You Are My Sunshine

The sun has finally decided to shine. Last Friday and Saturday, we had two of the most wonderful days. Jon has been feeling more like himself and the weather was beautiful, so we spent a lot of time outside. Friday we went to the park and Sophie got to swing. She loves the swings! I tried the slide, but she wasn't too keen on that. After the park, we went to the Parker's for dinner. Sophie had so much fun playing at the Parker's she didn't end up going to bed until 9:oo.

Saturday was another fun filled day. I went shopping with my mom for mother's day gifts, and then we spent the afternoon outside. We went for a walk and then played at the park again. When we got home, the guy who plows our street had come to mow, rake, aerate and fertilize the lawn. Our lawn is horrible, most of the time it is a beautiful dandelion patch. I hate it! It isn't soft, it's half weeds and half dead. Anyway, we thought this might help get our lawn in better shape. While he was outside working, Sophie and I went out to enjoy the beautiful day. We went over to the neighbors to pet the dogs. Sophie loves dogs! After playing with the dogs, I pushed Sophie on her beep, beep. I tried to get her to push it, but she wanted to ride it instead. I need to get a stick that I can push it with, so that I don't have to bend over. My back doesn't like it when I push Sophie on her beep, beep. When it was time to bring Sophie in for dinner, a bath and bed, she cried. She just loves being outside and she hates to come in. She went to bed at 7:00 and then Mom, Jon and I enjoyed a nice BBQ outside on our driveway. The neighbors were all out playing and doing yard work, it felt like summer. I was truly in heaven. The best part about it was that there were no bugs. There are way too many bugs here and I hate them all.

I have felt so happy the past couple of days. Jon has been feeling well and the weather has been beautiful. We've had a lot of fun spending time as a family, which has been wonderful. I'm so grateful that Jon has been doing so well. I pray every night, that he won't get too sick. We are truly being blessed and it has been such a blessing to have my mom here with us. I love her company and she has been a great help with Sophie and with cooking and cleaning. I'm going to miss her when she leaves, she's been my moral support through all of this. We are going to enjoy every day that Jon feels well and just enjoy being together as a family. I can't wait until the pool opens, so that we can spend some time at the pool. I just know Sophie is going to love the pool, and I could use a little color.

Here are some cute pictures of Sophie in two of her new summer outfits from grandma Rosa.

My big girl!

Riding her beep, beep.

Going for a walk with grandma.

She walked and walked and walked

My baby girl is walking. She took her first steps on her own, on Sunday, May 1st. We were in Relief Society, and she was getting a little vocal, so I took her out in the hall. Once she quieted down, we walked back in to the Relief Society room. I held out my hand, so that Sophie would walk to my mom and take her hand, but instead she let go of my hand and kept walking. I was so excited and surprised. I wanted to scream with excitement, but we were in the middle of the lesson. I looked at my mom and she smiled with excitement too. Unfortunately, because it happened during Relief Society Jon missed seeing his baby walk for the first time. When we got home, Sophie walked from Jon to me. The first couple of days, she would only walk from one person to another, but now she'll let go of the furniture and walk on her own. She amazes me with how quickly she learns new things. Once she tries something for the first time, it doesn't take long for her to become a pro.

She balances with her hands up in the air. I love it!

My big girl! Walking from Daddy to Grandma.

Happy Mother's Day

My mom has been here for the past three weeks helping us while Jon starts his chemotherapy treatments. I had the privilege of celebrating my very first Mother's Day with my own mom. It was such a special day. Jon got up with Sophie, so that Mom and I could sleep in, although Sophie gave me a great gift and she slept until 7:20. Jon bought Mom and I a corsage to wear at church, and he fixed a delicious dinner. He made pork chops with rice and salad, and we had banana cream pie for dessert. He also kept Sophie with him during Sunday School and Relief Society, so that Mom and I could enjoy the lessons. We had such a wonderful day, and I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a mother and to celebrate my very first mother's day. Thank you Jon, for giving me such a wonderful day! I love being a mother, and this past year has been the best one yet. I look forward to many more days as a mother. Thanks Sophie for being my baby girl. I love you!

Mom and I with our beautiful flowers. I was worried that Sophie would try and play with the flowers. She didn't, but she managed to hit it every time I held her. After sacrament meeting a small piece of my flower fell off. Oh well, it still looked pretty.

My sister Nicole made a special card for me from Sophie. It was so cute! Thanks Nicole for the fun card.

Even though I was the one who was supposed to give gifts to my mom, she ended up giving me gifts. She bought me pair of black leggings, a shirt, a bracelet and a new purse. Thanks Mom for the wonderful gifts, you spoiled me. Jon bought me a new dress, but I need to buy a white shrug to go with it. I truly was spoiled!

Sophie helping me open my gifts.

Mom opening the gift I gave her. My brother Nick and I went in on a gift and got mom a new skirt and blouse.

Say Chocolate!

Some may think that I'm a terrible mother for letting my 10 month old eat chocolate, but how can we get through life without the finer things like chocolate and sugar. Jon bought a bag of Hershey's miniatures and they were in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Sophie had been playing with them earlier and I told her that I would give her one to eat if she were naked. Later I got her undressed for her bath and I sat her on the bar, waiting until it was time to put her in the tub. I saw the chocolate bars and decided to give one to Sophie. Boy did she enjoy it!

