Puppy

I am sure I will tell this story 1000 times. I told our housekeeper I would help her find a home for one of her five puppies and that she should bring me a picture.

Instead of a picture she brought the puppy.

If I had been home alone I would have kindly re-explained the concept, however, as soon as Dan saw her he very enthusiastically said, "we'll take her"! I think we went back and forth a little and, well, now said puppy is whimpering away in Max's room and potty training 101 begins tomorrow. The boys might not be able to hang in through this experience so if you know of anyone looking for a puppy - keep this one in mind - just in case.

Do I smell poo?

Italy 2009

We're back!
I have no fewer than a million photos to sort through and each one seems to be more special than the last. I have a few photos to share right now and the rest will come slowly over the next few days. I will sort them into three categories: Paris, Tuscany, and Rome. So keep checking back and scroll through those three posts.

We had a wonderful vacation. We started with 3 days in Paris, then a week in Tuscany and ended with 3 days in Rome. This year's trip was SO much more relaxing than 2008. Part of this was having a few extra hands, but mostly, Sofia's independence helped a great deal. She slept at night and took one-hour naps during the day. She also gave me a break from time to time and would walk as opposed to me carrying her everywhere. I found if I explained to her that I was tired she was much more amenable to walking. Sofia was in LOVE with Max’s friend Chase, so if all else failed, “Chease” would come to the rescue and occupy her for a bit of time. In fact, Sofia was so fond of Chase that by mid-trip she started calling Max by the name Chase (…if only to annoy him). We decided that Chase was really playing with Sofia, whereas Max would play a little and then stop, so this was Sofia’s way of making a point. When we dropped Chase off at his home last night Sofia cried and today she said his name no fewer than four times.

Sofia did well on the flights; I don’t think she cried once on the way over. The last two hours on the way home were difficult because everyone was fast asleep, except for Sofia (I know this from my many trips up and down the aisle). Little wide-eyed Sofia managed to eek out only two small fits of restlessness, which given the non-stop attention I was providing, seemed like a success.

I have had a few people ask me what we do on the long flights to keep Sofia busy. The flight out has always seemed easier to me than the flight back because the toys and books on the flight home are old news. SO, my new big tip is to actually take a few toys or books, which you won’t give your child (under any painstaking circumstance) until the flight home. I always pack a few things for the flight home, and I always break down and give them to Sofia before the trip has finished. Don’t do this! The single best occupier of Sofia’s time on this trip was a close tie between my iphone and its plethora of toddler apps, and a book of 1000 stickers, which subsequently have been left like a trail of breadcrumbs from France to Pacific Palisades. Seriously, I have found stickers EVERYWHERE.

Food was my most difficult challenge. I hadn’t realized how hard it would be to try and balance Sofia’s meals. Milk wasn’t easy to come by at the hotels, and do you think they have any vegetables in Paris other than haricot vert? A girl can only eat so many green beans. Basically Sofia ate a lot of bread and gelato, why else go to France and Italy?

As much fun as this trip was, I am glad to be home. I missed our routine and our friends. And, right now I am missing my bed.

Good night.

Paris

Tuscany

Rome

Dear Precious Sofia

You are going to be 19 months soon. You are officially over the one and a half year mark and are quickly heading to TWO.

As you grow I am trying to keep up with your accomplishments but I know I am behind. This month you are already perfecting your colors and shapes, you have been using a spoon and fork for a few months now, you run non-stop, you can throw a ball under and over hand, you enjoy helping us when we ask for help, you wipe your mouth and hands when they are dirty, when we call out a picture or object you point to it, you tell me when you have gone potty, you feed and clean your dolls, and you throw your garbage away without asking.

I am constantly astonished at how much you know. At this point you are very aware of our discussions and you are taking them all in. I watch as you study Max and daddy when they speak. You watch me too, and have continued to mimic everything from putting on lipstick and combing your hair, to putting on shoes or reading. I love watching you open a book to “read” all by yourself, but even more, I enjoy those days when we sit on your bed and read for an hour. (I am always astonished at how much time has passed, and that you are still as interested as you were when we began.) You like to scribble with your crayons and you enjoy playing ball. You enjoy playing with your iphone toddler apps. You will pose for a picture when asked, okay, okay, you will only do that for five seconds, but it still makes me proud. And our favorite thing you are doing right now is dancing. You have been dancing for a few months, but now you have song recognition and when Beyonce’s song, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) plays, you dance like crazy. I have a video and will post soon.

You are intelligent, sweet, independent, curious and you make me laugh.

I love you,
Ma Ma

Dancing

I'm using a new camera and have not edited this video. It is long...but it captures little, Sofia's personality. What you don't see is that Sofia typically watches Beyonce and tries to mimic her moves! What is almost more amusing is Dan or me trying to mimic Beyonce's moves to show Sofia, not pretty, just embarrassing. (Not included on this video.)