"Agua, Bubble, Doggy, Quack Quack!"

I know, I know.... How in the world did I let 7 months go by?! In my defense, I've been a pretty busy little TODDLER! I've been on the move since February and haven't slowed down one bit. In fact I'm becoming quite the little runner, especially when it's time to get a clean "biaper" and when I'm out of the cart in a store! I think it's so funny when Mommy has to chase me all over the place, but I don't think she finds it very amusing (well most of the time at least)!

I'm also getting really good at using my words - around 25 of them at the moment. I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but Mommy thinks this is very advanced for a 14.5 month old. Now, I don't say every word perfectly, but I seem be understood and get my point across. For instance when Mommy asks if I'm ready to go night, night I'll go to gate at the bottom of the stairs and say "up," meaning it's time to go upstairs. When we get into my bedroom, I say "book," meaning it's time to read a book. When Mommy says "the end" I say "night, night," meaning it's time to get in my crib. Pretty cool, if you ask me. I'm so into this talking thing that I add 1 - 2 new words each week. I can even say some words in Spanish... Toot, Toot!!

One word I manage to say while doing the actually activity is "poo poo." Mommy knows this is suppose to be a cue to start potty training, but really didn't think a 13.5 month old would be very interested. After a month of debating, Mommy finally gave in and purchased this bad boy yesterday!

Pretty fancy and silly at the same time! I tried it at the store (pants on, of course), and seems to be a good fit. Mommy went back and forth between this one and the cheapest one they had. She figured she'd go ahead and splurge since I'm so little and she had a 20% off coupon. I hope she doesn't get her hopes up though, I hear this potty business is pretty gross! Any advice on training a young girl is greatly appreciated. Wish us luck!

Another thing we've been up to is hanging out with other babies/toddlers and their mamas. Last November we joined a great Meetup group full of 2010 first time moms! Doesn't that sound like so much fun? It is! Let me tell you - I have so much fun visiting and playing with my friends. Mommy really seems to enjoy hanging out with all the ladies too. She even does these things called Mom's Night Out with them. But if you ask me it sounds like a lot of shenanigans!! Here are a few pictures of some of the friends we've made.

Oops! How did that last one get in there?? Anyway, I better get to bed. I need to get some rest tonight so I'm not a little terror for Daddy tomorrow. You see... Mommy has a Mom's Getaway at the Gaylord Texan tomorrow with some of her mommy friends and is leaving Daddy and I to fend for ourselves. The nerve!

Sophia

Pumpkin Patch, 6 Months, and Halloween

Okay, okay... so I haven't done a better job than my Mommy at keeping up with this blog, but c'mon! I'm a baby. Anyway, we've had a lot of action going on around here since my last post. Fall has come and is almost gone, but here are some of my highlights.

In preparation for Halloween, Mommy and Daddy took me to a pumpkin patch for some cute, cute pictures. We went to a really fun one in Flower Mound. They had some games and a hay ride, so I think we'll go again next year when it will really be fun for me. Here's me with my plaid shirt, jean skirt, and boots. Don't I look like the cutest little cowgirl you've ever seen?

We picked out a couple of pumpkins to take home and carve. Mommy and Daddy carved them too soon though. They were rotting the week before Halloween! Next year they'll have to postpone their Pumpkin Carving Date Night a little longer. This is the one I wanted!

Mommy gave me a quick costume change and put me in the middle of all these pumpkins. I didn't know what to think at first, but Mommy and Daddy kept making silly faces and noises that I had to give them a little chuckle. You see that cute little ghost onsie? That was my first gift. Mommy said her friend Christine gave it to her shortly after she announced she was having a baby.

Here's a picture of me and Mommy. Now, there were plenty of pictures of me with my eyes open, but she thinks this one is just oh, so sweet. You can't tell in this picture, but she wouldn't stop tickling me. That's her secret weapon. So if you wonder why I don't smile with Daddy, it's just cause the old man hasn't figured that out yet!

