Happy Birthday Ryan

Today is Ryan's birthday. I was very domestic and baked a bunch of cupcakes that spelled out "Happy Birthday Ryan." My dad, stepmom, sisters and brother all came up to visit today as well. I'm not sure what Sofia thought when she woke up from her nap and saw all those people in the living room. She was a little more cranky today than usual, so by the time we left for dinner, she had already had three naps. All of us, incuding Ryan after he got off work, trooped to Easton and ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Yum! It was a fun experience, even though the service was a little lacking. (I can speak from experience, I worked in restaruants for 6 years.) Anyway, we all sat at one big booth, and Sofia was part of the fun because the restaurant had mini-highchairs that sat right on the booth seat. This was the first time I have fed Sofia dinner in public since she began on solids, and it was a lot smoother than I thought it would be. After dinner and the mall, Ryan and Sofia and I headed home. I think Sofia was out before we had even left the parking garage. When we got home, I put her straight to bed and, after some mumbling and babbling, she was out for the night. Speaking of going out, that's what Ryan did for his birthday evening. I figured he deserved it. I just enjoyed the evening alone, drank a couple of beersand

watched the Devil Wears Prada. Ahhh, relaxing!

Good News

SO, today after work I found out some awesome news. I have been accepted to the graduate program at Kent State for a Master's in Library Science. Honestly, there was no reason why I wouldn't have gotten in, but I was nervous anyway. I start classes in the fall, so I have a few months to mentally prepare myself for going back to school, working part-time and taking care of a baby. It's a lot on my plate, but I am excited.

Back in the City

Sofia and I made it back to Columbus today and pretty early too. I knew her whole schedule would be thrown off, and it was, so she was kind of cranky and tired. Luckily she took about three naps before Ryan even came home from work. I will say, though, when that girl is tired, boy does she like to laugh. I happened to pick her up and got a whiff of the diaper. It was stinky. So I said as much. "Ewww, stinky diaper!" And Sofia started laughing. So I said it again, and again, and she just kept giggling as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. (What can I say, Mommy's a funny gal.) I love when she laughs, I just wish she did it more often. I could listen to it all day long. Usually I just torture her by doing the same action that makes her laugh over and over. Also, one other thing, Sofia took two little crawls forward today. She was doing the typical sit and lunge (sounds like some kind of exercise) and usually she just falls fowards onto her stomach. Not today! Today she moved her little arms forward two times before falling on her stomach. I know, it's not that exciting, but hey, it's all I've got!

Road Trip

Sofia and I took a road trip to Cincinnati today. I was supposed to work, but I had some personal problems to take care of, so off we went to Chelsea's house. (This is Sofia's blog, so I'm not going to get into the personal problems, sorry.) Anyway, we drove down here and met Chelsea at her work for lunch. Sofia got cooed over by all of the female employees, as well as most of the men. After luch we continued to Chelsea's house (previously my mom's) and visited with our neighbor Elsie. After that we headed out to Grandpa and Grandma Whyte. It's been three months since they last saw Sofia in person, so she had a lot of tricks to show them. I think she was more interested in the cats than the Grandparents! She played, ate a dinner of carrots and formula, and then we were on the road back to Chelsea's. By that point, Sofia was sick of being in her carseat, but she was too tired to argue. I was just happy she went to bed very easy. I put her right in the pack and play and heard not a peep. It could have been a lot worse!

Busy Sunday

I swear, we were going nonstop from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Since Sunday's are the only day Ryan and I have off together (usually) we decided to start some spring cleaning. Actually, I started it by cleaning the bathrooms since he was watching Sofia. After that, I had to move onto our bedroom. It needed to be cleaned soooo bad. We're not dirty people, but the bedroom is the one place we put all of our extra things that we don't need or don't want out in the rest of the apartment. Once we got going, we really got going. It's less cluttered, things are put away, and you don't get stressed or claustrophobic. IT was verging on those rooms on the cleanup shows like Clean Sweep. After that, we decided to go to Target to get some more stuff for the apartment. (Thank God for the refund check.) Hoestly, this is the first time in the 5 years we have been dating that we have really been able to get our apartment decorated and looking more put-together, instead of a mish-mash of hand me downs. We're definitely growing up! So, as for the things we bought, they include a new dining table and chairs, a cd/dvd rack, and curtains for the living room. Can you believe we have never had curtains?! After we came home from that, and put Sofia down for a nap, we cleaned some more. Once Sofia woke up and was fed, we were off to Russ and Vanessa's for dinner. Throughout all of this, Sofia was awesome. She was a little fussy at Target because we put her in the shopping cart for the first time, and I don't think she cared for it. Mainly, she just wanted to chew on the metal bars. (Eww, gross.) After dinner, we came home and put Sofia to bed, and then proceeded to spend the next 3 hours putting together the table and chairs. Hopefully Sofia gets more of Ryan's patience than mine.

