Silly Me

Last week I thought Sophia was merely suffering from a cold. What else could cause such a happy girl such discomfort and misery? There's nothing like snot constantly dripping from your nose to keep you from complete bliss. Ask a silly question... it turns out that Sophia is not only battling a cold (which is much, much better as evidenced by her renewed interest in food) but she is also getting more teeth. I shouldn't be surprised as this is going to be part of my life for the next who knows how many months. But I didn't assume that it could be the source of her displeasure. Silly, silly me.

Baby Buddies

Another fun thing to do in Vancouver is to hang out with Sheliza (Tanya and Muniz's little girl). Sophie LOVES spending time with other babies, learning and exploring and having a good old time. Sheliza is exactly three months younger than Sophie, so as the older, and seemingly more wise baby, Sophia has a responsiblity to pass on certain learnings to Sheliza. What this does for Tanya and Muniz, I don't know, but I apologize now. This might just be the beginning of years of passing on bad habits and annoying traits! What are friends for, hey?

Actually watching the two of them is great. They really didn't play too shy and after several exposures one could even argue that they were beginning to like each other.



This is from their first visit at Tanya's house. Grandma Gladys came with us, and Sheliza's Grandma Hillman also joined in the fun. This first visit was a little tense, with a lot of "what the heck are you and why are you here?" and "whose place is this?" and "I'm tired" tears. But fun was had.

The next visit took place at Grandma and Grandpa Mantel's house. Well, the two girls couldn't get enough of each other. There was a lot of looking, reaching and the occassional grasping at eyes. But a mutual respect for each other was established, which is good cuz Tanya and Sheliza are coming to visit for a week, and it would suck if the girls couldn't get along!


Sharing toys like good potential Sparks. Who knows what stories they are sharing, but it doesn't look good for the parents.


When in Vancouver... Actually it was cute to watch them try to munch on each other's noses. They took turns.

Sheliza

I look forward to what the future holds for these two girls. My only hope is that they can be close friends just like their mommies. Heaven knows what kind of trouble that might lead too....

Party Girl

In Vancouver, Sophia experienced her first birthday party. My Godsister, Lisa, threw a first birthday party for her son, Adam. It was a cowboy theme and had a face painter, panning for gold, hats and bandannas, a candy count guess, and a BBQ. Who could ask for more. Our presence there was a surprise for the group, as they didn't know we were in town. A great time was had by all including the birthday boy! Surprisingly, Sophia was really good and didn't play shy with anyone (which is something new for her as she has developed stranger danger!). She even got pieces of wardrobe so that she would fit in:

Okay, so it's not a ten gallon hat, but you have to admit she does look pretty good in it!

Although, the balloon hat and bandanna do suite her more.

Hanging out with Emily (Godsister Lindy's oldest)

Visiting Uncle

As much as I love spring on the prairies, I have to say that spring in Vancouver is just as wonderful. Sophia and I made a spontaneous trip (okay, unplanned until the night before) to Vancouver to offer some healing baby love to Uncle Todd. Todd fell off a ladder the previous week, collapsed a lung and spent several days in hospital. So what would be better for a guy recovering from a chest tube and very sore body than an eight month old and her giggly smiles? It turns out that it was a good choice, as living with Sophie made him move more than he probably would have had he just been hanging out at Mom and Dad's. There was a lot of crawling around on knees (Todd's not Sophia's) as she discovered that her Uncle was more than happy to walk her around the house. Once that weakness was figured out, Sophia had her uncle wrapped around her little finger... or her little fingers wrapped around Todd's big ones. All in all, we had a wonderful visit, and Uncle Todd got a really good dose of his niece.



Looking for a Deal
Seems that Sophia has developed my love of flyers. Okay, sometimes, when the days get long at home, I get a little too excited about the flyers arriving... but what else can you do on -30 days? Maybe it's a Mantel trait, as my family seems to spend a lot of time looking at flyers as well. No matter who's to blame for this strange penchant, Sophia loves her flyers. The colours, the noise, the taste of ink. She would make Todd walk her over to them and then she would quickly plant her diapered bottom on the ground so that she could take a closer look. We do have to watch pretty closely though, as those little sharp teeth of hers tears paper off quite well. When she gets a piece she tends to stick the wet gob in her cheek, much like a squirrel storing nuts. Ever try to pry wet slimy paper out of an insistent infants mouth?


