Happy One Year Sofia!

So I have been extremely behind on blogging lately.  I will catch up soon because I don't want to leave out some of the best times we've had as a family and also with our friends and family.  The hiatus is mostly due to a sudden illness for me, which had to be handled and completely given focus for a while, and then we went home to the U.S. on furlough for the holidays. 

We're back now in Olomouc, we're settling in to our life here again, and we're enjoying so much of it.  I'll catch up on that soon, too.

For now I want to quickly record some things about Sofia and her turning one.  I just can't believe it's been one year already.  The time has flown ever faster than I remember it with Jakub.  There's so much I want to say so I'll just record it all as quickly as I can before she needs me to get her a snack and go for her morning nap. :)

Sofia, you are so very precious to us.  Here are all of the things I want to remember about you at this time that you have just turned one:

 

- You are extremely kind and loving.  You generously give hugs and kisses to me, Daddy, and Jakub.  You will blow kisses to friends and even strangers if asked.

- You love to smile and laugh.  Your brother gets the biggest and longest laughs out of you when he does silly tricks like sliding across the floor on his knees, playing peek-a-boo, and singing silly songs with dances.

- You play pretty well on your own, but you really love it when we join you and immediately start giving us your toys and sharing with us.

- You are good at the doctor just like Jakub was.  You rarely cry or fuss- you just watch the doctor in amazement and curiosity for what they are doing.  If you get an immunization you only cry a moment and then are fine and want to play with the toys at the doctor's office. :)

- At your one-year check-up you weighed exactly 12kg and were 74cm tall.  Everything else was fine and you seem to be very healthy.  The doctor commented on how you are "healthy" looking with all of your sweet, chubby rolls and that you must be a good eater.  And you are!

- You do eat well the things you like, but you can also be picky.  You like to smell, touch, and gently taste something for the first time if you don't know what it is.  Then if you like it you will eat it all.  If you don't we have to coax you with some cheering and clapping.  This usually helps. :)

 

- Your favorite things to eat right now are bananas, apples with cinnamon, grapes, jogurt without fruit chunks in it, rice or pasta, spaghetti, broccoli, carrots, mashed potatoes, and Bebe crackers. 

- You began walking 2 weeks after your first birthday.  You did it for the first time at home when you walked from the couch to Daddy.  You took about 5 steps.  Then later you did it several times at church between two of our friends who were tossing back and forth a cookie to motivate you.  And it did!!  You love sweet stuff. :)

- You love to hear the word outside and then go there for walks in the stroller.  You love to go get brother after school and the minute you see him you start babbling and reaching open your arms for him to come get a hug.  You hug and kiss him generously and he loves it.  I love to see you two together and am proud of how much you already love each other.

- You go pretty well to strangers or friends and don't yet cry when we are gone for a while.  You just love to be played with and especially if Jakub is with you then you don't mind going to do whatever adventure you can.

- You started last week going on Thursdays, for the first time, with Jakub after school to our Babička's (grandmother in Olomouc) house. She keeps you both while Daddy and I go to our teen devotional time.  She said you did great and loved to play patty-cake with her.  She loves you both very much and is glad you will be with her and Jakub now.

- You also love to sing and dance like your brother did as a baby.  If we say "dance" you will start to wiggle around or sway back and forth if you are standing.  You also do it alone if I start to sing to you.  You like the songs:  Wheels on the bus, row your boat, gumdrops (thanks Nellie!), pat the Bible, Kingdom come, and Trust and obey (great for putting you to sleep). :)

- You have two teeth on the bottom and it's taking FOREVER for them to come in.  The first one came during our trip home to the U.S. and you were 11 months.  The second one was just visible at that time and didn't completely break through until literally your first birthday.  The third is growing now.  I hope to see it sometime in the next month. :)

That's all for now.  Sofia, your family loves you very, very much.  We're so thankful to have you in our lives and to watch you learn and grow each day.  You truly are so sweet and gentle and you bring a lot of love, joy, and positivity to our home.  Thank you for the open arms and generous hugs and kisses you give us.  As Jakub would say "we love you a million, billion, killion times."  Happy one year!