It's time to get clean!

Shopping!

Sofia and I spent the day shopping with my friend Beth. We almost spend it on the couch in our jammies, but instead we took advantage of the beautiful weather. We went to lunch at Panera, and Sofia got to sit in a high chair and continuously throw her toys on the ground and stare at a group of teenage boys behind us. After that we hit the stores. I was very good, only buying what I needed. I got my brother a gift for his birthday, which is today and picked up something for Ryan's birthday, which is next Saturday. After that, I had to go to Carter's. Oh that place will be the financial ruin of me! I only spent $20 on four outfits (I already had a $10 gift check). Oh, you should see these outfits!! I bought sizes that she'll be able to wear towards the end of summer into fall, but I can't wait. By the time we headed for home, Sofia had stayed awake for three hours in a row. Usually she can only go for two, but in the past few days, she's gone from three naps a day to two. This has been helpful for the times we need to go out during the day. Later this evening, our friends Russ and Vanessa came by with their daughter. Sofia was up for maybe an hour before we put her to bed. All in all it was nice day off.

Rainy Day and Senora Crankypants!

So, I was with senora crankpants all day today. I swear, she may only be six months, but boy can she have a little attitude. She was tired and mad (because I wouldn't hold her) and so she started to throw down her board books she was looking at. Right then and there I knew it was naptime. After she woke up from her nap, which was shorter than usual, she was still a little cranky. She ate most of her lunch and even tried the carrots I was giving her, and she seemed to enjoy them. But again, one hour later she was fussy and cranky so off to another nap. By the time she woke up, Vanessa and her daughter Genevieve were at the house. Sofia was so happy to see the baby! Genevieve's only 2 months, so it's crazy to see the difference between the two girls. By the time Vanessa left, Ryan was literally pulling into the parking spot she had just vacated. Sofia and I took a short trip to the mailbox. It was the only time we could get outside because of the rain. But at least it's warm, right? Anyway, by the time Daddy came home Sofia was put down for another nap. She was still sleeping when I left for work, so I can only hope that everything went okay and she ate her dinner. It was a good thing she took her little afternoon siesta when Ryan got home because we were able to assemble our newly arrived coffee table. Seriously, I thought the thing was shorter when we saw it at Target. It's taller than the couch cushions, but I guess that's the price you pay when you get one with two shelves. (If you saw the link from my previous post then you would know what it looks like, if not, click on the word coffee table in the post.) I think it's just something we're going to have to get used to. The matching t.v.stand should arrive tomorrow, while I'm at work of course. Please, oh please, I hope someone will not steal it!

A Day in the Life

This is for all of you who don't get to regularly see Sofia. A little taste of her world, shall we say...

8:00-9:00 a.m. I usually wake up sometime in this hour, talking to myself for the first 15 minutes. Hmmm...why hasn't anyone come to get me? Maybe I'll start crying...Yep, works every time.

9:00-10:30 a.m. I start my morning off with a big bottle of formula while Mommy watches the news and Live with Regis and Kelly. After my bottle I get dressed for the day. It's always fun to see what Mommy will put me in, although usually I wind up in something different by the end of the day. After that I play in my exersauce o' fun while Mommy eats breakfast and when she's done she takes me out and plays with me on the floor.

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Uh oh, now I'm getting tired. First I'll rub my eyes. Nope, Mommy didn't see that. Next I'll yawn. Nope, missed that one too. Okay, now I'll have to cry and act fussy. Yup, that one worked. Now I'm off for my nap.

12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Ahh, nice and refreshed (too bad my diaper isn't). Mommy takes me from my crib and puts me in my high chair. What is on the menu today? Yumm...looks like rice cereal, sweet potatoes and a bottle. After I'm done eating, and getting food all over the place, Mommy changes my diaper and then we play on the floor. Sometimes we go to the mall, but not today.

2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Okay, now I'm getting tired again. Time to turn on the crankiness. Works like a charm. Off to the crib for another nap.

4:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Ahhh. Daddy's home. Someone new to play with. There goes Mommy, out the door. I guess I'll just see her tomorrow morning. Now it's time for another bottle and diaper change. Then Daddy takes me outside for a walk and we look at the ducks. (I'm glad I don't smell as bad as they do.) Back inside we go for more playing on the floor. Wait, Daddy's picking me up. Must be bathtime! Splash, splash...Now I'm hungry from all that playing. (I know, we do it a little backwards, bath then dinner.) Yumm...sweet potatoes, rice cereal and formula again. One last clean up, into my sleep sack and time for a little cuddle time with Daddy. Tonight we're reading The Very Busy Spider, one of my favorite books. Next, I'll start rubbing my eyes, good he took the cue. It's off to bed until tomorrow.