This next picture with Daddy was a lot of fun to take. I was smiling and laughing, until I noticed what Mommy was doing with the camera. Again, there were plenty of pictures with me laughing away, but Mommy thinks this one is really funny. I think she just likes to make Daddy look bad.

Here's our little family, minus Maverick. But I don't know how much longer he's going to be my dog brother, 'cause Mommy keeps saying she's going to accidentally leave the gate open one day.

The next big event was my half birthday! Can you believe I've been around for half of a year!? I can't. We had a World Series party at Abuelita's house, since our Texas Rangers got to play in it for the first time ever! It was lots of fun. Mommy made this half cake for me, but I didn't get to taste it. How rude!

Here I am in my zebra print Rangers shirt that my very talented Mommy made. My half birthday gift is in my hand... an iPhone! Just kidding. Abuelita let me play with it until I started to eat it.

I don't get Halloween yet. Apparently you gets dressed up really silly and everyone tells you that you look so adorable and get your picture taken... a lot. Halloween was on a Sunday this year, so in the morning we visited Annabella's church. After the service we walked around so Addyson could do the "trunk or treat." Then we did what? You guessed it. Took more pictures. I know it looks like I'm a big bully in this next picture, but I did not pull Annabella down. She lost her balance and landed on me. I was really interested in that thing on her head, and Mommy couldn't pass up the opportunity to get this incriminating shot. Oh yeah, it was really warm that day, so I didn't wear my real costume until we went to visit my grandparents.

Dum, da, da, dum! Here it is. My goofy looking monkey costume. It was so puffy and hot, but they gave me a banana to play with so I was content for a little while.

Just for a little while. This is what I really thought of the whole Halloween thing!!

Sophia

Aggie Love

I don't know if you all know this, but my Daddy went to school at Texas A&M University. That's right, he's an Aggie! And I'm his Little Aggie. He's very proud of his school and he sure does love sports. The only thing wrong with this is that the two don't seem to mesh very well. He gets really excited on Aggie game day, but I feel pretty bad for the ol' man by the time the game is over. Especially since the team always gives him a glimmer of hope towards the end of the game and then stomps all over his heart. Well, don't worry Daddy! I won't give up on those Aggs either. I'll sit right next to you in my maroon and yell at the TV with you every game day!

Here are some pictures Mommy took of me in my new A&M dress. We thought it was going to be too big for football season when Grandma Faber gave it to me a couple of months ago. Boy were we wrong! My growing just doesn't seem to be slowing down and I'm getting too big for my fall clothes already. Poor Daddy's going to have to get another job so we can buy me more clothes, or at least bet on another team! Hehe, just kidding!

Sophia

Lions, and tigers, and bears...

Since the heat finally started to let up, Mommy and Daddy took me to the zoo a few weeks ago. When they told me we were going, they seemed pretty excited. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I played along and got excited too!

This is me, excited to go to the zoo!

Mommy thought it was pretty chilly in the morning so she put me in jeans, a jacket, and a little hat. Crazy woman! By the time we got to the zoo I was in my onsie and some rolled up leggings. We walked all around the grounds and I enjoyed watching the other kids running around. Mommy and Daddy kept trying to get me to look at big things they called animals, but some of them never moved!

Like this fella' right here.

This is me, confused. Gorgeous, but confused.

I started to doze off in my stroller when we made it to the big cats. Who can blame me? The weather was great and I was being pushed around in a comfy bed! Mommy was taking lots of pictures anyway, so I'll be able to see the animals anytime I want.

When we made it over to the lions, the big one decided it was time to roar. He woke me up 10 minutes into my nap.

How rude!

I was much more interested in the small, colorful things. They moved around a lot and were way easier to see. I really liked the Great Barrier Reef aquarium. I had my eyes on a super fast fish. Every time he zoomed by, my head zoomed right along with him. I probably could have watched him all day, but my parents said we had to keep moving.

I liked these birds, too.

Here's me and Daddy, and a fake kangaroo.

The penguins.

