Sophie's Fourth Birthday: Pirate Party

Dessert Table

Food

Treasure Chest

Pirate Flag

Blowing out her candles

She loves her Daddy

Sophie Turns Four

Sophie's loot

tearing into her new game.  Thanks Grammy & Grandad!

A dress with horses on it.  Cool.

From Dave, Max, and I.

Happy Birthday!

We love you!

Yum, Crunch cupcakes!

Thanksgiving 2011

The turkey in the brine.

Sophie and Dave enjoying some pre dinner coloring

Turkey's ready!

Yum

Dave and Sophie

Max, me, and sophie

Pumpkin Patch 2011

I'm a little late in posting about the our Pumpkin Patch visit this year.  We had a great time.  They had horses, which put Sophie on cloud nine, because she is horse crazy.  They had a corn maze that we did not partake in because my sense of direction is abysmal at best.  We bought two overpriced pumpkins and the kids climbed a tower of hay bales.  It was a great day.

Dave, Max (19 months) and Sophie (3 yrs) on a wagon ride.  Pulled by two horses named Poncho and Lefty.  Dave was very amused by that.

I'm not sure why he always looks so angry, but he was really enjoying himself.

I think they would have been happy if I let them take all the pumpkins home.

This is not the pumpkin she ended up bringing home.  She must have chosen about 7 pumpkins before she chose one because she thought the green was pretty.  I didn't have the heart to tell her that it was supposed to be completely orange.

Hay Bale Champion

Hay Bale Runner Up

Little Stinkers

Max, October 2011

Sophie, October 2011

Most of you know that I have siblings.  I have two brothers and a sister and they are great people... now.  However I remember when I was growing up that I couldn't stand them.  I kept thinking how great it would be to be an only child.  I wouldn't have to share my toys or my parents attention.  I was not and am not a fan of sharing.  I remember fighting like cats and dogs and driving my poor parents crazy.  My poor mother was constantly trying to keep the peace and she had a fairly hands off approach to dealing with our constant bickering.  I think she only stepped in if there was imminent bloodshed.   Although considering the little hoodlums that we were that was probably fairly often.

Well it's only taken 20 years or so but she has her revenge, because my little angels (I'm using that sarcastically) are at each others throats about 15 times a day.  Sophie has inherited my desire to share none of her possessions with Max and Max has decided that he's big enough to take whatever he wants from Sophie.  It's somewhat funny to watch because they are both holding a toy and screaming in frustration and I think, "Oh, man you guys are cracking me up", but I can't say that or laugh out loud.  Another issue is that Max has decided that no one is allowed to touch me and he gets MAD when I'm holding Sophie or Dave is hugging me. 

Then I turn around and Sophie is reading to Max or she's stroking his head and pretending he's her baby.  I try to remind myself that they are really sweet kids and I hope that in 30 years their kids are giving them the same problems that they are giving me.  We should all be so lucky to have spirited, fierce children who know exactly what they want.

The Great Sprinkler Project

 So several months ago (in the hot summer months to be more exact) Dave and I decided we needed a sprinkler system.  After getting several estimates we decided it was too expensive, so Dave had the idea that he would do it himself.  Now I'd like to preface this with his thought processes.  A) We were saving a LOT of money and B) he'd installed sprinkler systems before, so he already knew how to do it. 

So we rented a trencher, got a shovel and got to work, and it was work, hard work.  The kids and I helped but it was mostly Dave working from sun-up till sundown in the yard.  He did a great job and after we decided to hire someone to come in and finish the wiring and make the yard look a little more presentable we have a functioning sprinkler system.  

I'm so proud of Dave and all his hard work.  Here's some photos of the process.

This photo was taken to show the true gorgeousness of Dave's mustache.

Dave hard at work digging trenches by hand.  We had to dig by hand all around where the utilities are located.

Dave and Sophie

Don't look behind you.

Gotcha!

This is how Max helped, by laying on top of our backs while we dug trenches.

Here's the front yard with the trenches dug.