Notice the chocolate drool?

What a cute chocolatey face!

A face only a mom could love. Not really, so many people love this cute baby.

I love this picture, notice the chocolatey diaper. Yum!!

Happy Easter!

Easter fun started Saturday morning with Sophie's Easter basket. She got a pink lamb, a small white lamb, a purple bunny, two "cha, cha" eggs and some building blocks. She actually picked out her pink lamb at Target a few weeks before. She was quite excited to see it again. She's sure had fun playing with her new toys.

We had an Easter egg hunt for Sophie in the living room. The eggs were empty, but we thought it would be fun to have her crawl around and find the eggs. I actually had to help her find the eggs. Once she found the first egg, she wanted to sit and play with it, she wasn't interested in finding the rest. Here she is just before the egg hunt; all ready with her basket.

Finding her first egg.

Hiding in the diaper caddy.

And on the entertainment center. So many eggs!

My basket full of eggs! Didn't I do a great job? I found so many pretty eggs.

Grandma Reed bought Sophie's Easter dress, and of course I tried to get several pictures of her, but again, she didn't want to hold still. She looked so pretty in her new dress. I had to take the pictures inside, even though it was a nice day. The weather was beautiful, but a little cool before church. I knew I wouldn't be able to get any pictures after church, because Sophie would be ready for a nap, and she was. She fell asleep in the car on the way home from church.

My beautiful Easter girl!

Sophie went down for a nap as soon as we got home from church, so Grandma Reed, Jon and I got to enjoy a peaceful, relaxing Easter dinner while Sophie took a nap. It was so nice to be able to eat without having to worry about Sophie. After her nap, we went to the park to enjoy the warm weather. Sophie had so much fun swinging!

Look at that big smile. She loves being outside, it's all a new adventure for her. I can't wait until the weather is nice enough that we can go outside everyday. It's been cold and rainy most of the time. Where is the sun?

A few weeks ago I set Sophie down on the grass for the first time and I found out very quickly, that she doesn't like the grass. If you can get her to sit, she immediately starts to cry and does everything she can to try and get off the grass. Now when I try to set her on the grass, she holds on to me as tight as she can. She does not like the grass. Sunday while we were at the park, I actually got her to sit on the grass with me. She didn't like it, but she didn't cry. While she was standing, she'd only stand on one foot. Here is a picture of her standing on one foot. Even when she was sitting, she'd hold up one of her legs to keep it off of the grass. What a silly girl! Hopefully she'll like the grass next year.

Fun Sophie Pics

Things have been a little crazy around here with all that has been going on with Jon. I haven't had a lot of time to post any photos of Sophie, so here are some cute pictures of my baby girl. Unfortunately she isn't much of a baby anymore, she's a little person. She is all over the place and gets in to everything. She is getting better at standing on her own, I just know she's going to take off walking on her own one of these days. It just hit me today, my baby is going to be one in a month and a half. Where has the past year gone?

My little Egyptian bather. She is standing in the tub. She doesn't like to sit very much during her bath, she prefers to stand. Silly girl!

Spikey hair! She sure is a ham. She loves to be silly.

My two most favorite people.

It's so hard to get pictures of Sophie these days, she never wants to hold still, so daddy had to help.

Sophie has four new dresses that she's been wearing the past three Sundays. I love to get pictures of her in her cute clothes, but she doesn't like to pose for mommy. I couldn't get a picture of her from the front. Oh well, this one's still cute.

Sophie's new favorite place to play, under the end table. She crawls under the table into the kitchen, and then she gets in to all kinds of trouble.

Another new dress. I just love this cute face!

Sophie loves to swing. We've taken her to the park three times and she sure enjoys swinging. She even tried the slide and she did very well. I can't wait until the weather is warmer, so we can go to the park or for a walk everyday. Where is the sun?

Beep, Beep

Before we went to Utah, we ordered a push/ride toy for Sophie. Our friends the Anderson's, bought one for their daughter, Elsie, who is also Sophie's good friend.

This is one of the first pictures of Sophie riding on her new toy.

Here she is standing behind the beep, beep. She didn't know how to walk with it at first, she could only stand. Every time she'd try to push it, she'd push it as far as she could without face planting on the floor. She didn't know how to move her feet.

Just another cute picture of Sophie on her beep, beep.

Giving her puppy a ride.

Stylin' girl on her bike. I love the glasses!

Giving her favorite toys a ride; Hope bear, her puppy who is nameless and her Care Bear Love Alot.

I just love the look on her face. She finally learned how to walk with the beep, beep. When she first started walking with it, I had to control the speed, but within two days she had it mastered. She learns so quickly, I just can't believe how fast she is growing.

Sophie and Elsie trying to ride the beep, beep together. Sophie wasn't enjoying herself very much, and she kept hitting the back of Elsie's head. Poor Elsie!

Giving Elsie a ride on the beep, beep. I had to help Sophie push, but she did it.

Sophie now knows how to push Elsie on the beep, beep all by herself. She's so strong! We got the name beep, beep from the Anderson's, because that's what they call Elsie's toy. Both of the girls love their beep, beep. Sophie has to push hers every morning after breakfast. I'm afraid she is going to be walking on her own before too long, she's getting lots of practice with this toy.