after consulting her doctor. It's been three days and her temperatures have varied from 101-103.5 and without improvment. So, by the time we arrived at urgent care, her temperature had lowered to a normal temp. The doctor listened to her chest and let us know to keep up her breathing treatments and continue giving her antibiotics and Motrin for the temperature. At least pneumonia was ruled out. Thank the Lord.

Sofie is such an amazing little girl. She continues to amaze me each and every day. Each time I pick her up and she rests her little head on my shoulders, I remember that I have the best job in the world, I'm her Mommy. The feeling is AMAZING and I will never be able to describe it perfectly.

Zoo-licious

Our little monkey-see, monkey-do!

Sofia is well on her way to turning the big 1. She is doing new things everyday. She has not started to walk but is really close.

She enjoys when we hold her arms and she takes a few steps then wants to sit. She'll get it! Here she is showing off her new Curious George "Big Girl Jammies".

Last weekend we took Sofia to the Phoenix Zoo for the very first time and she LOVED it. Despite the fact that she had no idea what the animals were, they fascinated her! Her favorites were the otters. She watched them swim around and just looked amazed. We loved the fact that she was able to focus on the animals. We are planning on going back when she gets a little older.

Here are some great shots we took of our day at the Phoenix Zoo.

We went to the zoo with our friends, the Revolts. Their daughter loved the animals too.

These guys were Nick's favorite. The wallaby sanctuary. They were able to walk around freely and were very friendly.

Here is Sofie having her first taste of a cherry snow cone. We only gave her a little bit...it was pretty hot and she LOVED it!

Then the only problem was, she wanted nothing to do with her lunch. All she wanted was snow cone!

Here is Sofie seeing a horse up close for the first time. She was a little afraid but still was a big girl.

Nick pointing out some funny named animals...thanks Nick. We can always count on you!

She enjoyed watching the otters swim around and play with their toys. She was intrigued my the lions and tigers and was amazed by the Orangutans...