So many to choose from and they all look so tasty!

Oh, the deals, oh the sales! Did you check this one out??

The best way to see the world
This is Sophia's favorite way to play... standing on the edge of the table, banging toys or coasters, making noise and drooling all over the place. She also quite enjoys trying to see under the table, which leads to great body contortions and the occasional bumped head. The girl has a head like concrete. She is also practicing standing on one foot. For some one just learning the full range of motion of her legs, she has fantastic balance. She must get that from her father....




Auntie Ciara
We got to visit with Ciara! We haven't had a good visit with her since October, which is a very long time ago. The girls (Tanya, Ciara and I) went for dinner without the babies (!) and had a lovely time chatting and laughing. What a treat to have dinner while it was still warm and without wrestling with a child. After dinner we bid farewell to Tanya and Ciara headed back to my place to play with Sophia a little more. Mom has managed to keep the toys that Todd and I played with back in our younger days, and stores them in a big tupperware for Sophia. Well, Ciara and I were remembering the "good old days" and dragged out every toy and showed them each in turn to Sophia. Well, she didn't care about the cool toys, she wanted into the container. So, she happily stood and watched as Ciara and I played with all the toys!

Auntie Ciara showing Sophia what to do

Ah Spring

Spring in the prairies is lovely... it sneaks up on you, warms the air tempting you to spend time outside, encouraging you to unpack your summer wardrobe and melts the snow so that you can once again see that there is indeed grass under all that white stuff. Then, in a flash, it's snowing! Well, at least it didn't stay. Last week we had beautiful sunny days with temperatures reaching 20 above. Above! We took advantage of the weather and went for ice cream, long walks, and sun sessions in the back yard. It's a good thing too, since today the temperature plummeted to 2 degrees and rain/snowed. Yuck.

It seems to be that with the changing of the seasons comes the inevitable common cold. Yes, Sophia has her very first cold. It has mostly manifested itself as congestion, which means that our little girl is perpetually snotty, and she HATES having her nose wiped. I have also found a way to send my little one into tears of rage: trying to suck out the mucus with an aspirator in hopes of helping her breathe better. This is not her idea of a good time and boy, she lets you know it. Over the last couple of days a little chest cough has developed, its kind of cute at the same time as being pitiful. All I want to do is to cuddle her in my arms until it goes away. Despite being sick, Sophia is rather cheerful... smiling and cooing still. Her apetite for solids has dropped again, but I am sure once she is feeling better it will increase. For now, I have a relatively happy, snotty, and sometimes a little grumpy (but who isn't when they are sick?) baby. Ah Spring.

Back to the more positive side: Grandma Diane was here to witness the glorious weather, and loved the idea of spending time with Sophia out on the deck. She, Sophia and Haley had a great time together in the sun!

Grandma and Sophie sitting on the deck. Grandma decided that it was high time for Sophie to experience snow since it was rapidly melting.

Initial exploration. She wasn't too sure about it at first...

But it was only a matter of time till it ended up in her mouth!

This is Sophia's favorite mode of transportation these days. I am thinking that she may choose to skip the crawling stage and move straight to walking or else I am going to have some serious back problems soon! She absolutely loves this though, you can see the look of joy in her eyes!

Just a close up of our beauty!

A Month in the Life of Sophie

So much happens in life that I get so caught up in it I forget to update the blog. In the last month we've been to Toronto, got blizzard stayed with the Gerhard Grandparents and had Grandma Gladys come for a visit. So you see, that leaves very little time to actually do much more than get the laundry done and the bare basics of life covered. That's my excuse, what's yours?

Sophia turned eight months at the beginning of March. We are in a bit of denial that in four short months she will reach the milestone of one year of life. It is incredible how very quickly a year can pass when you are watching a baby explore and grow. It kind of makes you appreciate all that you have.

