Sunday, November 17, 2013

Three Years Old!

Sophie Grace,

You turn three years old today.  When I woke up this morning, I immediately remembered that and tried to process it, but I just kept coming back to "how can my baby, my BABY, be three already"?!  But here we are.  I take some comfort in your remaining mispronunciations (you still can't pronounce the "th" sound, leading to lots of "I'm stirsty" throughout the day), but traces of toddler are also fading fast.


Your imagination is pretty spectacular.  You create games to play and assign roles, but you also love to go off script.  You hate to be bored, and are constantly searching for the next adventure.  When we drop Emily off at ballet on Tuesdays, you and I have a whole hour to ourselves to simply explore.  You love the excitement of finding a new spot each week.


You are very smart, little one, but you are not very intrinsically motivated to learn.  For the longest time I wondered why you were having such a hard time learning your colors, and then - by playing a game on the computer - I realized that you totally knew them, but just thought it was more fun to give the wrong answer.  Only when you got a prize did you start answering correctly.  It's going to be interesting to teach you in class someday! 


You may be tiny, Sophie, but goodness are you ever spunky! You demand to be noticed, and you've got personality in spades.  You have also, by the age of three, become a master manipulator, often telling your father "but mom said I could" when I did no such thing.  Let's hope you learn to use your powers for good, and not evil, or the teenage years are going to be very interesting.


You love to giggle, to be tickled, to help me cook in the kitchen, to do craft projects with your sister, and to play hide and seek.  You adore your gymnastics preschool, and can flip and sommersault with the best of them.  You do not like to wait, and you will often wake up in the morning yelling "MOM!  Come and get me!  Now!  It's morning!".  We're working on teaching you about patience, but this particular personality trait seems to be pretty hard wired, so I'm not sure how successful we are going to be.


This past weekend your Grandma Ruth and your Aunt Elsa were visiting us, so you opened a few early birthday presents.  And your reaction to each present was to gasp, and then ask "Is this for ME?" followed closely by "It's just what I wanted!".  And that, my girl, is exactly how I feel about you.  I am so very blessed to have been given the chance to be your mommy, and you are most definitely just what I have always wanted.

Love,

Mommy




Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Oh, Sophie!

Sophie's had some real gems when it comes to fun conversations this fall.  Here are a few of our favorites! 

She started preschool in September, and when I picked her up after one of the first days I asked her if she missed me.  Her response?  "Don't be silly, mommy.  They have a trampoline here!"

Also, she's been thinking about her vocation a lot, and this is the latest:
"Mommy, when I growed up I want to be a ballerina who fights fires with a truck and lots of water and a dog with polka dots. Is that a great idea?!"

Both girls also enjoying praying before dinner, and here's a sample of what we get: 

Emily: Thank you God for the sun and the rain, for my house, my family, and my school. Thank you for all your many blessings. Please be with our family and friends. Amen.

Sophie: Thanks God for bacon, and um, elephants. Amen.