oh yes we did!

We set up for Christmas on Sunday....that's right November 22!

This is the earliest we have ever set up for Christmas.

If you had suggested we set up for Christmas in November in years past I would have said you were crazy.

Something happens when you have a kid.

Or perhaps it happens as you get older.

Nope scratch that.

My parents never set up for Christmas any earlier than mid December.

Perhaps its just me as I get older. I feel more and more like a crazy lady.

I like to soak up all the holiday I can get!

I didn't get a lot of "setting up the tree" pics because I was busy setting up the tree.

Sophia woke from her mini nap to discover Christmas ornaments. She was utterly confused.
She said Mom...it's November.

She got into the swing of things once she realized those weren't actually oranges in that box.

Time to put up the outside Christmas lights!!! Exciting!!

Pretending she is laying in a meadow with Edward.

Hehe just kidding. She is moon gazing.

The finished product. Cozy cozy time!

get your smile on

I've been 'elfed' and so has Sophia!

Thanks Pam for making me laugh so hard this morning!!

Here are my mommy group friends and I...having a great time in Santa's workshop!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Then I showed my sister Sara how I was 'elfed' and she 'elfed' Sophia and her cousins Sam and Lola!!!


so.much.fun. I.cant.handle.it!!!!!!

please dear god let this be a phase

What is with Sophia no longer wanting or needing to nap????

I'm not ready for this.

Not only do I need this time to re-group, clear my head, have a moment of sanity, get tasks done...blog (you know important stuff) I also have to work. This is not possible when she whines and cries the whole time or has a whopping 20 minute nap.

Yesterday we tried to just have quiet time in her room. She didn't understand the concept. It was definitely not quiet quiet time. We will have to work on that. Wishing she was still in a crib so she couldn't escape, haha!

I thought today she would be good and worn out and ready for a nap....nope. Two hours of playing hard with friends at a playgroup, running errands with me and she was still good to go!! "no nap mommy" "no sleep" "no books" no quiet"....you get the drift.

NOT.READY.FOR.THIS

Can you tell we have had a rough afternoon??

Asking for it to please, please just be a phase.

A 'welcome to two' phase that goes away shortly?!

Anyways for a much more happy post look below :)

Happy

One of my favorite times of the day is when Sophia is playing contentedly with her toys. I love hearing her talk to them and place them just so in their respective places. It doesn't happen all the time. Usually she is asking me to come play with her and to help. She has always been very 'attached to the hip'. Most likely because that's how I have been with her since she was born and partly because it is in her nature. When she does play on her own (without being asked) it makes me very happy and let's me know she is getting more and more independent every day. I love this new balance where she can do more and more happily on her own.

She is very much into her Fisher Price Little People.

I think I have just as much fun if not more fun playing with them too!

This is her castle that she got for her birthday.

Love this face!

We decided to pull out all her little people and make a village!

We I love to do that.

(I got the house and farm second hand, yay! The little horse trailer is from Auntie Gina)

Sophia wanted me to take a picture of this.

She let me know that they were "having a party".

I think we may have been to a few too many parties lately!

She also made me to take a picture of each little person.

I will spare you those photos ;)

For Brooklyn

I made these burp cloths for my friends new baby girl Brooklyn.

You can use them as change pads also.

I wish I had some like this when Sophia was a baby, I just think they are the cutest!

Each time I make them they are different and I have so much fun.

I usually stay up way too late making them and regret it when 6:07am comes the next day, thankyouverymuch Sophia.

These are the ones I made for my two baby nieces Lola and Jada...

Daddy and Me

Sunday was daddy and me day.

I was out hosting a baby shower for my good friends brand new baby girl Brooklyn.

You tested your boundaries with daddy.

You wouldn't nap.

You threw tantrums.

You wouldn't say sorry.

You had time outs.

But in between it all you had fun with daddy.

You even had a photo shoot with all your stuffed friends.

une petite update

Who is a busy bee these days??

I am, I am!

I started my own business people!

Remember when I said I couldn't handle working from home anymore?

Well, Im taking back those words.

This time is different, this time I AM THE BOSS...which is pretty durn fantastic!

Realty Connection is the name of my business.

Every name that I wanted or thought was brilliant was unavailable.

Too bad so sad.

I have two days under my belt and so far so great!!

I have a Realtor in the area who has contracted my company (that would be me) to generate Real Estate leads for him.

So I get to put on my phone voice, wear my headset and charm people.

They don't know that im sitting in my basement surrounded by toys and laundry (I may also be wearing stretchy pants and no makeup).

Life here in Pearsonville has been a tough go lately.

Chris lost his job back in May and has been doing side jobs since then.

It has been stressful to say the least.

But now I get to help and use some of God's gifts that he gave me to help support my family.

Im hoping to make a great success out of this venture.


And in Sophia news....

• I have a nudie on my hands. She never wants to wear clothes anymore...umm ok, whatever floats your boat girlfriend!

• She loves to sing. She sings Little Mermaid songs (beyond cute, i really need to get that on video) and just tonight she sang to me while sitting on the potty in the buff 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' (with the hand gestures and all). It went something like this..."itsy bitty spider up water.....rain......wash.....out......up sun...yayayay" Followed by clapping at herself because she was proud and so was I!! My heart was so full.

• Sophia got her H1N1 shot today. Mommy wasn't allowed to because there is a shortage of vaccine here. Sucks. But at least my baby will be protected.

• And a small miracle happened tonight! Sophia went to bed without her precious "soos" and blanket!!! We just recently broke the habit of not having her soos/blanket combo in the daytime. It had gotten out of hand and she was addicted. bad. Every time something made her upset she would automatically ask for her combo pack. Finally broke that habit. So tonight as we read our new library Christmas books she sat on my lap and made no mention of her combo pack...I turned the light off, we snuggled for a few minutes (still no mention), laid her down in bed and she rolled to her side and went to sleep. I walked out of the room amazed, did that really just happen. I waited around outside her room for a while waiting to hear her realize it was missing. But nothing.

• When did she get so big?? Singing, going potty, big girl bed, no combo pack???

My heart really can't get much fuller. I love her so much! I thank God everyday that He sent me Sophia to be my daughter. I am so blessed!

***Funny thing, I named this post Une Petite Update...well not so petite is it??? Sorry bout that!

two peas in a pod

Yesterday we went shopping with Auntie Sara.

Sara is a shopper

Sophia is a shopper

Match made in heaven!!

please don't judge

If only we had a Target.

Then she would ask to go to Target everyday instead of Walmart.

It's a little embarrassing.

Apparently we go there too much and its her new favorite place...ever.