Being eight months has brought some new skills into Sophia's life. Every day she grows more and more independent. Every day she smiles as she discovers something new. Here are new things:

EATING
Some of you will remember the long haul it has been trying to get Sophie to enjoy the world of solid food. I have to say that the advice of following your child's lead is something I should have listened to sooner. Although she has been trying out solids since December, Sophia really hasn't truly enjoyed them until recently. Actually, I think she likes some of the things we are offering. Insert parents' sigh of relief here. I thought I would be breastfeeding her until she was 18. Yikes.

We have tried many things with our dear little one. As it stands right now, she likes rice cereal, mixed cereal with fruit flavorings, avocado (cut into little pieces), carrots (strained), squash (strained), cheddar cheese, plain yogurt, watermelon, fresh banana and the occasional taste of vanilla ice cream. We have one of those self feeder bags that allows Sophia to mash away at fresh fruit and veggies without getting big hunks that could potentially choke her. And she loves to feed her self!




these pictures were taken during a nice family dinner at the Gerhard house in Winnipeg. In a bit of frustration I decided to plop parts of Sophia's dinner on her table tray and let her feed herself. She loved every minute of it. Actually, she was quite lively at that dinner as you can tell from the pictures. Sleep that night was near impossible. Anyway, she ate quite a bit and made a fantastic mess in the process!

Boys, boys, boys
It seems that Sophia has a habit of befriending boys...What this means for her daddy later on in life is still a mystery. At play group it is Carter, at swim class it is Owen, Jayden and William. It's quite funny to watch, and of course, it is only her parents that are putting any meaning on it!

Berkeley and Sophia
Carter and Sophia

Hair
Well, I finally bit the bullet and chopped off Sophia's rat tail. That long bit of hair hanging down her neck was driving me a little crazy --way, way too eighties for me. Anyone ever try to get an active baby to sit still so that you can cut her hair without it looking terrible? That was a feat unto itself. But it is done and the "curl" has been put in the "Baby's first curl" box to be kept forever and ever. Or at least until I give it to her when she moves out or gets married or something.

Before
After

All By Myself!
Our little girl is growing up. From sitting on her own to standing on her own while holding on to things. Although she has been known to stand without support but only when she is distracted by something. This new found freedom is very intoxicating but is hampered by the fact that she can not get herself into said standing position without some help from others. In that little baby brain of hers she is devising a plan to get around that. This includes spending long bits of time seated by the living room table, watching and grabbing. She has successfully pulled herself on to her knees, but her legs continue to foil her plans by not cooperating.

She is SO happy!

trying out the over the shoulder pose!



Trying so hard to get up. The only problem is that the ottomans are tippy, so Daddy has to lend a hand!

Sleeping beauty
Sigh, sleep. I remember when I used to get eight hours all in a row. Not any more. Sophia continues to wake at least once, if not twice a night, just to keep things interesting.

When she was born, the nurses all made sure that I put Sophia on her back to sleep, so that I would continue to reduce the chance of SIDS. As she grew older her preferred sleeping position was on her side. Since the advent of rolling, her stomach is the sleep position of choice. Often she will wake up with little finger imprints on her forehead... it's so gosh darn cute. This is also the way she practices her crawling moves. No actual movement has happened yet, just a lot of rocking. It's just that she has this annoying habit of trying out this transportation option when she should be sleeping. Oy.



The Winnipeg Trip
David and I opted to fly into Winnipeg at the end of our Toronto trip. This way, Grandpa Arthur could have a visit and we would all drive to Regina together. Well, the weather had other plans for us, and with the prediction of blizzards and dangerous driving conditions it was decided that we would fly home. David went home first, what with that pesky job that he has, and I stayed on for several more days. We had a great time! I share with you pictures of our adventure...



Grandma Diane pulled out some of David and Adam's old toys. Sophie seems to really enjoy those retro Fisher Price toys. They certainly got a good once over!

One last new skill: Sophia has learned to clap her hands. It is still pretty uncoordinated, not hitting a beat too often, but she does love it!

