Yes, I know this is extremely late. One week turned into 2 weeks and I thought I could get it done, and before I knew it 3 weeks were gone. Plus, I think it was some procrastination that turned into total laziness and a strong desire to NOT do this post. However, if I let it go any longer I fear I will never catch up and then we will never get to document what the heck are kids were up to in September 2008!
Lots to say about Sophia. Her communication skills have blossomed over the last few weeks and she is retaining so much of what she hears and learns. She always seems to have something interesting (or silly) to say. Here is just a sample of what we have experienced:
Mama: Sophia, go get Phoebe’s blanket out of her crib for me please.
Sophia: No I can’t. I’m too heavy.
While coloring a picture…..”Behold!”
Sophia: Mama!
Mama: What?!
Sophia: I don’t know……
Watching Curious George, Sophia: It’s George!
Mama: What is George? (expecting her to say monkey)
Sophia: Curious!
She has been getting mixed up when she wants to tell us of she likes something or not. So when we offer her food, that she apparently doesn’t want, she shakes her head no and says in a rough voice “I like it!”
I am busy talking to someone at the door and Sophia wanted BJ to get her something. She walks up to him and tells him “Get off bum daddy!” BJ had been sitting in the living room playing a videogame…….
A nickname BJ and I have for Phoebe is ‘Chubbs’. Totally inappropriate, I know, considering she is not chubby, fat, or chunky in any way. But we like it and so it is here to stay. Sophia has never repeated it until recently. She will repeat most of my commands to Phoebe to “not touch this” or “don’t do that” but added Chubbs at the end.
Sophia is obsessed with tractors. Whenever we drive anywhere she is on the lookout for them and gets excited when she sees one. We have so much construction in our area right now and along the roads we travel it is pretty hard to never see one when we go out. She will yell, “Look mama look! A tractor, I see it, I see it!” OR “A tractor! Oh my goodness.”
After playing with her Optimus Prime transforming robot (a cheapo thing she got in a Happy meal), and calling it a “robot”, she calls him a “beat boxer”. He continues to be a “beat boxer” and not a robot for the rest of the night.
Sophia is playing in the bath, we hear a loud crash followed by a splash. I was in the process of getting up to check on her, but I wasn’t overly concerned because there was no yelling or crying, when she calls out in a very matter of fact voice “I’M OKAY!!!!” I hadn’t asked yet, but good to know!
Speaking of the bath, she has discovered having her head, but not her face, underwater makes everything sound different. She can often be found laying in the bath with just her little face poking out. She seems so relaxed.
She is back to sleeping with her night table light on, much to my dissatisfaction. That is what her big flower night light was for! It gets her to fall asleep and I just sneak in later and turn it off. We don’t know what started this up again but hope she regains her confidence and feeling of safety back.
Sophia is also quite the mini-mama right now. She wants to look at and/or do all the things I am doing. If I have a pony tail and she has one too she will say, “Just like mama!” She wants to put on make up like me, cook dinner like me, etc.
She also tries to ‘parent’ Phoebe all the time. “Don’t do that Phoebe.” “Let go Phoebe.” “No touch Phoebe!” and on and on. Pretty much any scolding we have said to Phoebe Sophia will repeat. It has been hard explaining to Sophia why it is okay for BJ and I to say those things but not her. Really we are trying to teach her roles in the family and that we are parents and she is a child. Not easy to do on a 2 1/2 year old!
We had heavy rain and some wind due to Hurricane Ike. Sophia was desperate to go outside (luckily we had no lightning and thunder) and look at the rain. She has become really fascinated with rain and wanting to be out in it ever since daddy took her out that first time to collect water in her bucket. It was POURING, but I was tired of her whining and figured it wouldn’t hurt. We let her play out there for what ended up being half an hour. Phoebe couldn’t resist being a part of it too and joined us. Sophia was cold and sopping wet (but happy) by the time we brought her in.
Phoebe’s turn! Oh, what can I say about that little piece of deliciousness! She is almost running and really has to just to keep up with her sister. In fact, if she is doing something she shouldn’t or we tell her to stop doing something and get up to go get her she starts to run away.
She has quite the temper and doesn’t like Sophia touching on her too much. I think she has just had too many bad experiences in her life up to now of Sophia touching her in mean ways—hitting, pushing, kicking, biting, etc.—that she doesn’t want her touching at all. Admittedly, when Sophia touches her it is usually negative even to this day. She always seems to be taking something from her or pushing her hand away from something Sophia THINKS she shouldn’t be touching or simply does not want her to. As a result of all this Phoebe lashes out by trying to bite. She started this a couple months ago but it sure has gotten worse! Biting at Sophia is her first reaction. She has 3 areas on Sophia she will ‘target’–her hands, arms, or torso. And if Sophia was too quick and pulled away Phoebe will bite her own hand or wrist. (Jenn, I am sure you are totally laughing right now!) The thing is, she still only has 2 teeth so no real damage is done. You can see where some other teeth are about to cut through, but it is taking forever!
Phoebe has discovered frothing her spit and drooling it out. She mashes her lips around to get the spit all bubbly and of course, it eventually drools all down herself.
Her hair is coming in more and more curly. If we don’t brush it after a bath it tweaks out all over the place. It sure is cute. Her hair really is a lot like mine was as a child. Blond and wavy/curly.
She has discovered the trash can. We have the kind that you have to tap the top for the lid to open, but it still has the main part of it that you open when you want to change the bag. She can lift that part very easily. I have scooped countless items out of the trash. I think she saw me open the trash like that one day and has been hooked ever since.
Her speech is coming along nicely too. She said “thank you mama” one day that completely shocked BJ and I. She makes all sorts of sounds and you can totally tell she is saying something, but she just isn’t precise enough yet for us to understand.
If you ask her to give you a hug she will lay her head on your chest and snuggle. She hasn’t figured out the wrapping the arms part yet.
She is proficient in climbing and, just like her big sister, can be found climbing the furniture, stools, chairs, etc all the time.
Tags: Heather,Phoebe,Sophia,Weekly Family Update
Categories: Heather, Weekly Family Update
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