Hello blogger friends! It's been such a long time I'm embarrassed! I have no excuse other than "life happens" and truly I find myself in the toddler world which is so wonderful yet so trying and stressful at the same time. Overnight Sophia has turned into an independent, sassy, talker, singer, drama queen, princess! I wasn't ready for this QUICK transformation I thought it happened over time - LOL.
So much has been going on over the past 3.5 months that I could take up the blogosphere with all the updates so I'll just use this as a mini update to what we have been up to. We have been celebrating since November!!! Here is a preview:
1. Sophia's 2nd birthday - official date November 10th
We celebrated with her family as we had the huge blow out party in September. She got to take cupcakes to school and wear her tutu so girlfriend was loving life!
2. GOTCHA DAY - 1 year home! November 18th
What a special special day this was for us, how unbelievable that she has been with us a year although it truly seems like a lifetime. We went to the Chinese restaurant here in town and had a great dinner with our parents. It was amazing and sophia got to take a special snack into school to celebrate this special day! Our lives have changed so much in a year but I truly cannot remember our life without her. Each day is amazing as she learns something new and tells me all about her day at school. She has quite a little sense of humor that has developed also.
3. THANKSGIVING - our first together! We came home this day with sophia so sophia was thrilled to wear her feather indian headband she made at school and eat turkey and her favorite mashed potatoes. We hosted this year and it was great to have the family together! She loved it!
She made this special hat at school and just had to wear it :)
4. Christmas - WOW did she get it this year!!! So excited for santa - left cookies out and reindeer food for his reindeers and loved singing christmas carols and decorating the tree. She had a little tree in her room and she just loved taking the ornaments on and off. she opened present after present loving them! We celebrated with the extended family and she was really in her glory - truly putting on shows with her dress up clothes and princess shoes!! This has become a mainstay and everyday occurance. the princess shoes! I took off the week between christmas and new years and it was the BEST thing I ever did. We went and did so much fun stuff including the Countdown to Noon at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg and she had such a blast dancing to the DJ to hannah montana and Who let the Dogs Out
Getting our first christmas tree together :)
Loving the snow for the first time she can really play in it!
Sophia and Maddie so excited for Santa at Christmas Eve service at church
Cookie Day at Mimi's house!
Leaving Cookies and Reindeer food for Santa and his reindeer!
Christmas Morning - did Santa come? Sophia: I don't know!
I think he did - actually he went overboard and half the toys are still downstairs waiting to switch them out over the rainy springtime weather!
Sophia asked for a fish names puppy - so she got a goldfish! She also asked for a horse, a real horse and a tractor - so she got a bouncey horse and a plastic tractor - she was THRILLED
5. New Years - She was up until MIDNIGHT drinking sparkling grape juice with her friends Maddie, Vincent and Charli. She had a fabulous time and so enjoyed the party hats and the countdown! Here's to another fabulous time!
6. Baltimore Aquarium - We took sophia to the aquarium for the first time and although she loved it - we did have a meltdown over a fish that wouldn't wake up - he was sleeping on the bottom (at least that is what we told her!) and she wanted to wait until he woke up - needless to say 15 minutes later we tore away a screaming sophia. The second and last meltdown was at the Hard Rock Cafe where the vintage car suspended over the bar with it's lights on looked very inviting to sophia and she could not understand why she couldn't drive it. Again, she was crying and upset - but we had a great time!!!
7. Valentine's Day - we made valentine's for all of her friends at school and wore our red and hearts! They had a big party at school! She spent the weekend with MIMI and POP POP while mommy and daddy hit the Finger Lakes for a little R&R. She had such a good time opening all her candy.
Sharing my fishes with Winston...
In a nutshell Sophia is growing like a weed - at almost 28 months she weighs 23.5 lbs and her height well we've gone from 6 - 12 months to 18 months/18-24 in a matter of 3 months so I can only guess she has grown a few inches! Her hair is long and she loves her ponies. She is very into her clothes and needs to have a choice in her wardrobe everyday and her shoes. She loves her kitchen, books and her princess and dollbabies. We hear the clink of princess shoes everynight and it's music to my ears. She has turned into quite a little helper and wants to help cook, clean - "Phia/Fifi do it!" is what we hear all the time.
Princess/movie star!
I got into Mommy's makeup! Check out my rosey cheeks and lipgloss! Mommy needs to learn not to leave it on her nightstand while taking a shower :)
We have started potty training - she actually started it! I'm so sad I cannot believe how it has affected me but I've only had her a year I'm not ready for this :) We got her a potty that sings and that truly did the trick. We love our princess and hello kitty undies but she's in pullups right now...she's at the age I cannot get good pics she's always looking around or she gives her "cheese" face which is hilarious.
I'm going to try to update this blog more frequently, I'm actually scheduling it - yes...this is what has become of us - - - schedules and to do lists galore :)
Easter loot
I found ti!
Safety First - Princess Style!!!
Easter Egg Hunt #7 ( no lie while mommy was away daddy and sophia hit the easter egg hunt circuit!) Funny Sophia-ism - she threw the eggs back in the yard and told us they were durty (Dirty) and she didn't want durty eggs! 
Quality Time with Daddy and Winston!