To There and Back Again

My, how time flies when you aren't getting enough sleep. Yup. still got our sleeping woes. In the grand scheme of things, this really isn't the worst thing in life. Eventually, Sophia will figure out how to get through the night without eating... it might take her realizing that if she ate more during the day she might not be so hungry at night, but I am sure that it will happen.

Much has occurred in the Gerhard Family's life in the last little while...

Go East Little Girl
Well, the time had come to introduce wee Sophia to the Osborne side of the family (that's Diane's family line). We flew out to Winnipeg, where Diane joined us on the plane and together we flew to Toronto (without major incident). This was Sophia's longest flight so far, and she did quite well. Only one crying spell when she was very, very tired but didn't want to go to sleep. No one complained (okay, except for me!).

We had a lovely trip, which included among many things, a trip to Delhi. No, we didn't go to India. Delhi (pronounced Dell-high) is the town where both Grandma and Grandpa Gerhard grew up and still have relations. We took the lovely drive down to visit the siblings of Great Grandma Osborne. It was truly wonderful. Unfortunately, I don't have those pictures. I will have to get them from Diane and post them at a later date.

The four of us stayed with Great Aunt (GA from here on) Chris and Great Uncle (GU) Alan Bromstein. It was a lovely location, where David and I could sleep comfortably in our own room, while Sophia bunked in another across the hall. The only real challenge were the incredibly squeaky floors at the Bromstein's house. They made it very hard to sneak about. I am not sure how their sons did it when they lived at home --- maybe that's why Jonathan was in the basement....

GA Chris and Tricia with Sophia at the Etobicoke Conservatory

A cuddle with Great Aunt Jan.

Great Uncle Alan
Alan gets his very own entry here. I have never met a man so fascinated and mesmerized by babies. They don't even have to be his own. You really should see him gush about the triplets (and their sibling) that live next door. Well, Sophia was smitten with him in about two seconds flat. Babies have an innate sense for those people who will dote on and spoil them silly.

It was interesting to watch, especially seeing that Sophia is beginning to show some reserve when it comes to strangers. She needs a couple of minutes to warm up to new people before she will go to them. But not Alan. Nope, he scooped her up and had no problems at all. One of the icky things of the visit was that Alan had to work all weekend (this is a very unusual thing for Alan, for he likes to keep his lawyering to the weekdays). On Sunday (yes, he had to work on Sunday!) he was hoping to only work part of the day so that he could come home and visit with all of us. Well, the morning got later and later, and there was no Alan. We were getting a little worried. Not too long later Alan strolled through the door and his tardiness became very obvious... he had been shopping! With a huge smile and a big bag, Alan unloaded the goodies that he found for Sophia. Several outfits, sweaters, and a totally cool toy later, Alan was satisfied that he had done well. Well, good enough. He did check out the Children's Place in the mall one lunch hour but only managed to make it out with one onesie.

No matter what was going on in the day, Sophia always had a smile for GU Alan!



It was a good conversation!

Liam
We don't get to see Liam enough. So, seeing that we were already in TO we though a visit would be in order, and heck, Sophia had to meet him sooner or later. It was fabulous to see him. It took a little bit of time for Sophia and Liam to get acquainted --they watched each other quite closeor a little while. But with time, both were happy to sit together and get to know one another.

In the evening of the visit, Sophia got to do some jumping for the family (who needs TV when we have a jolly jumping baby!?). Liam had never seen such a thing and decided not only to watch but to add his own special touch to the event! At one point, I believe Sophia dissolved into a puddle of giggles as Liam smacked himself in the head with her new toy. I am not sure if there were animal noises in the mix as well.

A serious exchange between Sophia and Liam. I am not sure if she gave him the information he was looking for. She's being kind of tight lipped about it all.

And if I pry this open, strange and mysterious sounds come out.

If you look closely you can see that Liam has attached all her Link-A-Doo thingies to the JJ, and a couple of heavier toys (the blue ball with the antennas is the new toy from Alan).

A warm place -the Etobicoke Conservatory
GA Chris took the four of us for a trip to the conservatory. It was a fabulous place to be...warm enough to make you sweat. I think Sophia had a good time taking in all the plants and birds and fish and such. It was a wonderful way to spend our last little bit of time in TO.