I know, a little cheesy, but I was bored. What can I say? I hope you enjoyed A Day in the Life of Sofia.

Daddy's Day

Sofia got to spend the day with her Daddy. I had to go work from 9-6, so Ryan got a little taste of what I do everyday. From what I hear, they had a pretty busy day. First they went to get the oil changed in Ryan's car and then from there they went to Blockbuster. I think that's going to become one of Sofia's favorite places because she was grabbing videos from the shelf and talking to the dvd covers. After a nap and lunch at home, they both came to visit me at the library. What a nice surprise for my day! (Well, actually, I knew they were coming because I suggested that Ryan bring her.) When I got home from work, we decided to go to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner (oh how I love their salad bar) and we have made a new discovery about Sofia. Besides being able to attract 50 year old men (there were two guys sitting at a table next to ours and the one guy just couldn't keep from talking to Sofia and telling her how pretty she was), Sofia can now sit in the high chair by herself. No more lugging in the carseat everytime we go to a restaurant! She was a perfect baby while out. We laid out some toys on the table, and she happily grabbed them and played the hour we were there. She did keep throwing her toys on the floor, which I'm sure made Ryan and I look like prairie dogs every time we had to duck and pick one up.

Out and About

Sofia and I went to the mall today. Spring Fever has hit and we were ready to get out. We did have one casualty, though. The stuffed turtle Chelsea gave Sofia was lost in the mall. It was with is when we went in but gone by the time we came out and since I had already strapped her in the carseat, I just didn't feel like going all the way back in. Hopefully some other little kid found it and gave it a good home (but didn't take home the slobbery germs.)

Ryan and I are excited because I got my tax check, and with it we are buying a new coffee table and entertainment stand. I know the glass coffee table we have now is pretty and would be a fun obstacle for Sofia, but we just didn't think glass and toddling baby would work to well. I ordered the set on Target.com, which was a first for me, and it should arrive either Thursday or Friday. I hope we get everything we need, so that I won't be forever jaded about online ordering.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I believe Kent Brockman from the Simpsons said it best, "On St. Patrick's Day, everyone is a little Irish, except of course for the Italians." (I have to joke about that with Ryan, since he's Italian." Sofia was ready for today with her green shirt, thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Whyte. I'm hoping she'll last in it all day, but most of the time she comes back from the babysitter's she has a new outfit on. We'll see.

Can I just say that Sofia gets more fun every day. I can't wait for her to be more mobile. Unlike all the people that warn me, I'm looking forward to her crawling and walking because I just find the newborn stage just slightly too boring. I like to chase after kids, it'll give me a chance to burn off some extra calories. (I know what you're going to say, "you say that now, but just wait." ) Anywho, that's about all I have to say for today. I'm not sure what the big plans will be for tonight, maybe drink a pint of Guinness after Sofia goes to bed, read a book, watch some t.v. I am the epitome of excitement.

I want to Stand!

Oh. My. Goodness. Ever since Sofia discovered she could pull herself up and stand, that's all she wants to do. (Thanks Chelsea for helping her "discover" her new talent.) Since she can't stand on her own, mommy or daddy has to help. If we set her down, she cries. Plus, I just added fuel to the fire by teaching her to pull up on the crib railing all by herself! I am proud and terrified at the same time. Ryan thinks we need to lower the crib now, but I was quick to point out that a. she still can't get to a sitting position from lying down and b., I really don't want to break my back bending down even further to get her in and out of the crib. In the end, laziness won! Other than that little accomplishment, things have been going well. Sofia's been eating rice cereal every evening and loving it. She's been sleeping more, almost thirteen hours a night. I tell Ryan almost every day that we are very lucky that Sofia sleeps as much as she does and we should not take it for granted. We are so lucky to have such a good baby!

Blech!

I know this blog is about Sofia, but man have I been feeling pretty lousy the past few days. I'll admit, Saturday was my own fault because Chelsea and I went out the night before and drank a little too much. But Sunday came and I was still feeling lousy and then by Monday, just in time for Sofia's doctor's appointment I was not doing well. If it wasn't coming out one end it was coming out the other. I know, that's gross, but I can't help it. I started feeling a little better today, but I was weak and dehydrated so I slept for most of the day. Thank God Ryan had the day off and he watched Sofia most of the time. Well, enough about me and my illnesses.