A few minutes before the zoo closed, we made it to the reptile exhibit. They have giant tortoises out front and they were really cool. We even got to see the really big one move really fast. Mommy was saying something about how she thought turtles were suppose to be slow when she covered my eyes with her hand and walked away. I don't know what happened, but she said, "Oh my goodness turtle, you couldn't wait 10 more minutes to do that?! That poor girl didn't even know you were coming. And why do you have to be so loud?!"

Very happy!

In front of the exhibit, before the turtle incident.

I had a great time at the zoo with Mommy and Daddy. I can't wait to go back when I can walk around all by myself. Mommy said we may get a season pass when I get a little older so we can go all the time. Yippee!!

Sophia

Fall

Since Mommy hasn't updated in a long time, I've decided to take the reigns over this blog. Surely I can do a better job!

Back in September we had a great big Fiesta for my Great Abuelita Elizabeth. She turned 80 years young!! All 9 of her kids were there and most of the grandkids, great-grandkids, and even great, great-grandkids were there. She's one tough cookie that's seen a lot in her 80 years.

Doesn't she look fabulous?!

Here's a picture with Mommy, Abuelita, and Great-Abuelita!

A week after the party I took a girls trip to Austin. Me, mommy, Crystal, Addyson, and Annabella decided to be spontaneous and go visit Ugochi in Austin. She was in town, from Orlando, for her birthday and to catch up with an old roommate. Mommy was really proud of me for doing so well on the trip. She actually thought I was getting sick cause I slept so much while we were there. Didn't she know we were on vacation?

Chocolates in our room.

My first sleep over with Annabella at the Four Seasons. Fancy!

All the girls! Sorry I'm not looking at the camera.

Addyson is pretty gangsta' and I had to watch my back!

It's getting really late, so I'll have to post about the rest of my adventures tomorrow. I promise!

Sophia

Growing, growing, growing!

Sorry again for taking so long to blog. It seems like there is always something that needs to get done that takes priority over the Blogspot. Sophia is now 4 months old and is growing like a weed. A beautiful weed!! She has passed up all those average 6 month olds in height, weight, and head circumference, and is on the tail of the 9 month olds! Look out babies, Sophia's coming through!

Along with this never ending growth spurt is a lot of developmental growth as well. She's getting closer and closer to sitting up on her on and loves to stand when she's given the chance. Her crazy tantrums are finally easing up, although she'll still throw one in every now and then for old time's sake! I'm so amazed by everything Sophia has learned in just 17 weeks of life. She's like a Sham Wow absorbing so much everyday! She's very alert and attentive, and is discovering all the things her tiny hands can do. She seems to be more reserved than other babies, but sure does have a gorgeous smile, a sweet coo, a funny squeal, and a chuckle that will melt your heart when she's in the mood!

Our lives have changed so much since Sophia's arrival, and we wouldn't have it any other way. I know we aren't the first people to have a baby, or the first couple that's ever thought their baby was the most beautiful, precious angel on the face of this Earth. But c'mon, have you seen her? She's the most beautiful, precious angel on the face of this Earth!! :) Seriously though, words can't come close to expressing how much love we have for her. Which leads me to a question for all you moms. How do you love your other children as much as your first one?? Right now I can't fathom loving any other child as much as I love Sophia! Do you really have a favorite? You can tell me. Except for you, Mommy. I think it's pretty obvious that your case is quite different and you love your second born more!

It's almost time to go. But first I'd like to recap Sophia's first 4 months of life in pictures. Are you ready? Well let's do it... break it down! :) (I hope some of you younger mommies got a little chuckle out of that!)

Our first family picture

Hello, Bright Eyes

Home Sweet Home

Mother's Day

Father's Day

With Crystal's baby, Annabella. They are 13 hours apart!

World Cup Party. Viva Mexico!

Swimming with Mommy

Fourth of July

Bath Time

Squeaky Clean

Rodeo Maverick

Cutie Pie

Oh! That face!

Gotta love the drool!