I'll be sure to add updated photos after the grass grows back in.

First Day of Preschool

 I can't believe I have a preschooler already.  She seems so little some days... and other day's she's going on 17.  Sophie LOVES preschool.  She couldn't wait to go play with her new friends and her teachers.  Sophie was in a word fine and I was a nervous wreck.  You see I love the little bug so much that it terrifies me that people around us won't love Sophie as much as I do.  Will they see her sweet and loving heart.  Will they recognize her propensity for not sharing as the growing pains of a first child.  Will they see that she really only wants people to notice her without drawing attention to her faults.  Being a parent is all about letting go and hoping that the people you allow into your child's life see the same wonder and joy that you see.  I already know that Sophie loves school and I can only hope that her love of school and learning stays with her throughout her life.

Note:  Sophie decided about 15 minutes before we had to leave for school that she HAD to change her outfit.  I was not going to argue with her, so I HAD to redo the first day photos.  We're both crazy.

Update on Max - 18 Months Old

We've been busy lately with getting Sophie ready for school, having some landscaping (drainage) done, and various other things.  Our backyard has some drainage issues during the rainy season which for anyone who has lived in the Pacific Northwest knows that the rainy season lasts most of the year.  However we don't get much rain in the summer and we had the yard leveled and they put in new sod, which makes the rest of our dead grass look horrible. I'd say it's an epic fail, although it better help the drainage or I'm going to have a serious hissy fit.

I can't believe Max is already 18 moths old.  It seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital and welcomed him into our crazy family.  He's changed so much, he's walking, climbing, talking a little bit (although probably not as much as he should be) and he just started running.  The running is hysterical, he looks like he's going to fall on his face and then he fall on his face because he hasn't mastered it yet.

Max started this fun new thing where he glares at me periodically throughout the day.  Whenever I tell him no or don't give him milk fast enough he lowers his brows and scowls.  It's cute on an 18 month old, but not so much a 15 year old, so that will be fun in about 13 years.

 This is his other expression, the one he normally wears.  He is one happy little boy most of the time and he has the sweetest smile.  He's starting to be a little shy around new people.  He's also a great little snuggler and loves to cuddle with me before his nap.

 I'm saving this photo for when he brings his first girlfriend home.  He's looks great in pink.

Shine, Baby, Shine

Sophie and I have had a rough go of it lately. She's the type of kid who wants to push every limit twice just to make sure I'm paying attention. I have to bring my A game with this kid everyday, but the bummed out part, I'm pretty sure I don't have an A game... most days I'm lucky to have an F game. So there is a lot of arguing and her trying to bargain and me losing my temper at about 7pm. This means that she spends a lot of time in time out or missing out on fun stuff because she still doesn't get that no means no. I know she'll figure it out, hopefully sooner rather than later.

It's not all bad, Sophie makes up for it in with her absolute joy in life. She lives and does it full out. I want to be more like her (except for the throwing herself on the ground tantrums, I might mess up my hair). Plus she is so sweet and loving when she's not trying to drive me insane. She loves to tell me, "Mama you are my best girl".

So onto the shiny part of my story. We went to the local County Fair and what did we manage to find? Pony rides. I kid you not pony rides. I don't remeber going to too many fairs so I'm not sure if it's de riguer to have pony rides, but man I was excited. Sophie has been asking to ride a horse for months. It just trips my trigger to be able to give Sophie something that I know she's going to love. You should have seen Sophie light up at the sight of these tiny horses. She about died and then promptly took a nap on my friend Jennifer's shoulder while we waited for our turn.

Then she bravely hopped up on the tiniest little pony and beamed bright enough to light up a night sky.

Then the two guys running the operation took a mental break (one guy started texting, who knew cowboys texted? and the other guy was doing something) so those ponies started to run or gallop or trot, you get my drift. I would have died of fright but Sophie started laughing like a loon.

She had so much fun and she was glowing she was so happy. Which made me happy.


Shine, Baby, Shine!