I can't believe how fast Sofia is growing and hitting her milestones. She can already sit by herself. She'll sit for long periods of time and the only reason she falls over is because she is usually lunging for a toy or something. Plus, Chelsea helped me discover that she is starting to pull herself up on things. If I sit her next to her exersaucer, she'll grab the edge, put her little legs underneath her, and pull herself up with minimal support from me. Plus, she tried to move towards the cat by "cruising" along the exersaucer too. However, I won't let her stand up alone because I don't want her to take a header into something. Pretty soon she's going to be crawling and walking and wow, time flies.

6 Months Old

Sofia has hit the 6 month mark and has come in at a whopping 13 lb. 4 oz and 24 in. 5th percentile for both height and weight. What can I say, she's petite. Now, if only mommy was in the 5th percentile too... Our doctor's appointment went well. We get to officially start her on solids, rice cereal, then veggies, then fruit. We did cheat and give her tastes of cereal about a month ago, but now we have the doctor's okay. Besides, maybe she'll start putting on the ounces.

A sweet tooth already?

Bad Luck

Okay, so first I just need to rant about our stupid apartment office. "Apparently", they are claiming they didn't get our rent check. I check my checking statement online, and sure enough, my check was cashed as of March 2. The only issue is I send half the rent by check, Ryan pays half with a money order, but both are put in the same envelope. So now I have to call the office tomorrow. Ugh.

So, on to news about Sofia. Well, there's not much. She's been fussy the past few days, and I think it may be because she is teething. Other than that, she seems pretty happy. I've been going through her clothes, weeding out all of the stuff that's too small. It's kind of sad to see all of the clothes that she used to fit into, and the stuff that she won't get to wear because of the season. I'm glad she's smaller because she is stays in her clothes longer, which makes them last. I can't wait until it gets warmer because I have some really cute clothes for this summer and spring, including two little pairs of shorts. I'm so glad I had a girl!

Bad Luck

Okay, so first I just need to rant about our stupid apartment office. "Apparently", they are claiming they didn't get our rent check. I check my checking statement online, and sure enough, my check was cashed as of March 2. The only issue is I send half the rent by check, Ryan pays half with a money order, but both are put in the same envelope. So now I have to call the office tomorrow. Ugh.

So, on to news about Sofia. Well, there's not much. She's been fussy the past few days, and I think it may be because she is teething. Other than that, she seems pretty happy. I've been going through her clothes, weeding out all of the stuff that's too small. It's kind of sad to see all of the clothes that she used to fit into, and the stuff that she won't get to wear because of the season. I'm glad she's smaller because she is stays in her clothes longer, which makes them last. I can't wait until it gets warmer because I have some really cute clothes for this summer and spring, including two little pairs of shorts. I'm so glad I had a girl!

Pants Head!

I really don't have much to say today, but I realized that I haven't posted any new pictures recently, so here you go.

Getting reasy to head out on the town!
Drooling machine.

Well, enjoy the pictures. Hopefully I'll have something more exciting to share next time.

What is With the Snow?

I mean seriously...come on! Yesterday was beautiful, but today has just been snow and wind. It's nice for December, but now that it's March I expect some warmer, sunnier days. So how did Sofia and I spend the pretty day yesterday? At the mall, of course. I know, I know, you don't even have to say it! I still can't get over how many comments I receive from people when I'm out with Sofia. (What can i say, I like getting them!) I've more than a few people tell me that she is the cutest baby, looks like a baby doll, is so tiny, and has huge eyes. I guess Ryan and I should start producing more pretty babies! ( Just kidding mom, I don't want to give anyone a heart attack out there!)

On a sadder note, today will be Sofia's first funeral. One of Ryan's previous coworker/friend passed away Sunday evening. He was a great artist, cook, and friend. We will all miss you Ben.

Finally...the Laughter!

Finally, Sofia has decided to laugh for me. She's been laughing and giggling with daddy for a few weeks now, but me? Oh no, not for mommy. Sundaywas the first time. I'll tell you, it's the sweetest sound in the whole world. However, now that she has giggled, I want to hear it all the time, at all costs! Today I may have gone a little overboard. I started bouncing her up and down on my leg and then I would sing her really high, which would make her laugh. So I kept it up and did it so long that she actually threw up a little. I didn't know, she kept laughing so I figured everything was fine. Besides, she's used to spitiing up. (I'm just kidding though, I really don't torture my child all that much.)

So, today was the first time I had to take Sofia to the doctor when it wasn't a regualr checkup. She's had a boil on her ear (I know, gross) for the past couple of days. I figured it probably wasn't anything, but I thought I should get it checked out since a few years ago Ryan and I both had Staph infections (again, gross). So we went and it turned out to not be a big deal, although the doctor did prescribe antibiotics which is supposed to turn her poop red (what is wrong with me today?! ).